HTC VIVE or PS VR Support

[BigAntStudios]

Would love to hear some non-dev, unbiased reviews.

 

[mattk]

Shane Warne also has a VR Game...King of Spin VR on Steam I do think that this is the way to go but the technology is not there yet to give a game as rounded as DBC. Just demonstrating batting is one thing but it is not covering many other aspects: running, bowling, fielding, catching, wicket keeping, etc. Given the outrage caused by forcing someone to buy a controller to pllay DBC14, think what it would be like if you needed to purchase a full VR rig. You would also have to change the game mechanics considerably. I think we are some way off being able to have a proper VR cricket game.

I was interested until I saw it was Wicked Witch making it

 

[border33]

Would love to hear some non-dev, unbiased reviews.

Gotta love the reviews on the App Store for Shane Warne's game... A one star slamming incredibly followed by a 5 star glowing report - go figure!

 

[BigAntStudios]

Gotta love the reviews on the App Store for Shane Warne's game... A one star slamming incredibly followed by a 5 star glowing report - go figure!

I think you can discount any review that uses the word "addicting" (or any variant), the word "Pokémon", or has a cricket bat and ball in their username (really!?!?), as being made by the Slaves Unpaid Interns that, having finished the game, have some spare time to learn the art of reviewing their own work on the various AppStores - the only "good" reviews are in Australia, lesson#1 for the poor bastards Interns is to change locality every now and again.

Having said that, they've nearly got a reasonable command of the English language, I say double their pay!

 

[SLHomie]

@BigAntStudios @Ross

Hi Ross,

Well, bought the Just Bat game. Haven't gotten a chance to try it yet, friend wasn't around. As soon as I do will give my review of that.

A few people replying to this thread feels the controls aren't ready. You guys have to think of the fundamental thing about gaming SW & HW, it has come a long way, from the days of Atari to the modern PC. This is the natural evolution of gaming. Those that dare to take the risk and adopt it can fail, but some do succeed. Indie developers seem to be taking that risk, but we need a mainstream guy taking on that lead as well. None of the Triple A companies are in a position of making a Cricket game. Codemasters flunked out, EA, well lets not go there... The point is, what the HTC Vive, or any of the others, brings a VR Experience and that's what you are buying in to. You might not want to spend that money on the HW, but that's ok, nothing is cheap when it is first introduced. I remember buying a 128MB USB Drive for $100, now for $5 you can get a 16GB drive if you look hard enough. I am not equating the two, but the fact is technology will get cheaper eventually.

I agree that the controls don't allow for running up and bowling or fielding. However, it does allow for batting, why not have a mode in the game that allows you to at least bat. I have always wondered after playing a shot in the game "man i wish i could have actually played the stroke rather than smash a few buttons!"

I will write my review of "Just Bat" when I get around to playing it. I do not expect the ball physics to be great nor the graphics nor realism to exist. I just expect being able to see it and hit it with my own motion rather than button combos.

I'm all about innovation and what can drive us forward, being of the Science and Engineering field myself. So lets innovate!

Some of the most enjoyable games and game modes came about as a developer's side project (ie. Zombie mode in COD or League of Legends by Riot), why can't this be something of that nature for @BigAntStudios ?

Anyways, Cheers all!

SLHomie

 

[BigAntStudios]

Thanks @SLHomie - look forward to your thoughts.

There will no doubt be VR in DBC at some point, it's not a matter of "if" but "when".

 

[grkrama]

@Ross from reading a couple of your articles on these tech, i gather you are more pro MR aka hololens than VR Ocullus etc, i also agree with your view that hololens, magic leap are way ahead interms of what they bring to the table great mix of real and virtual in the same living space, spatial awareness, being able to use it just plainly without being enclosed, better comfort to use long term without vr side effects etc compared to vr ,rift, so out of curiosity will MR actually be able to play a role in sports games,especially the full fledged ones you guys create, will Hololens be able to accommodate the space and pace required for these games.

 

[BigAntStudios]

We have HoloLens, AR is totally awesome, but it's years away from being used by consumers in games.

 

[chaman82]

Thanks @SLHomie - look forward to your thoughts.

There will no doubt be VR in DBC at some point, it's not a matter of "if" but "when".

With the psvr out now.
Any update for future vr support for Dbc 17?

 

[SLHomie]

@BigAntStudios @Ross

Well it's been a few weeks but I finally got the chance to try out Just Bat VR using the HTC Vive. Here's my take on it.

First of all, let me address what I looked for and how the game compared.

1) Controller Implementation / Intuitiveness
2) Software Responsiveness
3) Ball physics
4) Graphics Quality
5) Execution

As I put on the headset and start up the game I wasn't sure what I should be expecting. After the LifeVR splash-screen I am greeted with two cricket bats that are upright. The one to the left is a free form batting experience which takes the namesake of the game, "Just Bat". The one to the right is the "5 over challenge". I reached over and grabbed the "5 over challenge" bat, admittedly in my haste to want to play the game without even a second thought, and I proceeded to select right handed as my batting option. This is where it gets interesting, I see the bowler and the field through a helmet, which can be easily toggled on or off using the button on side of the controller.

The controller, well, without any hesitation I started holding it as I would a cricket bat. The HTC Vive controller lends itself well in having just enough room for average hands to hold it as though it's a cricket bat's handle. The Vive is unique in that it start small and gradually get bigger towards the sensor end (innuendo not intended). It almost feels natural that that's where the meat of bat should start. The controller isn't perfect of course, I do wish it could have been a bit longer, however it serves its purpose (innuendo not intended). You can rotate your wrists and in the virtual world you rotate the bat accordingly and it feel natural, like a ghost limb you know in your mind the bat is there. This holds true even more when you take your guard and look towards the bowler.

Like a game of shadow cricket where you imagine a ball and you play a stroke, this game takes the imagination out and replaces it virtually with variation of speed, length, line, spin and pace. As I take my guard and ready myself for the first ball, it feels surreal as you look down at the ground and start tapping the bat you realize this is exactly what you have been waiting for.

The bowler takes two strides and bowls at me, the animation is very rudimentary, typical and is the same regardless of the bowler type. Swing and a miss first ball, timing is off and it's been an entire year since I faced a real pacer. The ball, which I find out to be 65kph when glanced at the scoreboard, felt like a ripper as a result. I shake it off and get ready for the next. The line and length changed, short, outside off stump, I go on the back foot and crack a square cut, which goes for 4. That... felt... great! The next few deliveries didn't yield quite the same result but managed to get a few bat on ball. Responsiveness of the movement is accurate, but sometimes I feel the bat-ball collision physics isn't always to par. Another explanation is I simply suck at it.


Ahhh Balls, or ball physics for that matter, not quite there. I went for a front foot defense of a near full pitched delivery with the bat purposefully angled down. The ball came off the middle of the bat, back off the ground and high in the air over the bowlers head, which was covered by the Mid Off Blue Blob. I don't care how fast the bowl was, but it should not have gone that high in the air after a defensive stroke as the one I had played. In contrast, I went for a similar stroke many deliveries later and the result was what I had expected in the first place. That ball suffers a dead stop and trickles away from me gently. Sometimes, the batting felt effortless, a wrist swing of the bat and hitting a ball off the hips that goes for a six. This could be attributed to a perfectly timed fast delivery which made contact with the middle of the bat and shot off in to the stands, but that could be a stretch because I'm not that good.

Speaking of things that aren't that good, how about them graphics?! Well, I'm going to keep this short, it is lack luster and subpar by a long shot, maybe I'm giving it too much credit. It's no Don Bradman's nor is it even any of EA's attempts at a cricket game visually. To be fair this game isn't about graphics so I truly shouldn't be too critical.

Overall the execution seems very rushed but that's in part due to the nature of the beast. This game is nothing more than one individual's attempt at a proof of concept, which on its own was executed well. My gracious friend that allowed me to play the game on his Vive, has never played cricket before. He decided to give it a whirl as well. I have to say he was doing way better than I was at first and thoroughly enjoyed it. Finally, the price, which is simply ridiculous for what you get. If you feel you have been over charged then you might be in a majority and consider this confirmation.

In conclusion, if you are like me and have been longing for a cricket game with an intuitive pick up a bat and play virtually style cricket game, then this satisfies that craving. In other words, like any good appetizer this leaves the taste of what's to come and you remain hungry for more. Hats off to the developer for trying something new and now the proverbial ball is in the hands of the big boys to deliver.

---x---

If you got to this point then kudos to you and thank you for taking the time to read it.

Anyways, Cheers all!

SLHomie

 

[khanjoiya456]

Awsome man

 

[Fissionmailed]

Wondering if at this point pursuing such features would be worth it, not sure how many people have actually gone all in and bought a VR device. I only know 1 out of my around 15 video game buddys have bought one.

My wife just told me today that all of the first run of PSVR at her store were pre ordered, but none have been picked up. It's been like a week or 2 now right? Not sure if it's an issue of so-so reviews, or just a money issue.

 

[KimmorleyKiller]

There will no doubt be VR in DBC at some point, it's not a matter of "if" but "when".

This is what I'm looking forward to the most. I'm in my mid-twenties now, and I find it a lot more difficult to get immersed in games like I used to. A lot of it is the mechanics, I suppose my generation have been playing games the same way most of our lives. And hardware advances have slowed a lot this decade.

I was pretty skeptical about VR until I tried it, but I was sold right away. My first thought was that batting in cricket is literally the perfect use for it. The best way to play it is first person and you don't need to move, which solves a lot of the immersion/motion sickness problems.

From a hardware point of view, I would imagine a DK2 could handle it with room to move. I'm so excited.

 

[dtrjones]

@las_faiz right you are sir! we did play online cricket together.

That's good to know that they are thinking about it.

@las_faiz @Millzey98 ... guys, I really hope they don't pursue Oculus at this point in time. the current release is god awful! The HTC Vive is far superior, I've tried all the VR I can get my hands on, including the Oculus. Anyways, hope we hear something cool about it soon. Still waiting on @Ross to reply

Correction: I've tried the Oculus Rift Dev kit 2. not the consumer release. I have no opinion on that.

Cheers all!

SLHomie

Hi SLHomie, I hope they release Don Bradman Cricket in VR. I understand you haven't tried the Rift CV1. Well I haven't tried the DK2 either but I can say the CV1 is an amazing product and I'm loving every second in my Rift. Those who are not likeing todays VR experiences well thats fine it's still early in the VR life, but for me it's a wonderful way to spend some time to be immersed in a game as it's so different to gaming on the flat screen. The HMD's are not perfect but they work really well in giving you that sense of presence and scale. VR though works well for certain types of games and applications not all, I would doubt a Fifa player would find VR appealing but somebody driving a race car definately would. And so I would imagaine somebody playing Cricket - man that would be amazing if BigAnt studios can nail the first person view...

 

[dtrjones]

Ha. I'll embrace it when games do. We're years away from it being commercially viable, just like we were last time around. Virtuality (gaming) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I see it working out this time exactly the same as last.

That's such an oldschool opinion of VR. VR has moved on significantly since then. VR is commercially viable. OK so the Rift sells at a loss, but the Vive and Gear VR are selling at a profit and hardware will only get better and more competitive from now on and it's already very compelling and exciting area.

The future of VR though will be based on the success of the software being developed. VR has so many uses but as in the 90's the current implementation of VR you feel is holding back these uses but this will improve overtime.

However as an entertainment product the potential and the current realisation is there. This is the reason why Facebook are putting $500 million into VR and that nearly every blue chip manufactor from IBM, Nvidia, AMD, Intel and software giants Facebook, Google and Microsoft are contributing to VR in a big way and that's because it's sees a big future for the technology.

I've included a couple of articles below, have a read and get back to me if you think VR will still fail.

Facebook's Oculus: Just How "Disruptive" Will Virtual Reality Be?

Facebook virtual-reality investment jumps by $250 million - CNET