Joysticks could be a thing of
the past: Virtuix will soon debut an omni-directional treadmill that can
track gamers as they run, walk, and jump in every direction. The device
— aptly dubbed the Omni — can be used on its own to replace traditional
video game movement controls, or it can be used alongside other virtual
reality hardware, including the Oculus Rift, for a more encompassing VR
experience. The company has shown off support for games including Crysis Warhead, Team Fortress 2, and Skyrim in a series of YouTube videos, but the device will work with all PC games when it's released. Virtuix is aiming to launch a
Kickstarter campaign for the Omni around the end of May or the beginning
of June, and it's targeting a price of $400-600 for the device, a
company representative told The Verge. The Omni does not appear
to use a moving belt like a traditional treadmill, and instead looks to
employ a slick, sloped surface that users slide down as they take steps
forward. Virtuix has also demonstrated integration with the Oculus Rift, which
allows players to use the Omni in 360-degrees. The treadmill integration
could resolve a virtual reality gaming issue that Palmer Luckey,
founder of Oculus VR, discussed during this year's SXSW Interactive.
Quick movement can become disorienting while using the Oculus Rift, and
Luckey pointed out that an omni-directional treadmill could solve that.
"With a little bit of prediction and misdirection you can make people
feel like they’re in an infinite space," he said. (theverge)
No comments:
Post a Comment