First post, by Rekrul
Does the following exist:
A VR headset that can be used as a "dumb" display for whatever video signal you want to feed into it (VGA, HDMI, etc), and where the movement tracking registers to the computer as a standard mouse?
Here's my rambling explanation...
Back in the late 80s, or early 90s, I tried the Virtuality arcade game. It was slow and laggy, but impressive in its ability to make it seem like you were in the game. Ever since then I've wanted to replicate that experience at home.
As I understand it, modern VR solutions require a game to be specifically written to be compatible with them, however I want something that I can use with any game.
I'm sure the first thing someone will say is that the software has to be written for VR, or you won't get the 3D effect. Well, I've been completely, 100% blind in my right eye since birth, so I couldn't care less about having a 3D display.
Next someone will probably point out that you need special software to handle the motion tracking, otherwise how would you turn in a complete circle while sitting in front of the computer. Well, I'd be fine with just having my hand on a regular mouse for the times I need to turn farther than head tracking would allow. I figure I'd need the buttons for shooting anyway.
So, if I could have a headset that would display any signal that I fed into it, and that would act as a mouse, I could play virtually any game that uses the mouse for camera control. I could play Half-Life in semi-VR. Mostly, I want it to block out the real world, so that I can only see the game world.
Would it be as good as a true VR game? No, but it would be compatible with pretty much every first person shooter, space combat game, etc.
So, does there exist a VR headset that can be used as a dumb display, and that would also act as a standard mouse, without needing any special software for either?