Photo taken by: Jonathan Fincher
Photo taken by: Keith Stuart
Photo taken by: Todd Murphy
Photo taken by: Jeff Grubb
This semester’s issue of TechCheck has been one of the best issues so far - by a long shot. Thanks to the hardworking employees here, we finnished ahead of time, and all of the articles are incredible. In fact, this magazine would not exist without our hard-working employees, along with all the time they dedicated to this article, and, of course, we couldnt have done it without our wonderful overseer, Ms. Florey. We covered everything from Programable Matter to the battle between the Xbox One and the PS4. And of course, we covered the virtual reality system, the Oculus Rift, in our featured feature written by Alex Siegenthaler. All in all, it has been a fun time, and I hope you, along with all our other readers, find these articles interesting. We certaintly had a great time writting them. Thank you for reading,
Sam A
My name is Sam Alvis. I am the author of “The (Not So) World-Wide Web”, which focuses on Google’s Project Loon. I first heard about Project Loon when I was 11 or 12. My dad, who works at IBM, told me about it, and ever since then it has fascinated me. I have always thought it was such a simple and effective solution to the internet problems the world faces! However, as I was researching for my article, I found a lot of bad stuff that Project Loon may cause as well...
I am Alex Siegenthaler, a writer for Tech Check and author of the article “Falling Down the Rift”. I’ve always been interested in the Oculus, though I’ve never been able to see one in real life. Therefore I jumped at the opportunity to cover the Oculus and Virtual Reality in my article, only to find it was not as much of a dream machine than all the hype said it would be. I am also an avid video game player, spending much more than my fair share of time on Civilization 5.
I’m Angel Emmanuel Ramos the designer and writer of “The Small Things Make It a Big World” article and lead designer of the Tech Check cover page. I live at the music capital of the world Austin, TX, where I attend LBJ High School. My life is of simple nerd who plays video games and attempts to join boxing, but enough. You don’t want to waste time. So keep up to date on technology. I chose is programmable matter out of all the possible topics because it has always intrigued me. The idea of robots the size of sand building everything is just incredible.
Hi, I’m Ryan McGauley and I was the one who worked on the article of “Console Competition: PS4 vs. Xbox One.” I live in Austin, TX, and I attend LASA High School, where I am currently a freshman. I often spend my free time playing video games, reading, and watching movies. The overall magazine interests me because I like to keep up to date on modern technology. I chose to write this article because I enjoy gaming and this article relates to that part of my life. I found out many new and interesting things as I wrote the article, giving me much more knowledge on technology. I want to thank all those who I interviewed for my article and I want to thank my group members who helped me out when I was stuck. I had a great time writing my article and I hope you like reading this magazine!
All Photos Courtesy of Alex Siegenthaler
s ' P e l l a g n o to Fix It o G d N A ...
Photo by Google.Wikipedia.
A close-up view of the balloon’s envelope. by Sam Alvis Imagine you live without internet. Imagine: no computers, no video games, no movies. Let’s say you’re a shepherd living in rural Kazakhstan, or a poor fisherman in south Uganda. You have never used a computer in your entire life. You can’t, because there is no internet access in your village. Then one day, you see a balloon floating overhead. A man drives up, asking if you want to be test pilot. You explain you cannot fly a plane, but the man insists you don’t need to fly anything. He says he will give you a computer, and all you need to do is get ‘wifi’ from the balloon. He is patient when you explain you don’t know what this ‘wifi’ is, and he explains it as he sets up your new computer. You sit down,
press the power button, and the screen lights up. It is unheard of. It is incredible. How could such a thing happen?
It happened like this: In 2008, Google considered acquiring Space Data Corp., a small company which launched balloons carrying small base stations almost 20 miles up into the sky to provide connectivity to truckers and oil companies in the United States. They never did buy the company, but the idea was born. After review, Project Loon was officially revealed on June 14th, 2013. Tests ensued in New Zealand, and recently Google
experimented with LTE in Brazil. Project Loon executives plan to cover the entire 40th south parallel in their next experiment. The general idea behind Project Loon is to provide internet to people all over the world, from a height of over 100,000 feet. The balloons float in the stratosphere, a part of the atmosphere where the wind currents are stratified, or layered. This means they can control their direction of movement by traveling up and down. In this way, Google can maneuver its balloons around the globe. “You can think of Loon as a mobile network in reverse,” wrote Kevin Fitchard in an article in Bloomberg Businessweek. “Instead of having a fixed grid of towers among which millions of subscribers are moving, Loon will have a fixed grid of subscribers while the ‘towers’ move from place to place overhead.” Google can use its technology to provide internet to remote parts of the world where internet providers don’t reach. It does so in a cheap, effective way. Could something so well intended have ill effects? Of course it could. Although the good will likely outweigh the bad, the negative effects should not be overlooked. Despite Project Loon not directly using energy from the electrical grid, it could still cause blackouts.
The Balloon Google has designed a fleet of these balloons to circle the globe in the stratosphere, moving on wind currents. For more information, see the sidebar.
Wifi Source This will be where the balloons send their signals to, and where they will recieve signals from.
Loon’s Antena Special antenas will recieve signals from and emit signals to the balloons.
Envelope The envelope is made of polyethylene plastic. It is filled with helium, and although it is not flamable like hydrogen, it is rare.
“My first fear would be more disconnectivity, more blackouts,” says Madiha Marium, a computer science teacher at the Liberal Arts and Sciences Academy, in Austin, Tx. If people began using more and more electricity, especially in places with new, improper wiring, it could end up leaving many people still without internet. Any growth in power grids must be carefully regulated, or a small problem could leave thousands powerless.
Electronics This box is where the electronics will sit. It contains all the equipment necessary to recieve and send out signals.
Solar Panels Solar panels installed on the sides of the balloons power the electronics. This ensures that the balloons are completly eco friendly - solar powered and moved by winds.
Project Loon could cause “a lot of really sketchy websites by people who don’t know what they’re doing,” warns Andrew Hall, a student at LASA. “The internet would be full of these things.” Inexperienced people on the internet could mean many poorly designed websites. This ‘over populating’ of the internet might make useful websites harder to find, and people who are new to the internet will be extremely vulnerable to viruses. Not only that, but despite Project Loon recycling their balloons, which also produce no CO2 or any other waste, and
Photo by Google. Deutsche Welle.
A Project Loon balloon floats above New Zealand during a test-run. run on solar and wind power - despite all of that, Project Loon could create a significant amount of waste.
“We would have to make these computers - we would be pumping stuff into the atmosphere,” says Andrew. An electronic revolution could be very bad for the environment. The production of computers often produces lots of chemicals, and computers are very hard to get rid of. Often, they get shipped to 3rd world countries and disassembled there, where the workers are not well protected and the chemicals are not properly disposed of.
However, one of the biggest problems facing communities suddenly provided with internet is a massive generational change. “Over time [the Internet] is going to cause a generational change, and how that plays out is unclear.” says Grant Alvis, an IBM employee. What Alvis says is true. Some communities could move very rapidly from isolation to being online, and the children who grow up after this change will be very different from their parents. Not only that, but parents will have almost no control over what their children choose to do with the internet, because they won’t know how to control it. Project Loon could create problems for the world. But maybe that is just the price we must pay for progress.
One of the most progressive parts of Project Loon would be, of course, worldwide access to the internet, the actual goal of Project Loon. Providing internet to rural places can have many benefits, such as giving citizens access to information on weather, so they can prepare for floods or droughts. John Key, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, commented that Project Loon could be used for disaster relief as well.
It will provide a luxury to parts of the world that have previously not enjoyed it. Businesses may also benefit from Project Loon,
stated Alvis. “If Google doesn’t have a presence everywhere, maybe they have businesses who install the antennas, who speak the language of the country Google is working in… maybe it will implement companies to work with Google,” says Alvis. “Certainly, the antennas and the laptops and the software, those are going to create new markets.” Companies may appear that install and build the antennas, and despite the pollution mentioned earlier, computer and software companies such as IBM will benefit from the new demand for electronics. Google itself will certainly grow from the new internet users, and they
will gain popularity as well. This has not gone unnoticed by competitors. Facebook’s Titan project is just one of the rival projects trying to provide internet before Google. For the company who does finally provide internet to the world, it will be great, but Google is not just in it for the financial gain.
“Google is not just about making money,” explains Alvis “Google has the intention of moving society forward, and
Photo by Google. Wikipedia.
People gathered at the launch event in Christchurch, New Zealand.
this is a very innovative way to move towards reaching that goal. This is not a matter of dollars, it’s a matter of the impact it will have on society.” Because of Google’s dedication, millions, if not billions of people - shepherds and fishermen and many, many more people around the world will be able to use the internet. What Google is doing is going to reshape society. It will reshape the economy. It will affect every person on earth. To sum it up, Grant simply stated,“[Project Loon] is going to have a big impact.”
By Ryan McGauley Imagine standing in a video game store with multiple shelves of games surrounding you. After browsing you spot the unmistakable colors of blue and green on large boxes, telling you the game consoles of PS4 and Xbox One are inside. You may have already bought one of the consoles when they were released to the public, or you may just already own a console and didn’t see the need for a new one, but the main question on your
mind is, which console won the competition? Ever since the PS4 and Xbox One launched on November 15 and 22 of 2013 there has been fierce competition between the companies of Sony and Microsoft in the advertisement, features, and content of the consoles. The competition is important because the consoles generate millions of dollars in revenue. Since a yearhas passed since release, we want
The newest game consoles of PS4 (above) and Xbox One (below). Photo taken by Justin14 in the Wikipedia commons
to find out who became the champion of the competition. According to game critic Andrew Williams at Trusted Reviews, “The companies have upgraded the processing power of the consoles, they are introducing features on the user interface, and they are focusing on social media to provide advertisement for the consoles.� All big companies use social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram,and blogs, to
Remotes of the PS4 (top-left) and Xbox One (bottom-left), and cameras of the PS4 (top-right) and Xbox 1 (bottom-right). Photos taken by Meister Eiskalt (top-left) and Evan-Amos (other three photos)
advertise their products. Sony and Microsoft took advantage of social media to promote their product as much as possible. In fact, the companies encourage users to share their experiences on social media. Online debates over which console is better have come up with potential buyers taking notice. Williams says in online presence “The PS4 is proving to be more popular with people at the moment, but the Xbox One is increasing its competition to match the PS4.” This means both consoles will continue to compete, but in different ways through the use of video games and extra content. A Gamestop Director of Marketing Lyle Goodis says the consoles themselves vary in many ways such as the
“design,graphics, controllers, user interface, games offered, and the different ways to play.” At 10.8in X 10.4in X 3.2in the PS4 is smaller than the Xbox One which measures 3.5in. X 10.4in X 3.2in. While
taking up more space than the PS4, the Xbox One has multiple ventilation shafts which prevents the console from overheating. Graphics of
the PS4 are noticeably better than the Xbox One with an advanced graphics processor, but the Xbox One is continuously updating its graphics to match the PS4. The new controllers are different than the previous consoles of PS3 and Xbox 360. PS4 controllers are updated with a touchpad, special grips, new remote lighting, speakers, button improvements and better analog sticks, while Xbox One has remained almost the same as the previous remote, but with small button improvements. Despite the PS4 remote being upgraded, the PS4 can only play four remotes at a time while the Xbox One can play eight remotes at a time. Although not much has changed with itsremote,
User Interface design of the Xbox One (Left) and the PS4 (Right). the Xbox One console has a user interface that includes a dashboard, friends app, snapping app, all in one entertainment, exclusive features and a different design than the PS4 user interface of extra features and video sharing. The Xbox One and PS4 each sell separate games from each other and as the competition over the consoles slows down, new games released for the consoles will be advertised to create revenue gain. Avid gamer Connor McGauley, who slightly prefers the Xbox One more than PS4, says that “Games are a huge factor in
sales because the reason you buy the consoles is so youcan play the new games released for the console. This is also why so many people who bought the consoles became upset that few new games were
released at the time when the consoles released to the public.” The different ways to play on the consoles are through the hand-held remote play, the online PlayStation app, and the body motion control for the PS4 and for the Xbox One is the motion controlled Kinect and Xbox Smart Glass. Over the past year, Sony has sold more than 10 million PS4 consoles in the around the world and Microsoft sold 7 million Xbox
Gamers playing alone or with friends.
Photo taken by Ostill/Shutterstock.com (above) and i.telegraph.co.uk.com (below)
Photo taken by: cdn.itproportal.com
One consoles, which clearly shows that the PS4 has an advantage over the Xbox One. Despite sales, people think the Xbox One is the dominant entertainment console and that the PS4 focuses more on gaming The consoles each have their own unique options and features, and McGauley says “the competition makes the products even better than they would be without a competitor to challenge them.” Williams says, “There is no right or wrong choice when purchasing a console, but I can say the console depends on your personal preferences.” For example, if you are a hard core gamer you might want
the absolute best graphics and gameplay (which is more of what the PS4 offers), if you are person who likes to game with friends you might want to be able to contact and play games at the same time with them (which is more of what the Xbox One offers), or if you are a parent you might want to buy a entertainment console for your whole family to use (both consoles offer options for families). According to Goodis, “The target audience is young males ranging from age 14 to 30, typically gamers, and also a family target audience of all ages.” To keep customers entertained, the consoles continually
introduce new updates, features and new games. Sony and Microsoft know that to remain ahead they have to plan for the future Sony has plans to implement Virtual Reality, update the console, release new features, improve the hard drive storage, and one day release new PlayStation consoles. Microsoft has plans to focus more on the cloud, decrease the price of their console, reconfigure the dashboard, and release new Xbox consoles. The competition now has an important influence on the future because the competition shapes how people view the consoles dependingon their experiences with the systems.
“Current competition will determine the products the companies release in the future and the products now will build credibility for future customers,” says Williams. To summarize the console competition, PS4 is ahead of the Xbox One in worldwide popularity, but the Xbox One is trying to increase its competition through social media and introducing new features. McGauley says, “I think the current competition will set the standards for future consoles and what happens now will only get better and better.”
Previous consoles of the PS3 (top-left) and Xbox 360 (bottom-left) compared to the newest consoles of the PS4 (top-right) and the Xbox One (bottom-right). Photos taken by Evan Amos
The U.S. and Canada have a large popularity for the Xbox One, but also provides large sales for the PS4 as well.
Europe is in favor of the Xbox One more than the PS4, but both consoles have made large sales in these countries.
The country of Russia is more in favor of the PS4 and provides various a large sales boost to the PS4.
The PS4 has huge console sales and opportunity in the world market of Asia because of the Xbox One’s lack of popularity here.
In Latin American countries there is a bigger popularity for the PS4 than the Xbox One.
In South America, Brazil provides a large market for the consoles where the Xbox is currently more popular, despite the PS4 being more popular in other nearby countries.
There is a smaller market in Africa than other sections of the world, but the PS4 has focus on console sales in South Africa.
Australia and New Zealand are currently supporters of the Xbox One.
Map of console popularity around the World. Photo taken by Jake at gameasylum.com
Map Key: PS4 Popular Countries Xbox One Popular Countries Countries lacking access to consoles or does not have a determined status at the time
North and North-West states of the U.S. have more support for the Xbox One.
These inland states are strong supporters of the PS4 in social media.
Competition is clearly focused on the East Coast of the U.S. due to the high concentration of people.
The West Coast is in favor of the Xbox One, but they also provide various sales opportunities to the PS4.
These states are strong supporters of the Xbox One in social media.
In order to stay ahead in the competition, the companies of Sony and Microsoft sell their consoles around the world to access a larger market. Each console has a different status of popularity in each country and the console sales depend on their world wide popularity. The PS4 has access and availability to most countries worldwide, while the Xbox One can only access 40% of the countries in the world market, giving the PS4 more options of where to sell compared to the Xbox One (Analysis, Oct. 24, 2014, Kyle Orland). Though the Xbox One has only a certain number of available countries, they are trying to broaden their options such as their recent release in
The South of the U.S. is slightly lenient to the Xbox One, but could change to favor the PS4, depending on the competition.
China, Japan, and India, but overall are not yet as popular as the PS4 (Sony’s PS4, Nov. 2, 2014, Ron). World wide the PS4 has made it to the point that in only 9 months they reached over 10 million consoles, which is an important achievement and it shows that the PS4 will likely have good sales overtime. The Xbox One sold around 5 million consoles worldwide in 9 months which is still good, but gamers and developers are concerned (PS4 Sales, Aug. 13, 2014, Sebastian Anthony). If the sales gap between the PS4 and Xbox One continues to increase, then developers might leave the Xbox One for the console of PS4.
Map of console popularity in the U.S. Photo taken by Paul Tassi
The competition is also important in countries such as the U.S. where the consoles are establishing their place in social media. Sony and Microsoft are also preparing for the upcoming holiday season as a way to increase their console and game sales. Gamer Connor McGauley says that around the holidays “the companies are decreasing the price of the consoles, adding more system content, and releasing new games.� This helps the consoles increase in their sales which could change the outcome of the competition. Overall, around the world the PS4 is the more recognized console and has larger sales than the Xbox One, but the competition continues on.
The Small Things Make it a Big World. by Angel Ramos
How do you imagine the world, decades into the future? It will prevail as a time when almost everything is figured out . What if the way you think the future will go actually happens. “Programmable matter “ is the answer says. This article will tell you how you think is how it can be real. How your mind won’t just be the best tool but the only tool. How the world reacts if this is possible . How we might turn out. The computer and you, those are the tools. But how is this possible?
Believe it or not, it’s possible. We are only two steps from the reality.
Two words, programmable matter. A multi-
The sand in the picture represents the fact scientist are trying to make programmable matter the size of a grain of sand.
use cube the size of a sand grain or smaller. Programmable matter will be able to create an infinite number of items, structures, and vehicles. It will eliminate the need for manual labor, excluding building the robots themselves, but the robots can eventually make machines for that. In other terms, “The Singularity”, an event in which technology becomes smarter than humanity. Harvard University is currently researching programmable matter with
100 Kilo-bots, which are small cheap robots with a collective movement pattern . The relation between these robots and programmable matter is the way they’re used and move. These $14 kilo-bots have wireless connection for locating
other kilo-bots to build a digital map of their surroundings. With this map they can construct a programmed shape. Their pure numbers make it so that if one breaks down another takes its place. In a way they have the swarm mentality.
The problem is the research towards it has a general title of “programmable matter,” which suggests the size(an atom). Explained by one of the interviewees Victor Villavicencio, a LBJ technology teacher in Project Lead The Way(PLTW), the title is slightly misleading by the fact scientist are trying to make them the size of a grain of sand instead of an atom. When programmable matter reaches the size of sand, it will be able to make almost any machine ever imaged possible for humanity. Star ships, super towers, super cities , all within the grasp of the world. The creation of these machines also has a slight set back. A single robot would be tiny, making mass production of the robots an incredible task. The start of this manufacturing would be
hard at first, but after the first few swarms are made the robots could make the machines that make them. However, pointing out all the problems towards the research of programmable matter might deter any support or funding of the subject. This is a problem itself, especially when funding is so low in the first place. While that’s the only problem with the concept, many people don’t really see how it is important in retrospect. The advancements are well worth the money. Machines would advance mass production of any item, be it space travel to super cities. As these robots can build, they can also change. For example, an astronaut goes to repair the space station with a tool box. With programmable matter, he takes a block of metal that can turn into any tool. These achievements may not just fixate on technology, but on
The unstable constant change causes unstable areas in programmable matter
A representation of a consantly changing mind could effect our creations
This representation shows that the sand grain sized robots can be minipulated with such ease. The constant transforming might cause unstable units of programmable matter.
biology as well. Consider the size of these robots. They can enter your body with ease and no pain and repair the smallest wounds. This is all possible, if funds are met. Programmable matter has an infinite number of possibilities, all within the desire of humans. The choice is simply what people want from it. Programmable matter has assured unseen potential. The only way this research is funded is through unspecific science donations. Which is a simply a general concept of science. Another struggle with programmable matter is not the mechanics, but our mind. Mainly because the human
brain is more complex than a super-computer, but also because of the constant change and side thoughts in our mind. Other problems are with culture and the way the world changes constantly. After a while some units of programmable matter might become unstable and effect other units and maybe a whole swarm. With ideas and culture always changing, only certain people may be allowed access to programmable matter. This may cause some controversy itself. In addition to this, experiences may cause bad memories that may affect programmable matter. Random events may happen with programmable matter
Programmed Self Folding Origami
wonderhowto.com
caused by irrelevant actions or events. Since the sensitivity to change programmable matter has can create these pockets of unstable units. Advances as simple as a self-folding origami could be the cause of mother nature’s ruin. For human nature has razed many of mother nature’s creations. What could happen if we make programmable matter and will it be the destruction of nature? A creation like this could become the next invention that destroys our biosphere. Expanding cites may cost us Earth’s wilderness. The world’s greatest construction decimated, with nothing but destruction left.
The threats are not just with Earth , but with potential global war. Humanity is always prone to war, and this may decide our future. Hopefully not, however, as programmable matter can also save all its wrongs that it helped create. Programmable matter could save nature by building super cities that are more compact while being clean on energy and also keeping nature unharmed. Lastly, it may assist nature by resurrecting lost species.
A depiction on how the world may look like fifty years into the finish creation of programmable matter.
TECH CHECK - PAGE 22
The s sur tate w pas hen ses our techn int olog elle ct. y
The Singularity
Th nee e sta d u te w s an hen dc an they n bui ld t o lon hem ger selv es
In TheTechnological SceneThe singularity has 2 aspects
The Potentcal Outcome
The Good One outcome is that the robots form a treaty with us and no damage will be done to man-kind. Side Outcome:
rte o pp Su
y: B d
The robots could ingnore us completely and explore.
The Bad The robots also might see us as lessers and enslave us for experiments or other uses.
Side Outcome: Robots could not even want us and kick use out of Earth.
The Ugly The robots might see us as inferiors and exterminate humanity completely.
How the Oculus Rift and VR Systems are way ahead of their time By Alex Siegenthaler
Sergey Orlovskiy (CEO of Nival), using the first version of the Oculus.
ALL HAIL THE HELIX FOSSIL
Despite coming far from the virtual reality (VR) failures of the 1990s, the Oculus Rift, much like the Virtual Boy, seems doomed to fail. Recently, Oculus VR, the creators of the Oculus Rift, released a new prototype, the Crescent Bay. However, the release brings up the question of whether the Oculus will succeed at all. A number of errors, including but not limited to a large cost, bad graphics and limited games make prospects for the Oculus bleak. To start, the Oculus Rift isn’t even its own console. Warren Spector, a professor at the University of Texas and a longtime game developer, explained,“Oculus Rift isn’t really a “system”; it’s a peripheral, plugged into some central processor. So, I’d price it like a fancy peripheral: $250, $300.”
According to the Financial Times the most recent development kit cost more than $350, enough for most other gaming systems like the Xbox or Playstation. And it still requires another $300 to $400 system to function. Spector went on to say, “It’s tough to build a mass market business around a peripheral. It’s a device you have to buy in addition to an existing gaming platform.” The fact that such a costly system needs another costly system limits the consumer base considerably. Only one $300 dollar system remains affordable for most gamers, making the Oculus
inefficient, as it still requires a $300 console to play any games. The traditional console, however, continues to prosper by including the controller, and providing the ability to play games. Relating his experiences in designing games like Deus Ex, Spector explained,“Having a controller bundled with the console gives you a lot more options in terms of user experience.” Including the controller, traditional consoles produce much easier to program games, and dodge the large costs of an unneeded periphery, like the Oculus Rift. Knowing it isn’t needed, few people will even buy it. “It’ll be a long time before even a majority of gamers own a VR headset, if it ever happens.” Spector explained. As the Rift costs a lot,
Front View of the first Development Kit of the Oculus.
An example of an unofficial mod of Minecraft for the Oculus. about $350 for the most recent development kit, and requires an additional console to play games, its chances of even capturing a large fraction of gamers holds unlikely. Just the cost restricts the consumer base to those who can afford it, a small minority of gamers. The kinds of games available are severely restricted due to its recent release, as new systems, in times past, require all new ways of coding. Furthermore, large-scale Oculus-only games are far in the future, if ever. “Old games will just be recoded for the Oculus, or the Oculus will just hook up to consoles.” explained Noah Shimizu, a long time gamer.
Only a handful of fully new games are out, contrary to the hundreds of versions of games for Oculus. Some of the more popular Oculus games are mods for Skyrim and Doom, both unofficial. Owing to its recent release, gamer creators for the Oculus will need time before new games can be created. “There isn’t going to be much innovation in gaming from this. This console will just really add new controls to stereotypical (but still awesome) games.” furthered Noah Shimizu. It is much easier to convert existing games than creating whole new games from scratch. The very fact that remakes are more profitable hampers original content. However, the Oculus basically requires any new games to be first person, limiting games even more. “First-person games are kind of ideal for VR,” Spector
explained,“so I’m certain you’ll see several of those supporting things like the Oculus Rift.” Both Skyrim and Doom are first-person, the point of view best suited for the Rift. However, not many large game producing companies directly work with Oculus, instead relying on modders for Oculuscompatible versions. And Sony, maker of Playstation and one of the leading console companies, created its own virtual reality program, “Project Morpheus”. Playstation only games, of which about 200 exist, will
probably get Rift-support, at least for a while. Oculus, however, enjoys a corporate backer now. “The selling of Oculus [to Facebook] was ultimately a smart move.” explained Noah Shimizu. Through acquisition by Facebook, Oculus gained a powerful ally, content to throw enormous amounts of money to it. But it also sullied its reputation as a gamingonly company, much like the Xbox One’s failed dive into TV. Facebook’s investment may be for naught, as the Oculus still possesses troubles with health and hardware. “The optics still aren’t great.” Spector clarified, “The
experience of games has become so much sharper than it used to be, graphically. I hate to sacrifice that for the immersion VR gives you.” The Rift possesses much worse graphics than many “next gen” consoles, sacrificing graphics for immersion. That immersion can, in many really good games, be achieved in other ways, such as setting or atmospheric music. And from a historical standpoint, the Rift will have health problems much like the Virtual Boy of the 90s. “A lot of players are going to be getting nauseous playing games! I’m not sure that’s a selling point…” Spector explained. Biochemical and cardiovascular changes, stress, isolation, and even changes in perceptual judgement have all been reported by medical studies on VR systems. Other health risks include postural instability, hygiene and physical discomfort. Even besides the numerous health concerns, full virtual reality may not be right for society as a whole. “Given all the problems humankind faces at the moment, is the creation of non-physical escape hatches... what we need to be putting our collective energies into perfecting?” Peter Siegenthaler,
[All Photos from Wikipedia Commons]
The control box for the Oculus professor at Texas State, said,“Virtual-reality face masks aren’t going to be much use when people are running away from an angry crowd of havenots.” The Rift allows zero vision of anyone you’re playing with, making it even more antisocial than previous consoles. Past consoles allowed gaming in the same room with, however minimal, social interaction face-to-face. The Rift completely denies that, obscuring complete vision of the outside world. That lack of visibility severely limits Oculus’s use. “The idea of talking with avatars of my loved ones, as if they were in the room with me,
isn’t particularly appealing.” Dr. Siegenthaler said,“And I’m not sure the goggle-based format is much use for teaching (flight simulators, surgery simulators).” With limited gaming use and almost no educational or any other non-gaming use, little benefit derives itself from the Oculus Rift. “At the end of the day, the Oculus Rift seems like another peripheral”, Warren Spector said, “and I don’t worry too much about games that require funky keyboards, unique controllers or VR headsets.” The Oculus Rift prevails as both overpriced and unneeded. It requires another system almost as expensive as itself and provides minimal immersion at the massive cost of graphics. The hardware, though improving, stays cumbersome and complicated. To conclude, the Oculus Rift alienates most gamers by its high cost and system requirement.
Inside the Oculus
Display Chip
Frame Control Box Chip
LCD Lenses Eyepiece Frame Control Box Frame
Control Box Top
Project Morpheaus
Oculus Rift 100 Degrees
90 Degrees 960 x 1080
$350
Unannounced
OLED Organic light emitting diode -much better pitcutre, at the cost of less size and more cost
WeightRefresh RateUpdate Rate-
LCD
Liquid Crystal Display -better size, lifespan and brightness, though more response time and less efficent
.97 lbs 75 Hz 1000 Hz