Evolution Studios clearly worked incredibly hard on DriveClub VR, but the results are… Not great. The defunct developer did a great job shoehorning the entire original onto PlayStation VR, but the headset just couldn't match the studio's ambition, balancing crystal clear dashboards against blurry circuits. It's a recipe for red, blurry eyes.
But does Gran Turismo Sport fare any better? At last week's PlayStation 4 Pro event, we got to check out Polyphony Digital's latest running in virtual reality on Sony's supercharged system. And it is an improvement on DriveClub VR: the circuit is clearer, even if the roadside detail takes a similarly gigantic hit.
We only got to try one car and one track, suggesting perhaps that the virtual reality portion of this release is going to be stripped back. But it felt decent: the racing was responsive, and it's nice being able to look into corners and judge the vehicle's position just by observing your surroundings. The sense of speed isn't particularly great, however.
And, to be honest, playing the game on PlayStation VR immediately after seeing its 4K version with HDR enabled is a bit of a comedown. Obviously, you gain a lot by being in virtual reality – but you also lose that lustrous image quality that comes with a nice 2D panel, too. Gran Turismo Sport's fine in virtual reality, then – but we're yet to be convinced that it'll be the optimal way to play.
[source bit.ly]
Comments 12
Of course it looks better, grand turismo 3 looks better then driveclub vr @get2sammyb you guys got a ps4 pro i wana know if it improves driveclub vr because if it does id buy it, one of the coolest demos i played but those graphics/blur just killed it cant wait to get my pro and ya grand turismo deserves a tv
So it is possible to race in vr? Last unofficial statement was that vr will be enabled only in some tour mode. Do you have any details on this please?
@get2sammyb "suggesting perhaps that the virtual reality portion of this release is going to be stripped back"
Old news Sammy, old news.
Speaking to Eurogamer, Kazunori Yamauchi said, “It will be one part of the game. One thing we discovered in developing and doing the VR, to do the whole game playable in VR is going to be a strain on the players."
So it has already been confirmed that VR support is just a side section of GT Sport. You are unable to play the game from start to finish in VR
So.. more or less.. yet another 'experience'
If this keeps up VR is dead on its backside without decent full games.
Personally, reality should be kicking in that this is already looking like another gaming fad that will fizzle out but people who desperately want it to succeed will keep their heads buried in the sand and those with pre orders waiting have probably only had a couple hours of use out of it at a friends and so still think its amazing.
Ive got about 7 VR games and already the wow factor is long gone and the reality that the quality/replayability just isnt there either in the titles already here and on the horizon too.
I can see my VR unit getting sold pretty sharpish and instead using the cash on a 4k TV to go with my incoming Pro.
@solocapers VR is just an enhancement to gaming and experiences. After playing BF1 for a couple of evenings, I just had the itch to be in VR again and kicked around in EVE Valyrie - and it was great fun indeed! (Also because I tend to have less motion sickness in the support class).
I also have a GearVR/S6. I dont use it every day of course. But when I watch a 3D movie or The Expanse on Netflix on it, its just an awesome experience! Thats at least how I approach VR...
In other terms: you need a PSVR, a Pro, AND a 4k HDR10 (lagfree) telly. And a new job
@Furtin the expectation is though that you'll get games that last more than a couple of hours at most though and most of these are haphazard.
There's little to suggest that's changing in the near future either let's be honest.
Tbh the 4k TV was on the cards anyway regardless.. my job pays good. I just don't see the value in VR right now from what I've played and I can see a lot of kids getting this for Christmas and being bored by new year. Pitchforks may be out for those who have blatantly ignored the pitfalls of the platform.
@solocapers Kids are bored by 1 minute ago.
@Drawfull I must be a kid then
@solocapers sure, there may be a lot of folks that don't feel the need to keep their PSVR. They jumped in not knowing what to expect. And what you get is exactly 1st gen VR, in a nice package. With lots of games and experiences from the getgo. There are lots of Vive and Rift owners who also bought into PSVR just to enjoy some exclusives (reddit/psvr).
Prices will come down, headsets will get lighter and with higher resolution somewhere down the line. VR is here to stay. It will only get better. This is early adopter level, so yes, its not perfect by any means...
@Furtin see that's where the problem lies for me out of the 5 friends / work colleagues 3 are thinking of binning it. That's a fairly high churn rate.
There's more to it being first gen tech imo, player locomotion is a killer regardless of the screen resolution. Sickness also doesn't go away either with any enhancements unless all VR games are either slow paced or just stay away from first person view with movement.
So with that, mainstream appeal is dead in the water imo unless the price comes down. Significantly.
I know I sound like I'm hating on it but I really want it to succeed. I just don't see how right now. There's very little if nothing tbf that makes it seem like anything substantial is going to change that. And that's before resolution/jaggies etc comes in to it.
@solocapers well, gaming is just a small portion of uses for VR. The industry as a whole is gaining attention by heaps of companies and producing news on a daily basis.
VR is here to stay, alongside AR. In the not to distant future everyone will see it as totally normal to have such light and hi-res mobile devices, to do realtime conversations across the globe in virtual-private rooms with avatars. (Oculus has started working on it). Handtracking, easy to use tracked devices and bodyparts, foveated rendering for precise eye-to-eye contact and improvements of ressources, allowing 4k per eye, etc....
But you need to start somewhere. (Remember the DK1?) And choose if you want to be a part of what marks the beginning of a new tech era. And enjoy it for what it is.✌️️
On topic though: have you guys tried the Lotus superseven roadster in Munnar or Japan in the early morning light? It's superfun!
I loved DriveClub VR. Sure it was a tad blurry in the distance but, all VR games are like that just cause of the resolution.
I played DriveClub for hours at a crack, longer than I played Forza Horizon 3. If this game is more arcadey then I'm all in. Shame they're just relegating it to a mode rather than the entire game though.
I think it's a crock when they put it on the players. Why don't you let the players decide how they want to play the game rather than decide for them. Because I'll play the entire game in VR, I have no problem with that
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