Comments 560

Re: Poll: We Want You to Rate Your Favourite PSVR2 Games

Art_Vandelay

@Reeneman I'm new to VR, and whilst I bought PSVR2 with mainly GT7 in mind, I could only handle a few seconds of racing when I first tried it. Too intense lol.

Now I'm diligently building my VR legs by playing less intense games every day and, honestly, I'm not in a rush. There are so many awesome titles, especially for newcomers like me.

I actually feel like I'm back to my early wonder years with videogames. Almost everything seems interesting and exciting. GT7 will be a sort of platinum trophy of my experience with VR.

Re: Talking Point: Is 2024 Too Soon for PS5 Pro?

Art_Vandelay

It is too soon, but the main reason is not mentioned in the article.

The bulk of performance gains in computing over the last few decades comes from node shrinks. But further reduction of transistor sizes inside microchips have become increasingly complex and expensive simply because of physical limits.

All that means that AMD just cannot provide Sony with an SoC that is considerably more powerful than the PS5's one at a reasonable price point. Not in 2024. Probably not in 2025. Simple as that.

Re: 17 New PS Plus Extra, Premium Games Revealed in Another Huge Update

Art_Vandelay

No love for PS VR2... I understand that this is the time where people are most prone to buy games on the new platform, given their excitement with the new toy. But on the other hand, PS+ could be used by Sony to promote sales of the hardware by offering one or two games. This would be the very same line of thinking of the PS+ Collection.

Re: Mini Review: Puzzling Places (PSVR2) - A Lovely Game with a Few Problems

Art_Vandelay

@NEStalgia It is quite subtle in games such as Horizon or Village, but a total showstopper in Puzzling Places. And since you mentioned, I actually saw someone describe the exact same issue on Reddit, stating that Moss was simply unplayable. Though I haven't got to Moss just yet.

Funny thing is, in the few threads on Reddit that describe a similar issue, no one has been able to find a solution. Which leads me back to the theory that something is amiss with the device itself. Or the software, of course, but for some reason it only affects a few people.

Re: Mini Review: Puzzling Places (PSVR2) - A Lovely Game with a Few Problems

Art_Vandelay

@NEStalgia I feel like I have tried everything: low light, bright light, natural light… I have done the crosses on the walls with tape… I've tried with the TV on and off… I have covered reflective surfaces… Hell, I have even tried it in the kitchen (seriously). And yes, the "tracking support" option has been enabled from the very beginning. Oh, and disabling eye tracking doesn't have any effect either. And I have reset camera calibration a dozen times.

Now what do you mean by "use your tv as an extra tracking device". Isn't it the aforementioned "tracking support" setting that applies the border around the screen? As I understand, this is supposed to cause the tracking to ignore the image on screen to avoid confusion. But yeah, doesn't help either.

The most annoying thing is that the issue is bad enough to ruin the experience but subtle enough to make me doubt my judgement. Maybe I'm too sensitive and this is expected. Or maybe there's some crazy interference plaguing my house.

If I had to guess, I'd say that there could be some sort of mismatch between the information being fed by the tracking cameras and the data from the gyros/accelerometers. I have some experience with with IR/NIR computer vision development and that is what it feels like when I play. It's like the image is constantly adjusting itself slightly as the data from all sensors doesn't quite match when I turn my head.

Oh well, I guess the only way at this point is to request for a replacement. Thanks for the help.

Re: Mini Review: Puzzling Places (PSVR2) - A Lovely Game with a Few Problems

Art_Vandelay

@gbanas92 Thanks for the reply. And kudos to you and the team for the excellent coverage of PSVR2's launch.

No, I have not tried a factory reset, though I did clean the console's cache. The thought of reconfiguring everything and redownloading all my games sounds a bit like a nightmare lol. But it might be worth it.

The last update went smoothly, but the wobble might have gotten worse. Hard to say with confidence, though.

Re: Mini Review: Puzzling Places (PSVR2) - A Lovely Game with a Few Problems

Art_Vandelay

@Dalejrfanfreak It's definitely more noticeable in some games than others, but it's always there. It is especially bad in stationary games where objects are close to view, because any slight shift in perspective is immediately noticeable. Another example is the cockpit view in GT7's VR Showroom.

I'm struggling with the decision if I should return this unit, but I really don't want to. This could well be a widespread software thing that gets ironed out in the future. But at the same time, I haven't seen many people complaining about it.

And yes, Puzzling Places is great. Perfect for VR.

Re: Mini Review: Puzzling Places (PSVR2) - A Lovely Game with a Few Problems

Art_Vandelay

I've been having tracking issues with my PSVR2, and this game is where it is most notable. Every few seconds, the world sort of shifts slightly, as if the tracking is trying to self-correct. It pretty much ruins the experience by creating this wobbly environment thus inducing severe motion sickness.

I've tried the headset in different rooms with different furniture and lighting conditions, but nothing so far has had the slightest impact. And no, it's not the TV and there are no mirrors in the rooms.

Has anyone else noticed this?

Re: WW2 Flight Sim Aces of Thunder Soaring to PSVR2 from the Makers of War Thunder

Art_Vandelay

@MattSilverado Right, but it certainly hinges on how successful the device is (in sales, obviously) in the next several months (holiday season, especially).

VR can easily be perceived as a gimmick by people who have never tried it, or who have tried early stuff like GearVR. And at $550, it's an even harder sell.

So, we fans need to spread the word as much as possible because that is how this niche could become mainstream.

Re: Sony Wants to Make PlayStation the Best Place to Play Third-Party Games

Art_Vandelay

@Would_you_kindly "series X is more powerful than ps5".

This is a common misconception. Although Series X has a numeric advantage on TFLOPS, that is just one of many variables that doesn't come even close to telling the whole story.

Series X has a wider chip (more CUs) whereas PS5 has a faster chip (higher frequency). Each of these approaches will provide advantages and disadvantages depending on the game.

Now, judging by the first couple years of both consoles in the market, it seems that the single most important variable to performance is actually software optimization, which falls exactly within some of the answers provided by Shawne Benson in the interview.

Re: 10 Best PSVR2 Games You Must Play on Launch Day

Art_Vandelay

@Punker001 GTPlanet has a great video on Youtube with several tips to overcome motion sickness. The main one is "don't try to push through it". It'll only make matters worse. Time your sessions to your limit and increase it progressively.

One tip they didn't mention though, is anti-sickness wristbands. They work by stimulating acupuncture spots on your wrists, and are said to aid a lot. Just google it.

But watch the full video anyway. The guy speaks from his own experience as someone who totally overcame it.

Don't give up, it's worth it!

Re: 10 Best PSVR2 Games You Must Play on Launch Day

Art_Vandelay

@DragoonZied I got the Thrustmaster T300RS. It's a little bit more expensive than the G29, but it's totally worth it as the force feedback is much smoother. Also not nearly as expensive as the direct drive wheels, so it's a great option for beginners.

Re: 10 Best PSVR2 Games You Must Play on Launch Day

Art_Vandelay

Wasn't Tetris Effect supposed to have an upgrade path? I never bought it, but it's showing up in my library. Probably from PS+ or something, can't remember.

The same goes for Rez Infinite, but this one does offer the $10 upgrade option.

Anyone else facing this?

Re: Sony Adds Nine More PSVR2 Games to the Launch Window

Art_Vandelay

@carlos82 Not if RE Village was built from the ground up with PSVR2 in mind. Which it probably did. Same goes for GT7, which is first-party just like Astro Bot.

The point is Astro Bot RM does not directly translate to PSVR2. My criticism was specifically to calling it a "port", which implies a lot less work than it actually requires.

Now, I agree Sony should definitely do a remake, or at least a new Astro made specifically for PSVR2. Which I think they will. Should it be available at launch? Maybe, but it's a small studio. Also, there's value in saving some of the good stuff for later. Note that Rescue Mission came out 2 years into PSVR's life-cycle.

Re: State of Play Confirmed for Thursday with PSVR2, Indies, Third-Party Games, and Suicide Squad

Art_Vandelay

I know it's a long shot, but announcing Half-Life: Alyx after reviews are out could be a master stroke from Sony's marketing, as it would void the main point of contention among reviewers which was the weak launch lineup. Although I totally disagree with them.

Project Wingman would also be awesome (maybe AC7?). And Hitman is an easy bet, of course.

Wow, better not keep my hopes so high.

Re: Sony Adds Nine More PSVR2 Games to the Launch Window

Art_Vandelay

@carlos82 @Kidfunkadelic83 @JGB
Astro Bot RM is too tightly integrated with the DualShock 4. That's definitely the reason why it is not in the launch lineup.

A port in the strict sense of the word would not be possible. Maybe a remake, reimagining or something along these lines. PSVR2 does not track the DualSense controller, so the game would need a major overhaul to support the PSVR Sense controllers.

I know that GT7 does support the DualSense, but it is not tracked as in Astro Bot. It just reads the buttons inputs. Rescue mission would not work within this limitation.

Re: Bumper Gran Turismo 7 PSVR2 Patch Adds Even More Content

Art_Vandelay

@eagletrippin The PlayStation Blog post does mention they'll take the opportunity to collect feedback from users for future updates and releases. Sounds like it will be back, probably more tightly integrated.

I'm personally very interested in trying it out. I tend to find that the regular AI lacks the "I", whereas Sport mode is hit n' miss as human players can be quite aggravating at times.

Re: UK Determines Xbox's $69 Billion Activision Buyout Could Harm Gamers

Art_Vandelay

@Godot25 Oh god, are you Microsoft PR? "Offering players choice". Yeah, right.

Look, Microsoft has every right to engage in fair market competition. What they don't have the right is to wield their mighty financial power to force the hand of competitors to push them out of business in the long term.

This is big tech 101, buddy. Textbook stuff. Is this your definition of choice? Breaking the legs of your competitors?

I know, I know... "Oh, c'mon! Sony will be fine!" Or will they? Could they really withstand years of losses by adopting a clearly unsustainable model?

Re: UK Determines Xbox's $69 Billion Activision Buyout Could Harm Gamers

Art_Vandelay

Microsoft is so full of s***. They say they guarantee parity and availability on all platforms. Well, if the deal goes through, COD goes straight to Game Pass. Day and date releases. Now people are flocking to GP by the millions. Then Microsoft offer Sony to put COD on PS+. Which is the very last thing Sony wants, because they have a totally different business strategy. And now Microsoft have them right behind the eight ball.

Re: PS5's PSVR2 Outperforming Monster PC Rigs, Is the Pinnacle of Virtual Reality

Art_Vandelay

@Northern_munkey I hear you.

I started gaming on PC in 1992 but, I soon as I started my professional life in 1999, I switched to consoles and never looked back.

I still own and maintain a PC for work, of course. But that's just what it is: work.

Nothing beats sitting on a comfortable couch in front of a massive TV, picking up the DualSense, pressing the power button and just stretching my legs with nothing to worry about except for what game I should play.

Oh wait, there is one thing that beats it: putting on a PSVR2 headset.

Re: PS5's PSVR2 Outperforming Monster PC Rigs, Is the Pinnacle of Virtual Reality

Art_Vandelay

@claytortot213 Yes, it's hard to believe, but it's not impossible. In this case, the PS5 is not outperforming the 3090ti. It's performing a PC with that GPU running a VR game. There's a lot of variables there.

Consoles are dedicated gaming machines with a closed ecosystem. That can really translate to some performance miracles.

We don't know, for example, if PSVR2 has some form of dedicated chip that handles inside-out tracking and passes only the coordinates to the console. That, by itself, could reduce a lot of CPU overhead. But we do know that PSVR2 employs foveated rendering to reduce GPU overhead by about 30%.

This all adds up. That's the magic of consoles.

"Don't underestimate the power of PlayStation!"

Re: Gran Turismo 7's Free PSVR2 Upgrade Sounds Mind Bogglingly Great

Art_Vandelay

@shafedog247 That's how it goes with Sony these days, and you know what? It's working. PS5 is killin'. A recommendation from your favorite digital influencer is a much stronger push than whatever stunt the marketing department can pull.

Now, this is exponentially truer with VR. This thing sells on word of mouth, because no State of Play would ever make it justice. For people to be sold on the tech, VR needs to be experienced. So, it's youtubers + store kiosks after launch I'd guess. And IGN, GT Planet and so on, of course. I guess the main target market is well covered.

It's actually pretty smart, when you come to think about it.

Re: Activision Blizzard Exec Says Last of Us HBO Proves Microsoft Acquisition Should Go Ahead

Art_Vandelay

I do believe that this acquisition is a threat not only to Sony, but to the games industry at large. To be honest though, if you take a wider perspective and consider the entertainment industry as a whole, the lady kinda has a point.

In fact, I was just thinking that the TLOU TV show exposes how far ahead of Microsoft Sony truly is. This intermedia exploration of IPs has been poorly done with very few exceptions until now. And TLOU might not be another one of those exceptions. Sony is indeed exceptionally well positioned to do this in a way that few others can.

Twisted Metal, GOW, Horizon, Ghost of Tsushima and other movies and TV shows are already in the oven. The mobile gaming initiative is also underway. If done rightly, all this combined could actually turn Sony into a mainstream entertainment monster.

Re: How Devs Are Massively Upgrading Their Old PSVR Games for PSVR2

Art_Vandelay

I've just rewatched Top Gun: Maverick this weekend and, man... 1) What a f'in movie and 2) is it much to ask for a PSVR2 port of Ace Combat 7? I'd take only the VR missions, but it'd surely be something else to play the full game. And/or the next instalment, of course. The hardware capability is finally there. Just lacking the install base now, I guess.

Re: Sony Could Skip PS5 Pro for PS6, Says Social Media Scuttlebutt

Art_Vandelay

This should be obvious to anyone paying attention.

Most of the performance gains from generation to generation comes from die size shrinks. Now, the cadence has been getting slower every gen, but that has seemingly reached major roadblocks over the last few years. So, as node reductions become harder because of physical limits, they also become significantly more expensive.

All that is to say that Sony will face immense challenges in making significantly faster consoles. A PS5 Pro would offer very modest gains if it were to come out in 2023/24 and cost less than $600.

Add to that the fact that game development cycles can now easily take 5 or 6 years, and I wouldn't be surprised if the next PlayStation console to offer any performance gain over PS5 would only come out in 2028.