Oculus Rift - Development Kit 2

[Lil Frier]

Yeah I was about to say the same after poking around Kickstarter's site. People aren't buying into companies, they're pledging support at different levels. So even though the company was sold out from under the backers for $400 million cash with the rest in Facebook stock, the backers already got their own return based on their pledge level. That's the dev kits, shirts, warm fuzzy feelings, or whatever else they were offering. It reminds me why I've never supported a Kickstarter, or even game alphas and other vaporware or unfinished products.

Yeah, this just reinforces my hatred for this kind of stuff. I never minded Kickstarter, because I never paid attention to an outcome like this, but I have always been wary of Earl Access games on Steam, and I won't touch them because of abandonment potential. Now, I don't think I'll EVER donate to one of these campaigns, even though I'd certainly considered it for bands in the past.

I'm in the extreme/paranoid camp with this stuff, but I kinda wonder how many other folks see this and get turned off to the entirety of Kickstarter as a result. How many future projects are now harmed because Oculus did this?

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Kickstarter is still cool, so is the OR. Now we have to hope the killer app isn't Farmville 3D. heheh

 

[smackababy]

This is why I do not like the kickstarter model. It puts all the risk on the consumers and if the project gets bought up you feel like you wasted your money and they should have just gotten funding from the company that bought them. It could also fail and the project is abandoned.

In this case, I hardly think they would have gotten as far as they did without the initial Kickstarter support. They are far beyond the prototype phase. All of the initial "investment" (because it isn't, it is simply high risk, zero reward donations) were used to get into the current state. Facebook said "Hey! That really is a great idea and you're the future we want to support. Here is $400 million dollars and $1.6 billion in Facebook stock!"


All the doom and gloom is still pretty still. People get all up in arms because a company not in a particular realm is moving into another. I'm sure you all were so upset Google started making browsers, operating systems, email, any anything other than search as well right?

 

[Midwayman]

I have to wonder if facebook wants to start a VR store sort of like steam. Want to work with the OR? You have to install our store. It'll track your play behavior, and suggest titles to you. Users will be forced to buy through their store and FB takes a 30% cut like most DD models. Of course it'll have the option to integrate with your facebook account.

Making money with the hardware doesn't make a ton of sense. Locking down VR distribution in its infancy.... now that makes a ton of sense.

 

[CPA]

how could they do this

there are laws pertaining to any investments right

could you have a site that those looking for investment could come to and there would be ads and lists just like kickstarter and you would somehow confirm your investment securely like maybe meeting with a financial advisor and signing some paper that he would send to that company or something

It's not an investment, at least in the traditional sense that is regulated by the SEC. It's a prepayment.

 

[SMOGZINN]

I have to wonder if facebook wants to start a VR store sort of like steam. Want to work with the OR? You have to install our store. It'll track your play behavior, and suggest titles to you. Users will be forced to buy through their store and FB takes a 30% cut like most DD models. Of course it'll have the option to integrate with your facebook account.

Making money with the hardware doesn't make a ton of sense. Locking down VR distribution in its infancy.... now that makes a ton of sense.

Attempting to copy Apples walled garden approach would make sense. History has shown that if they can do it successfully it is an amazing revenue stream.

I also wonder if maybe this is all about getting some patents to sue Sony over their VR headset. It would seem unlikely that they would be able to recoup $2bn that way, but I bet we see such a lawsuit anyway.

 

[norseamd]

It's not an investment, at least in the traditional sense that is regulated by the SEC. It's a prepayment.

we were talking about how to make an actual investment crowdsourcing website that is organized like kickstarter

 

[cmdrdredd]

Probably a separate thread in itself, but I'm curious why you disagree with it?

I don't feel it's right to put all the risk on the consumer.

Also on the subject at hand, it appears as if many devs are pulling support completely and a lot of devkit orders are cancelled. The problem I really have is going to be rebranding it and pushing it to usages outside gaming which is the entire reason I even kept an eye on it. I'll never buy it to have a virtual online life, ever. I might buy it for gaming if it turned out well and had the gaming support behind it. I'm not so sure if the support will be there now.

 

[sxr7171]

If I have to log into FB to use this then I won't get involved in it. Sad.

 

[xantub]

If I have to log into FB to use this then I won't get involved in it. Sad.

they already stated that you don't in one of the AMAs

 

[PowerYoga]

All the doom and gloom is still pretty still. People get all up in arms because a company not in a particular realm is moving into another. I'm sure you all were so upset Google started making browsers, operating systems, email, any anything other than search as well right?

Are you really comparing google making their own browser with facebook buying a hardware company, more specifically a VR platform to monetize down the road?

:hmm:

 

[Bateluer]

they already stated that you don't in one of the AMAs

Not that I put much stock in their damage control efforts, but I'd be willing to wager money that you will be required to use a Facebook login for more than a few Oculus games.

I think Oculus just effectively ended their own product though. Their core customer base loathes Facebook with a passion and can't get off the Oculus train fast enough. There's also several other VR devices that just got to prominence because Oculus dropped the ball.

I've been satisfied with my Kickstarter experiences, and my IndieGoGo experiences, but situations like this poison the well for other future crowd funded projects, in my opinion. Why should I fund a product that looks interesting and innovative, only to have it get scooped up by one of the very things that rotting the market to begin with?

 

[Red Storm]

I do hope Valve sees the golden opportunity here to introduce their VR to the public and pick up the pieces OVR left behind.

 

[MeldarthX]

I do hope Valve sees the golden opportunity here to introduce their VR to the public and pick up the pieces OVR left behind.

Problem Valve's VR isn't for sale nor will it be; but then never say never lol

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/01/17/valve-not-releasing-vr-hardware-giving-tech-to-oculus/

http://www.vg247.com/2014/02/28/val...l-oculus-dev-kit-says-dev-after-studio-visit/

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-01-17-valve-has-no-vr-headset-its-backing-oculus-rift


Now how it plays out now....we'll just have to see

 

[PrincessFrosty]

I use kickstarter all the time, backed like 20 projects.

Same, users have to understand it's technically a donation, not a pre order or guarantee of a product, they're not even legally obligated to fulfill the rewards, a

And those blaming the creators, can you really blame them? Honestly would you not have done the same with a $2 billion offer in front of you? I know I would, in a nanosecond.

I can honestly say that I would not have, I would have held out for investment which left me with the majority share of my business so that I still owned it. What they did was dumb and done out of greed, the company could be worth much more in the future.

they already stated that you don't in one of the AMAs

I'm going to pay them the benefit of the doubt and assume it's not an outright lie and they genuinely believe what they're saying, I mean they could be lying, there's really nothing to stop them from doing that.

But ignoring that fact for a second you have to realize that they don't own the company anymore, they cannot make you those guarantees about the future, they know they can't so basically they're just doing damage control.

 

[Red Storm]

I can honestly say that I would not have, I would have held out for investment which left me with the majority share of my business so that I still owned it. What they did was dumb and done out of greed, the company could be worth much more in the future.

Same. It wasn't even 2 billion in cash.

 

[Trell]

As much as I hate the idea of Facebook buying Occulus, this is what needs to happen for us to get a real VR internet (metaverse) started. We all love the idea of VR and would happily shell out hundreds to have it for our games, but most people never would and that would stifle adoption of VR. If instead of being a gaming thing, it is a social network/internet thing that is backed by Facebook all the sudden it becomes much more likely to be mainstream and to have everyone and their mother need to get one. Once it becomes ubiquitous we not only get our games, but also the entire pantheon of virtual reality tricks on the new Internet 3.0...

 

[ImpulsE69]

As much as I hate the idea of Facebook buying Occulus, this is what needs to happen for us to get a real VR internet (metaverse) started. We all love the idea of VR and would happily shell out hundreds to have it for our games, but most people never would and that would stifle adoption of VR. If instead of being a gaming thing, it is a social network/internet thing that is backed by Facebook all the sudden it becomes much more likely to be mainstream and to have everyone and their mother need to get one. Once it becomes ubiquitous we not only get our games, but also the entire pantheon of virtual reality tricks on the new Internet 3.0...

You do have a point, but I feel the process to get to that point is a long curvy road filled with hated things now.

 

[BladeVenom]

Oculus Rift had already raised $100 million. Selling to Facebook had nothing to do with funding the project. http://techcrunch.com/2013/12/13/oculus-vr-oculus-rift-strategy-projections/ They could have almost certainly raised more if they needed it.

 

[norseamd]

Oculus Rift had already raised $100 million. Selling to Facebook had nothing to do with funding the project. http://techcrunch.com/2013/12/13/oculus-vr-oculus-rift-strategy-projections/ They could have almost certainly raised more if they needed it.

so it was a sellout and cash grab

 

[bwanaaa]

the only reason they sold out was the race to the bottom has already started. they probably know sony's vr tech and think it's better. that's the only reason insiders would sell out oculus-because there's a better mousetrap they know about that we dont. FB will use oculus for the masses to plant social media tags into their VR space. Who in their right mind would use oculus to skype or facebook with? We still use pencils because of their convenience. The trend is to make hardware invisible, not to add on mobility limiting cyberdevices.

 

[Red Storm]

the only reason they sold out was the race to the bottom has already started. they probably know sony's vr tech and think it's better. that's the only reason insiders would sell out oculus-because there's a better mousetrap they know about that we dont. FB will use oculus for the masses to plant social media tags into their VR space. Who in their right mind would use oculus to skype or facebook with? We still use pencils because of their convenience. The trend is to make hardware invisible, not to add on mobility limiting cyberdevices.

Using it for Facebook I agree, but with Skype? Sure. VR is going to be huge in communication. Instead of video chatting through screens, you'll be in a virtual room chatting with your buddy. Invite more people and they show up in the room with you rather than as a secondary smaller window on your monitor. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

 

[Revolution 11]

If the OR is used as a supplement, a heavily promoted and integrated supplement of course, for using Facebook, then I have no problems. I don't even care about the branding or internal constraints on the OR team.

However, if I need to ever communicate at all with Facebook or register in any official capacity to use the OR for a supported game, then I am out. For example to sign into Facebook to access or use the OR store or drivers is absolute BS.

Basically, if the OR is usable as a game device with 0 interaction with Facebook accounts but is available for Facebook use if you choose to, then I am happy. If any Facebook interaction is required, the OR is doomed.

Nothing else really matters about Facebook and OR's deal.

 

[Midwayman]

Using it for Facebook I agree, but with Skype? Sure. VR is going to be huge in communication. Instead of video chatting through screens, you'll be in a virtual room chatting with your buddy. Invite more people and they show up in the room with you rather than as a secondary smaller window on your monitor. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

I can see VR chatting, shopping, etc eventually. I just don't think you're going to get the average person into a HMD. 3d glasses were rejected as too bulky and this is 10x worse. Widespread adoption is way over the horizon.

 

[Aikouka]

Basically, if the OR is usable as a game device with 0 interaction with Facebook accounts but is available for Facebook use if you choose to, then I am happy. If any Facebook interaction is required, the OR is doomed.

If I had to guess, it would be the prior. Facebook probably wants to create software that uses the Rift, which will probably sign into its service. Although, that seems like an odd reason to invest so much money into the company. Maybe they want to ensure their investment into software for the Rift won't be stifled by money-related issues? I know the Oculus guy stated that being partnered with Facebook will mean they no longer have to live off the "scraps" from mobile companies.