After a long wait, Valve finally "presented" its virtual reality headset — but with a twist: it's not made by Valve, but by HTC. The official name is Vive, and a development version is expected next spring, with a consumer release before the end of the year. A phone for the Oculus Rift?
While everyone eagerly awaits the Game Developers Conference for Valve to reveal its hardware news, today we can say that one of the most important made an appearance at the Mobile World Congress through HTC. Some might wonder why so much emphasis is placed on virtual reality. To answer that question, we only need to visualize the potential behind this technology. VR can not only dissolve classic barriers in video games, but also play key roles in architecture, engineering, and telepresence systems. Unfortunately, the wait has become a bit longer than desired. Software examples are limited, and all hardware options are in testing phases. But the new HTC Vive, developed in collaboration with Valve, not only proposes to deliver a superior experience, but to do so as soon as possible.
Impressive Specifications
The specifications of the HTC Vive are impressive: two screens with a resolution of 1,200 by 1,080 pixels, 90 frames per second, and a 360-degree field of view place this headset well above its direct competitors. But the story doesn't end there. In addition to a custom controller with sensors, the Vive will be accompanied (optionally) by a "SteamVR base station" designed to track the user's movements. A pair of these stations can track a 4.5 by 4.5 meter area, the equivalent of a small room. The HTC Vive combines an accelerometer, gyroscope, and a laser positioning sensor to track the user's head with a precision of one tenth of a degree.
The current version of the headset has no built-in audio system, and instead offers a standard 3.5mm output that lets users connect any headset they wish. Details about the HTC Vive's price are nonexistent, although the company has already confirmed that the first developer-oriented model will debut next spring, with the final version arriving near Christmas. On more than one occasion I've said that 2015 should be the year of virtual reality, and the HTC Vive might deliver. With those hardware specifications and Steam's support as backup, the HTC Vive will be a tough nut to crack. The ball is now in Oculus's and Sony's court.
