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"The novelty wears off". Is this really a thing?

Kacho

Gold Member
Basically, it just needs more high quality variety for some people.
That and massive tech improvements. If these companies keep investing and pushing things forward, VR will eventually graduate to something beyond a gimmick. It's still early days.
 

Fbh

Member
I don't own a VR headset but based on what some people I've talked to that do have said, I think what people mean with "the novelty wears off" regarding VR is that once you get used to the novelty there just isn't much else there. It's sort of like "yeah this VR RPG is cool but once you get used to VR you realize that the game itself just isn't as good as The Witcher 3, or Baldur's Gate 2, or Dark Souls or Fallout New Vegas or any number of other non VR games".

When you say the "novelty wears off" about a new console or a new PC you build what you mean is that you get used to the nicer graphics or improved performance, but even if you are no longer impressed by the technical upgrade, stuff like Returnal or Forza Horizon 5 are still solid games.
 
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Romulus

Member
Games like that already existed - not in VR, but as first person. In the late 90s / early 2000s.
They all flopped because the concept doesn't work. Complex games require you to keep an eye on dozens of things all at once.
You cannot do some first person fighting while also doing all of that RTS microing - at least I'd claim most players would not be able to.

There's also the problem that VR only really gives added benefit for first person games.
In other genres, it can actually lead to a disconnect:
The way VR makes the camera work makes your brain think that you ARE the camera (or the person behind the camera) - while at the same time you are actually controlling a different non-camera-related character. I found that REALLY jarring, actively made me feel less connected to the actual main character.

While in again other genres of a more abstract nature, you could make those technically work in VR, of course (e.g. use your head to look across the map instead of WASD).
But what would be the point of that?


Yeah, I'm not pretending to understand how an RTS would work like that, but I really disagree that VR is only a benefit to first-person games. AstroBot is a simple platformer but probably the best I've played, and Hellblade in 3rd person is incredbile.
 
5 years in and if I play regular games and switch back to VR it feels like stepping into the future, it's that much more profound. But, I think there are some people that aren't sensitive to stereoscopic 3d
There might be some truth to this, not necessarily that they lack sensitivity...but I'd imagine that inter-pupillary distance plays a part. See, the lower your IPD, the closer the two images are...the closer they are the smaller the disparity between ordinary flat-screen gaming and the 3D thereness of VR. Imagine if you were blind in one eye and lacked depth perception. I highly doubt you'd be as impressed with VR because to someone like that it'd just be like being surrounded with an all encompassing screen.
 

Romulus

Member
That and massive tech improvements. If these companies keep investing and pushing things forward, VR will eventually graduate to something beyond a gimmick. It's still early days.


It's not a gimmick if it's high-end VR. It's just a matter of knowing the library. Most "VR owners" are pretty uneducated too about what's on the platform.
 

Kacho

Gold Member
Maybe not the thread for this but Ill ask here because all the VR bros are in this thread.

I just picked up a Quest 2 this week and I’m waiting for a PC link cable, because damn it looks lo res and shitty on just the headset. Is it dramatically better running off a PC or should I return it?
Googled out of curiosity and this guy says no. ymmv



So I was expecting a fairly high resolution screen, but the image look blurry when I turn my head, there alot of rays coming from white elements in the screen and overall it feels that the screen resolution is low and not even bright enough. I have also tried Link PCVR. Don't get me wrong its still cool as hell, but the quality is just not what I expected after reading reddit posts and watching YouTube reviews. Am I the only one in this?

Did you ever fix it because I'm having the same issue

No, got a refund from Amazon and never thought of it again
 

Ps5ProFoSho

Member
I hear this all the time in VR discussions. What baffles me is that people say it like that doesn't happen with everything else. Bought a new console? The novelty wears off. Built a new computer? The novelty wears off. New phone/TV/car/whatever? Guess what? The novelty wears off.

I'm so used to that "honeymoon phase" with everything new I don't even go through it anymore, so I guess I don't have that problem?
Ever since I discovered my peepee, the novelty has never worn off
 

Wonko_C

Member
VR has a future as a seated and chill experience.

Fb and valve promoting it with people standing and waggling about is horribly misleading (even worse when you know that standing leads to more motion sickness).

People saying the novelty wears off are half right: the novelty of having to clear up space to stand around and do big gimmicky movements does wear off very fast. But it doesn't mean that other kinds of VR games aren't worth it.
I'm ok with seated VR as long as it doesn't completely erradicate standing VR. Playing Saints and Sinners is not nearly as fun seated vs standing. And I get LESS motion sickness (not at all) while standing than seated, (sometimes when playing on an empty stomach.)

The initial wow factor of VR may wear off, but the enjoyment of it doesn't.
Exactly. My console doesn't suddenly start getting dust after a few timea of using it, I just look for more games to play.

Difference being VR is like a new concept.. the "novelty wearing off" for a new phone or console just means you spend less time w/ the new version.. and go back to your normal schedule of time spent on phones/consoles.

For something like VR; you didn't have "playing VR games" in your habits.. so if the novelty wears off, you what you might go "back to" is.. not using VR at all.
Now that I can understand, though not necessarily relate to. I think this is the kind of answer I was looking for. Thanks!

VR is a gimmick. It doesn't make bad games good.
Maybe, but it makes good games 10x better. 🙂

People don't want to admit they're playing Wii games with the TV strapped to their faces.
Maaaayyybe if the TV somehow magically followed your head and body wherever you turned... Nah, still not even close.

I think with VR the big thing is whether or not your brain continues to be tricked by the VR, transporting you into that scene. I know with some people they start to lose the added sense of immersion once they adjust to the 3d effect.

I think the pacing of a game is important, if the game keeps you focused the effect should hold.
It has never "tricked" my brain, though: Still kinda looks "plain" compared to the real world, I'm more of a "fun factor" and mechanics type of player, and that is what VR has kept me hooked on, same with many indie games on TV.

I don't own a VR headset but based on what some people I've talked to that do have said, I think what people mean with "the novelty wears off" regarding VR is that once you get used to the novelty there just isn't much else there. It's sort of like "yeah this VR RPG is cool but once you get used to VR you realize that the game itself just isn't as good as The Witcher 3, or Baldur's Gate 2, or Dark Souls or Fallout New Vegas or any number of other non VR games".

When you say the "novelty wears off" about a new console or a new PC you build what you mean is that you get used to the nicer graphics or improved performance, but even if you are no longer impressed by the technical upgrade, stuff like Returnal or Forza Horizon 5 are still solid games.
Now that you mention Forza Horizon 5, I haven't been able to get into that game like with the previous four titles in the series... not after being spoiled by Driveclub VR. Hopefully Microsoft adds a VR mode to it like they did with Flight Simulator. Not holding my breath, though.

Yeah, I'm not pretending to understand how an RTS would work like that, but I really disagree that VR is only a benefit to first-person games. AstroBot is a simple platformer but probably the best I've played, and Hellblade in 3rd person is incredbile.
I have been wanting to ask about Hellblade VR: Does it look like you're running behind a real life-sized Senua? Or is the scaling off, like you're looking at small characters?
 
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DaGwaphics

Member
It has never "tricked" my brain, though: Still kinda looks "plain" compared to the real world, I'm more of a "fun factor" and mechanics type of player, and that is what VR has kept me hooked on.

When I first used an Oculus Go the default background made me feel like I was about to fall off a cliff. I guess I'm really sensitive to the effect.
 

GHG

Gold Member
basic fundamental about human beings, is that we're lazy sons of bitches, if I have to experience VR by having to move my whole body, then yes it will wear off on me......I'd rather just sit down and push buttons

years site GIF
 

K2D

Banned
VR is a gimmick. It doesn't make bad games good.

Congratulations! You're are right - and still you are wrong..!

Rhyming Leonardo Dicaprio GIF


VR can make good games better or atleast give it new life. Bethesda-games being my favorite example, but I'm sure a lot of 1st person RPGs would be awesome in VR.
 
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Amiga

Member
it dose wear off. at least until another leap in quality happens.

at 1st the feel of interacting in a virtual environment is amazing. then you start noticing the blur/jaggies/low textures/limited interaction..

the industry is still trying to figure it out. games and hardware just need to keep improving. a game like Alex set a new bar and in the future that game will eventually feel old.
 

BigBooper

Member
For me it's more like the disadvantages that I overlooked at first have become more obvious and outweigh the advantages that I liked at first.

For a while, the problems like screen door effect, discomfort of the headset, fatigue on my back and neck, limitations to gameplay options, etc, were mostly ignored. I enjoyed the ability to be in a vr game so much that none of that bothered me. But then you start to get tired of the movement limitations of either teleporting everywhere or sliding around to vomit city. And the negatives start outweighing the positives and you notice the sde more and you have to deal with the performance problems and the discomfort on your head starts to become more noticeable and you notice the strain on your eyes more.

I think I will be interested in VR again, but it has to come a very long way and allow for a very light headset and a lot of tech in adjusting for IPD and correct positioning automatically, like New 3DS, not to mention good image quality so screen door effect is no longer noticeable.
 

Mossybrew

Member
Yep, PSVR. Every time I wanted to play, hook this shit up, make sure the camera in place, move the coffee table to clear space, put this shit on your head, oh yeah get the headphones on there too. Make sure the kids aren't walking through the area and might trip on the cords. Yeah, I got a few hours of enjoyment out of it, the hassle ultimately was not worth it, my psvr has been collecting dust for like two years now.
 

mxbison

Member
The novelty that even some basic block moving game is amazing wears off.

VR being amazing tech and giving a ton of new and immersive possibilites to games will not wear off. But it obviously needs a good number of those games.
 

mxbison

Member
Games like that already existed - not in VR, but as first person. In the late 90s / early 2000s.
They all flopped because the concept doesn't work. Complex games require you to keep an eye on dozens of things all at once.
You cannot do some first person fighting while also doing all of that RTS microing - at least I'd claim most players would not be able to.

There's also the problem that VR only really gives added benefit for first person games.
In other genres, it can actually lead to a disconnect:
The way VR makes the camera work makes your brain think that you ARE the camera (or the person behind the camera) - while at the same time you are actually controlling a different non-camera-related character. I found that REALLY jarring, actively made me feel less connected to the actual main character.

While in again other genres of a more abstract nature, you could make those technically work in VR, of course (e.g. use your head to look across the map instead of WASD).
But what would be the point of that?

The point is that VR has actual 3D depth perception while a screen is just a flat picture.

It can work for any genre.
 

TheSHEEEP

Gold Member
It can work for any genre.
Maybe (though I'd argue some genres like RTS wouldn't survive the transition well for various reasons).

But what does it add, that's the question.
Not all games are 3D to begin with. Some are 3D in presentation but 2D in gameplay (so the added benefit there is minimal at best) - not due to a technical limitation, but an active design choice.
In order to make the more cumbersome method of usage worth it, the added benefit really has to shine, IMO.

I can see that shine for some cases, but absolutely not for others.
 

Gloomnivore

Member
For me it isn’t about the novelty of VR wearing off. As far as PSVR goes it’s more about having to keep the headset and all its cables readily available and making the space. I’ve got a headset that’s been stored away since before I got a PS5 last year. If I got it out today, I’d have a great time. I just can’t be bothered to get it out.

I liked PSVR, I’ll like PSVR2 as well but honestly I’d prefer if Sony didn’t bother.
 
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buenoblue

Member
I don’t think the novelty of VR in itself wears off but there’s not a lot of variety in the games produced for VR, so at some point I ran out of things to play and I barely use my Rift S anymore.

And of course the wow effect of the first experiences playing stuff like To the top or Windlands 2 can’t be reproduced.


This. If there were 3 or 4 AAA 150 million budget games coming out a year I think people would be very excited. As it is it's just basically indie game after indie game.
 

cireza

Banned
That's pretty much exactly what happens with everything open-world. You are amazed by the possibilities at first, but then, you realize there isn't anything interesting or fun to do. The novelty wears off. It actually happened for me with the first Assassin's Creed game, and I was only able to enjoy a couple open-world games ever since.
 
Maybe (though I'd argue some genres like RTS wouldn't survive the transition well for various reasons).

But what does it add, that's the question.
Not all games are 3D to begin with. Some are 3D in presentation but 2D in gameplay (so the added benefit there is minimal at best) - not due to a technical limitation, but an active design choice.
In order to make the more cumbersome method of usage worth it, the added benefit really has to shine, IMO.

I can see that shine for some cases, but absolutely not for others.
VR adds a lot to most game genres. Even something like Ori, where the gameplay is on a 2D plane, would be a much better experience in VR. Why? Because you'd get a more immersive diorama look at the game. A core reason people love the Ori series is it's art-style and environments afterall. There's also ways to expand on the 2.5D gameplay too in Ori if it were made for VR.
 

Tg89

Member
I unno if it's a novelty thing. VR in the current state just kinda sucks and is unappealing to play outside of a few very specific things that aren't possible without it and are actually fun.

It needs a good decade or so more in the oven at this point.
 

DonkeyPunchJr

World’s Biggest Weeb
I unno if it's a novelty thing. VR in the current state just kinda sucks and is unappealing to play outside of a few very specific things that aren't possible without it and are actually fun.

It needs a good decade or so more in the oven at this point.
I’m not sure. I feel like I’ve been hearing this forever.

Personally I’m just not interested in being cut off from my surroundings and pantomiming the shit my avatar does in the game. Not for an extended period of time. Even just moving your neck around to aim is annoying and fatiguing after awhile.

Doesn’t matter how advanced the tech is. Even if it’s just like putting on a pair of sunglasses, it’s not something that most people want to do for hours at a time like they do with normal “ass on couch looking at a TV” gaming.

It has its place but I think it’ll always be mainly for short, arcade-like experiences. It’s not like “wowee it’s the same video games I played before except now I’m really INSIDE the game world!!”
 

SF Kosmo

Al Jazeera Special Reporter
Of course the novelty wears off, but novelty is hardly the end of VR's appeal.

But when you first try VR it almost doesn't matter what you're playing. I remember the first time I used a leap motion to do hand tracking in VR, breathlessly staring at some wireframe demo where I could make and throw objects and not much else and it was kind blowing.

And a lot of early VR content did leverage that, these short hour long tech demo experiences without much substance like Arkham VR.

But VR continues to be a great experience even after it loses its novelty. And if the content is good then the content is good.
 

Tg89

Member
I’m not sure. I feel like I’ve been hearing this forever.

Personally I’m just not interested in being cut off from my surroundings and pantomiming the shit my avatar does in the game. Not for an extended period of time. Even just moving your neck around to aim is annoying and fatiguing after awhile.

Doesn’t matter how advanced the tech is. Even if it’s just like putting on a pair of sunglasses, it’s not something that most people want to do for hours at a time like they do with normal “ass on couch looking at a TV” gaming.

It has its place but I think it’ll always be mainly for short, arcade-like experiences. It’s not like “wowee it’s the same video games I played before except now I’m really INSIDE the game world!!”
I tend to agree, just not for me. I don't see it as the evolution of gaming, it's a different type of vessel for gaming. It will never replace "traditional" gaming interfaces...similar to mobile.
 

Wonko_C

Member
When I first used an Oculus Go the default background made me feel like I was about to fall off a cliff. I guess I'm really sensitive to the effect.
Funny how heights/flying don't make me feel anything, not even flying like crazy in Ace Combat 7, nor free-falling in countless games, but I can't get close to the edge of the roof of my house (there are no guard rails) without my legs starting to tremble. Could it be related to not easily getting motion sickness somehow?

I'm still looking for that thrill.

Congratulations! You're are right - and still you are wrong..!

Rhyming Leonardo Dicaprio GIF


VR can make good games better or atleast give it new life. Bethesda-games being my favorite example, but I'm sure a lot of 1st person RPGs would be awesome in VR.
Thanks for reminding me of the one game I thought sucked when I played it on 360: Skyrim. I actually liked the game a lot when I played it on PSVR. Now that Bethesda is owned by Microsoft they inadvertedly made sure I won't touch their games again until they make them in VR.
 
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TheInfamousKira

Reseterror Resettler
I mean, yeah, this is one of those "state obvious things that everyone knows," thing. It definitely shouldn't be used against it in reviews or anything. The very definition of novelty implies it's a transient phenomena. Houses, people, experiences, if you're surrounded by "new," it eventually becomes "old," through repeated exposure. Reviews and journalists use buzzwords nowadays without really considering the full meaning of what it is they're trying to convey and it's infuriating. Writing used to be an art and now anyone who can string three competent sentences together is given the keys to the castle.
 

Romulus

Member
I think one thing I struggle with now playing VR every week for years, is going back and playing regular games and constantly thinking. "Holy shit this would be incredible in VR." Everything looks so tiny, even massive TV screens compared to VR.
 
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Soodanim

Gold Member
Novelty wearing off only matters because you stop overlooking flaws once the honeymoon period is over. At that point it's up to you.
 

lukilladog

Member
I mean, yeah, this is one of those "state obvious things that everyone knows," thing. It definitely shouldn't be used against it in reviews or anything. The very definition of novelty implies it's a transient phenomena. Houses, people, experiences, if you're surrounded by "new," it eventually becomes "old," through repeated exposure. Reviews and journalists use buzzwords nowadays without really considering the full meaning of what it is they're trying to convey and it's infuriating. Writing used to be an art and now anyone who can string three competent sentences together is given the keys to the castle.

There is nothing illogic in saying B tends to occur after A completes, all is required is that A has a finish point.
 
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TheInfamousKira

Reseterror Resettler
There is nothing illogic in saying B tends to occur after A completes, all is required is that A has a finish point.

There's nothing illogical to it, no. There's also nothing revelatory about it. I don't need a critical review or consumer to tell me "new thing becomes old," because I'm not a fool, I understand the logic already. Saying it as a "warning," seems entirely frivolous, as well, because things like how long a product can maintain one's attention is highly subjective. It's not like saying once you eat all the cake, the cake is gone. It's gauging a cognitive and emotional reaction.
 

lukilladog

Member
There's nothing illogical to it, no. There's also nothing revelatory about it. I don't need a critical review or consumer to tell me "new thing becomes old," because I'm not a fool, I understand the logic already. Saying it as a "warning," seems entirely frivolous, as well, because things like how long a product can maintain one's attention is highly subjective. It's not like saying once you eat all the cake, the cake is gone. It's gauging a cognitive and emotional reaction.

But people are not just stating the obvious, people don´t communicate in an hyper literal way. When we recommend against it, saying that the novelty will wear off, we actually mean that you are gonna lose interest on it once the novelty wears off. You can argue it is frivolous, but there is some evidence to support it, like the oculus founder talking about the data they had, MS jumping out of VR gaming for Xbox, Sony having it as a side project which may or may not see the light of day, and big publishers ignoring it.
 
basic fundamental about human beings, is that we're lazy sons of bitches, if I have to experience VR by having to move my whole body, then yes it will wear off on me......I'd rather just sit down and push buttons
This isn't laziness. When I go to the gym I'm tired after 60 minutes.
But I can easily play Xcom for a 2 hour session.
 
Funny how heights/flying don't make me feel anything, not even flying like crazy in Ace Combat 7, nor free-falling in countless games, but I can't get close to the edge of the roof of my house (there are no guard rails) without my legs starting to tremble. Could it be related to not easily getting motion sickness somehow?

I'm still looking for that thrill.


Thanks for reminding me of the one game I thought sucked when I played it on 360: Skyrim. I actually liked the game a lot when I played it on PSVR. Now that Bethesda is owned by Microsoft they inadvertedly made sure I won't touch their games again until they make them in VR.
Your legs aren't tracked, so your visual sense is messing a key element of what it would see. You also don't have the full range of depth perception as real life, because we don't have accommodation depth cues in VR yet - that needs varifocal/light-fields etc. The resolution/field of view and even the limitations in visual sharpness of the optics also all limit the realism.

This all comes full circle for what this topic is about. VR today is incredibly convincing, but it's also so, so far away from where it's going to be later this decade. Hyperrealistic VR is not going to lose it's novelty, or at least not going to lose it's immersive capabilities. So long as the AAA and other big budget software is there.
 
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I’m not sure. I feel like I’ve been hearing this forever.

Personally I’m just not interested in being cut off from my surroundings and pantomiming the shit my avatar does in the game. Not for an extended period of time. Even just moving your neck around to aim is annoying and fatiguing after awhile.

Doesn’t matter how advanced the tech is. Even if it’s just like putting on a pair of sunglasses, it’s not something that most people want to do for hours at a time like they do with normal “ass on couch looking at a TV” gaming.

It has its place but I think it’ll always be mainly for short, arcade-like experiences. It’s not like “wowee it’s the same video games I played before except now I’m really INSIDE the game world!!”
There's a really cool invention that makes it so you don't have to pantomime your avatar.

It even comes with a snap-turn (or normal turn) feature.

nIkivMDI-Oculus_Rift_Xbox_One.medium.jpg


VR/AR are in the process of merging, so as it continues to advance, you will be able to see your surroundings more and more until it's just a matter of how much you want to intermix.
 

TonyK

Member
That phrase has a lot of sense for VR because when the initial honey moon phase ends, you realices how uncomfortable an actual VR helmet is compared with playing on a TV.
 
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