VR and damaged Vision...Should people be concerned

Now before i put the link regarding this taken from some so called eye specialist in a quote from the daily Mirror its just another long list of concerns regarding VR,now Personally i have resisted the temptation to buy this on release and for other reasons i have had generally regarding my thoughts on VR,I still think it will sink like a ship after the initial hype train,it may be immersive and it may have some outstanding VR games but i just don't see this as a replacement for Gaming that we have to this day.

I can understand people who are generally excited about it but i have many concerns,i mean my eye sight is not 20/20 and I'm a lot older than the target audience of these VR units,but this specialist eye surgeon has written a piece in the Daily Mirror and here is the Link.

If true why wasn't this mentioned months ago instead of 2 weeks from release of the units,its not my views its just some interesting stuff regarding VR .

Edited by time2die (Fri 30-Sep-16 09:51:10)

The hypothesis looks to largely be valid. Only proven through long term testing but any of the things stated could result from using it. The fact the screens are so close to the eyes has always been a concern to me. Motion sickness has already been a regular thing for some users. Interesting about the lack of daylight comment - but then kids could well be sitting in a darkened room playing games anyway so not so much difference. Also, I wonder if people blink less because it is VR or because they are immersed in the game?

My point is i generally immerse myself in a game for hours at a time especially if it has some really addictive online play,this VR to me is for short 20 minute fixes and a little like the Nintendo Wii when that came out,your going to have to use body movement for most games and use the playstation move controllers for FPS games,the camera needed for the VR units is also going to have to have enough of a light source,which means no dimmed lights when using VR in general,personally i have a really darkened room when I'm generally gaming and to have the ceiling lights on is another thing that i don't like,not that it would make a lot of difference once the VR headset is strapped to your head.

I think if i was around 20 i would be really really excited about this new technology [well not exactly new] but unfortunately i think given my older age it just doesn't do it for me.

My biggest concern is the initial investment,if you want the full package with games your talking in access of £500,and i can see me quickly packing this up within the space of a week and going back to general normal gaming which i have been doing for the past 30 years,i hated the Wii U because of the movement of arms required and the fact the cheap motion controlled sensor was basically a piece of cheap junk and didn't function correctly in the first place.

I will be intrigued to see what the general gaming public who buy the VR units think about it,i think i will have to reserve judgment until Gamers who invest give there opinions and how they generally feel after using the VR units.

How you envisage playing with VR (or actually not playing with VR) may be very different to how others might. It is possible that games will be played long haul - such as playing Elite on a VR headset could result in many hours of gameplay wearing the visor. You may see it for short stints but others could be using it for hours on end (and this is VR in general not necessarily just playstations version).

So, the concerns are likely justified if it is used in particular ways.

I really don't think people are going to want to use these VR units for hours upon time.

If your one of those people with many item scattered in front and behind your TV entertainment system then prepare for some more cable clutter with the unboxing of the Playstation VR on Ign.

Jeez thats a lot of wires and another accumulated mess,mine already looks terrible and thats without the Nintendo Wii U which i put away about a year ago.

There are people who are talking about VR being the way to watch movies in future - giving an immersive experience. If that took off then you are looking at fairly extended stretches just to watch a single film. And as I said games like Elite Dangerous would be extended use.

If the reason you are saying people wouldn't use it extended is because it is uncomfortable then you seem to be supporting the very article you linked to. If it is so bad that it can't be used for long periods comfortably then using it for long periods would be more likely to cause issues.

Im saying me not other people in general,but obviously there will be a fair few that feel the same.

Like i said i will wait and see what gamers who have invested in the units think of it ,and not the general Gaming Press who are basically the only ones in reality that have tested it and have the VR units in there hands as we speak for review and unboxing videos.

Im saying me not other people in general

That's fine - but you did say:

I really don't think people are going to want to use these VR units for hours upon time.

I'm happy that you won't use it that way but you were suggesting that "people" wouldn't - that is where I disagree.

I didn't literally mean everybody on the planet,some will love it ,some will hate it,just like Marmite ?