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The announcement of the virtual reality headset from the Japanese corporation Sony excited many. In fact, it is today the only worthy rival of another set - Oculus Rift. But the main difference between these two helmets is that if Rift requires a powerful and expensive computer for a comfortable game, then Morpheus only needs PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Camera. Hand-tracking sensors are already built into the DualShock 4 controllers from the very beginning. So what kind of games are waiting for us after the Sony headset is released? Let's try to figure it out.
Specifications
First, I will remind you about the technical features of Project Morpheus. At the head of the table is an OLED screen with a diagonal of 5.7 inches and a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels (960 by 1080 points per eye). The developers specially increased the diagonal of the display to increase the viewing angle to 100 degrees. They also managed to defeat the blur effect when moving the player's head. This was achieved with the help of a refresh rate of 120 Hz. Since the PS4 console is weak enough technically compared to top computers, Sony engineers have developed a special technology that integrates the interim frames automatically, making the picture as smooth as possible in motion.
The speed of the response to movement was reduced to 18 milliseconds, which is half as much as the very first prototypes of the helmet. Tracks the position of the headset in the space of the PlayStation Camera, which is sold separately from the PS4 from the very first day the console appeared on the market and is equipped with two separate optical sensors to accurately determine the distance to objects. 9 LEDs are located on the front and rear of the headset. It is them that the camera sees. One LED is also built into each DualShock 4 controller, it will allow the console to see every movement of your hands in a three-dimensional space. The camera is able to track the rotation of your head to a full 360 degrees.
Also in the headset are built accelerometer and gyroscope, which make tracking movements even more accurate. By the way, when one person uses a headset, the others can see the same thing as him, but on the TV screen. So you can invite friends to take turns to all together to enjoy the delights of virtual reality. The headset does not include headphones, but you can use any compatible PS4 headset, including those that support surround audio. The headphone and microphone input is located directly on the headset. With the console, the headset is connected via HDMI and USB interfaces through a dedicated external receiver. The cable length in the last demonstrated version of the headset is 5 meters.
The weight of the headset is very well balanced and evenly distributed over the top of the user's head. It does not exert any pressure on your face. There is a special button in order to quickly loosen the fasteners and remove it from the head. The weight of the headset is very small, so your neck will not get tired even after a couple of hours of play.
Comparison of Project Morpheus with Oculus Rift
Both headsets use OLED displays, but with different resolutions. At Morpheus it is 1920 at 1080 (960 on 1080 points for each eye), and at Rift - 2160 on 1200 (1080 on 1200 points for each eye). Morpheus has one display, and Rift - it is divided into two separate for each eye. In this case, Rift provides a viewing angle of 110 degrees with a total diagonal of 5.5 inches, and Morpheus is only 100, but with a diagonal of 5.7 inches. But at the Sony headset, the refresh rate is 120 Hz versus 90 Hz for the Oculus Rift, thanks to the sophisticated RGB subpixel system.
In terms of performance, everything is much more complicated. For Oculus Rift you will need a powerful PC that can play modern video games with a resolution of 2160 × 1200 and a frame rate of 75 fps and higher. For Project Morpheus, only the PlayStation 4 console and the official camera are needed. According to the head of Oculus company, the minimal computer configuration necessary for the operation of their headsets: Intel i5 CPU, 8 GB RAM, as well as the Nvidia GTX 970 or AMD 290 graphics card. Ideally, Risft needs a graphics system that can produce power in three times more than it is necessary to display the game in the resolution of 1080r.
Tracking in space for both headsets is almost identical. True, the Oculus Rift uses small sensors for this purpose on the Oculus Touch controllers and the helmet itself, while Sony has large LEDs. In both cases, the user's head is determined in space even when it turns away from the camera in the opposite direction.
In terms of audio, of course, it's more convenient to use the Rift headset, because it immediately has removable headphones. But if you already have a Sony wireless headset with 3D-audio support, you will not experience any difficulties and will be able to immediately join the process. Even if you do not have headphones, you can output sound to the speakers of your TV or to the stereo via the receiver. Both headsets, of course, support surround sound, which will allow you to feel yourself in a virtual reality for 100%.
As for management, the Oculus Rift will be supplied with a standard controller for Xbox One, which is not equipped with any tracking in space and will allow you to control, for example, the wheel of a racing car, while you can not control your own hands. But if you buy Oculus Touch controllers, then your hands will be monitored by the camera. Project Morheus here in a more advantageous position, as all owners of PS4 have a gamepad with initially support for virtual reality and tracking in space. Also you can use the PS Move controllers from the PlayStation 3 console.
In this duel there is no single winner or loser. Each headset has both advantages and disadvantages. Each user has the right to choose any of them for their own taste and purse. And now let's talk about those games and demos that we know about today. But do not forget that some games Sony can hold on for later, to make us a surprise. Moreover, a new studio in London was opened specially for this purpose, which abandoned all its efforts to develop VR projects.
The Deep
The most famous demo version for Project Morpheus. You find yourself on the site of a scuba diver, locked in a cage for diving and watching sharks. And sharks will always be somewhere nearby. People who tried this demo on themselves argue that they were naturally frightened of this atmosphere, and the shark seemed almost real to them. Some even dropped the headset off in horror. Let's see how it all really looks when Morpheus goes on sale, as Sony will certainly publish this demo for free at its PSN Store.
The Castle
The second tiny demo for Project Morpheus is The Castle. Before you there is a castle and training stuffed, which you can cut with your sword or shoot from a crossbow. In the demo, PlayStation Move controllers are used to transfer your hands to virtual reality. The demo was designed so that users could test the control with their movements within the virtual space. Of course, this was one of the earliest experiments of developers with the Morpheus headset, so it looks already obsolete and not perfect.
Street Luge
The action-packed skateboard simulator is more human when the player lies horizontally and rolls down the road with a downward slope, dodging cars with the help of head tilt left and right. Eyewitnesses say that the game is incredibly addictive and the adrenaline is poured into the blood in liters. Personally, I can not wait to try this demo on myself.
The London Heist
The simulator robbing the bank by London bandits. This is not a full-fledged game, but a small demo that demonstrates what a first-person shooter can be in virtual reality. The user can shoot with two hands using the PlayStation Move controllers. Unfortunately, it was not possible to find a complete demo record on the Internet. We will wait for its publication in the PSN Store after the sales of the headset.
Bedroom Robots
Sony likes to create demos with robots. That's why at the start of sales every buyer of the PS4 console received a free demonstration of the DualShock 4 game controller. Project Morpheus is no exception and you can entertain in the virtual reality with a bunch of tiny charming robots. You can see what the demo is in the video below.
The Assembly
The game from the NDreams studio, which will tell us a gloomy story about a secret organization in the depths of which they develop secret biological weapons. To play is to take turns in turn for two characters, each of which is motivated by his own motivation.
While it is difficult to say when this project will be released, as in addition to a few screenshots and the CG-trailer, it is practically unknown.
EVE Valkyrie
A space shooter from the first person, where you can turn your head, sitting at the helm of your spaceship and leaving the enemy shelling. The game enjoys constant success among visitors to various gaming exhibitions, so that its success can not be doubted.
RIGS
The first team shooter for Project Morpheus. Two teams of players must fight each other with the help of combat robots. The game is developed by one of the units of the European studio Guerilla, which is famous for a series of first-person shooters Killzone. It seems that the project is already actively undergoing the testing phase and may well be in time for the official launch of the headset sales in early 2016.
Summer Lesson
Demo version for Project Morpheus from the creator of a series of fighting games Tekken, which beats the popular in Japan kind of entertainment - visual novels. These are stories about the relationship of a guy and a girl, full of romance, and sometimes even with an admixture of eroticism. Of course, in this case, no adult content is not talking. But it looks like communicating with a virtual girl is very, very impressive.
Superhypercube
A bright neon puzzle in the style of the 80's is called Superhypercube and about it is practically nothing known. But you can already see the short teaser of this game.
Battlezone
Battlezone is considered one of the first games that demonstrated what virtual reality is capable of. In the early eighties arcade machines were popular, in which the player had to look in some sort of a periscope to see the surrounding virtual world as if from the cockpit of a real tank. The game used three-dimensional vector graphics and innovative for that time gameplay. It will be interesting, what developers will offer us in the updated version.
Headmaster
Action-puzzle for football fans. You have to beat your head football balls in different targets and objects, thereby passing one level after another. Of course, this game does not pretend to be a hit, but it certainly will find many fans.
Thief
Yes. A recent game from the legendary Thief franchise will provide support for the virtual reality suite from Sony. Now you can on your own skin feel all the delights of gangster life and from the first person to penetrate into the luxurious mansions and protected treasuries.
Wayward Sky
The adventure game, executed from the third person, in which the player will have to help the main characters to go through a series of obstacles and solve many puzzles. The toy should appeal to small players, as it is very similar to a quality cartoon.
Adrift
This game seems to take you to the film "Gravitation", where you are completely alone in the open space after an unforeseen disaster that took the lives of the rest of your crew.
ARK: Survival Evolved
The game is sure to please those who at one time became a fan of the franchise "Jurassic Park", because in this project you have to survive in a fantastic world full of dinosaurs. What can I say, it is necessary to see. Just look at this trailer.
Among the Sleep
Horror-game, in which you will find yourself a small child, faced with a world of living nightmares, flooded his parents' apartment. The game, as I recall, already went on sale in the normal version, but at the moment the developers are doing everything possible to finish the VR-component as soon as possible.
Project CARS
Racing simulator, which I recently told you in its detailed review, will also have support for virtual reality sets. Of course, you can enjoy these features and owners of the PS4 console.
I deliberately did not try to cover the entire list of games and demo versions announced for the Project Morpheus headset, since I would have gone on more than one night to write such material. But I hope that now you at least imagine that at the start of sales of the VR-helmet, we will not be bored. Only one demo Sony slept so much (more than 20 pieces) that you can entertain with your friends a week in a row.
Cost and release date
As I wrote above, the date of release of the headset has not yet been determined, but Sony representatives say that it will go on sale in the current financial year, which ends in March 2016. Other authoritative sources claim that Project Morpheus will go on sale no later than June 2016. Who of them is right - time will tell. I think that very soon we will be called a more specific release date.
How much will the Project Morpheus headset cost? Sony management claims that the helmet will not cost more than the PlayStation 4 console, that is, within $ 400, or in the case of our country - 400 euros. At today's rate, it's somewhere around 25,000 rubles. In principle, a fairly affordable price for such an advanced gadget.
Our editorial board is interested in your opinion about virtual reality and VR-headsets. Are you interested in the Morpheus helmet or are you dreaming about the Oculus Rift? Or maybe you'd rather wait for the Vive headset from Valve and HTC? Leave your opinion in the comments on this material. Let's discuss with you on this topic.
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