So it's been a rough couple of months.. and I feel like driftwood floating in the ocean.. I mean 'nuff prayers for Haiti and all.. but seriously.
It is rough because it is just work.. work.. work.. and all I've left room for is Mass Effect 3's Multiplayer.
Since E3, where I took a week off and watched the show.. also it was good to have a week off for my birthday.. it was disappointing to not have Xbox 3 and PS4 get mentioned.
I say disappointing because the longer MS and Sony hold out the more expectations will get built up.
Such as the consoles both supporting 4K.. or more importantly where they will go and where they will take home entertainment which sadly for me.. without an Xbox 360 because I need HD.. for the last few years.. means no meaningful breaks between shifts at work.
The gaming world that supported consoles for the last decade.. is really splitting into 3. Mobile, casual home entertainment and hardcore.
It's getting to a point where Xbox 360 was just too casual. There's no way for it to be redeemed because ALL games without exception that are offered on Xbox and PC are better.
But then there's that maddening mobile segment, and free to play segment that is really ruining the quality of gaming to the point where it is hard again to say I'm even a gamer.
There's virtually no hardcore experiences at the top end. But that's only my opinion and it is one that I still have trouble dealing with...
Until I look at 360 games.. the controller.. the discs and connecting to Xbox Live.. It is just awful.
But PC isn't better.. it's just adequate.
SO
Long story short.. I'm wondering about that hardcore segment. I'm wondering about 4K in the next 5 years since LG is bullishly bringing a 4K beast of a TV to market shortly.
I mean 10 years ago it was obvious that 4K would be on the market.. I just didn't figure it would take so long and that arguably it would be because there's so little content for it. Virtually none.. and that the stark truth is that people don't care about or really appreciate that Xbox 360 and PS3 aren't built for 1080p (and 3D).. but are barely adequate and need to be replaced.
Can they be? Will their replacements stand up to the task of 4K.. and will they present experiences that aren't as mediocre as the majority of games that have been released in the last 5-7 years.
Time will tell.
Then EA sued Zynga.
Again.. why?!
Why is there such a big fight at the bargain bin in the basement level of gaming when Zynga is already losing money? The games are obviously not free and if you're going to fight over scraps.. have them. What does that say about your company.. about your customers that support you?
So I was like EA, as one of the biggest forces in gaming has to support those next big experiences that will drive content for 4K.
and the onus as always is on Sony to create a suitably awesome platform for 4K bluray. And if they have the time and resources games that run at least at 60fps at 4K. We'll see.
And again.. there's that niggling question of how strong support for 4K will be even if there's content.
I would like to think that during my lunch breaks I could go to my car and put on an Occulus Rift connected to a laptop, tethered to a 4G phone and play some Mass Effect 3.
Who needs 4K hung on the wall if you can get a better, 3D, head tracking experience from a head mounted display.
Could consoles that have native support for them do much better than if they were just dumb set top boxes?
So I have this divided outlook on generation 8 of the console war when I want 4K.. and content for it.. IF it isn't just overkill and proves unequivocally that 1080p is the sweet spot for production costs and what consumers need to really have the best experience for their dollar... until or if manufacturers can make 4K panels so cheaply that it makes no difference and 4K+ cameras are so cheap that it makes no difference what they shoot with.. AND than bluray that can hold 4K movies and broadcast for TV at 4K (over fiber and satellite) is cheap enough for everyone to have at least a few favorite channels they can watch.. we'll see. It'll probably happen in the later part of the decade depending on how fiercely the TV makers decide to fight for the 4K segment like they (didn't) for 3D and smart TVs, but really if there's games and movies available in 4K.
But when I'm not at home.. I don't game at all. Occulus Rift could change that.
As much as I don't want to game at home.. the prospect of being able to during my lunch hour is intriguing because it would break up the day. Would it be better than playing a 120hz game on a 4K screen which would be like looking through pane glass window into another world, instead of a port hole at what's sometimes a flip book due to bad frame rates and comically bad texture issues because they haven't loaded yet.. unless it is perfect.. Occulus Rift wins by default because the resolution is lower and it has two small displays which would be much easier for even a crap laptop to drive.
It is a stick in the spokes of a plan that has been a decade in the making (getting to 4K gaming). And one that will possibly be powered by mediocre and proper crap games because it will take a while for developers to really master it without making people motion sick (namely by giving people options to properly attenuate the experience if we are too sensitive) or you buy it with a bright red plastic barf bucket and enjoy the ride.
Which if that means being green for the afternoon hours.. I'm down with that.
And what happens when the mobile movement gets to Occulus Rift? If your super phone eventually has an output to that phone and can do facetime etc with it (even wirelessly) with iPhone 6 or 7.
I consider this imminent because playing games on a tiny little phone screen is silly. So is texting and chatting.. but again.. that's just my opinion.
IF Occulus Rift, and something like it from each of the phone giants, LG, Samsung, Apple and dare I add Microsoft hit the market in the next couple of years.. what happens to all the people already addicted to their phones (and consoles).
The 1080 and 4K market might just implode. Which isn't a bad thing. Arguably you can buy 4 Occulus Rifts for the price of a 4K set once they get going.
I say it is imminent also because communication technology is moving to video over IP and getting that video through a head mounted display grants a much better and more natural view of that content.. as in talking to someone that you can see (even if it is an avatar) as if they are literally right in front of your eyes. beats just a little voice in your ear. It is arguably more engaging and given how cheap HMDs might become once the mobile phone giants get behind them.. and they becomes as ubiquitous as iPhone.. how we communicate will change again.
And as a consequence that ubiquity will influence gaming, social networking.. content distribution and format of web experiences.. video.. etc.
My only question then is how do you text.. and play games.. etc if you can't see your hands.. or the keyboard and mouse.. will the HMD experience necessitate something in your hands like a phone or controller? or more esoteric things like a virtual representation of your hands on your mouse and keyboard?
Hmm...
It is rough because it is just work.. work.. work.. and all I've left room for is Mass Effect 3's Multiplayer.
Since E3, where I took a week off and watched the show.. also it was good to have a week off for my birthday.. it was disappointing to not have Xbox 3 and PS4 get mentioned.
I say disappointing because the longer MS and Sony hold out the more expectations will get built up.
Such as the consoles both supporting 4K.. or more importantly where they will go and where they will take home entertainment which sadly for me.. without an Xbox 360 because I need HD.. for the last few years.. means no meaningful breaks between shifts at work.
The gaming world that supported consoles for the last decade.. is really splitting into 3. Mobile, casual home entertainment and hardcore.
It's getting to a point where Xbox 360 was just too casual. There's no way for it to be redeemed because ALL games without exception that are offered on Xbox and PC are better.
But then there's that maddening mobile segment, and free to play segment that is really ruining the quality of gaming to the point where it is hard again to say I'm even a gamer.
There's virtually no hardcore experiences at the top end. But that's only my opinion and it is one that I still have trouble dealing with...
Until I look at 360 games.. the controller.. the discs and connecting to Xbox Live.. It is just awful.
But PC isn't better.. it's just adequate.
SO
Long story short.. I'm wondering about that hardcore segment. I'm wondering about 4K in the next 5 years since LG is bullishly bringing a 4K beast of a TV to market shortly.
I mean 10 years ago it was obvious that 4K would be on the market.. I just didn't figure it would take so long and that arguably it would be because there's so little content for it. Virtually none.. and that the stark truth is that people don't care about or really appreciate that Xbox 360 and PS3 aren't built for 1080p (and 3D).. but are barely adequate and need to be replaced.
Can they be? Will their replacements stand up to the task of 4K.. and will they present experiences that aren't as mediocre as the majority of games that have been released in the last 5-7 years.
Time will tell.
Then EA sued Zynga.
Again.. why?!
Why is there such a big fight at the bargain bin in the basement level of gaming when Zynga is already losing money? The games are obviously not free and if you're going to fight over scraps.. have them. What does that say about your company.. about your customers that support you?
So I was like EA, as one of the biggest forces in gaming has to support those next big experiences that will drive content for 4K.
and the onus as always is on Sony to create a suitably awesome platform for 4K bluray. And if they have the time and resources games that run at least at 60fps at 4K. We'll see.
And again.. there's that niggling question of how strong support for 4K will be even if there's content.
I would like to think that during my lunch breaks I could go to my car and put on an Occulus Rift connected to a laptop, tethered to a 4G phone and play some Mass Effect 3.
Who needs 4K hung on the wall if you can get a better, 3D, head tracking experience from a head mounted display.
Could consoles that have native support for them do much better than if they were just dumb set top boxes?
So I have this divided outlook on generation 8 of the console war when I want 4K.. and content for it.. IF it isn't just overkill and proves unequivocally that 1080p is the sweet spot for production costs and what consumers need to really have the best experience for their dollar... until or if manufacturers can make 4K panels so cheaply that it makes no difference and 4K+ cameras are so cheap that it makes no difference what they shoot with.. AND than bluray that can hold 4K movies and broadcast for TV at 4K (over fiber and satellite) is cheap enough for everyone to have at least a few favorite channels they can watch.. we'll see. It'll probably happen in the later part of the decade depending on how fiercely the TV makers decide to fight for the 4K segment like they (didn't) for 3D and smart TVs, but really if there's games and movies available in 4K.
But when I'm not at home.. I don't game at all. Occulus Rift could change that.
As much as I don't want to game at home.. the prospect of being able to during my lunch hour is intriguing because it would break up the day. Would it be better than playing a 120hz game on a 4K screen which would be like looking through pane glass window into another world, instead of a port hole at what's sometimes a flip book due to bad frame rates and comically bad texture issues because they haven't loaded yet.. unless it is perfect.. Occulus Rift wins by default because the resolution is lower and it has two small displays which would be much easier for even a crap laptop to drive.
It is a stick in the spokes of a plan that has been a decade in the making (getting to 4K gaming). And one that will possibly be powered by mediocre and proper crap games because it will take a while for developers to really master it without making people motion sick (namely by giving people options to properly attenuate the experience if we are too sensitive) or you buy it with a bright red plastic barf bucket and enjoy the ride.
Which if that means being green for the afternoon hours.. I'm down with that.
And what happens when the mobile movement gets to Occulus Rift? If your super phone eventually has an output to that phone and can do facetime etc with it (even wirelessly) with iPhone 6 or 7.
I consider this imminent because playing games on a tiny little phone screen is silly. So is texting and chatting.. but again.. that's just my opinion.
IF Occulus Rift, and something like it from each of the phone giants, LG, Samsung, Apple and dare I add Microsoft hit the market in the next couple of years.. what happens to all the people already addicted to their phones (and consoles).
The 1080 and 4K market might just implode. Which isn't a bad thing. Arguably you can buy 4 Occulus Rifts for the price of a 4K set once they get going.
I say it is imminent also because communication technology is moving to video over IP and getting that video through a head mounted display grants a much better and more natural view of that content.. as in talking to someone that you can see (even if it is an avatar) as if they are literally right in front of your eyes. beats just a little voice in your ear. It is arguably more engaging and given how cheap HMDs might become once the mobile phone giants get behind them.. and they becomes as ubiquitous as iPhone.. how we communicate will change again.
And as a consequence that ubiquity will influence gaming, social networking.. content distribution and format of web experiences.. video.. etc.
My only question then is how do you text.. and play games.. etc if you can't see your hands.. or the keyboard and mouse.. will the HMD experience necessitate something in your hands like a phone or controller? or more esoteric things like a virtual representation of your hands on your mouse and keyboard?
Hmm...