One thing many gamers look forward to in the future is the ability to immerse themselves completely within the games that they play; this is virtual reality gaming. Gamers play games not only because they are entertaining, but also because gamers are able to move into another world away from reality where possibilities are only limited by our imaginations. This different world is the virtual reality, a computer-simulated environment that simulate physical presence in places in the real world or imagined worlds. Basically, the human brain is tricked into believing that the body is somewhere the body veritably is not. To be completely integrated into a game where a imaginative world feels like reality, at present, is practically impossible; however, Palmer Luckey and his company Oculus VR have made significant steps towards achieving such a lofty dream through the Oculus Rift.
Palmer Luckey was an ordinary student who attended the University of Southern California as a journalism major. He was not a genius, but rather a young man with a curious mind and a passion for electronics, technology, and gadgets, especially those seemingly impossible ones mentioned in the science fiction novels that he would read. Luckey would buy and modify head-mounted displays from auctions using money he earned through buying/fixing/selling cell phones and doing odd jobs around the community. With the internet as his tool, Luckey basically became a self-taught engineer, hacker, inventor, and electronics enthusiast.
Palmer Luckey was an ordinary student who attended the University of Southern California as a journalism major. He was not a genius, but rather a young man with a curious mind and a passion for electronics, technology, and gadgets, especially those seemingly impossible ones mentioned in the science fiction novels that he would read. Luckey would buy and modify head-mounted displays from auctions using money he earned through buying/fixing/selling cell phones and doing odd jobs around the community. With the internet as his tool, Luckey basically became a self-taught engineer, hacker, inventor, and electronics enthusiast.
The road to the Oculus Rift did not begin with him wanting to make something, but rather to buy something that would be good for him to use for gaming. He really wanted virtual reality equipment that would enhance his gaming experience, but virtual reality is a small market and the products available simply did not satisfy Luckey's expectations. As a result, he decided to take matters into his own hand and make something for himself using the head-mounted displays that he have collected. At the same time, he has been sharing his virtual reality project with the declining virtual reality community by through the internet forums. Luckey's desire was to share the products that he made with enthusiasts like him and send them kits with his products to use and toy around with. What Luckey did not expect was the famous software programmer John Carmack to take interest.
John Carmack, who at the time was also pursuing his own virtual reality project, saw the potential in Luckey's designs and wanted to buy one of Luckey's devices; Luckey simply gave the man one for free. Amazingly, in the 2012 E3 event, Carmack announced the Oculus Rift to the world by using a prototype of the Oculus Rift, which Cormack made using the device Luckey gave Cormack, and the game Doom 3. The Kickstarter for Luckey's project initially had fewer than 100 people interested. However, after Carmack's amazing presentation, thousands flooded in with their support, including tech professionals Brendan Iribe and Mike Antonov.
John Carmack, who at the time was also pursuing his own virtual reality project, saw the potential in Luckey's designs and wanted to buy one of Luckey's devices; Luckey simply gave the man one for free. Amazingly, in the 2012 E3 event, Carmack announced the Oculus Rift to the world by using a prototype of the Oculus Rift, which Cormack made using the device Luckey gave Cormack, and the game Doom 3. The Kickstarter for Luckey's project initially had fewer than 100 people interested. However, after Carmack's amazing presentation, thousands flooded in with their support, including tech professionals Brendan Iribe and Mike Antonov.
Going on the road, Luckey quit college and spent his time campaigning for his Oculus Rift project by showcasing the Oculus Rift to companies, such as Valve, in hopes of obtaining endorsements. Needless to say, Luckey was able to obtain the endorsement he needed and went on to acquire $2.5 millions in public funds and $16 million in private funds. Now more than 17000 developer version Oculus Rift devices have been made and delivered to various developers as well as pledgers of the Oculus Rift Kickstarter. Now a consumer version of the device is being developed. The device is projected to have features such as improved head tracking, positional tracking, 1080p resolution, and wireless operation.
Now we can only wait for the revolutionary Oculus Rift to become available to the entire and witness one the greatest achievements in gaming yet, all of which were made possible by a young man with a need and a desire to fulfill that need.
Now we can only wait for the revolutionary Oculus Rift to become available to the entire and witness one the greatest achievements in gaming yet, all of which were made possible by a young man with a need and a desire to fulfill that need.