From: mapleson@cee.hw.ac.uk (Ian CR Mapleson) Subject: Re: HUMAN-FACTORS: Children, VR, and home entertainment Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 11:21:51 GMT Message-ID: Organization: Dept of Computing & Electrical Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Scotland In article <01bb9b88$13996c60$2f4e65ce@twolfe> "Twolfe" writes: > >You can always say that something is almost good enough, but there is >no comparison between real stereoscopic viewing and simulations that >use mono images. After 12 months and many hours under a 120 degree HMD >I can tell you stereo is the only way to go. Not exactly practical for >home use today but they are coming. Absolutely. PLEASE folks, don't make the same mistake that the hifi manufacturers did: don't try and sell a low quality product (the hifi companies though they could get away with 16bit without realising that the people with the money wanted a higher quality level). The people with the money to buy a helmet are the people who want a proper high quality stereo headset. Such people will not bother with a low quality helmet; don't think in terms of what you can commercially get away with. Just for once, try releasing a *good* high quality product first time round. You'll have a better customer response and far fewer side effects complaints. Make a good helmet or don't make one at all. Why do you think the VB is not selling very well? Because it's not a proper headset with tracking, colour, res, etc. New Scientist said recently that the military had vastly improved its manufacturing techniques such that a $70000 helmet could now be made for $700 - perhaps the relevant readers here should find out more about this? The article stated that the company involved was interested in making a version for public use. (the issue concerned is the one that covers August 29th) Ian. The Doom Help Service (DHS): http://doomgate.gamers.org/dhs/ SGI Network Admin, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, England, PR1 2HE. Doom: mapleson@gamers.org | Tel: (+44) 01772 893297, Fax: (+44) 01772 892913 Misc: mapleson@cee.hw.ac.uk | Office machine: SGI Indy R4400-200Mhz, 1MB cache 64MB RAM, 2GB SCSI disk, 24bit 17" 1280x1024, CDROM+DAT, IndyCam Digital Camera.