The StarVR headset could be the future of theme park rollercoasters
Starbreeze is partnering with Acer to start producing its super high-end StarVR headset
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Your support makes all the difference.Computer company Acer is working with the Swedish game studio Starbreeze to create a virtual reality (VR) headset which could be the future of theme parks.
Acer will collaborate with Starbreeze on the StarVR headset, an unusual-looking device which boasts a much higher field of view and resolution than leading consumer devices like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.
These devices often have a fairly narrow window through which the player sees the virtual world, affecting their feeling of immersion. The StarVR has a 210-degree field of view, covering all parts of the user's vision, making the VR experience feel much more real.
Starbreeze launched StarVR at the E3 electronics expo in 2015, and has produced a few VR experiences since. The new collaboration will allow it to take advantage of Acer's hardware know-how, making it easier to mass-produce the devices.
According to a press release on the partnership, the StarVR will be geared towards the "professional and location-based entertainment market," meaning you probably won't be using it in your living room.
Instead, the StarVR looks likely to be used in theme parks, cinemas, and other 'live' VR experiences. Alton Towers recently opened 'Galactica', its first VR rollercoaster, and the technology is spreading to other parks across the world.
That's just as well, because the price of the StarVR's 5K screens (and the powerful computer needed to run it), would probably put it out the reach of most ordinary consumers.
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