We’re hugely excited by PlayStation VR2 and in common with many media outlets, Digital Foundry now has access to a headset, so we’re set for the review to come. Based on the unboxing experience, the physical design of the headset and the controllers does not disappoint, but what do game developers make of the specifications of the tech and in what ways is the VR experience heightened in transitioning their titles to PSVR 2?
That’s what today’s Digital Foundry video is about, where we talk to the fine folks at 17-bit to discuss their upcoming PSVR 2 title, Song in the Smoke Rekindled. This is an interesting title because it’s already available for far less capable machines – the original PlayStation VR (where it accrued a couple of PSVR GOTY awards) and even the Oculus Quest.
In the video embedded on this page, you’ll learn about Song in the Smoke in terms of its concept and execution, you’ll see exclusive behind-the-scenes developers assets along with head-to-head comparisons of the new PSVR 2 version up against the existing renditions of the game. You’ll hear the developers talking about how they’ve pushed the new features of the headset to elevate the experience, plus you’ll get their impressions on the quality of the VR experience delivered by PSVR2.
PSVR 2 Deep Dive – Song In The Smoke Preview – Talking Tech With 17-Bit Watch on YouTube00:00:00 Introduction00:01:29 Origins of Song in the Smoke00:02:45 First impressions of PSVR 200:04:20 Image Quality/Eye Tracking/Foveated Rendering00:08:53 PSVR 2 field of view and light leakage00:09:57 Adjusting for PSVR 2 HDR00:11:46 Eye Tracking: Subtle But Powerful00:13:29 Black is Black, OLED-style00:16:42 Haptics00:21:06 Hand-Tracking Controllers00:22:00 Song in the Smoke: Free Upgrade for PSVR200:23:08 Finger Tracking/Feedback Triggers00:24:07 Heightened Senses/Immersion00:26:23 PSVR2 Graphics Enhancements00:28:32 Unreal Engine 400:29:51 Song in the Smoke In-Depth00:37:20 Upgrading From The Oculus Quest Version00:43:50 Looking Forward to Release
There’s a lot to get through in almost 45 minutes of discussion, but there’s plenty to learn about how the developers upgraded their assets for PSVR 2, how they ramped up settings across the board until things started to break, how they’re targeting and maintaining 90fps – and there’s also fascinating information on eye tracking and foveated rendering.