Sony has revealed all PlayStation VR games will need to stay above a 60 frames per second at all times, in order to be approved.
The company held an event at GDC 2016, explaining what developers will need to achieve if they have aspirations of producing content for the headset.
“We want a consistent, uniform experience across all games,” PSVR engineer Chris Norden said during a presentation (via Gamasutra).
“We really hate seeing stuttering and jerking and dropped frames. So frame rate is extremely important. You can not drop below 60. Period. Ever. If you submit a game to us, and it drops down to 30 or 55 or 51, we’re probably going to reject it.”
See also: Sony PlayStation VR: From VR sceptic to buyer
Sony’s headset will benefit from a potential frame rate of 120fps, thanks to a technology called ‘frame reproduction,’ which Sony hopes will offset feelings of motion sickness.
This tech also keeps the games in line with the PlayStation 4’s capabilities, compared with the super high-powered PCs needed to handle the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.
Norden warned that it won’t be easy for developers to stay above the ‘minimum acceptable frame rate,’ but encouraged developers to ‘drill it into their heads’ if thinking about creating content for Sony’s Rift rival.
He added: ”It’s really hard, and I’m not going to lie to and say it’s extremely easy…it’s really difficult,” he explained. But still, “60hz is the minimum acceptable framerate. Everybody drill that into your heads.”
Noreen also advised developers to always keep a defined play space in mind when building their content.
“If you want to have a small area, if you want your players to be seated, to be standing, that’s okay,” he said.
“Don’t feel like you’re constricted to just one thing,” — but also make sure to clearly communicate your players what sort of play area they need to play your game.
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Have any cool ideas for a VR game? Let us know in the comments below.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
