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Ebbe Altberg (CEO of Linden Lab) did a short interview with AWE.tv a few days ago.
He doesn’t say much that new or shocking for most of us but one thing he did mention is that “thousands and thousands” of people have applied to be given early access to Sansar and that they will be given acces around “early August”.
Going public is still scheduled for the end of the year.
Sansar will also have spacial audio, 360 video, avatar customisation, will work with headsets and controllers, you’ll be able to create inside of VR, etc.
One thing that made me frown a little was that he said;
You can use a X-box controller or the keyboard and mouse if you’re just on a PC but if you really want to get the full meal then you want independent handcontrollers like the Oculus Touch or the HTC Vive controllers because it makes a huge difference.
Now of course it makes sense that using these things will enhance your VR experience in Sansar but in stead it sounded a bit like not only will Sansar be a lot better with them but perhaps a bit impractical or cumbersome without them.
Will the VR headsets and controllers just be a nice bonus that makes Sansar better or something you don’t really want to be without in Sansar?
I sort of want the full meal without all that stuff, I can enjoy a meal without ketchup but not without cutlery.
Is the VR stuff the ketchup or the cutlery?
And why are we talking food?
Anyway, not much news, but still worth watching even if it is just because of Ebbe’s nice sweater.
Enjoy;
Jo Yardley's Second Life 
No, no… it’s absolutely true that getting your hands into VR makes all the difference in the world as far as immersion, control, and human social cues are concerned. It won’t be long before the price points are low enough that you’ll buy hand controllers as an afterthought. Jo, you’ll have to trust me on this… using your hands in VR is absolutely magical. Magical.
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Oh of course, I don’t underestimate that, but Sansar, like SL, should also be great without them.
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To start with the simple thing, xbox controller makes already a bg difference compared to keyboard. you can move more smooth around in the world compared to keyboard.
I have only experience with the HTC vive. and for many things it makes a big difference. hard to describe if you not have used it. Still i do not see it replace a flat screen complete. If you want to play game in virtual world where you need to grab or shoot things, htc vive is very good.
High fidelity and i think sansar work good with flat screen to, But expect that there are coming games in virtual worlds at some point that only work with HMD and hand controller.
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This reminds me of the big debate/discussion/argument going on in the HiFidelity forums about text chat. I have long had voice chat capability in SL, yet I acutely dislike using it. I prefer to chat via keyboard (and I’m a touch-typist, have been since my teens). I’m hoping to do all my (rare) hand-gesturing with the Leap sensor, and most of my communicating via text. That puts me in a minority… but that’s why I’m in no hurry whatsoever to get hand controllers. I’m not Italian. I’m able to communicate just fine without hand-gestures. ;^)
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I don’t see myself replace text chat complete for voice. But when you in HMD for things. It’s right now a bit difficult to text chat. But im ure there solutions for that.
It’s finding a balance between both.
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Motion controllers are better because you can use your hands more naturally, just like a headset is better because you can look around more naturally. But there isn’t any take away from using a keyboard and mouse. I use AltspaceVR and VRChat with a flat screen, keyboard and mouse. and it isn’t worse for me because someone next to me has a Vive or Rift. Don’t scare off the flatscreeners from jumping in with both feet it’s all excellent now and full motion VR will get cheaper and more accessible every year.
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