VR experience of NHL Games

Cat Herder

Formerly BigSensFan
Sep 21, 2006
2,599
442
Belle River,On
So I bought an Oculus Quest the other day. I decided to use the Facebook Live app to watch the stream of the Rookie Tournament for the Sens being broadcast by the Bellville Senators Facebook page. While it was just appeared to be a large screen (like a movie theater) it got me thinking that the NHL should add VR cameras in rinks so you can watch in VR (as if you were in the Rink) if you subscribe to NHL Center Ice.

I for one would resub to Center Ice if they did this
 

jetsforever

Registered User
Dec 14, 2013
27,202
23,057
That would be pretty cool, although I feel like streaming that live would make it hard to avoid lagging
 

MadLuke

Registered User
Jan 18, 2011
9,410
5,068
To have a 360 type of view from inside the ring you would need to have a camera inside the ring, it would be quite in the way of the player.

What they would have is probably having something similar to what they did here:
https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/user-controlled-camera-debuts-on-hockey-night-1.783133
On in actual VR:
NHL Brings Its Games to Virtual Reality

Not an inside the ring view, but one like if you had a first row ticket.

Or place you in the crowd to watch the game, like for concert:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/vr-concerts-1.3575077

For both I doubt people would watch full game and many of them that way, but would try it just to see what it look like, if they just got there VR set.
 

Martin Skoula

Registered User
Oct 18, 2017
11,639
16,315
I think we'll get to the point where 360 cameras will be small enough to be helmet-moubted within a few years. If not live, then at least on-demand after the game.
 

Butch 19

Go cart Mozart
May 12, 2006
16,526
2,831
Geographical Oddity
So I bought an Oculus Quest the other day. I decided to use the Facebook Live app to watch the stream of the Rookie Tournament for the Sens being broadcast by the Bellville Senators Facebook page. While it was just appeared to be a large screen (like a movie theater) it got me thinking that the NHL should add VR cameras in rinks so you can watch in VR (as if you were in the Rink) if you subscribe to NHL Center Ice.

I for one would resub to Center Ice if they did this

Are... you going to supply the vr goggles when I have a watch party? thx!
 

SotasicA

Registered User
Aug 25, 2014
8,489
6,402
I don't like it. Players would have to watch their language and act like they are on camera all the time, even on the bench.
 

Rorschach

Who the f*** is Trevor Moore?
Oct 9, 2006
11,239
1,815
Los Angeles
If full VR became a mainstream thing for NHL, whether for all games or for the big ones, I have a feeling that the NHL would become the top sports league in the world.
 

CupsOverCash

Registered User
Jun 16, 2009
16,353
7,092
That would be cool. I feel like one of the refs should just carry one of those 360 cameras around the ice the whole game.
 

Boy Hedican

Homer Jr, friends call me Ho-Ju
Jul 12, 2006
5,084
1,166
Earff
I think we'll get to the point where 360 cameras will be small enough to be helmet-moubted within a few years. If not live, then at least on-demand after the game.

That would be cool. I feel like one of the refs should just carry one of those 360 cameras around the ice the whole game.

for what? You’d throw up instantly if you were experiencing VR from those.

VR for live events only works well with stationary cameras. Seats are an obvious choice, as are high in the rafters, but so are areas along the boards.

since the cameras are not actually moving with you (like tendered VR, which still is problematic), you want to simulate sitting and with just rotating/pivoting your head to look around.

anything else would be unusable for 99.9% of viewers.
 
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Sansbacon

Registered User
Sep 26, 2006
4,047
1,724
Westchester, NY
I like this idea. VR will be the standard for gaming, movies, games, cough*porn*hiccupfart etc in the near future.

I think if you hung a 360 camera from the Jumbotron you’d get the best results. While you wouldn’t be moving with the players, you’d have the best seat in the house and wouldn’t get motion sickness in a matter of minutes.
 
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Egghead1999

Registered User
Nov 9, 2007
3,138
839
for what? You’d throw up instantly if you were experiencing VR from those.

VR for live events only works well with stationary cameras.
Seats are an obvious choice, as are high in the rafters, but so are areas along the boards.

since the cameras are not actually moving with you (like tendered VR, which still is problematic), you want to simulate sitting and with just rotating/pivoting your head to look around.

anything else would be unusable for 99.9% of viewers.
You are right.

Ya, all tech are here, 5K~960p SBS video, video streaming, VR 180, 60 fps, binaural sound. I think the real problem is pricing.
 
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Boy Hedican

Homer Jr, friends call me Ho-Ju
Jul 12, 2006
5,084
1,166
Earff
I like this idea. VR will be the standard for gaming, movies, games, cough*porn*hiccupfart etc in the near future.

I think if you hung a 360 camera from the Jumbotron you’d get the best results. While you wouldn’t be moving with the players, you’d have the best seat in the house and wouldn’t get motion sickness in a matter of minutes.

So uhh, this is pretty cool and dangerously convincing btw. :naughty:
 

Potrzebie

Registered User
Mar 25, 2010
2,331
2,898
When Sportsnet did a few games a couple of years ago for Google Cardboard style VR sets it was pretty crude but still really cool. Just wait till it's high enough quality that the teams will sell you a virtual season ticket.
 

Rich Nixon

No Prior Knowledge of "Flyers"
Jul 11, 2006
14,941
18,809
Key Biscayne
I don't like it. Players would have to watch their language and act like they are on camera all the time, even on the bench.

You do realize you can make a camera without a microphone, and that with the number of cameras used in every modern broadcast, basically every player is already on camera at all times, correct?
 

CanadianPensFan1

Registered User
Jun 13, 2014
7,051
2,049
Canada
If nothing else, I think it would be AMAZING to have people in the arena doing this, while we at home watch them on tv .. bouncing all over the place haha
 

SotasicA

Registered User
Aug 25, 2014
8,489
6,402
I would finally be able to zoom in and focus on Crosby's crotch for an entire duration of a hockey game.

And, you know, stuff like this:

yfS8U5f.png
 

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