By Anni Simpson on September 28, 2014 at 4:11pm
NoScope glasses may be our best hope for gaming glasses that enhance the experience of long gaming sessions without taking a financial hit. For as little as $19.99, you can own a pair of one of their second-generation frames from this burgeoning company based in Cary, N.C. The NoScope team graciously sat down with Player Theory to answer some of the most pressing questions we had for the company.
Player Theory: What were your goals with these new lines of glasses?
NoScope: When designing the Hydra and Orion frames, we knew that while our original Demon model was widely successful, we were only able to offer our product to a small segment of our market. Orion was specifically designed to be a low-profile, traditional style of glasses that can fit in in any environment, while Hydra built upon the best features of Demon and was meant to offer the best in enhancing gaming.
PT: What improvements and considerations were made when working on this second round of glasses? It seems that a new metal frame material and new form factors were the major changes this time around.
NS: Our Demon series is a quality, functional item for an affordable price, but there were a few improvements that we wanted to make. We decided to change the arms of the glasses to have a more traditional flat end that tucks behind the ears to make for a more comfortable experience. We also wanted to keep a lightweight frame that won't be noticeable during wear, so we created the Hydra and Orion with a metal alloy light enough for prolonged use but sturdy enough to withstand common wear-and-tear.
PT: When I was reviewing the Demon series, I noticed slight discomfort around the nose guard area and the lenses being prone to small cosmetic scuffs. Another member of our writing staff expressed concern about the difficulty of use for gamers who also wore prescription glasses, similar to how when you attend a 3D movie you have a pair of glasses on top of your pair of glasses. Has anything been done to address these concerns this time around?
NS: Our lenses are resin-coated to prevent any scuffs and scratches. So long as they're exposed to just normal usage, clarity and condition should always remain pristine. We did make some adjustments to the nose pads to allow users to make alterations to reach their desired comfort level, and replaced the plastic nose piece with a padded one. As far as our products being used with prescription glasses, we are actively working on solutions and are making great progress. We are considering all of our options and talking to our customers to come up with the best solution possible.
PT: Now that the product line is expanding, what other ideas are being considered for future additions to the product line? Additional frame styles, perhaps more casual in appearance? Additional frame colors, such as silver? Additional lens types for different use cases? Prescription lenses?
NS: We've got lots of big plans in the works for future products. I can't speak of details of specific styles, models, or items at this time, but NoScope is very happy with the current catalog expansion and is excited to provide even more quality gaming gear items for an affordable cost in the future.
To learn more about what we here at Player Theory thought about the glasses themselves, we reviewed the Orion and Hydra models earlier this week, as well as the
