Note to all: by all accounts, a higher end gaming PC will be needed to run it well (due to the Rift's likely native screen resolution--probably 1440p--and refresh rates from 75 to 90 hz. True specs aren't released yet though). More details will be provided in coming weeks (E3 maybe?).
FWIW,
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Randy1 on May 06, 2015, 02:00:10 PM
It will be interesting to see if HTC will support the release. I have tried the last version out to the public. The near full scale view is a game changer.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Ack-Ack on May 07, 2015, 02:51:30 PM
SteamVR is expected to be out within the year and from what I've heard, its just as good if not better than the OR VR headset.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Randy1 on May 07, 2015, 04:09:39 PM
It will interesting to see the impact on all gaming when these things hit the street.
The full scale view is what attracts me but the downside is playing blind outside of what you see in the game. I wonder if they will have a view area to get around this.
My squad mate notes the current version limits play time due to the eye and facial strain.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Wraith_TMS on May 07, 2015, 05:41:45 PM
Ack-Ack is referring to the Valve/HTC ** (**HTC the phone manufacturer, not "our" HTC... :)) partnership hmd, the Vive (pronounced "v-eye-ve"). It will likely be competitive on hardware terms with the Rift, though it will be a "slightly higher price point." http://www.wareable.com/vr/htc-vive-vr-headset-release-date-price-specs-7929 (http://www.wareable.com/vr/htc-vive-vr-headset-release-date-price-specs-7929)
@Randy1, the consumer rift is said to be a significantly lighter and more comfortable, not to mention, more capable version than their current developer kit 2 headset, which is what your squadmate may be using. With regard to eyesight being fully enclosed by the head-mounted-display (hmd), it's true, and I would hope for options around that too. Probably solutions like after-market hmd pass-through cameras, improved voice command apps, etc., will come from 3rd parties; not to mention the fact that many of us use HOTAS gear with buttons to spare, so it may take some getting used to, but IMO it's not a deal-breaker considering this technology's other benefits.
VR tech is advancing by leaps and bounds; it's really kind of astounding. For example, Wearality, a startup with access to Lockheed Martin tooling and tech, just successfully Kickstartered. They aim to become a lens provider for hmd makers, and Wearality's groundbreaking lenses allow from 150 to 210 degrees field of vision (FOV) when used on current smartphone-sized screens. We may see their stuff in future headsets. More on them here: http://uploadvr.com/wearality-180-degree-fov-lens-vr/ (http://uploadvr.com/wearality-180-degree-fov-lens-vr/)
OculusVR's consumer pricing may end up being near at-cost, since both Valve and OculusVR (owned by Facebook) realize that content (ie movies, games, live sports, education, and yep, the naughty stuff :O) is where the likely true VR consumer demand is--but HTC, Valve's partner, needs to make a bit of a return, since HTC is a hardware company, hence the Vive's probable higher price. Likely specs on the consumer version of the Rift here (again, nothing on what it will take to run this baby): http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/buying-advice/gadget/3522990/oculus-rift-release-date-specs-features (http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/buying-advice/gadget/3522990/oculus-rift-release-date-specs-features)
For those who are unfamiliar with this stuff, I recommend the Oculus subReddit to stay abreast of this technology area. IMO, a few short years from now, many if not most of us, may be playing AH on something like the Rift or the Vive, not to mention watching movies or live televised sports: http://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/ (http://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/)
Sorry for the wall of text, but most folk don't know anything about this stuff yet, it's still a tsunami out at sea--but it's coming.
FWIW,
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Gman on May 07, 2015, 10:27:20 PM
There are at least 6 large companies making VR headsets for PC gaming due out soon, if not more. That's my only issue, is trying to figure out which one will be "the one" to get. Valve, Sony, Samsung, Microsoft, Occulus, Razer (blahrg), Avenger - that's just the six I can recall, I know I'm missing some. I just hope they have cross compatibility so far as games and programs go, otherwise it'll be a case of having to be "the" headset for whatever games you prefer.
I hope HTC will be able to integrate them at some point, no idea on how difficult this is or would be, I know HTC did a fantastic job with the TrackIR compatibility, it works better here than almost any other game/sim I've tried (IMO).
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Mister Fork on May 08, 2015, 09:20:14 AM
There are at least 6 large companies making VR headsets for PC gaming due out soon, if not more. That's my only issue, is trying to figure out which one will be "the one" to get. Valve, Sony, Samsung, Microsoft, Occulus, Razer (blahrg), Avenger - that's just the six I can recall, I know I'm missing some. I just hope they have cross compatibility so far as games and programs go, otherwise it'll be a case of having to be "the" headset for whatever games you prefer.
I hope HTC will be able to integrate them at some point, no idea on how difficult this is or would be, I know HTC did a fantastic job with the TrackIR compatibility, it works better here than almost any other game/sim I've tried (IMO).
+1 gman.
I of course have to get 3 (one for me and two for my two sons who are now avid PC gamers). Thinking of the Bluray/HD-DVD and VHS/Betamax experiences, I am guessing though that with Facebook's deep pockets (not as deep as Sony - but they have a tonne more software development clout and cash) it will definitely give Valve's gaming headset a run for the money. And we all know that since Facebook bought the Oculus Rift last year - Mark has designs I'm guessing on not only gaming, but other multimedia experiences for the Oculus... Sony will not have the ability to influence as much as Facebook can... But from a gaming perspective, I'm thinking that Valve will come out swinging pretty hard with their huge gamer base.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Wraith_TMS on May 08, 2015, 02:20:50 PM
There are at least 6 large companies making VR headsets for PC gaming due out soon, if not more. That's my only issue, is trying to figure out which one will be "the one" to get. Valve, Sony, Samsung, Microsoft, Occulus, Razer (blahrg), Avenger - that's just the six I can recall, I know I'm missing some. I just hope they have cross compatibility so far as games and programs go, otherwise it'll be a case of having to be "the" headset for whatever games you prefer.
I hope HTC will be able to integrate them at some point, no idea on how difficult this is or would be, I know HTC did a fantastic job with the TrackIR compatibility, it works better here than almost any other game/sim I've tried (IMO).
@Gman you’re right that most of the major tech companies are jumping into VR and AR, but not all of them will be producing PC-compatible headsets/hmds--at least at first. However, only three are distinctly oriented toward PC gaming (see below) and have some market credibility. The big players out of the gate for PC gaming will be the Rift and the Vive, IMO. Both use infrared LED sensors, similar to TrackIR, but more robustly, so it may not be as big an issue--at least at first--for AH to support 2 or 3 major brands built around similar head-tracking tech. And I do hope that AH does get onboard with this tech. I read the VR boards on other sites and there are a lot-- a lot-- of simulation enthusiasts. The ones who are into air combat games so far think Wart Hunder is the only game supporting VR--they're right, so far--but most are not terribly impressed with how Gaijin has handled VR integration. Now imagine if AH supported it as well as they do TrackIR. There are over 40,000 registered users of Reddit's r/Oculus subreddit (and growing, btw), and AH managed to capture 5-10% of that crowd. I think we'd end up with an embarrassment of targ...ehm... riches. :airplane:
Here’s my big player breakout, by platform, unit and company.
PC/Gaming VR oriented: • Rift -- OculusVR/Facebook) • Vive -- Valve/HTC (probably supported on Valve’s Steam machines too) • OSVR – Razer Consoles/Platforms • Morpheus project (for PS 4) – Sony (they just killed their existing hmd line in favor of VR) • X-box (?) Unknown, since MS is so secretive. Mobile Oriented VR: • Gear VR – Samsung/OculusVR (Mobile phone headseat) • Cardboard—Google (not really consumer friendly product) • Go -- VRelia Augemented Reality (AR) oriented: • Hololens – Microsoft • Glass—Google • Magic Leap—Magic Leap with (>$500million buyin from Google, but possilby vaporware)
Noticeably absent from this--so far--is Apple. True to form, they will probably jump in once the market takes off, develop or buy out their unit with immense resources, do a Jonny Ive treatment on it and sell it at 50 percent mark-up over other hmds.
As I mentioned earlier, the hardware is starting to take shape, but its CONTENT, which @Mr. Fork and @Gman also alluded to, where the money will be in VR and AR. Facebook/Oculus and Valve want the lions' share software/content marketplace for VR/AR. Everything from entertainment (in all ways, movies, games, sports, and of course, pron), social space (Facebook’s interest) , education & training, tourism and travel, industry-oriented applications (e.g., 3D design visualization). You name it, sooner or later—and probably sooner—major players will (and already have) dump scads of money into this tech space . Not to put too fine a point on it, but... according to the CEO of nVidia, “VR is going to be the future of gaming.”http://vrfocus.com/archives/14917/nvidia-ceo-vr-going-future-gaming/ (http://vrfocus.com/archives/14917/nvidia-ceo-vr-going-future-gaming/)
So start saving your pennies, kids, we'll need to upgrade our PC's for more than just playing AH, it appears.
FWIW,
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Ack-Ack on May 08, 2015, 04:06:19 PM
There are at least 6 large companies making VR headsets for PC gaming due out soon, if not more. That's my only issue, is trying to figure out which one will be "the one" to get. Valve, Sony, Samsung, Microsoft, Occulus, Razer (blahrg), Avenger - that's just the six I can recall, I know I'm missing some. I just hope they have cross compatibility so far as games and programs go, otherwise it'll be a case of having to be "the" headset for whatever games you prefer.
I hope HTC will be able to integrate them at some point, no idea on how difficult this is or would be, I know HTC did a fantastic job with the TrackIR compatibility, it works better here than almost any other game/sim I've tried (IMO).
It's not for certain of Sony's VR set will be PC compatible, Sony has been skirting the question when asked. You can already use Samsung's version of VR if you have the latest generation of Galaxy phones/tablets, heard it's actually pretty decent though I haven't tried them myself. For the PC, OR and Valve are the ones to watch.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Gman on May 08, 2015, 06:46:26 PM
That's what I was thinking/hoping. Makes it simple really, I'll probably just buy both, have several gaming PCs in the home atm, so switching the OR and Valve unit around will probably be a must anyhow.
Great times in PC gaming ahead. Anyone else remember after the Xbox and PS came out when nearly every gaming publication/site was predicting the end of PC gaming? It's funny, because I can understand how this feeling got out there. I remember at Future Shop they would have an aisle 4 shelves high and the entire store length long, with NOTHING but PC games on it in the 1998 to 2003 or so timeframe. Then it all disappeared. Now with high speed net distribution for most games, it just changed, it didn't "die" as predicted, in fact it got bigger if you ask me. So much win.
O/T I know, but playing the recent Homeworld remastered had me thinking of nostalgic Pc gaming times, along with the whole VR craze coming, which was something everyone dreamed of back in those glory days of early 3D PC gaming.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Vulcan on May 08, 2015, 09:51:46 PM
O/T I know, but playing the recent Homeworld remastered had me thinking of nostalgic Pc gaming times, along with the whole VR craze coming, which was something everyone dreamed of back in those glory days of early 3D PC gaming.
3D VR gaming on the PC has existed since the mid 90's.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: guncrasher on May 09, 2015, 12:49:02 AM
3D VR gaming on the PC has existed since the mid 90's.
late 8's early 90's.
semp
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Gman on May 09, 2015, 07:24:12 AM
Yes, I remember many of those VR sets in the late 90s/early 2000s, some were sent in to us for review back then, and the experience with them all = pretty poor compared to the OR, which IMO has been the only one (along with others coming) to be good enough to make VR mainstream, based on what I've read, and what you've posted here in terms of vids and explanations. That includes many of the other types you've mentioned and demonstrated over the years here Vulcan, I wouldn't spend my own $ on any of them until the recent DKs have come along, and even then, I'm waiting for the retail version.
VR may have been around since those days, how many gamers bought them, and how many game designers incorporated that tech into their games? That's all my point was, every gamer and his dog knows about OR and the other VR sets coming soon, and due to all the hype, which is mostly deserved IMO for once in the media, they'll be as common as any other dedicated gaming device soon.
I think many gamers here realize VR existed prior to recent times, but that isn't the case IMO in the general gaming public, as it has not been widely supported by both the industry and media in general until more recent times.
Comparison example - HOTAS have been around since the 90s, and even back then, Thrustmaster built their F22 with the F16TQS setup that isn't very far removed from the quality and experience of say the Cougar or Warthog. Compare that sort of experience with the VR systems of that day - VR has made HUGE leaps forward, where as the HOTAS stuff hasn't changed all that much, other than being USB and perhaps different sensors. Average joe shown a 17 year old TM F22 HOTAS compared to a modern one like a Warthog could barely tell the difference, where as show average joe VR from 1998, and show him OR or Valves stuff now - every one would agree that there is a massive forward progression in quality and worth.
Sega's early attempts, iGlasses, CyberMaxx, VFX1, and even more recent improvements (specifically ones you've used in recent years and posted about here Vulcan) just haven't been ready for prime time, mostly due to the...well, suckness of them IMO. That's going to change, big time, and soon.
I was never really into the VR thing, other than as I said some past units I tried long ago which were sent in to a company I worked for as review units. Span 15+ years later, and I've only used the most recent OR developer kit of someone else for about 30 mins, and it's shockingly good compared to all the past stuff.
I think you'll be a busy person on the hardware forum in the next couple of years Vulcan, as you're one of few if not the only member I've seen who has kept up with the VR stuff all along, and no doubt you have a lot of the issues surrounding it already figured.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Vulcan on May 10, 2015, 09:49:49 PM
Not the late 80's. True 3D games only started appearing in the early 90s (such as System Shock). I owned a VFX-1 VR headset back then and used to play things like SS 1 and 2, Commanche 3, Flight Unlimited etc.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Wraith_TMS on May 15, 2015, 07:22:00 PM
OculusVR has today announced its recommended specs for those wanting to run the Rift at optimal settings. ( :rolleyes: Note, please do not shoot the messenger, this is what they're stating):
Quote
“…the Rift runs at 2160×1200 at 90Hz split over dual displays, consuming 233 million pixels per second.”
Recommended PC specifications:
♦ NVIDIA GTX 970 / AMD 290 equivalent or greater ♦ Intel i5-4590 equivalent or greater ♦ 8GB+ RAM ♦ Compatible HDMI 1.3 video output ♦ 2x USB 3.0 ports ♦ Windows 7 SP1 or newer
Looks like it'll be more than pennies that will need to be saved... :uhoh
FWIW,
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Vulcan on May 16, 2015, 10:12:52 AM
Those spec's are to bad tbh. An i5 8Gb is not that much, and by the time the rift is released the gtx will be way down in price (hell same goes for i7's).
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Bizman on May 16, 2015, 10:48:07 AM
I find the requirements somewhat high. After all, it's a combination of two monitors and a motion sensor and the monitors aren't even full HiRes. My 7 year old rig can run 2560x1600 @ 60 -ish most of the time, so I suppose 2160x1200 @90 Hz should be within reason. I may be missing something, though, I'm not familiar with video goggles at all.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: zack1234 on May 17, 2015, 03:35:15 AM
What card have you got.? :)
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: jigsaw on May 17, 2015, 03:43:38 AM
I find the requirements somewhat high. After all, it's a combination of two monitors and a motion sensor and the monitors aren't even full HiRes. My 7 year old rig can run 2560x1600 @ 60 -ish most of the time, so I suppose 2160x1200 @90 Hz should be within reason. I may be missing something, though, I'm not familiar with video goggles at all.
more worried that with this high requirements it may suck fps like crazy.
semp
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Vulcan on May 17, 2015, 09:09:53 PM
I find the requirements somewhat high. After all, it's a combination of two monitors and a motion sensor and the monitors aren't even full HiRes. My 7 year old rig can run 2560x1600 @ 60 -ish most of the time, so I suppose 2160x1200 @90 Hz should be within reason. I may be missing something, though, I'm not familiar with video goggles at all.
Actually no, it's a single monitor which will like need to be 1920+1920 x 1080. So 4k x 1080. It also has more than a motion sensor, apart from the onboard gyros and magnetic sensors there is also a high res camera that tracks IR LEDs on the headset (similar to a TrackIR).
Looking at a screen and saying ohh I get 60fps is one thing.... try moving your view around rapidly and see if your FPS moves. When you wear a headset you become acutely aware of the impact from rapid view changes on fps.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: mthrockmor on May 18, 2015, 11:52:01 AM
Actually no, it's a single monitor which will like need to be 1920+1920 x 1080. So 4k x 1080. It also has more than a motion sensor, apart from the onboard gyros and magnetic sensors there is also a high res camera that tracks IR LEDs on the headset (similar to a TrackIR).
Looking at a screen and saying ohh I get 60fps is one thing.... try moving your view around rapidly and see if your FPS moves. When you wear a headset you become acutely aware of the impact from rapid view changes on fps.
Oh, the resolution is higher than the aforementioned 2160×1200. That makes a huge difference. And I buy your comment about rapid movements adding to the load. Thanks!
As a side note, I came to think that it's better to set the requirements too high than too low, that should increase the number of happy customers.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Wraith_TMS on May 18, 2015, 01:16:03 PM
Oh, the resolution is higher than the aforementioned 2160×1200. That makes a huge difference. And I buy your comment about rapid movements adding to the load. Thanks!
As a side note, I came to think that it's better to set the requirements too high than too low, that should increase the number of happy customers.
Gents, the resolution IS 2160x1200 across two screens. The issue is it's two screens, each at 1080 x 1200.
Quote
On the raw rendering costs: a traditional 1080p game at 60Hz requires 124 million shaded pixels per second. In contrast, the Rift runs at 2160×1200 at 90Hz split over dual displays, consuming 233 million pixels per second. At the default eye-target scale, the Rift’s rendering requirements go much higher: around 400 million shaded pixels per second. This means that by raw rendering costs alone, a VR game will require approximately 3x the GPU power of 1080p rendering.
--- Atman Binstock, Chief Architect at Oculus and technical director of the Rift.
Note that above is directly from OculusVR's website; not a news article or hearsay.
FWIW,
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Vulcan on May 19, 2015, 12:10:41 AM
Nope.
"The Rift runs at 2160×1200 at 90Hz split over dual displays, consuming 233 million pixels per second. At the default eye-target scale, the Rift’s rendering requirements go much higher: around 400 million shaded pixels per second."
2160x1200x90=233 million.
He then mentions the 400 million pps. Which would indicate that is 2 x 233 million pps - ie the equivilent of 2 displays for stereo 3d. So who knows.
Key to the Oculus design is the use of a single screen, one of the huge issues for VR headsets has been different brightness/contrast/etc levels between LED and OLDE panels. If it is 2160x1200 then it will definitely be a single panel.
In the end nobody seems to be sure over the final resolution. Guess we'll see when it arrives.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: zack1234 on May 19, 2015, 12:44:50 PM
"The Rift runs at 2160×1200 at 90Hz split over dual displays, consuming 233 million pixels per second. At the default eye-target scale, the Rift’s rendering requirements go much higher: around 400 million shaded pixels per second."
2160x1200x90=233 million.
He then mentions the 400 million pps. Which would indicate that is 2 x 233 million pps - ie the equivilent of 2 displays for stereo 3d. So who knows.
Key to the Oculus design is the use of a single screen, one of the huge issues for VR headsets has been different brightness/contrast/etc levels between LED and OLDE panels. If it is 2160x1200 then it will definitely be a single panel.
In the end nobody seems to be sure over the final resolution. Guess we'll see when it arrives.
Incorrect.
Your information may be outdated, since you're using a DK1 or DK2, which do use single displays--and yes, for those it made sense to do so when those were developed. However, since then, the "Crescent Bay" prototype, upon which the consumer version of the Rift is based (CV1), does have dual displays. (I don't include my sources to test the URL feature on the forum, guys :); I include them so you all can confirm that I'm being factual. Please do follow them and catch up on the latest.)
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Vulcan on May 19, 2015, 04:16:34 PM
Then it does not make sense it would be within spitting distance of the DK2 res ( 1920×1080 ), but all feedback says the CB is way better in res.
Also in your link: "No details on panel specifications of course, but it does mean that the prototype that is thought to bear close resemblance to the eventual consumer version of the Oculus Rift may well opt for this route."
and "Oculus founder Palmer Luckey chimed in as well, saying that it was "super obvious" that the prototype used two screens, but nobody had really looked closely enough before to notice it"
So a single panel would deliver res barely 5% better than the DK2, nobody has confirmed whether the cv1 will be single or dual panel, Palmer states dual panel was super obvious and we know he prefers the single panel option.
We still have at least 6 months before we see a CV1, I know what my money is on.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Wraith_TMS on May 19, 2015, 05:44:28 PM
Then it does not make sense it would be within spitting distance of the DK2 res ( 1920×1080 ), but all feedback says the CB is way better in res.
Also in your link: "No details on panel specifications of course, but it does mean that the prototype that is thought to bear close resemblance to the eventual consumer version of the Oculus Rift may well opt for this route."
and "Oculus founder Palmer Luckey chimed in as well, saying that it was "super obvious" that the prototype used two screens, but nobody had really looked closely enough before to notice it"
So a single panel would deliver res barely 5% better than the DK2, nobody has confirmed whether the cv1 will be single or dual panel, Palmer states dual panel was super obvious and we know he prefers the single panel option.
We still have at least 6 months before we see a CV1, I know what my money is on.
Vulcan, 2160x1200 for CV1 resolution is (see my prior post, where I linked Atman Binstock's--of Oculus--blog piece), unless my math is off, 25% greater overall resolution (across two screens) than the DK2's 1920x1080 resolution--not 5%.
You're correct that Luckey has in the past stated that he preferred a single screen solution because of cost and simplicity; but things change, as is obvious from the Crescent Bay/CV1 specs which I posted--again, see Atman Binstock's blog post. The links I posted from SxSW predate the OculusVR tech specs announcement that I've posted earlier in this thread. I do believe most people did believe that even the Crescent Bay prototype was a single screen unit, since Luckey's previous comments to that effect were known. Since the Oculus team continue to make strides in their optimizations of their SDK (yet again, see my prior posted links), it may have permitted a dual-display solution more readily than they first thought. Additionally, the screens for DK1 and DK2 were, it's my understanding, used because of cost and accessibility. Facebook's influx of cash may have given Oculus the clout to spec custom displays. Bottom line: somewhere between DK2 and nailing down the CB/CV1 specs, they've opted for dual-displays.
You're free to form your own opinion, of course, but I've posted links from reputable sources, most notably OculusVR executives themselves.
In any case, it's possible we'll know more about the CV1 by E3 (mid-late June, I believe) or at Oculus Connect (sometime in September, I think). FYI, just today, Oculus sent out invitations to the press for a sponsored event they will host a week prior to E3. If I were a betting man--and I've been known to as well--that would be a likely time to do an introduction to the CV1, before all the hoopla at E3 drowns out a CV1 introduction.
Ultimately, I think we can both agree that the Rift and/or the Vive would enhance--as you already know from using your DK2 in AH--this game immensely if our HTC would support VR headsets. One can only hope.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Gman on June 06, 2015, 01:30:06 AM
Vulcan, being the resident OR/VR guy, have you or are you planning on getting a Valve VR development kit? From what I've been reading and based on what you've said, OR and Valve are probably going to be the front runners for noodle gear. I'd be interested to hear what you think of it, and any details and comparison you could provide between the two.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Vulcan on June 07, 2015, 04:19:46 PM
Vulcan, being the resident OR/VR guy, have you or are you planning on getting a Valve VR development kit? From what I've been reading and based on what you've said, OR and Valve are probably going to be the front runners for noodle gear. I'd be interested to hear what you think of it, and any details and comparison you could provide between the two.
Dunno, Oculus have some decent smarts around the way they designed the rift. Things like like having a pair of displays can be bad (see my comments about CV1), and the low persistence stuff is important. I do like their tracking system. I suspect the Vive is going to be quite expensive.
What concerns me most though as all previous experience I've had with HTC has involved severe quality issues.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Wraith_TMS on June 09, 2015, 11:50:18 AM
... In any case, it's possible we'll know more about the CV1 by E3 (mid-late June, I believe) or at Oculus Connect (sometime in September, I think). FYI, just today, Oculus sent out invitations to the press for a sponsored event they will host a week prior to E3. If I were a betting man--and I've been known to as well--that would be a likely time to do an introduction to the CV1, before all the hoopla at E3 drowns out a CV1 introduction.
Seems something is indeed up at OculusVR. They have a new logo (well, it's a sideways "O", but from a public image perspective, it may be better than "The All Seeing Eye of Sauron" logo that was their previous one). And a countdown counter to that 6/11/15 event I mentioned above. https://www.oculus.com/en-us/ (https://www.oculus.com/en-us/) All aboard the hype train.
FWIW,
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Mister Fork on June 11, 2015, 10:32:37 AM
OR has a special event today in around an hour and a half at 11am MST (or 1pm EST). Probably announcing the design and features of the first production release of the rift.
I WILL be buying a OR when it comes out, then two more for both my boys who are now into PC gaming. But they may want the Valve version as they play mostly STEAM games including Gary's Mod, Team Fortress 2, and Counter Strike.
Heck, I even offered to buy HTC a developers edition of the Rift - I suspect Dale and Doug will support VR headsets (if they haven't already bought a dev version).
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Wraith_TMS on June 11, 2015, 12:35:47 PM
OR has a special event today in around an hour and a half at 11am MST (or 1pm EST). Probably announcing the design and features of the first production release of the rift.
I WILL be buying a OR when it comes out, then two more for both my boys who are now into PC gaming. But they may want the Valve version as they play mostly STEAM games including Gary's Mod, Team Fortress 2, and Counter Strike.
Heck, I even offered to buy HTC a developers edition of the Rift - I suspect Dale and Doug will support VR headsets (if they haven't already bought a dev version).
Event is streaming live on Twitch as I type this: http://www.twitch.tv/oculus (http://www.twitch.tv/oculus)
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Ack-Ack on June 11, 2015, 04:15:57 PM
Dunno, Oculus have some decent smarts around the way they designed the rift. Things like like having a pair of displays can be bad (see my comments about CV1), and the low persistence stuff is important. I do like their tracking system. I suspect the Vive is going to be quite expensive.
What concerns me most though as all previous experience I've had with HTC has involved severe quality issues.
I think one of the things that is going to make the Valve VR set more expensive than the Oculus Rift is the laser tracking system Valve is intending to use.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Wraith_TMS on June 19, 2015, 03:57:05 PM
From the "beating a dead horse" desk... The guys from Tested.com review the consumer version of the Rift, the new Touch controllers and give general impressions (after interviews) at the E3 show. (Warning: a long video, but it's probably about as much info about the Oculus Rift's consumer version as is currently available:
FWIW,
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Vulcan on June 21, 2015, 06:41:03 PM
It's disappointing they went to dual displays. I had dual OLEDs on the Vuzix, and they were nice, but I constantly struggled getting the same RGB/Brightness/Contrast levels across the 2. It will be interesting to see how that goes.
The other factor they need to work on and I'm surprised not to see on CV1 is some sort of air circulation/venting. Depending on the environment it can be a right pain when your screens start fogging up.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Bizman on June 22, 2015, 03:00:54 AM
I didn't view the entire video, but at some point I think they talked about fogging. I have a feeling it was where they talked about the fabric material. But I may be wrong here.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: MrRiplEy[H] on June 22, 2015, 08:59:05 AM
I didn't view the entire video, but at some point I think they talked about fogging. I have a feeling it was where they talked about the fabric material. But I may be wrong here.
They were discussing about virtual porn, then immediately the subject of fogging came up... :noid
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Wraith_TMS on June 22, 2015, 12:52:37 PM
I didn't view the entire video, but at some point I think they talked about fogging. I have a feeling it was where they talked about the fabric material. But I may be wrong here.
They begin discussing the physical construction of the CV at timecode ~6:30 and they discuss the fabric covering and it's help in eliminating heat buildup/fogging around timecode 7:45-7:50. The CV is encased in fabric, not hard plastic. That fabric covering helps reduce the weight of the unit, lets heat radiate out without active cooling (i.e. fans) and it's also transparent to the array of infrared LEDs used for 6 DOF headtracking that are all over the unit, under the fabric.
Title: Re: Announced: Oculus Rift consumer version in first quarter of 2016
Post by: Wraith_TMS on June 23, 2015, 01:42:43 PM
... I do hope that AH does get onboard with this tech. I read the VR boards on other sites and there are a lot-- a lot-- of simulation enthusiasts. The ones who are into air combat games so far think Wart Hunder is the only game supporting VR--they're right, so far--but most are not terribly impressed with how Gaijin has handled VR integration. Now imagine if AH supported it as well as they do TrackIR. There are over 40,000 registered users of Reddit's r/Oculus subreddit (and growing, btw), and AH managed to capture 5-10% of that crowd. I think we'd end up with an embarrassment of targ...ehm... riches. :airplane:
I was reading the Reddit/Oculus board earlier today and came across a thread that I thought I'd link here as it speaks to the point above in one of my earlier posts. The Reddit thread was started by a flight simmer asking about the pros/cons of VR for flight games. My quote above related to how that Oculus forum on Reddit has a lot of flight game enthusiasts who yearn for great VR flight experiences---the whole sub has more than 50K registered users, so... Those VR/flight game enthusiasts are a natural demographic target that could be future Aces High players if HTC does eventually support VR hmds. Yet, if you read the responses in the thread linked below, all they refer to are War Thunder, DCS and Prepar3D. None of these companies have done especially good jobs of implementing VR into their games, and some like War Thunder don't compare in overall experience with or without VR, to AH.
So, if VR headsets were supported by HTC, past precedent says they can probably do a killer job on integrating VR too. We already know that our HTC has done a superb job of integrating TrackIR and 6DOF headtracking into the current game... They can probably do it with VR hmds too, even if it takes a bit of effort.
I think that if HTC would/could support these hmds, the Oculus subreddit alone, given the size of its registered redditor base, could become a major marketing target after our game update and VR support are added. Right there in that one subreddit is a ready-made pool of probably hundreds, maybe even thousands of prospective players who are aching for a quality flying game experience because of their enthusiasm for VR.
Bottom line: Let's face it, our game beats War Thunder on practically every player experience aspect---except possibly the graphics, which is already being addressed with the update---so I hope that this opportunity isn't lost on HTC as a future development goal. I know "other fish are being fried" right now with the update and all, but VR should be addressed after that. I don't think it's unrealistic to imagine that, if properly integrated into the game, HTC's VR hmd support could make Aces High the DE FACTO "killer app" flying game for VR. VR gamers would beat a path to HTC's door. :old: