I have seen the future of flight simming

[Freycinet]

...And in one word (well, two) it is: virtual reality.

 

I got my Oculus Rift Development Kit in the mail two days ago. What is it? Well, no more than a couple of smartphone screens in a box, a pair of thick lenses creating a wrap-around field of view, foam padding and a big old strap to hold the contraption on the head, plus some wiring and fancy software. The skimpy download that went with it basically just consists of a set-up proggie and a demo: a Villa in Tuscany you can walk around in.

As the interiour of the villa appears on the screen the magic begins. And it is that most believable of magic: the understated art of just rendering what your brain expects, what you would see if you actually stood in the villa. Look up, ceiling beams, look down, terracotta tiles, look left, a fireplace, look right, a painting on the wall. The viewpoint follows your head movements exactly, with no delay. You're THERE. It may be a bit of a blurry world, because the resolution is quite limited, but the feeling is that of being transported to another place, and it is real. Obviously it doesn't look like a real villa, it is after all just a rather low-poly model with so-so textures. But the feeling of moving in a three-dimensional space is absolutely real: true-to-life visual stimuli that convincingly overpowers your body's remaining sensory apparatus.

On to flying! Best bet seems to be War Thunder, an online arcade flying game which implemented Oculus Rift support a few months ago. A game I normally wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole, but well, beggars can't be choosers, it supposedly has gorgeous graphics and is one of the few programs that support OR. At least it is free-to-play at the level I want to use it, namely just flying around. A 5gig download and some jumping through hoops later, and I am ready for take-off, in a P-36 Peashooter parked at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Let's get the downside out of the way first. Looking at the landscape, especially far-off bits, reminds you of one of those days where you leave your house and realise you forgot to put in your contact lenses. It is a somewhat blurry world, rather low-res, and no matter how much you squint you won't ever get details crisp and sharp. You're back in low-res, 1990s, European Air War territory, where objects first appear as indistinguishable blobs that later turn into pixelated shapes and only up close acquire recognisable features. Sounds rather underwhelming, doesn't it?

Well, it ISN'T! Because the illusion of being inside this make-believe world is totally real. The light and colours and depth are real, the heft and physicality of your cockpit, wing struts, fuselage and wings is absolutely real. As you roll along the runway on Hickam field and slowly climb into the air, the sense of speed is visceral and very much felt in the seat of your pants. Shadows play in the cockpit and over the wings as you bank and turn inland towards the mountains. Approaching them, there is an almost dreadful sense of mass and humonguousness to the mountains, with their high summits and deep valleys, covered in dense vegetation. You can't actually see the details of trees and shrubbery, but here you brain fills in the blanks, because the sense of being there is so real that the blurriness takes second place to the many other sensory inputs that start overloading your system.

You see, it isn't just an emotionally detached, academic, non-corporeal flying experience. No, no it isn't. It is a strong, physical, pervasive, overwhelming and somewhat scary experience of hanging in a flimsy craft, suspended over a massive foreboding rock-solid landscape. Gone is the TrackIR ease of swiftly turning your head to check six with just a tiny turn of your head. Here you have to twist your whole body and fight your reclining chair as you struggle to get your rudder into view. And you better do it while flying straight and level, because if you do it in a steep bank it is highly disorienting and nausea-inducing. This is not just an intellectual excercise, this is stomach-churning reality, reminding me of when I've gone up in a real-world glider and chased thermals in gutwrenching spirals.

The Hawaiian landscape is supremely impressive and gradually I overcome the bodily discomfort that first kept me looking straight forward, not taking in the view at all, but just trying to keep control of my bowels. I manage to look around and take in the vertical cliff-faces, clouds clinging to mountain ridges, sunlit uplands and dark canyons. It is a fabulous playground to explore in three dimensions and I gradually engage in evermore daring maneuvers. The feeling of flight remains as visceral and physical as before but now I can begin to enjoy it. Climbing over a ridge, half-rolling and zooming downwards, inverted, in a screaming dive is almost too much, but only almost. The moment of popping over the edge, flopping over and seeing the deep chasm falling away below is terrifying, but the rush of following the mountain wall down and pulling out just above the palm fronds in the valley below is something I've never experienced in flight simming before.

How can it be so intensely physical, yet the only input is visual? I just sit in my office chair and yet I am getting clammy hands, cold sweat on my forehead and tension is tiring my back and shoulder muscles? I think it must be because the illusion of being in a real space is totally convincing. All the little neurons, embedded in our brains since a distant caveman past, are firing like crazy and telling us that "HEY, you are in a highly dangerous situation here!" Booming and zooming around a jagged mountainscape is NOT a normal thing to do! Get down! So, based on pure visual stimuli, the body thinks it is falling, gyrating, accelerating, in a most unnatural manner. Flying, in short. And let me tell you: it is a level of excitement not seen in flight simming until now. The excitement, almost too much, almost unbearable, of actually, really hurling through space. Welcome to the future of simming. It is pretty crazy and it will only get better.

In other words: get Oculus Rift support going for BoS! But, Loft and Jason, I think you already know that...  :-)

[BFsSmurfy]

We had the headset on at Gamescom, so maybe the support is already there, and personally I`d wait for the HD version to come out before buying it. It`s a great piece of kit but the resolution just isn`t there for reading the dials properly with the SDK version imo.

[Revvin]

I am really excited by this hardware, i have such high hopes for it and what it will do to my gaming so I hope the HD version will make some of the criticisms go away that I've read about viewing distances in flight and racing sims

[Tone71]

Great review Freycinet, well written and very informative; loved the enthusiasm, really peaked my interest.

[BMA_West]

And how long it took to get to trackir 5, or say 4 ....

Like this must be a lot more complicated could take for ever untill the product becoms top notch that is if you do not want to buy every year a new one.

Prob not to cheapo eighter

Loved the review Freycinet or should I say Soeren Dalsgaard 

Edited October 5, 2013 by West

[Freycinet]

We had the headset on at Gamescom, so maybe the support is already there, and personally I`d wait for the HD version to come out before buying it. It`s a great piece of kit but the resolution just isn`t there for reading the dials properly with the SDK version imo.

 

Very true, the dials are a blurry mess. Thankfully dials aren't really necessary to fly in War Thunder... :-)

[DD_bongodriver]

Another highly recommended flight experience on the rift is Outerra/anteworld, though you have to buy the beta in order to use aircraft, it's only something like $15 but there is an Apache, Mig29 and Cessna as stock, the experience of flying the Mig around mountain ranges is simply jaw dropping, they have also managed to implement an interesting positional head tracking workaround.

[Freycinet]

Bongo, I did try the free Outerra/Anteworld and it was indeed amazing just to move around in three dimensions. Total freedom of movement. I'd like to find a page with tweaks for it, though, because it was quite a hassle to try to set up. Not that War Thunder was easy either... Early days...

Edited October 5, 2013 by Freycinet

[DD_bongodriver]

What was the hassle? it pretty much worked out of the box for me, I don't know if outerra uses the oculus setting but the IPD settings in outerra are easy to adjust, a difference between the free demo version maybe?

 

yes even in the free version you can just zoom away from the planet and look at the serene blue marble floating in space, then zoom back in to any point on the globe with pretty good landscape using real world (90M resolution I think) elevation data, amazing detail and pretty smooth on the fps.

[=BKHZ=Furbs]

It all sounds very exciting, interesting times for flight sims ahead im sure.

 

Lots of positive vibes around at the moment.

[pilotpierre]

Great review Freycinet, thanks.

[Feathered_IV]

Thanks Freycinet.  I wonder if this product will bring on a rebirth of interest in flight sims?  The Rift is far more appropriate to a cockpit environment than a game where one needs to walk and run etc.

[76SQN-FatherTed]

FYI "peaked" should read "piqued" .  Sorry to be the grammar Nazi, but that one really pisses me off.

[Rjel]

FYI "peaked" should read "piqued" .  Sorry to be the grammar Nazi, but that one really pisses me off.

Here Here. Were their for ewe. Spell checker is a grate...great tool.

[Heywooood]

ufff - I would rather not have vid screens an inch from my eyes...all strapped to some cumbersome head strap rig lol

 

"why is grandpa flailing about at the computer with night vision goggles on his head?!!?"

 

cant we all agree to disagree that this is in any way cool - or fun or effective?

 

I have a nice BIG monitor with crazy resolution that I can sit a fair distance from and save my eyes for averything else I need them for  - like working and driving and living

 

I imagine that prolonged use (like what gamers do) wont do your vision any good

 

I hope the future of flight simming is more like - a huge, 8x1060 resolution, low power high contrast virtual wall -

once thats done they can work on wirelessly transmitting the visual images directly onto the optic nerve center of the brain - no more monitors

Edited October 6, 2013 by Heywooood

[SCG_Neun]

...

How can it be so intensely physical, yet the only input is visual? I just sit in my office chair and yet I am getting clammy hands, cold sweat on my forehead and tension is tiring my back and shoulder muscles? I think it must be because the illusion of being in a real space is totally convincing. All the little neurons, embedded in our brains since a distant caveman past, are firing like crazy and telling us that "HEY, you are in a highly dangerous situation here!" Booming and zooming around a jagged mountainscape is NOT a normal thing to do! Get down! So, based on pure visual stimuli, the body thinks it is falling, gyrating, accelerating, in a most unnatural manner. Flying, in short. And let me tell you: it is a level of excitement not seen in flight simming until now. The excitement, almost too much, almost unbearable, of actually, really hurling through space. Welcome to the future of simming. It is pretty crazy and it will only get better.

 

You know Heywood brings up a valid point.....this thing could be dangerous for some users.  Does it have any warnings currently associated with the product?

[DoWSiq6Six]

So the screens felt like the wrapped around and not just a screen-per-eye? Does it help with long distance spotting at all? Hopefully? Heh. I figured I'm going to be picking up the consumer version with high res displays, but then I've been considering a 3-monitor setup instead. Too bad the reso had to get turned down.. WarThunder is a really beautiful game when everything is cranked up.

[71st_AH_Hooves]

ufff - I would rather not have vid screens an inch from my eyes...all strapped to some cumbersome head strap rig lol

 

"why is grandpa flailing about at the computer with night vision goggles on his head?!!?"

 

cant we all agree to disagree that this is in any way cool - or fun or effective?

 

I have a nice BIG monitor with crazy resolution that I can sit a fair distance from and save my eyes for averything else I need them for  - like working and driving and living

 

I imagine that prolonged use (like what gamers do) wont do your vision any good

 

I hope the future of flight simming is more like - a huge, 8x1060 resolution, low power high contrast virtual wall -

once thats done they can work on wirelessly transmitting the visual images directly onto the optic nerve center of the brain - no more monitors

This is one of the most misunderstood aspects for OR.  Your eyes don't get strained at all (one caveat being incorrectly set up IPD)  the images are set directly in front of your eye, and focused at infinity.  Your eyes sit looking perfectly straight. I would go as far to say that staring at my monitor for the same time period is much more stress/ ache inducing.  

 

The lenses focus the screens incredibly well.  

 

Only down side at this time is the lack of 6 dof and the low res screens.  2 limitations they have been working on since this projects inception.  I have faith!

[Klaue]

S! Thank you Freycinet for peaking my interest to.   

[DoWSiq6Six]

 

Winchester!? I was just down there last week :D Sold my x52 Pro to a young guy new to simming! He seemed all about FSX & the other one tho, didnt sound especially interested in combat sims.

[ST_ami7b5]

How about us wearing glasses?

[Freycinet]

How about us wearing glasses?

 

The Kit comes with three sets of lenses, which should cater somewhat to people. Also the lenses and the whole setup is really close to your eyes, so maybe it won't be a problem? - Then again, it is focused at infinity, so would that mean that your eyes need to "see far"?

 

You know what, I use contact lenses myself but I'll try the contraption without them to see how it works... Stay tuned.

[ST_ami7b5]

^^ Thanks!

 

meanwhile found this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaWRBM7GrEU

Edited October 6, 2013 by ami7b5

[DD_bongodriver]

It's a bit pointless reviewing the Dev kit to this level at this stage, it's meant to be for developers only to test out implementation into their software and not a public release, sure oculus need the feedback on issues so they can design the best consumer release product but it's a bit worrying that the public will see videos like this and start to assume that is as good as it gets, imagine if founders start releasing video of BoS in it's alpha stage with their own 'reviews'

[Freycinet]

^^ Thanks!

 

meanwhile found this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaWRBM7GrEU

 

Ami, I just tried it with a rollercoaster demo and an underwarter demo and the clarity of the image (if you can call it that) is exactly the same for me with or without contact lenses. I have -2 and -4 in dioptries but it seems that since the OR lenses are literally millimeters from your eyes that is the distance which is relevant, so my nearsightedness was no issue at all.

[Panzerlang]

Superb review Frey. Even if the retail kit is still too low-res for MP simming I can see it being worth the money just for SP experiencing of scenic flights.

[ST_ami7b5]

Ami, I just tried it with a rollercoaster demo and an underwarter demo and the clarity of the image (if you can call it that) is exactly the same for me with or without contact lenses. I have -2 and -4 in dioptries but it seems that since the OR lenses are literally millimeters from your eyes that is the distance which is relevant, so my nearsightedness was no issue at all.

 

Thanks Frey.

I have +2,5 both...

[III/JG11_Tiger]

Here Here. Were their for ewe. Spell checker is a grate...great tool.

 Unfortunateky useless in this instance as peaked is also a real word, grammar check may work?

 

Cant wait for the HD version of the OR it sounds like it is going to open a whole new world, nice review thanks.

[FlyingNutcase]

Nice review. It's good to hear that's it's such an absorbing experience. The big issue beyond the two technical ones though - how are we effectively going to interact with the keyboard and hotas? A look-down camera as has been suggested?

[DD_bongodriver]

HOTAS is designed to be operated without the user seeing it, it's kind of the point, so it's not an issue, keyboard interaction becomes redundant if enough critical systems are mapped to HOTAS, if you run out of buttons a clickable pit would cure that.

[HagarTheHorrible]

I wonder if they will produce a couple of versions. The first to fulfil their original goal, a low cost device and wide scale adoption, using an entry level resolution. The second, or even third, with a higher spec resolution that might better fulfil the needs of more demanding users such as flight sim enthusiasts who often have better than average set ups.

[=BKHZ=Furbs]

What does the near future hold for small screens? how far can they push the res in say the next 2 years?

[SKG51_robtek]

The Samsung Galaxy S4 has a 5" full hd oled display, 1920 x 1080, Thats 441 pixel/inch

[DD_bongodriver]

It's all happening quick Furbs, I wouldn't be surprised if we are seeing 4k flexible screens in that time, I wouldn't be surprised if the consumer rift will end up with a flexible screen and Fresnel lense optics.

[Dakpilot]

"HOTAS is designed to be operated without the user seeing it"

 

While HoTaS is designed to be operated by feel I would not say it is meant to be used blind, maybe I am being pedantic but even when training in real aircraft when you are "under the hood" you can still see all your controls, even though familiar by touch, I am sure it would lead to confusion if you were restricted to only being able to see an image of instruments.

 

This to me always seems to be a limitation of this kind of device, however I really lookforward to when this becomes mainstream   

 

Cheers Dakpilot

[Freycinet]

The Samsung Galaxy S4 has a 5" full hd oled display, 1920 x 1080, Thats 441 pixel/inch

 

And it would be a 1080p screen mounted vertically in front of each eye, so basically double-HD. Just needs a computer to run it smoothly and transmission cables with a pipeline big enough to keep up the less than 5 milisec delay. 

[DD_bongodriver]

 

While HoTaS is designed to be operated by feel I would not say it is meant to be used blind, maybe I am being pedantic but even when training in real aircraft when you are "under the hood" you can still see all your controls,

 

While I understand what you are saying I would say that you would not be 'blind' in the oculus, the controls will still move accurately........you surely don't mean you would need to see the actual buttons on a HOTAS are you?

 

When flying under the hood on real aircraft you may still be able to see the controls but you sure as hell are not looking at them, you should really be working on your selective scan on the flight instruments., even non HOTAS cockpits there is an expectation to be able to find the flying controls, gear levers and flap levers are specifically shaped for identification by touch, so are many of the rotary dials on the FDP's

[leitmotiv]

"HOTAS is designed to be operated without the user seeing it"

 

While HoTaS is designed to be operated by feel I would not say it is meant to be used blind, maybe I am being pedantic but even when training in real aircraft when you are "under the hood" you can still see all your controls, even though familiar by touch, I am sure it would lead to confusion if you were restricted to only being able to see an image of instruments.

 

This to me always seems to be a limitation of this kind of device, however I really lookforward to when this becomes mainstream   

 

Cheers Dakpilot

 

have a little imagination, more advanced program like kinect tracking your hand and finger moves with clickable cockpit in game with pilots body also in game so you just move your hand and fingers and you see it move in game and all is solved, i dont see how this could not b posible to have in few years

 

quick search on the web and look at this:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29ETSZQiYLM

Edited October 6, 2013 by Yaklover

[DD_bongodriver]

And it would be a 1080p screen mounted vertically in front of each eye, so basically double-HD. Just needs a computer to run it smoothly and transmission cables with a pipeline big enough to keep up the less than 5 milisec delay. 

 

I think oculus will probably stick to their current format of a single screen split by the goggles with independent lenses.

[Uufflakke]

Thanks for letting us know your experience with the OR!

Usually I don't like to read long posts but this one reads like a book.(The OR team should hire you for their promotional activities.)

 

I would love to try one out but I think it will take a while untill the consumer version will be demonstrated in a store.

And in case I got so impressed by it I need to have patience for the higher rez version of this device.

 

The only option to get an impression of it works is by putting on the OR.

Screenshots or a YouTube clip doesn't give us the slightest idea, because we are only watching a splitscreen which doesn't merge into a 3D video.

 

Cheers, Uuff.

Edited October 6, 2013 by Uufflakke