Oculus Rift

[chiliwili69]

How many "alpha pilots" have OR anyway? I didn't think it was out to the public yet. Of course I haven't been keeping up with it.

The "developer kit" from Oculus is a bit like the alpha release of BOS. Anyone with the aim to test the Oculus, integrate with other technologies and find new aplications can order the SDK. So, all of you can order one for 300US$, but wait 1-2 months for delivery.

 

I had the chance to test OR in October and quickly decided to order one. It arrived 3rd-Dec and yesterday decided to be also alpha tester of BOS. I am also patiently waiting to have the aplha version enabled for OR.

 

I bought Rise of Flight in June-2009 and I used it with trackIR. It is a bit strange to z-rotate your head 90 degrees and compensate those degrees with your eyes to see the tail of your plane at the monitor. ROF is a superb simulator, but visualization hardware was not at the same level that time.

 

This time, I am convinced that the combination of OR and BOS will exceed expectations. And in my humble testing I will try to provide feedback to both development teams.

[chiliwili69]

Again I have to mention Outerra as they developed a 6dof workaround by using opentrack, they used the oculus 3dof and the extra dof's (is that correct?) from the opentrack using a webcam with a special image taped to the front of the oculus, the results were extremely good with the only downside being the webcam has the same limtations as trackir where the camera could loose track, the consumer version of the oculus is apparently going to have full 6dof....in fact I keep hearing the use of the phrase 9dof but don't fully understand what the extra dof's are.

 

the definition of Degrees of Freedom by Mechanics only recognize 6 DOF. 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degrees_of_freedom_(mechanics)

 

The current OR only takes into account the 3 rotational ones, since it has no means to know the 3 translational ones.

 

The OR SDK documentation also describe 9 sensors that are incorporated into the device:

 

Three-axis gyroscope, which senses angular velocity

Three-axis magnetometer, which senses magnetic fields

Three-axis accelerometer, which senses accelerations, including gravitational

 

but it doesn´t mean that the OR has 9DOF, since phisically your head can not have more than 6 DOF. (ie with six variables your solid rigid head is fully determined).

 

It would be good that future OR devices incorporate the 3 translational DOF, but for now f(and for me) it is engouh with the 3 rotational DOF, in fact, when I am flying a plane I don´t "translate" my head too much, I rotate it instead.

 

There is one more thing about the OR that you should take into account, it provides stereoscopic 3D visualization, giving you the feeling that you are INSIDE the cockpit, not looking at the cockpit drawn in the monitor.

 

I prefer an OR with 1280x800 (640x800 per eye) than a three 37" monitors.

 

All we are so lucky to live in this age, we going to be witness of this awesome change on flight simulation. Sorry for being so enthusiatic!.

[vapor_tales]

 

I prefer an OR with 1280x800 (640x800 per eye) than a three 37" monitors.

 

All we are so lucky to live in this age, we going to be witness of this awesome change on flight simulation. Sorry for being so enthusiatic!.

 

 

I agree with this. Although have not tried Oculus Rift yet, have watched dozens of youtube vids, interviews, etc and I think OR will be a must-have game changer for all flight sims. I too feel "Luckey"  to live at a time when I will be able to fly airplanes inside an oculus rift.

[Sim]

Some news:

http://www.theverge.com/2013/12/12/5205852/oculus-raises-75-million-to-jumpstart-the-virtual-reality-business

 

They sold 40,000 dev kits already.. and just raised 75 extra millions in funding.

 

This quote is interesting:

 

He was impressed with the first developer kit he saw last year, but not enough to invest. Now, however, he says that Oculus has achieved what he was looking for. "The dimensions were you need to improve this kind of VR are latency, resolution and head tracking, and they have really nailed those things."

Edited December 13, 2013 by Sim

[vapor_tales]

Some news:

http://www.theverge.com/2013/12/12/5205852/oculus-raises-75-million-to-jumpstart-the-virtual-reality-business

 

They sold 40,000 dev kits already.. and just raised 75 extra millions in funding.

 

This quote is interesting:

 

Great news, Sim.  Marc Andreeson is joining the board, also. And it says they estimate they will sell 70,000 total dev kits before the consumer version comes out. Since they've already sold 40,000, that may give a hint to the release time. I guess 4-5 months.

[HagarTheHorrible]

In the past I got the impression that the oculus rift might just have to put up with the fag end of what was available display wise, however the longer development goes on the more convicted I am that suppliers will be knocking on their door rather than the other way around, which if true is good news for everyone.

[JG27_Chivas]

Apparently the hardware has been basicly nailed down, its just the form factor that needs a final design.  It appears they are still on track for a release in late 2014, but they haven't announcing a release date yet for obvious reasons.  They've also keeping the hardware specs close to the chest  probably for competition reasons.  Only a few people have tried the latest prototype, and those people say, they have fixed the resolution, motion blur, and motion sickness issues, which is part of the reason another 75 million was invested. 

 

There has been no details on the type of screen, but OLED is highly likely as its the only one that has the required resolution, and low latencies.   I've read in an article unrelated to the OR that a company has developed a new process that allows them to make high quantities of high quality OLED screens.   Something that was very difficult to do previously.

 

The OR will have 6DOF, and they have also been working extensively on eye tracking , but no word yet if it will be included in the initial consumer release.

 

I haven't heard much about the work they are doing to help people see their keyboards.  Although voice activation software would be a very good tool for those that might have that issue.  I know I've used it before with good results especially for wingman, navigation, and control tower commands.

 

I'm sure we will see a new consumer version every year or so, and they've mentioned the form factor could eventually be the size of sunglasses, that would have their own cpu/gpu.

[RAF74_Winger]

S!

 

Latest news: http://www.tweaktown.com/news/34422/latest-oculus-rift-prototype-has-a-latency-of-just-10-20ms/index.html

 

Latency down to 10-20ms vs 60-70ms from the original dev kit. That should solve a lot of problems with motion sickness & blur.

 

W.

[Toxin1]

Looks like they are going the TIR route for 6DOF!

http://www.roadtovr.com/ces-2014-new-oculus-rift-crystal-cove-prototype-revealed-positional-tracking-amoled-screen/

[HagarTheHorrible]

Looks like they are going the TIR route for 6DOF!

http://www.roadtovr.com/ces-2014-new-oculus-rift-crystal-cove-prototype-revealed-positional-tracking-amoled-screen/

It will be interesting to see, if they use this for the final version, whether it will be an optional extra or part of the base model. Given their stated intent to try and supply the OR for $300 ish, it might end up being an extra rather than a standard feature. I'm also a little perplexed by all the hype given to the positional tracking, isn't it something TrackIR have been doing extremely well for several years ?

[JG27_Chivas]

The camera like TrackIR is only part of the tracking solution, as they combine the data from the accelerometers, gyro's, etc internally in the OR itself.  If they do go with the camera as part of the positional tracking they said it would be included it with the OR.  That said its still a WIP, its just the best solution they've tried so far.  I'm sure they won't leave many stones unturned to find a solution for internal tracking only.  

[Jupp]

Rumor: Oculus Rift Will Launch Summer 2014 For Less Than $499

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonevangelho/2014/01/10/rumor-oculus-rift-will-launch-summer-2014-for-less-than-499/

[JG27_Chivas]

Rumor: Oculus Rift Will Launch Summer 2014 For Less Than $499

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonevangelho/2014/01/10/rumor-oculus-rift-will-launch-summer-2014-for-less-than-499/

Apparently someone on the Oculus Rift development team said that the information in the article was bogus.

[FuriousMeow]

Yeah, looks like a lot of insinuation. It'd be awesome if it's available this summer, but I'd rather real information than what that article put forth.

[siipperi]

I won't be putting down money for OR until it's 6DoF and the screen(s) is(are) very high def. Apparently even 1080p isn't enough to pass for air combat sims.

 

The idea of OR sounds great and I am very interested in it, but I won't be an early adopter. I waited until TiR5 to get head tracking.

 

Yep same here. Newest version supports 6dof but apparently FullHD seems to be still the weak point. And I would like to get some transparency to screens or somewhere so I could see where my mouse/keyboard is. 

[vapor_tales]

Yep same here. Newest version supports 6dof but apparently FullHD seems to be still the weak point. And I would like to get some transparency to screens or somewhere so I could see where my mouse/keyboard is. 

 

I don't understand this at all. That's like giving up a ride on the space shuttle because it doesn't have leather seats.

[DD_bongodriver]

I know exactly where my mouse and keyboard is when wearing the rift, with well mapped HOTAS and click pit there should be no need for a keyboard.

[siipperi]

I don't understand this at all. That's like giving up a ride on the space shuttle because it doesn't have leather seats.

 

If you can't read the hud or see keyboard I think there is a problem with my games. Sure works with Xbox pad and ww2 fighters but what about modern jets that require much more reading. Not jumping on the board without hearing from others first and even after that I might wait to gen2.

[JG27_Chivas]

If you can't read the hud or see keyboard I think there is a problem with my games. Sure works with Xbox pad and ww2 fighters but what about modern jets that require much more reading. Not jumping on the board without hearing from others first and even after that I might wait to gen2.

The latest prototype new features makes reading the HUD no problem.  A good HOTA's system, and Voice Activation software should make any mouse/keyboard use unnecessary.  That said I can find, use, and type without having to see my mouse or keyboard, if necessary.