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SteamVR Thread: Virtually a |Thread 2|

ArtHands

ArtHands

Thinks buying more servers can fix a bad patch
Feep said:
XING: The Land Beyond released today. I helped work on the game for a few months and it's a really significant VR experience, six or more hours long, with some beautiful environments and challenging puzzles. I RECOMMEND IT IN A VERY SELFISH KIND OF WAY but seriously it's real good.

I'd make a thread but I caaaaan't. ^^ Enjoy it, though!
Click to expand...

i have been looking forward for this game since last year. So glad that it finally came out
 
A

andrerobot

Member
derFeef said:
The Audio Strap is good. It's not revolutionary but it basically repalces the other strap for sure - they should make that standard. It's just so much better putting it up on your head without hastle, have audio integrated and having it sit nicer on your head. I don't feel like the amount of pressure on the cheekbones/nose bridge anymore. Good stuff.
Click to expand...

I got it too and I love it. Now taking the Vive on and off is so much easier.
 
B

Billy Big Bollocks

Banned
SimplexPL said:
Thanks to the ratchet wheel it's even better than Rift's strap.

Also big update to SteamVR Home Beta:
http://steamcommunity.com/games/250820/announcements/detail/3226123934865148105

093550779914d1aec29f69ef429bb7f4324a6bd3.jpg


http://media.steampowered.com/apps/250820/announcements/september_update/screenshot.webm?v=1
Click to expand...

Looks cool. I got a rift in a summer sale and haven't yet had a chance to delve into SteamVr home properly. Boxing comes at a good time for me as I was just about to buy thrill of the fight after hearing good things about it but I will hold off and give this a go first. I want a game that also doubles as a workout.

Are there any other home environments worth checking out?
 
D

Durante

Member
Compsiox said:
It's disappointing that a thread dedicated to an ecosystem is less popular than a thread about a headset in that ecosystem.

Maybe there's less to post about than when the Vive thread was around? Idk.
Click to expand...
Are you talking about the Vive thread?

That was basically the main PC VR software thread for a long time, only a fraction of posts was about hardware. We have a separate game thread now, so this one is only about hardware (and utilities/tools). So it's not surprising that there aren't as many posts.
 
T

Tain

Member
The trophy thing is a good step toward what I really want:

I want games to be able to supply meshes to represent themselves in SteamVR home. Kinda like PS2 save game files. Custom game boxes, action figures, etc etc.

Could even leave the scale up to the users. I would LOVE to be able to model a Horizon Vanguard arcade cabinet mesh that could be used to launch the game, lol.
 
Compsiox

Compsiox

Banned
Durante said:
Are you talking about the Vive thread?

That was basically the main PC VR software thread for a long time, only a fraction of posts was about hardware. We have a separate game thread now, so this one is only about hardware (and utilities/tools). So it's not surprising that there aren't as many posts.
Click to expand...

Yes I was. I didn't know about the game thread. That explains a lot.
 
Zalusithix

Zalusithix

Member
Durante said:
Are you talking about the Vive thread?

That was basically the main PC VR software thread for a long time, only a fraction of posts was about hardware. We have a separate game thread now, so this one is only about hardware (and utilities/tools). So it's not surprising that there aren't as many posts.
Click to expand...

Yep, being hardware / SteamVR focused, it'll be a slow burn in comparison to the PCVR game thread. That said, once we get more info on new hardware, or releases of things that have been in the pipeline for some time now, it should pick up. We're closing in on the TPCast release, and hopefully we'll know more about the LG unit before the year is up. Then you have the Vive tracking pucks which are probably waiting for the newest Triad chips to allow functionality with the new lighthouses and Tracking 2.0 before shipping to end users.

It's calm right now, but there's a lot of exciting stuff coming in the not too distant future.

Compsiox said:
Yes I was. I didn't know about the game thread. That explains a lot.
Click to expand...
Its existence is mentioned right in the OP. In red. =P
 
L

Lakuza

Member
Tain said:
The trophy thing is a good step toward what I really want:

I want games to be able to supply meshes to represent themselves in SteamVR home. Kinda like PS2 save game files. Custom game boxes, action figures, etc etc.

Could even leave the scale up to the users. I would LOVE to be able to model a Horizon Vanguard arcade cabinet mesh that could be used to launch the game, lol.
Click to expand...

I like this idea a lot, just being able to set arcade cabinets down for your fave games would be really nice :D
 
O

OverturePT

Member
Jtwo said:
I think if you were to buy it and try out standing mode it wouldn't be long until you'd get inspired to move some stuff around and try room scale.
Click to expand...

Man, you were so right.


I moved so much shit out of the way, it's not even funny. This is incredible. Had such a great time with a friend in Arizona and Rec Room (playing each one with a Vive), I didn't want to drop it, but as it was my first time spending so much time in VR, my eyes/head got really tired, I had to stop.
 
Zalusithix

Zalusithix

Member
OverturePT said:
Man, you were so right.


I moved so much shit out of the way, it's not even funny. This is incredible. Had such a great time with a friend in Arizona and Rec Room (playing each one with a Vive), I didn't want to drop it, but as it was my first time spending so much time in VR, my eyes/head got really tired, I had to stop.
Click to expand...

If it was just physical exhaustion that's fine. VR is far more demanding than normal gaming after all. If it was mental exhaustion though, be careful on pushing yourself too much in the beginning. Some people have ignored their body's warning signs during their initial hype-fueled sessions and it backlashed on them - making them feel quite horrible afterwards. That in turn can start a subconscious negative association with VR.
 
O

OverturePT

Member
I guess it was a combination of both. After setting up everything and then spending so much time in VR, my head was starting to feel a bit heavy, but I was fine after taking it off.
 
C

Chairmanchuck

Member
Anyone knows where to get the item in the new boxing area? I defeated that robot and got it and think i interacted with all other items but didnt get anything.
 
Zalusithix

Zalusithix

Member
Yeah, while the MS headsets will be compatible with SteamVR, they aren't native to the ecosystem. As such they aren't really the focus of this thread. If the thread was expanded to cover every headset with SteamVR compatibility it'd just be the High-end VR thread again, since quite literally every headset is compatible either officially or through third party means.

Props to Samsung using AKG for the headphones though. If we're going to go the route of all headsets having built in headphones, it'd be great if the headset manufacturers started using the major headphone companies to make them. Audio is a key component of VR, and having companies with their core competency in that realm providing it would be a plus. Especially now that technology like wireless transmission is interfering with the ability to just use any old set of over the head cans. Ideally we'd have some agreed upon universal mount for various manufacturers to produce against, but that's a pipe dream.
 
Dusktildawn48

Dusktildawn48

Member
idk if this is the right thread to get some troubleshooting help, but my vive keeps losing tracking every time the lighthouses are directly to my sides. getting super frustrated as i have people over to play. any ideas what i can do.
 
Zalusithix

Zalusithix

Member
Dusktildawn48 said:
idk if this is the right thread to get some troubleshooting help, but my vive keeps losing tracking every time the lighthouses are directly to my sides. getting super frustrated as i have people over to play. any ideas what i can do.
Click to expand...

Only when they're directly to the sides? As in standing dead center in the play space between them aimed at a non-lighthouse corner? Or generally to the sides and behind - such as looking at a non-lighthouse corner while standing near that very corner. The firsts scenario really shouldn't happen ever. The second is theoretically possible, but should be rather hard to achieve if the lighthouses are mounted at the proper height.
 
N

NotoriousPUG

Member
Billy Big Bollocks said:
Looks cool. I got a rift in a summer sale and haven't yet had a chance to delve into SteamVr home properly. Boxing comes at a good time for me as I was just about to buy thrill of the fight after hearing good things about it but I will hold off and give this a go first. I want a game that also doubles as a workout.

Are there any other home environments worth checking out?
Click to expand...

Neither one is perfect, but Thrill of the Fight is significantly better than the home boxing.
 
Zalusithix

Zalusithix

Member
ArtHands said:
Microsoft is holding a MR headset event today. Likely to get announced very soon
Click to expand...

If it is "officially" announced, don't bring it up again here; there's other threads more appropriate for the discussion of the Windows holographic / mixed reality hardware initiative. Headsets / controllers that aren't using Valve's lighthouse tracking aren't what this thread thread was meant to cover. They're simply not part of the same hardware ecosystem. Working with SteamVR isn't enough to qualify - else we could just as well start discussing the Rift in here.

Now if the future owners of those sets want to discuss aspects of the SteamVR software and configuration here, that'll be fine. SteamVR configuration along with overlays and support applications is also part of this thread and (mostly) universal to everybody using SteamVR to play VR games.

So yeah:
 
Zalusithix

Zalusithix

Member
Valve is apparently branching out into display and optics for SteamVR licensees.

Displays
Valve has spent years working closely with LCD and OLED display manufacturers to adapt their technologies to the unique challenges of VR, including low-persistance illumination, fast switching times, and high PPI calibration solutions. While all VR display technologies have inherent artifacts unique to head-mounted usage, Valve provides custom hardware and software manufacturing solutions as part of the SteamVR technology suite to enable high quality visual VR experiences.
Click to expand...
Optics
Valve has developed custom lenses that work with both LCD and OLED display technologies and is making these lenses available to purchase for use in SteamVR compatible HMDs. These lenses and Valve’s unique calibration and correction software are designed specifically to be paired with several off-the-shelf VR displays to enable the highest quality VR visual experiences. These optical solutions currently support a field of view between 85 and 120 degrees (depending on the display). The lenses, which are designed to support the next generation of room-scale virtual reality, optimize the user’s perceived tracking experience and image sharpness while reducing stray light.
Click to expand...

Curious as to what's different about the lenses vs the ones used in the Vive. "Reducing stray light" makes me think they're still at least partially Fresnel based. Simple optics would be more elimination than reduction.
 
Zalusithix

Zalusithix

Member
derFeef said:
That only works if it's also wireless from the getgo, otherwise it makes no sense to me.
Click to expand...

From the perspective of a home user, yeah, you'd need wireless to take advantage of that sort of coverage. From the perspective of a commercial arcade type space however, that increased coverage can allow larger multi-user spaces without physical partitions to block adjacent lighthouses.
 
Zalusithix

Zalusithix

Member
Skittles said:
How much cheaper is that than the old base stations?
Click to expand...

Unless somebody has gotten a bulk quote from HTC for 45 lighthouses, there is no direct comparison. That said, it's less than half the cost of what HTC is charging per lighthouse ($135). Given it has no LED sync flash module and half the moving parts, that isn't really surprising though.

Edit: Just got to thinking that 45 units is an awfully strange quantity for lighthouse order purposes. They'd normally be deployed in pairs or quads, so you're either going to have a 3 piece setup somewhere or a spare sitting around.
 
J

jmga

Member
Looking at the Oculus Go, I think Valve and hardware manufacturers have a unique chance to deliver the first standalone HMD with first class positional tracking.
 
W

Wowfunhappy

Member
Durante said:
SteamVR tracking 2.0 will apparently support 10m x 10m play spaces with just 4 (2.0) lighthouses.
Click to expand...

I mean, the current lighthouses already worked pretty well at around 7mx7m, whatever Valve's recommendations.

derFeef said:
That only works if it's also wireless from the getgo, otherwise it makes no sense to me.
Click to expand...

Nah, just get a longer wire. (Another thing that worked fine despite Valve's warnings to the contrary, provided you got the right model of extension.)

jmga said:
Looking at the Oculus Go, I think Valve and hardware manufacturers have a unique chance to deliver the first standalone HMD with first class positional tracking.
Click to expand...

Doesn't having to set up lighthouses kind of defeat the purpose of "standalone" headsets? Not that I think the lighthouses are all that onerous a requirement, but if you're going to set them up, you might as well set up an external graphics box too for better visuals.
 
S

Skittles

Member
Zalusithix said:
Unless somebody has gotten a bulk quote from HTC for 45 lighthouses, there is no direct comparison. That said, it's less than half the cost of what HTC is charging per lighthouse ($135). Given it has no LED sync flash module and half the moving parts, that isn't really surprising though.

Edit: Just got to thinking that 45 units is an awfully strange quantity for lighthouse order purposes. They'd normally be deployed in pairs or quads, so you're either going to have a 3 piece setup somewhere or a spare sitting around.
Click to expand...
Man, thats pretty good. Over $100 less for a vive on the current headset if they used it. Damn good cost improvement
 
J

jmga

Member
Wowfunhappy said:
Doesn't having to set up lighthouses kind of defeat the purpose of "standalone" headsets? Not that I think the lighthouses are all that onerous a requirement, but if you're going to set them up, you might as well set up an external graphics box too for better visuals.
Click to expand...
Tethering to an external graphics card would defeat the purpose, LightHouse base stations are wireless.
 
Zalusithix

Zalusithix

Member
Wowfunhappy said:
Nah, just get a longer wire. (Another thing that worked fine despite Valve's warnings to the contrary, provided you got the right model of extension.)
Click to expand...
You'd need cable management as well in that case. I don't think many people want to deal with the tangling of a 30ft cable.

Wowfunhappy said:
Doesn't having to set up lighthouses kind of defeat the purpose of "standalone" headsets? Not that I think the lighthouses are all that onerous a requirement, but if you're going to set them up, you might as well set up an external graphics box too for better visuals.
Click to expand...
Cost is a factor for those without gaming grade PCs. A gaming grade PC + wireless transmission will cost a lot more than a standalone unit. I'd also wager the power requirements on the headset for positional triangulation via lighthouse is significantly lower than inside-out multi-camera based computer vision systems. Easier tracking = less heat generation + less battery usage. Less battery usage = lighter headset or longer sessions.
 
G

GuitarAtomik

Member
So a few people have started an Open TPCast project to improve it. Through messing around they think they found out the issue with mic and camera incompatibility:

by Cueball61 said:
It's not all good news mind you. For instance, the software partner they used (USB Network Gate) doesn't actually support a newer Linux Kernel that would fix the problem. At least, not right now - which is probably where the issue is.
Click to expand...
 
A

Auto-Reply

Member
The new Steam VR Media Player is pretty good, I've bough quite a few VR player and tested some that are available for free. The Steam Media Player is barebones in presentation (maybe I missed the options?) but it handles pictures and moviefiles better than most.
 
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