Oculus Rift and flying BoS. First impressions - Part 1

translated from Russian, badly in places so hard to read sometimes, still good over a cuppa. Note this is part 1 as there is a word limit on a post ~

So, ladies and gentlemen, it has happened!

Your obedient servant, being in the office 1CGS on important organizational matters, he suddenly had the opportunity to touch to what for so long dreamed of.

In the sky the star of a sudden came together, and I was in a time when Oculus Rift has been assembled, connected to a computer Lofta respected and held regular testing. Seeing the tears in my eyes, and drool running down his chin desire Loft generously allowed me (in the form of a large exceptions) into the inner sanctum of his office.

And here I am holding it in your hands …

But … before I start writing about feelings - Immerse yourself in a bit of history.

I’m a huge and longtime fan of two things - Simulation and 3D stereo. More stories from VFX-1 when I’m in the distant nineties first tried a virtual reality helmet (which was included in the now completely forgotten, the wonderful flight simulator FlightUnlimited) I became an ardent fan of virtual immersion. At the time, no schedule, no screens, no opportunities were not given a chance to break from reality, but still - it was great!

The cost of such entertainment was clearly can not afford. And the graphics capabilities in those years were far from the stereo image with good fps.

As the years passed. I am a step-by-step tracking all the new items on the market, stereo devices. I have carefully studied all possibilities “for-cheap” fall through the plane of the monitor. I remember how at me with a grin watched avidly when I was playing in a red and blue DukeNukem in makeshift glasses with blue and red glass. Blue glass was from a piece of Plexiglas that I broke the window in which you and I served as a red glass of red filter enlarger. It was primitive - but it was the stereo. Behind the glass CRT monitors, in this little box - the world ceased to be flat, and fell into a deep well, that would lend a hand there. I broke up, I racked my poor lens, but it was a powerful experience.

Not to say that the stereo on the monitor - this is the perfect stereo. I’ve already written a treatise - and focuses on the lens, parallax and fatigue in the current implementation of the stereo monitor. At the moment I have 120Hz monitor with shutter glasses Nvidia 3DVision, and polarizing 3D stereo TV LG 50. "That’s the way I am a maniac, if you will. ABOUT stereo know I have. Outcome of it quite a lot of up and down, in search of thrills.

Just these two weekends in a row without a break I played Skyrim in stereo, enjoying the picture on the monitor. And of course I wanted to try Oculus Rift, to compare their feelings with what I already know.

The fact is that many who have tried Oculus Rift for the first time - have not had the opportunity to experiment with other stereo devices (well acre 3D cinemas where stereo generally quite dull). And because they believe the rave reviews I would not. So I would not trust those - who scolds Oculus Rift, because people without training and without knowledge of the issue - often fall into such an unusual situation, that the sensations produced extremely negative.

In my desire to try Oculus Rift was the hope that the “miracle” still possible, and at the same time, a strong skeptitsim - what miracle did not, (it’s because I’m friends with the numbers - and these figures are clearly not inspire when there is a conversation about the characteristics of Oculus Rifta.)

So … It is with this spirit, I sat next to the loft, which at this point drove on the other Messer Messer with a helmet on his head. I looked at the muddy picture on the monitor, and prepared for the worst …

Let’s start with the fact that taking a helmet in hand, I immediately decided to take the time and the most convenient to attach it on his head. Adjust the lens, so that was nice eyes to all that I can see inside the helmet was not skewed, occupied all the available space, and of course in the field.

My feeling is that when you look through the eyepieces helmet, overall picture of the world trimmed about the same as if you put here are the glasses.

ochki.jpg

That is, No such wide peripheral vision in reality, but the viewing angle is actually very broad. That is, really wide in all directions. Roughly speaking - all that you see in these glasses - no black spot. (Well, except on the very edge of visibility at the edges). Angle of view about this is, as stated by 90 degrees.

Here I want to dwell on this point - that in other virtual reality goggles that I tried - the screen is normally displayed as if you were sitting in front of a very large TV. But no matter how wide it was not - you can still see the screen exactly.

In Oculus Rifte I immediately realized that the image is stretched to the entire visible spectrum view through the eyepieces. (Horizontal and vertical).

In general, I do not know how the others, but for my eyes trained on the screen - to bring good sharpness on the screen was very easy, and no discomfort is not delivered. Moreover, I tell you - I did not notice that I like that set up the sharpness. Though structurally eranchik with display inside you can push and zoom the lens to adjust the sharpness - who find it difficult (like an accordion). To me, at any distance from the screen was comfortable. I pressed the screen to your eyes as well and decided to leave, because in this case the angle increases.

Next, I decided some time to get used to the fact that I can see. The eye must adjust to the brightness of the picture, a sense of perspective, etc. Depth does not appear immediately, the human brain is not so easy to fool.

The picture itself I expected to see the most disgusting quality, as it is clear that at this resolution to each eye must be “Gamna-Gamna.”

But! I could not believe my eyes! Rough, muddy pixels are connected together into a coherent picture, the sun hit the cab, shadows swam across the dash, and the instruments themselves moved closer to me in its volume. And cockpit enveloped me in an incredible way. Frame lantern hung right in front of my forehead. The narrow space cab squeezed me, the world is alive, and right where my hands were, I clearly saw sticking RUS, who was trying to grab.

To say that I ofigel - to say nothing. Rotate the head, I felt that amount of scenes, this reality - which I’m still nowhere and never met. This is a very responsible I declare. I do not care for the poor resolution. Yes, at the moment it is the most annoying factor. But if you do not accentuate it, then everything else just dump Head! Never on the monitor or the other helmets I have not seen such a high quality volume. That picture is flat in the cockpit, you see the tension in the corners of the prospect, in Oculus Rifte suddenly turns into the real volume of the surrounding, and that canopy cover, which I so wanted to feel on your sterereo monitor, but never never felt here just was completely real.

In the cramped cockpit Messer, where I literally turned his head between the side windows, and in the moments when I looked back, it seemed to me that I am here right now feel cold frost in the cold, having rested his cheek on the glass. At CES with Oculus Riftom already implemented a skeletal head movement and rotation of the head feels very clearly. Not only that, Loft said that the ability to handle the acceleration sensors of the rift that still no one uses in other games - at CES already working poor and badly I could drive his head to the left and right - and a real 6DOF almost worked. Bad - but it worked. But in general, due to the fact that the cabin is cramped, and the head is rotated around the neck, not on the nose, as before - all completely natural.

I started to drive his arms in the air, trying to touch the instruments, handles, side cockpit window. Everything is so palpable, and a very good sense of distance. I really did not have to see your hands to grasp at all. Loft managed to dodge, because all the time I grabbed it for his knee, then the hand, because for me, no other reality except the cockpit Messer did not exist. Look upon the RUS and trying to take him to stumble in his chair Loft - was a surprise, because I was sure that I was sitting face to the monitor :slight_smile:

Next, it’s time to look behind the cab. I turned my head and looked at the wing. Guys - is the orgasm! It is the present. No! It is not as present as at home on a stereo monitor or stereo TV. Here it is real. I just turned my head and saw no stereo image - namely the wing. And the wing behind the glass. I like the pilot can tell you - that in real life all that way. Smooth running ailerons, light, glare … And when the sun sank towards the wing and began to play full detail - where the volumetric every rivet and the wing, giving the tooth, metal, where the bright colors of the reflection of the sky floating on the uneven structure - it is something! Virtual boundary breaks and everything is alive. The graphics in the CES to put 5 + + + +.

part 2 to follow ~