Read this with interest from the latest Dev update -
Back to work now. Pre-alpha stage is now successfully completed and there are a number of new targets that are awaiting our focus. First up is to present the game in Europe at GamesCom 2013 in Cologne, Germany later this month. I hope that all visitors (press mostly) will be able to fly using the Oculus Rift which is now being tuned for optimal compatibility with BOS. Believe me, this is truly and awesome sight.
Last time I read about the Oculus Rift the screen wasn’t quick enough and people felt sick in fast moving sims. TIR does work so well for me now but having seeing VR working in at the Trocadero in the 90’s, flying the red baron, I wonder if it will make a come back? Although basic graphic you did have a sense of being in another world as you looked around.
We have a OculusRift at my job, Ive tested it once. Yes I felt sick, but thats not strange on me. It was anyway a good experience, though the resolution is not good enough yet. But it’s the future, that’s for sure
As much as I like the idea, I can’t help feeling it’ll go a bit like 3D TV. People think its a great concept, but the practicalities of it are rather limited.
I don’t want to look right behind me when I’m sat down at my desk. It’s different if I was in a real cockpit, but I’m not. I could quite easily bang my swede on the shelf next to my desk on which I keep useless trinkets and have them scattered on the floor. I’m not a clumsy person usually, but the potential for disaster somewhat increases when fully plugged in.
I also find it difficult enough wearing only headphones when Mrs Keets appears in my peripheral vision trying to have a conversation with me (ok, it’s usually “Can you be quiet”), imagine if I’ve got this contraption on my bonnet and she appears. OCULUS RIFT wouldn’t be the only rift in my life.
Then there’s my friends outside of simming who don’t do gaming at all. When they do find out I spent large amounts of my time over the last ten years refighting the air battles of WWIi, I get some odd looks. They see the Warthog, rudder pedals, the TIR and the steering wheel and wonder if I rent the kids/wife for when they come round.
Now imagine the scene when they see the odd shape bondage mask with screens. They’ll hear me babbling about virtual reality and the next thing they’ll be asking where my furry glove is and whether I have a big right arm.
It does sounds great, but I am yet to be convinced.
i had the same feelings, turn around to see behind you? Playing il2 i would develop neck pain in 2 days…
Instead i was wondering if it’s possible to disable the oculus pointing system and keep using the trackir for head movement… ) after you wear all the helmet adding a little clip won’t be so bad…
following the oculus from thhe start too!
Ps had your very same feelings about explaining “others” our hobby! And the “can you be quiet” scenario is the same here…
Ps2 Nepe what do you mean with poor resolution?? Can you describe the oculus a little more??
The Developer set is a low res version, 800x600 or something like that.
The prod version will be 1080p
There has been some debate on SimHq about the OR. Some are adamant that it’ll never work in complex flight sims due to not being able to see your controls or keyboard. I think each to their own. VR is the next step for me, match my view 1:1 is not far off of using TIR now as I use quite generous curves to give me more fine movement. I have to turn my head nearly 90 degrees to see behind. Plus I am willing to set up my controls and a switch panel to use “blind” just so I can use VR.
…and I also know to the embarrassment of my “guilty pleasure”. Nobody knows about my hobby, it is a very closely guarded secret.
Most of my mates would ridicule me for it
Most of my mates are still the same lads who were with me at the Trocadero and now playing the latest thing on the PS or some multi monitor racing game, counterstrike etc - its just a bit fun They just don’t love flying as much as I do and I have less time to play all the other stuff.
I still remember some of those missions from all them years ago, ambushing MetalG and his wingman from a cloud is still a fav. Flying with a group of lads against another bunch (especially Jerries), all who have put the effort into learning how to do, etc, is still really immersive and I just lose myself in it. TIR added loads to that experience and VR could bring even more.
Lol Keets, think of all the funky pictures we can stick on the headset just to freak the kids out, plus we all love gadgets. - a furry glove might be to far though
Definitely love to give this a try when the consumer version comes out. Joystick, TIR, headphones/mike - how much more daft can I look?
Have a feeling that in a few years time it’ll be like TrackIR for flightsimmers - we’ll wonder how we coped before B.T. (Before TrackIR)
Plus could conceivably introduce a lot of fresh blood into flightsims.
If enough folk buy the device, play Call of Duty etc then look around for other OR enabled games, if Il-2 BoS (or WT) are there in the first wave of OR games, that might spark off a renaissance of flight/vehicle sims (X-Wing/TIE Fighter with OR etc) as people realise that something where you are immersed sitting down in a cockpit may be more suited to VR experience than FPSs where you can look around, but you’d need a treadmill or something to walk/run 1:1 in the game too.
That clarification only made it worse, now I imagine you sitting only in headphones, playing with your stick, and having the wife trying to get a word in… :roflmao:
flying BoS using TIR and Rift - with clothes on as an option
JasonWilliams, on 05 Aug 2013 - 06:04, said:
Hooves and I had some fun testing Oculus with BOS Pre-Alpha and ROF. This is not the official implementation, just 3rd party solution. I don’t have the new build yet. Best method we found was to use TrackIR for the tracking since my unit has a roll issue and needs to be RMA’d.
It was actually a lot better than I thought it would be. While looking all the way back to your tail. Over your shoulder is VERY cool. It gets extremely strenuous. After about an hour. And if you think about it that makes sense. When I. A combat flught sim you are nearly in a constant dog fight. I’d imagine a RL routine patrol, while lasting a few hours and if you got in a fight they did not last but 15 20 mins at most. Using TiR. Gave us all the benifits of limited head motion and the full visibility of a monitor on your face. The 3D In tri-def is not that deep. So I’m sure native support will blow it out of the water.
I will say that of all the solutions we tried, I liked this one the most. Its going to be good times ahead with bos and OR and Track IR!
I like the idea that it is quite tiring to make a proper and regular search of the sky; that is - after all - how most people were brought down. takes some of the artificial ‘comfort’ out of virtual combat flying.
