The Oculus Rift and why it is a big deal...

[IM0001]

Apologize for this being my first post and coming out full force about this, but I really REALLY want to see this product make it to market and possibly have a good community demand/support behind it to support the Flight Sim/Racing Sim crowd. What is crazy to me is how there is not a post on this forum about it yet which is what scares me. As a Flight Simmer who started playing sims on a Pentium 66 such as Chuck Yeagers Air Combat, Electronic Arts USNF, Janes ATF, Falcon 3.0, 4.0, Microsoft Flight Sim, and many others, I know what uses this device could offer to a PC Pilot.

Oculus Rift Kickstarter

The Oculus Rift is the first truly immersive virtual reality headset for video games. 6DOF + 110 degree FOV and 720P 3D Display (for the current Prototype specs. 1080P aimed for the Commercial device).

The device should be the answer to the dreams of so many PC pilots as instead of the old days of headtracking with limited range of motion requiring you to keep your eyes on the screen(s) that are stationary on your desk, this device would finally offer the full 6DOF movement all around you exactly the same as if you were really sitting in that cockpit. To check your six you would have to actually look behind you naturally and the entire time, the view would be exactly where you were in 3D Space. This device offers exactly that (and could probably be adjusted so that you wouldn't have to use full range of motion if you didn't want to).

What I dislike and the reason I post here, is I really hope to see more support from the Sim crowd for this tech.

The current market as far as I can gather is for the FPS crowd which shows it being used in the old school "Look to aim" method that has never worked in the past and will not work in the future. The only way the FPS crowd would be able to really take advantage of the Rift would be to use it as a separate head view ability with the controls on the mouse and keyboard continuing to offer normal control which would work great for a FPS sim like ARMAII, but the COD crowd would never be able to enjoy it properly as the twitch factor of the game which relies on the crosshair aiming at the center of the screen, would never work since the screen can now move independently of the aiming system (as long as it was done correctly).

So while this may be a odd request, please take a look at the kickstarter, picture the uses of this thing in your flight sim experience (don't let the 720P res or limited FOV fool you (Especially since it is bound to increase), there would be no reason to see outside of your range of vision because you can look anywhere in 3D space with this on your noggin.) This device would really bring any pilot into the sim to be even closer to the real thing. The only thing left would be to get a G-Force chair.

I also would love if anyone could help push for TrackIR support. While I know TrackIR is closed source, the tech is already in most all current flight sims and with native 6DOF support already cooked in, getting that support built into the Rift out of the box would make getting support for the rest of the Rift much easier for Developers to add to new games as well as possibly patch older games to use it.

Thank You

IM0001

If you have any questions about the device or what I really am shooting for here, please ask away.

[alaskancrab]

Actually I mentioned it before but not by name. I have sent an email to x-plane support so it's hopefully on their radar by now. But there is a ton of work to be done I'm sure. I'm confident this thing is going to happen either way. The list of developers so far is too long for it to fall through the cracks, and the thing just takes gaming to the next level. Can't wait to train my brain to use one of these

[mallcott]

Please state your flight sim qualifications for expressing such an opinion.

You won't mind if we ask as its your first post, and you are making assumptions about something you can either have no knowledge of, in which case our minds will be put at rest by details of your sim knowledge, or by being a vested interest member of the development team, in which case while you are in a commercial developer forum it would be beneficial for you to declare yourself as partial.

And this is a commercial developer screen shot forum. Where is the screen shot?

[pfflyers]

I think this might be fun in a car/boat racing game or a FPS where you are pretty much always "right-side up." When I imagine using it in a situation like an air-combat/flight sim where your eyepoint is in a "vehicle" that can bank, roll, or fly upside down while you swing your view around the difference between what your eyes are telling your brain and what the seat of your pants is telling your brain could lead (some of us) to some vertigo.

[Ben@TouchPilot]

i don't imagine it will be much more disorienting than using a Track IR. the main difference will be a wider field of view.

[pfflyers]

Maybe I'm confused (probably am), but with track IR you are still looking at your monitor right? The track IR just controls your pan? I've never used it, but if I understand it right you would still have your periferal vision to remind you that you are sitting at your desk. If I understand the gizmo this thread is about it looks like it completely fills your field of view, leaving no outside view. Is that correct or not?

[Ben@TouchPilot]

the OR has a 120 degree field of view, if i remember correctly. that's not going to completely fill your view, but since the goggles are fully enclosed, you will not be able to see things outside of the goggles, like your desk. at least, that's my understanding.

[alaskancrab]

I'm sure if you played for like half an hour took a break, than an hour, take another break, you'll be fine by day two. But Carmack was worried that a few people might in fact lose their lunch if they weren't careful.

[gizmosells]

See it eating up FPS too much to be of use and your wallet too. Want a 3d monitor without glasses that would be more useful than this thing. If you get the porn industry into this thing then you may a sell a couple thousand.

[jcmmg]

I don't think this piece of hardware will be useful to FSX or any fairly complex flight simulator. Please don't get me wrong as it is a great gadget, particularly for first person shutters.

The main reason to support my opinion is that FSX uses a lot of keys actions from the keyboard hence the constant need to have the keyboard on visual range (Not to mention cockpit builders), something that other games don't required.