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HTC Vive Launch Thread -- Computer, activate holodeck

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Zalusithix

Zalusithix

Member
As far as guns go, I'm hoping for a makeshift "standard" to happen for puck placement in relation to trigger, and angle against barrel. Without consistency there, every gun accessory would have to be manually supported by the dev as offsets and angles would be all over the place. Either that or the pucks are going to need a way to be told to translate their reported position to get to an agreed upon virtual "home" location. With a set location, any gun rig could be used with simple configurable key bindings (so long as said rig has enough physical inputs).

I mean, devs could technically add an offset config in addition to key bindings to provide generic support, but that'd mean every user would have to know what the difference is between what they have and what the game wants. Devs could alternatively render the gun statically in space in VR and tell you to make your rig align with what you perceive in VR, pull the trigger, and then calculate the offset automatically. Of course that'd be subject to varying levels of positional and rotational error depending on the user.
 
A

Astral/H3X

Member
Zalusithix said:
As far as guns go, I'm hoping for a makeshift "standard" to happen for puck placement in relation to trigger, and angle against barrel. Without consistency there, every gun accessory would have to be manually supported by the dev as offsets and angles would be all over the place. Either that or the pucks are going to need a way to be told to translate their reported position to get to an agreed upon virtual "home" location. With a set location, any gun rig could be used with simple configurable key bindings (so long as said rig has enough physical inputs).

I mean, devs could technically add an offset config in addition to key bindings to provide generic support, but that'd mean every user would have to know what the difference is between what they have and what the game wants. Devs could alternatively render the gun statically in space in VR and tell you to make your rig align with what you perceive in VR, pull the trigger, and then calculate the offset automatically. Of course that'd be subject to varying levels of positional and rotational error depending on the user.
Click to expand...

Most likely, is that the USB connected rifles may be able to report their location in relation to the puck.
 
G

GuitarAtomik

Member
H3XAntiStyle said:
That is pretty sweet!
Also, image should work now.

Two of those would work really well for basically anything that isn't a weapon sim.
Click to expand...

Pretty cool. I think I want something a bit more like this though:

j2VCUIr.png



  • Pistol part can come out and be used by itself. Mybe it has like a safety switch on it as well easily accessed by the same hand holding it.
  • Main stock would have a sling attached so you can let it hang. Non functional until pistol is attached.
  • Pump for shotguns.
  • Regular Vive controller would dock in the main stock (somehow). This would be used both for non gun actions (eg grabbing the ipad or syringe in Onward, or moving), or for things like pulling bolts, reloading cartridges, etc.
I think this would cover most guns modularly in games like Onward or H3. Only awkward things to figure out would be how to dock the pistol and Vive controller where they'd be firm enough docked while being easy enough to detach and reattach.
 
Maiden Voyage

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
| Praxis | said:
Thanks for taking the time to give me your advice. Going to think about my options.
Click to expand...

No worries. Take a good look at what's out there and see if you can find some more games that would make buying in again worthwhile. As fun as SuperHot VR is, it's like an hour or two to beat. $800 is hard to justify for most over just an hour or two.

electroflame said:
A quick note here: I use this all the time and it has a major bug, in that you have to quit streaming after every game, otherwise you get crazy tracking lag on the headset.

I'm not sure what the problem is, but very few people seem to be aware of it (or very few people use the Steam Link for VR streaming). The only complaint I've seen online is from one other person with the same issue (on Reddit). It's fine for the first game you play after starting the stream, but once the person in the headset quits a game and starts another the person in the headset gets slightly noticeable, but nausea-inducing lag, almost like reprojection is being forced to always on (and it's lagging on top of that).

The only solution I've found is to have the person in-headset go to the settings menu of the dashboard, go to the streaming section, and "Stop Streaming". You can continue the stream again from the Steam Link, but only until they boot and quit another game.

It's not a dealbreaker, but it is kind of annoying. Especially if the person playing isn't technologically-inclined, and you have to explain how to navigate the menus.
Click to expand...

I do not encounter this problem at all. That's really strange.
 
R

RedRum

Banned
Maiden Voyage said:
I tried to play Audioshield on my Rift w/ Touch to test it out but the Rift has me 6 feet under the floor whereas the Vive has me at the proper height. I may do some more tinkering with it this weekend when I have some time.
The only real limit to the Touch controllers so far is how many of the stands you have. I've only got 2 so proper roomscale is not really an option for me in my office. My actual play space in the office is pretty small as well.



I'm actually surprised at how many people are satisfied with the built-in headphones on the Rift. They were ugly and the first thing I did with the headset was to remove them. I'm going to have to put them back on and give it a go to see what the fuss is about.

I think I'm also one of the few who prefers the ski google style headband strap on the Vive. It's far more comfortable to me than the hard back of the Rift. The Vive makes taking the headset off while wearing glasses much easier for me.



Tips:
  • Charge the controllers while you set up your light houses.
  • Take your time setting things up.
  • If you have a ceiling fan or anything else that will block your lighthouses, use the connector cable and make sure the lighthouses are on the proper channel.
  • Install the games/experiences you want while you wait for the Vive to arrive.
  • Install different types of games to give yourself options. There are a ton of wave-based shooters and it can be easy to forget there are other types of games and experiences available. Feel free to ask for opinions in this thread.
  • Respect the guarding boundary box. Things can get really exciting and you can forget you're actually in a room with electronics, shelving, lighting, etc. If you see the guardian/boundary box, step back into your center. I frequently move to the center before I teleport in games as a habit to prevent me from crashing into things.

Tricks:
  • If you want to extend your play area to a room that is different than your PC, get a long HDMI cable and a long USB cable. I bought 25ft each. They run my PC in my office to the breakout box that's in my living room.
  • I have a Steam Link hooked up to my TV in the livingroom. Streaming from my PC to the Link while in VR, the Link displays the game perfectly, without any tinkering needed for those who may want to watch.
  • Join the NeoGAF VR Steam group if you want to find folks to Co-Op with. So far I've only played Raw Data (poorly) with a GAF member, but it was far more enjoyable than going solo. Send me a PM with a link to your Steam profile if you'd like to join.

Worries:
  • The only annoyance for me is the cord becoming wound up easily. Durante had an excellent post a page or two back about using OpenVR advanced setting to monitor your turns. I haven't had a chance to try it out but it's high on my VR priority list.



I would hope multiple pucks can attach to a single dongle. That might get a bit crazy if not.
Click to expand...

atom519 said:
In addition to what others have already said, make sure you take the time to properly adjust the headstrap so that it fits properly on your head.

When mine shipped the top strap was rather tight, which doesn't allow for the back of the headstrap to actually cradle the back of your head. Loosen that top strap way up, and when you put the headset on, give the top cords some slack to allow the back strap to slide down and properly form your head. This will make it more comfortable and prevent the Vive from moving around, especially when looking directly down.
Click to expand...

Thanks for taking the time to answer guys! I'll remember this when it gets here.
 
T

The Dear Leader

Banned
Quick question, considering getting a Vive but my space situation has me a little worried. Is there a minimum height the lighthouses need to be at? I'm considering mounting them on 6-7 foot mic stands so they can be positioned on the fly depending on my space needs. Thanks for any help!
 
S

Sleeping Lesson

Member
The Dear Leader said:
Quick question, considering getting a Vive but my space situation has me a little worried. Is there a minimum height the lighthouses need to be at? I'm considering mounting them on 6-7 foot mic stands so they can be positioned on the fly depending on my space needs. Thanks for any help!
Click to expand...

I think that will work fine. A bit higher would be better for tracking coverage, but it will absolutely work at that height.
 
ArtHands

ArtHands

Thinks buying more servers can fix a bad patch
Zalusithix

Zalusithix

Member
Sky Chief said:
What we need are gloves AND peripherals. You wear the gloves and can manipulate certain things, push buttons etc... but then you can also pick up and use a gun, sword, or some sporting equipment, or use a steering wheel / HOTAS, etc...
Click to expand...

Would only work well if the in game object matched the real world peripheral 100%. You can't have the virtual interaction points not matching up fully with the real world prop. On the wheel example, you'd need the VR and RL wheel to have the same diameter with all controls in the exact same place. Ditto for a HOTAS. So that'd either get expensive real fast for any sort of variety, or it would extremely limit game design. Getting rid of the last remainder of abstraction sounds good, but the closer you get to reality, the more the limitations of reality start imposing themselves into VR.

The only way to eliminate all abstraction in VR that doesn't require 4 million peripherals (short of neural jacks) is an exoskeleton to provide feedback from the virtual realm without the need for a real life object. We're a long ways from that being viable beyond rather basic glove feedback though.
 
T

Teknopathetic

Member
"So apart from the harness and audio, did something else change on the hmd?"

This isn't really a change to the HMD, this is an add-on to the current HMD. I don't believe there's been any significant/noticeable changes to the HMD in revisions or any currently announced?
 
D

Durante

Member
kami_sama said:
So apart from the harness and audio, did something else change on the hmd?
Click to expand...
If you consider that add-on a change to the HMD, then it's now also wireless ;)

(As in, they announced global availability for the wireless addon for Q2)

kami_sama said:
Ahh, ok, it's an accessory then, by HTC or someone else (delue?)
Click to expand...
By HTC.

Teknopathetic said:
I don't believe there's been any significant/noticeable changes to the HMD in revisions or any currently announced?
Click to expand...
The most significant change between the release version and the one currently on sale is the 3-in-1 cable.
(Which just goes to show that there weren't any hugely significant changes :p)
 
V

vehn

Member
Anyone know how to fix this -> sometimes when I play (mostly with The Lab), I'll see the VR OS fade in during the gameplay for a few seconds, and steamVR on the PC will say the program isn't responding.
 
Zalusithix

Zalusithix

Member
vehn said:
Anyone know how to fix this -> sometimes when I play (mostly with The Lab), I'll see the VR OS fade in during the gameplay for a few seconds, and steamVR on the PC will say the program isn't responding.
Click to expand...

Nothing to fix if this is happening when loading a level etc. This is by design and the newest OpenVR beta will actually fade in a loading screen of sorts. If it's happening in the middle of actual gameplay, it means your computer is locking up or not meeting the minimum rendering requirements and OpenVR is yanking you out to prevent you from getting nausea.

Maiden Voyage said:
I hope this does not mean future generations of Vives will have a hard back for the headset. The current one is perfect for me and I strongly prefer it to the Rift's hard back.
Click to expand...

You actually got me thinking about the back of the harness... Something that sticks out like the rEvolve product would make seated play with a headrest impossible. Back of the unit would be smacking the headrest all the time. A hard/protrusive back end would similarly disallow laying on your back in VR for any reason.
 
Glomby

Glomby

Member
Durante said:
The most significant change between the release version and the one currently on sale is the 3-in-1 cable.
Click to expand...

Just because you mentioned it. Does anybody know if you can finally order this god damn cable in Europe (Germany) and actually 100% get the new one? Since they have this cable I want it so badly but it always seems like a gamble wether or not you will get it.
 
Zalusithix

Zalusithix

Member
Road to VR has an article up on the Noitom 5 VR glove. Tracking appears to be fairly decent, but lacking in any horizontal finger tracking. Actual feedback and interpretation of the fingers' movements, on the other hand, isn't exactly perfect. Not really a surprise as the lack of any real feedback means that trying to interpret when exactly you should be holding something and when you're letting go has a certain fudge factor to it.

GIZ2Qk7.jpg

Social VR is going to be an interesting challenge. =P
 
Zalusithix

Zalusithix

Member
Durante said:
Do we know how it actually works?
Given the lack of horizontal tracking I'd assume it's some kind of distance measurement?
Click to expand...

Strain sensors along the fingers measuring the bend, but not horizontal movement. Rotation and position of the hand itself is by the puck obviously. The lack of horizontal movement isn't a deal killer for the pointer through pinky fingers, but the lack of any on the thumb will hamper accurate gesture recognition. Opposable thumbs are a rather major part of what makes us human.

Edit: Also an interesting article up on Anandtech about a new microdisplay that I brought up in the general high end VR thread.
 
G

GuitarAtomik

Member
Some pretty good impressions on the deluxe audio strap:

The Vive Deluxe Audio Headstrap makes the HTC Vive the most comfortable VR headset in the world

Note: I PERSONALLY prefer the standard Vive to the standard Rift, due to the shape of my face and my IPD.
That said, I've always felt that the Rift was comfortable, the Vive was slightly more comfortable, and the PSVR was notably more comfortable.

With the Deluxe Audio Headstrap, the weight and feel of the Vive around your head is a lot like wearing a beanie(as opposed to the "baseball cap" feel of the Rift and the "head halo" feel of the PSVR).

I played an intense Chinese FPS game(can't pronounce the name) at the HTC Vive lounge at the Wynn at CES 2017 in Las Vegas. Through jumping around, diving past bullets, and breaking a sweat, the Vive stayed comfortable, but more importantly, STAYED IN PLACE. My visual fidelity was never diminished by small movements of the headset on my face which normally would push the headset off center unless I tightened the original straps very tightly.

Anyway, I love it. Before, I wouldn't have spent more than $130-$150 for it, but now, I have to have it. In fact, I'd pay up to $250 to get the Deluxe Audio Headstrap and 3-in-1 cable over a wireless solution at this point in time.
I'm posting this from the HTC Vive lounge. Feel free to AMA
Click to expand...

More positive than I thought, and I found the bolded the most interesting. That said, I'm curious how much that impression holds up over a longer play time.

Also a video showing it in action and being put on.
 
V

Veritigo_X

Member
Do we know if you can remove the headphones from the audio strap? I can't imagine they're better than the headphones I use but I want that strap.
 
V

Veritigo_X

Member
G

GuitarAtomik

Member
Veritigo_X said:
Do we know if you can remove the headphones from the audio strap? I can't imagine they're better than the headphones I use but I want that strap.
Click to expand...

I think they're also selling a version without the headphones as well. In the reveal trailer they show two and one has the headphones and a back of the head knob, while the other without headphones doesn't have the knob.

VnOI5V1.png
Click to expand...

EDIT: After looking at the picture closer, the one without headphones doesn't have as much padding in the back either. Probably an in between version as opposed to just a headphone-less SKU.
 
A

atom519

Member
Maiden Voyage said:
I do not encounter this problem at all. That's really strange.
Click to expand...

Were you been able to get the audio working both through the Steam Link and through VR headphones at same time? Not sure if my setup is funky or what, but if the audio is playing through the TV I hear nothing through headphones.

I mucked around in the playback devices but everything looks correct.
 
A

Astral/H3X

Member
What's the knob? Just something you can quickly rotate to set the fit for the strap?

I normally use my own headphones for the Vive, but depending on how well it stacks up, I might get the audio strap just for some easier usage.
 
Zalusithix

Zalusithix

Member
H3XAntiStyle said:
What's the knob? Just something you can quickly rotate to set the fit for the strap?

I normally use my own headphones for the Vive, but depending on how well it stacks up, I might get the audio strap just for some easier usage.
Click to expand...

The knob adjusts the tension. Elastic straps on the side have been replaced with the knob.
 
C

crisdecuba

Member
H3XAntiStyle said:
What's the knob? Just something you can quickly rotate to set the fit for the strap?

I normally use my own headphones for the Vive, but depending on how well it stacks up, I might get the audio strap just for some easier usage.
Click to expand...
I believe they are making a version with the headphones and a version without. And if you get the version with the headphones, you can still remove them if you'd like.

The headset seems perfect. On my end I made one of those helmet mods that use a welders helmet to achieve a very similar effect, but their new helmet seems to not only adjust the sides but the top at the same time. And it looks much nicer than the welders helmet. :)

This, combined with wireless, looks pretty darn amazing.
 
G

GuitarAtomik

Member
Revive was updated with the "Hybrid Grip" option. So basically it lets you toggle the grip button if you just click it, but it will still act like it did before if you hold the grip and release. The next Advanced Settings update is going to have a Revive section to turn it on, but you can activate it now by adding this:
"revive" : {
"ToggleGrip": 2
},
Click to expand...

to steamvr.vrsettings.
 
Maiden Voyage

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
atom519 said:
Were you been able to get the audio working both through the Steam Link and through VR headphones at same time? Not sure if my setup is funky or what, but if the audio is playing through the TV I hear nothing through headphones.

I mucked around in the playback devices but everything looks correct.
Click to expand...

u7HbuKZ.png


No issues mirroring audio to the Link and the headset at all.
 
D

dsk1210

Member
I have to be honest, after using the Vive for a while I feel like I have been wrestling with a face hugger.

That KS one looks good if it takes all the strain of the cheeks.
 
T

TharpDaddy

Member
So i'm having sharpness issues in the Vive and i'm trying to figure out if it's just due to the resolution of the hardware or if i'm wearing it wrong.

It feels like the edges of my vision are slightly out of focus. Anything not in the center of my vision seems less sharp. This makes sense for the very edges since that is beyond my glasses and I get the same issue if I look down in real life, but it doesn't seem normal for the Vive -- but i'm insure how to tell if something is a resolution problem or me not setting it all up right. I did my IPD and adjusted the gray nobs to be as close to my face as I can get them. I saw some people say that wearing the Vive up higher (the bottom resting near the top of one's cheekbones) helps, but it just seems to make things worse for me. For example, on the SteamVR home area, if I look down at my controllers they don't seem quite right in how they look. The green light on them is blurry and out of focus and I have to hold them up in front of my face to see them clearly.

If this sounds like a issue with how i'm wearing it, anyone have tips?
 
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