The Truth about Oculus Rift DK2

Frank · Feb 12, 2015

Azaad said:
has anyone figured out how to use the Rift in the Galaxy map?

I don't have a fancy HOTAS so I don't know if there's a specific problem with them, but the bindings for the map are all in the options section. You might be talking about poor resolution. This shouldn't be a problem if you're oversampling. I also do a lot of peering closely at the text. There is something else that may be counter-intuitive about text legibility. Usually you want to keep the text as still as possible, but you can ascertain the shape of the letters easier by moving them. It's the same sort of effect you get when you are moving past a fence... or a real screen door.

If you are talking about how difficult it is to type destinations into navigation then the way around this requires a small amount of preparation. The StarNav accepts pasted text so all you need to do is bind Ctl-V to your control setup to enter the previously copied name of your target system.

Bevz · Feb 13, 2015

Ha! Really spot on! I am however slightly disappointed also because i primarily got my DK2 to play ED, but that's just not possible with my computer (iMac with GTX780m card); it plays virtually all tech demos lovely, but there is always a tinge of sadness that i can't really play ED without serious juddering no matter what i do with settings

However, when you enter the Rift, you really do feel like you're right in the middle of the game, not looking from the outside-in like with a monitor. It's true that you have to go in there to experience that and yes you go through all the gambit of love / hate / frustration emotions (mostly because the tech is just SO close you can taste it, but it's just not quite there yet), but throughout it the feeling of being part of something truly groundbreaking never wavers and is very overpowering... I mean.... You're actually IN the game. It's just that you FEEL like you're in the game like you feel like you're experiencing 3D in the cinema... no, no, no.... I mean you're ACTUALLY IN THE GAME!!

I played Alien Isolation for about 15 mins and i think i may need therapy now, but ED is really something special in it.... It changes the experience in a way that seems much for fundamental than with other games.... i just need to save up for a more powerful computer!

Azaad · Feb 13, 2015

Frank said:
I don't have a fancy HOTAS so I don't know if there's a specific problem with them, but the bindings for the map are all in the options section. You might be talking about poor resolution. This shouldn't be a problem if you're oversampling. I also do a lot of peering closely at the text. There is something else that may be counter-intuitive about text legibility. Usually you want to keep the text as still as possible, but you can ascertain the shape of the letters easier by moving them. It's the same sort of effect you get when you are moving past a fence... or a real screen door.

If you are talking about how difficult it is to type destinations into navigation then the way around this requires a small amount of preparation. The StarNav accepts pasted text so all you need to do is bind Ctl-V to your control setup to enter the previously copied name of your target system.

I can type in the name of the star I want to go to but.. its hard to click it with the mouse

The small widget that pops up with the plot option is finicky and doesn't stay still.

Azaad · Feb 13, 2015

Will they ever consider selling upgraded lens for the DK2?

Avago Earo · Feb 13, 2015

good post. do i heed the warnings? no it still makes we want to get the rift

Lirezh · Feb 13, 2015

What is your IPD ?
Your description of the bad view angle and your blurryness issues are most likely because your IPD is not at the 64.5mm standard the DK2 is built for.
If your IPD is more than 2 mm from that you will suffer from blurry vision, the more you are away from 64.5mm the worse your vision, the more precise you have to be aligned and the worse your "presence" effect.

I, for example, have an IPD of 71mm (never noticed that before intensively working with VR).
By hacking the A default cups and running a tiny extra program I converted the DK2 into a 70mm optimized hardware and the difference is like light and day.
Suddenly the 3D effect was much stronger, way better sweet spot and no blurry images except for the most left/right parts of my vision and no strain on my eyes from using it.

So if your IPD is off the standard (my guess), consider making a hack or buying separators to make your experience better.

Azaad · Feb 13, 2015

69.2-69.5 ipd

lol... more hacking is needed. I was hoping they would sell the lens from Cresent Bay.. or Get Nikon or Canon to produce low chromatic aberration lens with wider view angles.

milkyway_dingo · Feb 13, 2015

Thanks for the feedback Azaad,

I finally got the chance to try out a DK2 last week.

I took my PC upto my friends place, and I got a taste of the DK2 VR experience. After having read so much on here about it, I had a good idea of what to expect, and it pretty much did live upto it.
I can see all of the flaws, but the potential.. Wow... Just wow.. So much potential in this technology, I can't really wait!

Unfortunately, I really did not have the time with it that I would have needed to set it up properly, work out the kinds of the stuttering/tearing, and get the most enjoyment out of it. Maybe if I had a week, I would have been able to do that, but I just really had a day, and it wasn't enough to sort out the issues.

But aside from all that, it was an enjoyable experience, even just the demos. I can really see how it will change how we game, and this tech really does compliment the flight & spaceflight sim experience.

I can't wait for the consumer release. I know it still wont be perfect, but us gamers will make do, & I also can't wait for upgrading the GPUs

Phier · Feb 13, 2015

Azaad said:
has anyone figured out how to use the Rift in the Galaxy map?

HOTAS and voice attack. You can use voice for a lot of features on it, and can set it up to type in the names of systems you go to a lot. Hotas set up to move around the screen. If you are a touch typist its not hard to type system names in even if you can't see the keyboard.

I currently set a hands free version with voice attack for my trading systems. I don't even need to touch the HOTAS.

Azaad · Feb 13, 2015

Phier said:
HOTAS and voice attack. You can use voice for a lot of features on it, and can set it up to type in the names of systems you go to a lot. Hotas set up to move around the screen. If you are a touch typist its not hard to type system names in even if you can't see the keyboard.

I currently set a hands free version with voice attack for my trading systems. I don't even need to touch the HOTAS.

You should make a guide on how to set it up!

I will get there eventually. Just too lazy.. wastin time in my ship. I actually got out off my chair and "Gentlemen.. take a walk." Until my head snapped back cause the chord wasn't long enough

indigocupcake · Feb 13, 2015

Rift DK2 since november.

My experience has been (with Elite Dangerous) plug and play. A bit of faffing around to get the videocard working smoothly (R9 280x) so some detail levels are set to medium. Apart from that I played 2 hours straight and it was just breathtaking. I feel so free when flying around, being able to headcheck objects and menus - there is nothing to compare it to. Use voiceattack for a bit as there were things I couldn't map on the X52 easily (like toggling Frameshift, Hyperspace).

My experience with the rift itself has been hell. Demos crashing, IPD not applying and various other rubbish that settled down after 0.4.3. ED is the only proper game that functions correctly. Grid Autosport UI broken, Assetto Corsa window management broken - rather large list but I won't. Won't talk about Star Citizen...

I only have i5-2500k, 8GB, 240 Samsung SSD with ED on a 2TB WD red.

aybkamen · Feb 13, 2015

"has anyone figured out how to use the Rift in the Galaxy map? "

I've bought a xbox360 controller for £14 that sits between the joystick and the thruster . You can control the galaxy map perfectly with that and you will also have some extra buttons in normal flight

Frank · Feb 13, 2015

Azaad said:
I can type in the name of the star I want to go to but.. its hard to click it with the mouse The small widget that pops up with the plot option is finicky and doesn't stay still.

I'm like Aybkamen. I use a 360 controller. With that and Voice Attack I yell "PASTE!" at the textbox and press the green "A" button to execute. Your bindings may vary.

It is a lot of fun testing the limits of the umbilical chord, sticking your head up through the canopy like a drunk sticking up through a car's sunroof

For me the umbilical-chord-jerk moment came when I first saw my Hauler at the outfitters. "My God!", I thought, "The Hauler's... beautiful!"

Azaad · Feb 13, 2015

aybkamen said:
"has anyone figured out how to use the Rift in the Galaxy map? "

I've bought a xbox360 controller for £14 that sits between the joystick and the thruster . You can control the galaxy map perfectly with that and you will also have some extra buttons in normal flight

I have the wireless version of it.. will give it a shot

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Frank said:
I'm like Aybkamen. I use a 360 controller. With that and Voice Attack I yell "PASTE!" at the textbox and press the green "A" button to execute. Your bindings may vary.

It is a lot of fun testing the limits of the umbilical chord, sticking your head up through the canopy like a drunk sticking up through a car's sunroof For me the umbilical-chord-jerk moment came when I first saw my Hauler at the outfitters. "My God!", I thought, "The Hauler's... beautiful!"

OMG ... moment... I was outfitting my Cobra... The two hard points under wingy part. Was confused at first.. then I turn my head around... I yelled.. "Thats the nose!" The I thought the Cobra was huge... Then I hoped into my ASP and did the same.. it was huge huge.. then the Type 7... enormous.

Pyro Steel · Feb 13, 2015

Azaad said:
Then I hoped into my ASP and did the same.. it was huge huge.. then the Type 7... enormous.

Wait till you get into the T9 and have a lower deck under you that you can lean over and see. I think i spent the first 15 mins of my T9 experience getting up out of my chair and looking around.

Also about the galaxy map, its really easy in the rift to want to look around and try to select the stars. You have to look straight forward and keep the star you want to select as dead center as possible. The galaxy map is by far the worst part of the game, but once you get the hang of it its not that bad. It needs A LOT of work in the VR department though.

Vampyre111 · Feb 14, 2015

I'm really looking forward to the actual release of the Rift. My major concerns are about how compatable it's going to be with eye glases and how do you controle your shp while wearing it? I could use a Joystick If I wanted to but I'm quite happy with my KB/M set up.

Masta Squidge · Feb 14, 2015

Vampyre111 said:
I'm really looking forward to the actual release of the Rift. My major concerns are about how compatable it's going to be with eye glases and how do you controle your shp while wearing it? I could use a Joystick If I wanted to but I'm quite happy with my KB/M set up.

I'm gonna post a video with something about the glasses, setup, and dual flight sticks...

Soon. (A couple weeks maybe) lol

Oheck · Feb 15, 2015

Azaad said:
Will they ever consider selling upgraded lens for the DK2?

No. It's a developer kit. Oculus was always completely open about their developer kit specs. Even pleading with folks not to purchase the DK2 if you aren't a developer.

So, anyone that purchases a DK2 should know exactly what they are getting into, and be accepting of its limitations.

Let's all hope 2015 sees the CV1.

I'm considering buying a Samsung gear VR to hold me over till the CV1 graces our craniums with its awesomeness.

Raptoyd · Feb 15, 2015

Oheck said:
No. It's a developer kit. Oculus was always completely open about their developer kit specs. Even pleading with folks not to purchase the DK2 if you aren't a developer.

So, anyone that purchases a DK2 should know exactly what they are getting into, and be accepting of its limitations.

Let's all hope 2015 sees the CV1.

I'm considering buying a Samsung gear VR to hold me over till the CV1 graces our craniums with its awesomeness.

Lets hope the CV1 sees game developers after the fact. You can never foresee the level of commitment they will give to it since it is market driven and will certainly need a whole lot more than 75K people interested in it.

Artanor · Feb 15, 2015

Azaad said:
I can type in the name of the star I want to go to but.. its hard to click it with the mouse The small widget that pops up with the plot option is finicky and doesn't stay still.

I just move my Hat to the right and it moves focus onto the little floating dialog so one more right and you are on plot route.