The Vive discussion Thread

Watching this again makes me wonder of the possibility we all could be already in VR but are not aware of it.

Sort of like the matrix but controlled by us, not by those AI life forms.

I ended up getting really deep in thought about that one night, the DK2 really opens your mind to stuff like that. Was floating above Azaban, in complete awe and thinking this is only 2015 and I'm experiencing something this amazing. What would things be like in 5 years, 10 years... A hundred years?

Reality as we see it will have a totally different meaning. I can imagine corporations trying to use it to artificially extend lifespans, a perception of 1 week inside VR is only an hour in reality, I would certainly hope those going on the first manned mission to mars have some high tech VR onboard the ship. Ok, enough ramblings of a mad man! :)
 
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Looks good and we will see in a couple of days after folks have had a chance to play around with it at the expos.

My only question is will Elite work on it? Or will it be limited to certain games and content from Valve.
 
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that's correct and the image was created with one camera, at one viewpoint, then split and offset (that's the hardware bit I was talking about) and presented to each eye to create a "3D" image, exactly like I explained.

It is possible, with existing hardware, to take a single image, just like the 150 year old example I provided, send it to a single display (like the OR) and each eye will see a different "viewpoint" creating a "3D" image for the viewer. This can be done, with existing hardware, without relying on the GPU.

The example you are showing uses 2 images to create a 3D image. The camera has 2 lenses taking 2 separate pictures at a time. Both pictures are required to create the 3D image with the viewer optics, one for each eye.

Same with 3D cinema or television. There are always 2 separate images, even if they are displayed in the same location separated by either polarization or time slot (with shutter glasses).

None of those examples show a way how to create a 3D image from a single 2D image.

And all of those examples have in common that no GPU power at all is required to render the images, as they are either photographic (when recorded with camera) or pre-rendered (in case of animation movies) so no real-time rendering needs to be done by the viewer's hardware. That's a totally different situation compared to virtual reality where real-time rendering is required in order to adapt to the user's head movement.

Thus, those examples are totally inadequate to show how high resolution stereoscopic rendering for VR could be done with low GPU power as you claim.
 
developers aren't allowed to talk of the VIVE yet but I quote

Can you comment on the hands-on experience using the Vive and input device, especially as compared to Oculus CB and STEM?

We're going to speak very candidly on that after GDC. For now we're obliged to leave the hardware discussion to Valve/HTC.
Generally though, there is some INCREDIBLY exciting tech that you'll learn more about this week! Its a fantastic solution to some very key VR problems.

https://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/comments/2xkqj1/valve_htc_the_gallery/cp0ylzv?context=2
 
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I ended up getting really deep in thought about that one night, the DK2 really opens your mind to stuff like that. Was floating above Azaban, in complete awe and thinking this is only 2015 and I'm experiencing something this amazing. What would things be like in 5 years, 10 years... A hundred years?

Reality as we see it will have a totally different meaning. I can imagine corporations trying to use it to artificially extend lifespans, a perception of 1 week inside VR is only an hour in reality, I would certainly hope those going on the first manned mission to mars have some high tech VR onboard the ship. Ok, enough ramblings of a mad man! :)

Going back a few years now, 4 or 5 of us used to hook up at least 1 night a week for a chill and some tigerwoods golf, the whole perception of reality is reality discussion, was a frequent visitor towards the end of many a session, was quite suprising just where that line of thought took us sometimes. where once limited only by our own imaginations, those limitations are slowly being chipped away, as we become able to, quite literally, enter someone elses. heady stuff indeed!!
 
Great news for the VR community - more products, more choice, better development.....

But the only thing that worries me is that it could turn into a VHS or BETAMAX competition....(for those of us old enuff to remember that)....but I hope it doesn't

NOsh

may well turn in to VHS vs BETAMAX vs Laser Disk
with Sony, and now nVidia in too
 

Sir.Tj

The Moderator who shall not be Blamed....
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This thread has already had a moderator step in and request arguments to stop.

If the arguments, and personal comments continue, infractions and bans will follow.

Please discuss the topic.

Thanks.
 
About time somebody kicked Oculus's backside and told them that the public will not wait forever to produce a viable commercial device. OR has been procrastinating for two years now.

Looks like somebody is going to steal their thunder, and you know that the first to market is always the one that sells the most regardless of quality.

let the games begin...
 

SlackR

Banned
This is patently incorrect.

DX12 will not increase your total graphical performance. If you have a 980, and onboard video, you might see a 10% increase.

If you have SLI 980s and onboard video you might see a 5% increase.

If you happen to already have a pair of totally mismatched GPUs in your system for driving a bunch of extra displays, then and only then will you see a significant increase in performance due to your multiple cards.

It will not however turn a single 980 into 2 of them worth of performance. At best you will see higher efficiency leading to a small bump in performance when you have two cards in SLI but aren't adding a third mismatched one, due to the way it will handle the VRAM.

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There is no possible way to render two distinct viewpoints without rendering two distinct viewpoints. Stereoscopy requires two "cameras" in game. It has to render all of the geometry two times. You can't render it once and then just move the camera for the other side without re-rendering the second viewpoint.

The output can be a single frame, just like the DK2 is now, but you still have to render the left and right halves of the display separately.

I think you will be pleasantly surprised with what they have come up with.
 
Whilst I welcome more players in the VR field, my only concern is that the software support is not cross compatible.

imo it is very important that software VR support is just that, VR support for all devices.

1 thing which could kill VR is some sort of Betamax / VHS or Blue Ray/HDDVD format "war" where game X is "oculus VR ready" and game Y is "Valve VR ready".

If it is a lot of work to support more than 1 device this would be a disaster so personally I hope all the major players communicate at least to some degree for the base specs of how these devices will work and then its just a matter of the hardware guys choosing what screen to use, with what refresh and resolution.

initially VR is probably going to be niche, so splitting the userbase even more with incompatible hardware will possibly mean that there will be even less reason for software guys to get on board.
IF this was to happen however, then I guess that would be advantage Valve from the get go.

Hardware specs I do not think is a problem. What is ultra high end enthusiast level now is mid range gaming PC level in 2 years time and mobile phone spec in 5 years time.

once the rift launches, sure, maybe if we want to play games on full bubble at (hoped for) 1440P 90hz we will need a crazy high end rig at 1st, but imo it is highly likely there will be other options as well, just like there are now for DK2...... I would bet a reasonable amount of cash that 1080P 75hz will be an officially supported standard even for CV1 and we will still benefit from the superior screen quality, better lenses and what ever other improvements CV1 brings over DK2. .

^^^ This.
 
HTC teams up with valve.

- 1200x1080 pixel per eye
- 90Hz
- audio jack
- inside out tracking for 15ft by 15ft room scale tracking
- custom controller (1 per hand) tracked in real space
- dev kit release in spring
- full version release by end of year.

www.htcvr.com


Full room tracking would be incredible with elite.

And is that an HDMI jack on top of the headset? I don't have one of these, but is that how it works? You have a HDMI cord dd across your scalp while playing? Educate me please, because my cables are heavy/thick and that sounds like an immersion-breaker to be tethered in that way...
 
Regarding cross compatibility this was shared by cloudhead games regarding VIVE, steamVR and multiple HMDs:

"We're still in a bit of an info lockdown but we plan on speaking a lot more openly about the hardware as we get into and past GDC.

We have abstracted our input in a way that will accommodate a number of potential devices. SteamVR does this as well for HMD's (and does a great job of it!). We have high hopes that the hardware landscape remains open on that front so that we can accommodate as many devices as we can. For all developers, with so many HMD's hitting the market, an open system is key in making porting a realistic/cost effective task."

https://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/comments/2xkqj1/valve_htc_the_gallery/cp0ylzv?context=2
 
About time somebody kicked Oculus's backside and told them that the public will not wait forever to produce a viable commercial device. OR has been procrastinating for two years now.

Looks like somebody is going to steal their thunder, and you know that the first to market is always the one that sells the most regardless of quality.

let the games begin...

Maybe.. I'm a great believer in sod's law though- the vague projected timeframe for the HTC device seems to be similar to the fervent rumours about the Rift. I'll stick my neck out here and say that both will be late...

The whole thing is a bit of a betting quandary for me, as if the Rift is going to be late, I'm going to wish that I just picked up a DK2 for ED anyway :)
 
Looks like Fresnel lenses in there. That should reduce the weight of the thing, and leave a bigger gap. Right now I need to keep the DK2 3 pips from the end or my eye lashes smudge the lenses.

Hmm interesting. I do see the weight reducing effect of Fresnel lenses but I don't see how you will gain any room. In the DK2 it's not the thickness of the lenses that prevents putting them closer to the screen.
And using Fresnel lenses comes at the expense of lowering the imaging quality.
 
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