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Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 5:22 pm
by JanVR
Hi all,

Wanted to share a couple of demos of the Rift with the Omni. Here's the first one: TF2! No more pushing buttons or sitting down. Rift + Omni = VR. It's pretty intense. Also pasted a pic of our updated prototype below - let me know what you think?

More to follow! Let me know if you have any suggestions.

Jan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpHWJMytx5I
IMG_0426.jpg

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 5:34 pm
by Thodder7
Awesome work Jan! When is your kickstarter going up? May 1st I hope? =D

Damn all the cool devices coming out... eating my money.

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 5:52 pm
by unsilentwill
It's so close! It's so darn close, it just needs positional head/hand/gun tracking. Do the whole crazy hydra tied to your head and hand thing and make this real!

Arcades are idiots if they don't buy this for the consumer rift. It looks amazing for personal use too thought, just requires way more quarters and some forward thinking about my life plans. Man this is exciting.

Also TF2 was such bad choice by Valve to show VR, wow. Brighter days ahead though.

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 6:13 pm
by MrGreen
It looks way too responsive to be working with Kinect. Coding wizardry or video editing magic?

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 6:18 pm
by colocolo
first thing i thought: Ist das geil!
that looks so complete. although its not full body captured yet.
really that is so f.... gorgeous!
movement is really sth that is required. People want to move.

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 6:19 pm
by NiceGuyAndersson
Looks amazing!
Though I probably wouldn't play something as exhausting as TF2, I'm backing the kickstarter without a doubt!
Super excited to see your kickstarter! :woot

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 6:26 pm
by norgoth
Yes I think this sort of fast gaming video mustn't t be the core of the ks. Maybe in a sort of sporting thematic
Can t wait your ks

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 6:54 pm
by mickman
Wow that sure looks like one serious workout .... Imagine having to travel all the way across SkyRim... I'd be knackered !!

Perhaps I need to seriously start thinking about getting back into shape... The omni going to need a load of stamina.
Start sweating in the Rift might be an issue too ...

I'm wondering how robust the floor surface is ? How many mm thick & what material is the base made from ?
Sure hope it won't crack and wear out over time causing increased surface friction making it harder to walk ?

What number of hours have actually been spent walking on a single Omni... that show actual statistics regarding product wear & tear over time ?

I'm guessing such a contraception that features "no moving parts" will suffer from grinding & surface degradation over time that promotes drag making it more difficult to walk ...

Perhaps there's a polish or surface spray one can coat the Omni in to keep it in top condition....

Sure would love to see some close up shots of the shoe sole & even a slow motion video of the feet making contact ...

Sorry.. bout all the Qs...... I must admit I find this very intriguing & am totally hooked.. it looks frikn amazing... :geek:

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 9:37 pm
by JanVR
MrGreen, the Kinect works surprisingly well in 360 degrees; latency is not an issue for walking/running detection. Our software algorithms aid in the performance, too. That said, to be clear, the Omni will come with integrated tracking hardware, so you don't need Kinect. We are developing not just a treadmill, but a natural motion interface for VR. We need to get passed keyboard/mouse/game pad if we want VR to work.

Mickman, wear and tear won't be an issue. The surface is not coated, but exists of a solid low-friction durable material. Actually works better over time, since extensive use creates micro grooves in the surface that decrease the friction (decrease the contact surface).

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 9:46 pm
by MrGreen
JanVR wrote:MrGreen, the Kinect works surprisingly well in 360 degrees; latency is not an issue for walking/running detection. Our software algorithms aid in the performance, too. That said, to be clear, the Omni will come with integrated tracking hardware, so you don't need Kinect. We are developing not just a treadmill, but a natural motion interface for VR. We need to get passed keyboard/mouse/game pad if we want VR to work.
You have no idea how much I agree! :)

What did you use for the aiming?

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 10:37 pm
by cybereality
This looks too awesome. Now I just need to figure out where to put that thing in my apartment...

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 12:39 am
by TheHolyChicken
The new prototype looks very nice!

The TF2 video really impressed me at first glance, then I realised you're actually using a control scheme where you are aiming with your head, not your gun. I'd really like to see some independent aiming going on, and also some movement in directions that you're not looking! (eg walking forwards, looking to the side) Nothing gets past MTBS! :)

From the literature it seems you're matching the user's inputs to keyboard commands - would it instead be possible to instead mimic the outputs of a gamepad, rather than a keyboard? This would enable not just you not just smooth changes in movement direction, but also smooth gradients in movement speeds!

Finally, you really have to upgrade your system - the terrible framerate is hurting the presentation of the product, and shows it in an unfairly bad light. Even though the Omni software might be really lightweight and and almost irrelevant to the game performance, people will not see it that way. Some may even reason that the terrible framerate is because of the extra computation required for the Omni. Beg/borrow/steal if needs be! If your budget is tight, a lot of PC places (in the UK, at least) offer credit and the ability to pay back monthly, which might be easier to swallow.

But looking great overall! Am very excited for the potential of this product :woot

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:12 am
by 3dvison
Ok I am watching too much HGTV, because I love the clothespin idea for hanging pictures as much as I do the OMNI...LOL

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:20 am
by 3dvison
Why does it look like in full run, your foot could hit those upright supports ? It seems you never do, so I guess its not a problem.

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 3:36 am
by Oneironaut
Looks awesome, but I'm concerned about what too much sweating will do to the Rift's padding and the lenses. :P

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 4:02 am
by mickman
Great news regarding wear & tear .

I think at this point the Omni itself is operating well... time to think about the best way to accommodate accessories

Extra Features:

1.)
Overhead Boom attachment points -
A.) Extension Pole for tether cables
B .) Laptop Boom that swing in and out.

A vertical female connection point simply allows for a boom or other equipment to easily be attached to the side of the Omni.
A lightweight flexible pole creates the overhead boom to cater for Hydra & Rift cables. Tis pole will have to swing outwards first in an arch then up and over the user to allow for player movement space... It could also be used to hold a Kinect camera at different heights. when swung away from the user... So perhaps the Omni requires two boom points. Maybe one attachment point is a lightweight point that simply holds cables and a 2nd point directly adjacent to it on the Omni is a more robust attachment point... able to hold a laptop boom that can be swung in or out... or other heavy equipment.

2. Razer Hand controller hanging points - The user can easily slide them into a ring or point .
These may be located on the belt itself as the user would be disorientated. Freeing the hands is important to allow removal of the Rift HMD.
The ability for the Hydra receiver to rotate in unison with the player is important maybe a stowage point on the Omni belt or tethered above.

3. Rift stowage point.


Any chance of showing delicate motions like creeping around in stealth mode....

Sure would love to see larger scaled videos of the unit in action... perhaps making the game play smaller and the Omni screen larger to help showcase the Omni.

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 4:47 am
by remosito
Howdie Jan,

loove the new prototype model :-) Looks awesome!

we had a little back and forth in another thread (was about harness and sitting for crouching). Thought I'd
continue here instead of waking the old thread.

You said you are not sure that you'll let users remap/reassign IRL movements, positions to ingame triggers/actions/positions.

I have been digesting this for a few days now and to be honest I don't like it any better than I did at first read.

I would never buy a joystick that won't let me remap button functions, axis and the like. And with joysticks most games
that support them allow for the remapping done ingame. With the omni I doubt a great many games will have such
indepth support coded in. So to have remapping available on the omni end of things is even more crucial.

I really don't know right now, but this might end up being a make or break thing for me.

Now please don't get this post the wrong way. Not trying to rain on your parade or whine or anything. But I thought
things that are really important to some (maybe I am even the only one) might be good feedback to have.

And I just might get the omni either way. Soooo looove the idea and potential!

cheers

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 4:53 am
by LordJuanlo
The more videos I see, the more I want this Kickstarter to start! The new prototype looks great. Keep up the good work!!!

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 5:03 am
by RABID
really like the look of the new prototype.looks very Tron Legacy 8-) ... will definitely be supporting the kick-starter.

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 5:44 am
by adoral84
cybereality wrote:This looks too awesome. Now I just need to figure out where to put that thing in my apartment...
Exactly. Just like exercise equipment the ability to have this easily fold up in some way would make it really attractive for those have-nots like me who don't have a dedicated VR space.

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 6:10 am
by MSat
Jan, the new prototype is looking fantastic! I'm also really glad you're incorporating motion tracking into the Omni to make it a complete package.

Excellent work!

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 6:13 am
by whelanweb
Looks good.

I can see this doing well.

1. What is your projected price point for this ?
2. How heavy is this unit as international postage can be quite high ?
3. How loud is this product when running on it. Normal treadmills can be very noisy and if this was in an apartment it could limit what time of the day this could be used without annoying the neighbours below :D

I have no doubt that you will make this a great user experience but it will come down to Price, ease of use and practically for this to become a big success.

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 6:45 am
by 3dcoffee
JanVR wrote:The surface is not coated, but exists of a solid low-friction durable material. Actually works better over time, since extensive use creates micro grooves in the surface that decrease the friction (decrease the contact surface).
Just shut up and take my money :) When is the kickstarter, approximately, so that I can plan? Looks awesome.

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 6:47 am
by norgoth
If I have understand virtuix Facebook post, the target price range is 400-600 $. Correct me if it is wrong

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 7:01 am
by 3dcoffee
norgoth wrote:If I have understand virtuix Facebook post, the target price range is 400-600 $. Correct me if it is wrong
Oh, that is pretty steep. I was thinking about something along 300 $. Because when I factor in VAT and tax and shipping, it could cost close to 1000 $ (if the price is 600 $) --- and that is prohibitive.

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 7:07 am
by Omozinox
Very awesome device Jan! Can't wait for you to get it Kickstarted.

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 7:19 am
by Lookforyourhands
Wow. That is amazing. Sign me up for two of them. Great work Jan. :D :woot

Edit : what kind of gun controller are you using ? And how come you don't have the aim separate from the look ? Can you make another
video with the aiming separate from the head tracking ?

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 7:50 am
by MrGreen
TheHolyChicken wrote:The TF2 video really impressed me at first glance, then I realised you're actually using a control scheme where you are aiming with your head, not your gun.
O RLY? The little toy gun was just for show? Tsk tsk tsk!
TheHolyChicken wrote:I'd really like to see some independent aiming going on, and also some movement in directions that you're not looking! (eg walking forwards, looking to the side) Nothing gets past MTBS! :)

From the literature it seems you're matching the user's inputs to keyboard commands - would it instead be possible to instead mimic the outputs of a gamepad, rather than a keyboard? This would enable not just you not just smooth changes in movement direction, but also smooth gradients in movement speeds!
Listen to this man!
TheHolyChicken wrote:But looking great overall! Am very excited for the potential of this product :woot
Hell yeah!

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 9:10 am
by Mystify
I think hanging out on this site has shifted my desires; initially I was only planning on getting a rift and doing stuff with a gamepad, now I have hydras and I am working on that integration, and this is looking very tempting.

I do have some questions:
1. You said you are integrating motion tracking. Is this just going to be for the leg motion, or will it handle arms and hands too?
2. From the video it looks like cable management could be an issue. Any plans to address that?

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 10:52 am
by Omarzuqo
I must admit I wasn't interested at all in your ODT at first, but it's starting to grow on me.

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 1:51 pm
by RABID
JanVR, can u post some video of you jumping and moving while in game? i want to see if you are able to jump over objects in game

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 2:26 pm
by colocolo
man, a skyrim demo would be really awesome.
i never played TF, neather Skyrim , but i guess Skyrim its way better to show off the hiking capabilities of the Omni.

EDIT: what are the shoes like? i would highly recommend to integrate some damping like jogging shoes have.
Perhaps the platform itself should have damping. it makes a significant
difference if you want to do long walks comfortably without getting back pain. Especially older people would notice that earlier.

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 3:27 pm
by Trabbi
Great Video JanVR!

I like the way this whole VR thing is going. I would like to know how natural strafing, jumping or walking backwards during fights feel. I didn't see you doing this in your video.

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 3:48 pm
by Aabel
It's not up to Jan to decouple look and aim, that is the game developers job.

As far as strafing, yeah I don't think you will be able to intuitively do it on the Virtuix, however it is debatable if you will need to strafe once aim and look and movement direction are decoupled. The Virtuix will allow for you to run in one direction while shooting in another, the same thing strafing accomplishes. The Virtuix Omni is something people are just going to have to be patient with and let the developers work it all out. I am EXCITED by the doors the Omni opens up and look forward to designing new control schemes incorporating it.

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 4:08 pm
by Lookforyourhands
Although this is cool I foresee injuries..
Muscle strain, sprain, back pain etc..
You're going to need one hell of disclaimer.
"Make sure you eat and sleep and are hydrated before using this"

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 4:11 pm
by norgoth
Only one thing sorry me : how to do a jump that is not only vertical ( a jump in movement )

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 5:42 pm
by JanVR
Thanks all for the great questions and suggestions! I'll attempt to answer all questions below, but please let me know if I missed any!

Holy Chicken: independent gun tracking is in the works. We are indeed generating key strokes now, but "game pad" input is the future way to go (and even necessary when de-coupling viewing from walking, since you don't want to be restricted to 8 walking directions).

The frame rate is indeed an issue. I will have this fixed for the Kickstarter video.

Remosito, our software currently allows you to map any key you want to the specific move. We'll be sure to maintain that functionality, thanks for stressing the importance!

Adoral, the Omni will be easy to disassemble and store away (you can take the top part off, like exercise equipment). Perhaps we can make a NYC version for folks in New York: the center of the Omni base will be a drain, so that you can double the Omni as a shower :).

We will work on an accessory rack/boom on which to put the Rift/Hydra and arrange cables. The cables are not as big an issue as you might think. The Rift cables are fairly long, and have not been a show stopper.

Mystify, our integrated tracking will likely not track the hands/arms, but we will still support Kinect (and full body tracking with Kinect).

Rabbid, I'll be sure to show jumping/crouching in the next demo. Since in most games you rarely jump just vertically, we can program to make any jump on the Omni a "forward jump."

Timing is late May. Want to make sure that enough people have gotten their Rifts. It's when you start using your Rift that you start realizing the importance of and need for a natural motion interface. No more sitting down and pushing buttons (and getting sick). While still fun and impressive, it's not sufficient for VR.

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 10:16 pm
by Norb
My one concern is that running on this thing will cause a lot of annoyance to any potential downstairs neighbors since, unlike a regular treadmill, this thing would be used for a much longer time with random moments of running and jumping. Are there any ideas out there for how this would work for us apartment dwellers? Some sort of vibration isolation pad/platform/base?

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 1:07 am
by JanVR
Hi Norb, nothing isolation can't fix. The Omni will have rubber feet for stability and floor protection. It's not that much louder than a regular treadmill, but just put some isolation under the base - that does the trick.

Re: Rift + Omni demos

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 1:19 am
by norgoth
You can buy cheap sport carpet in your sport market.