MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by 2EyeGuy »

Dycus wrote:I keep bugging him to get an avatar because I always miss his posts, but he's too lazy.
I always get excited whenever I see a post by PasticheDonkey, because his name and avatar looks like PalmerTech when I skim past.

Questions:

- Why didn't you show people the 7 inch rift you had sitting on the desk at CES?

- Is there anything to help short-sighted people use the Rift yet?

- Can we use the Rift in other programming languages besides C++?

- Are you going to give money to Cybereality for making his driver?

- How many bits per pixel is the screen?

Actual developer questions:

- Does the Razer Hydra interfere with the Oculus Rift's tracking?

- Is it possible to do something different for each eye in a UDK game, for example having an injured eye, or having a character with a patch over one eye?
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by TheHolyChicken »

2EyeGuy wrote:- Is it possible to do something different for each eye in a UDK game, for example having an injured eye, or having a character with a patch over one eye?
This intrigues me too.

I'd love to be playing a game with a scoped rifle, and for my left eye to see the world as normal, and my right eye would see the scoped and zoomed view. This means, to actually see through the scope properly, I would have to close my left eye IRL! I think it would add a lot of immersion, and would love if this were possible.
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by Ardheim »

Yeah you'd just place the scope over the right camera.

Even better, you could have it so people have to lean their head sideways to look through the scope.
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by BOLL »

Dycus wrote:I keep bugging him to get an avatar because I always miss his posts, but he's too lazy.
Why, a perfect new contest! Make an avatar for Palmer! The prize being him using it in the forums for at least a week! :D Hahaha.
BOLL wrote:- Oh oh oh. Will the foam on the dev-kit be replaceable? As I plan to bring my kit around to 200 people it would be nice as it'll get worn/insanitary.
To explain where this question came from. In Sweden we have this frequently recurring event called DreamHack, and I can imagine it would be neat to demo a Rift during that event as it is very focused on gaming. Now, with that small idea gnawing at the back of my head I realize I have a much more important question to ask.

- Will there be any restrictions to where we can show off the devkit Rift? Outside of private demonstrations would going to an event like DreamHack and bringing the Rift along be a bad idea? Or more bluntly, would buying a couple of table spots and setting up shop with official looking OR shirts, pamphlets, neon lights and fireworks be a bad idea? Erhm, yes my mind is spinning out of control.

[Edit] Realizing that hmm, yes, feels like this would be an important question for sure. We wouldn't want devkits to be displayed and mistaken for the final product, or without the information that the consumer version is not available for some time yet. Perhaps some kind of guidelines or even a license agreement should come with the devkit? Haha xD eh...
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by brantlew »

BOLL wrote:Why, a perfect new contest! Make an avatar for Palmer! The prize being him using it in the forums for at least a week! :D Hahaha.
Well I realize it's pretty obvious, but shouldn't this be his avatar?

Image


Or my personal favorite...

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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by Kanibal »

- We saw a lot of people use Rift over their glasses in CES videos. I think I read somewhere that it lowers fov. Can you estimate how much although it is probably a function and not a constant right? Just so I keep my expectation in check. Also does not wearing glasses with Rift pose risk of scratching the lenses?

- Can you elaborate on different ways of dealing with bad eye sight including wearing glasses or contact lenses and what are their advantages and disadvantages relative to each other? Just so I quell my fears from the first question. :)

- Will you start taking preorder for consumer version of Rift soon? I'm too chicken for dev kit but I want to be among the first to get the consumer version and not knowing release date is no problem for me. It would also let you know what the demand is right?

- Can you tell us how would curved display improve Rift design, not just fov but also maybe form factor?

- You are getting pretty visible in the industry. I'm sure you have been dealing with some big screen manufactures. I know you probably can't talk any specifics but have you been able to get some super prototype screen maybe? If so can you talk about how it feels?

- Follow up to that, if you have been in talks with some big fishes in the industry, can you say if in general they view you as some no-name garage company or if their attitude is changing? Like if they are starting to see the new trend emerging or if they're are blind.

- Is there an question that you wished someone had asked you but no-one did? If so can you tell us both the question and the answer?
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by Libertine »

-How thrilled are you that someone created a community questions for Palmer thread?
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by Charge »

- Will Oculus be able to tell each of the Kickstarter backers if their Rift is going to be produced in the first manufacturing batch of 5000 units?
- If so, when? :P
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by PalmerTech »

rmcclelland wrote:After all the inane CES interview questions, maybe Palmer would answer some MTBS3D community questions? Should be more interesting then the same questions over and over. Let's try and keep them answerable. Here are a few:

- Have you tried a Rift prototype with racing or flying (cockpit based) games? Is the experience more compelling without 'fake-walking' with a controller breaking the immersion?
Yes, it is. Needs more research, though.

- What does it feel like to go from working alone in a garage to being the toast of CES? Did you ever worry that your view of how awesome VR is wouldn't be shared by the world at large?
Insane. I still work in about the same way as I did in my garage, except with the added advantage of ample funding and an office full of brilliant people! The connections you get from a show like CES is incredible, and so is the press. To be honest, though, I don't think the world at large knows how awesome VR is, not yet. Just the tech nerds for now!

- Besides techie mindshare, did you gain much else with all the CES exposure? Has it increased your chances of getting a better display in the near term, attracted talent, etc..?
That remains to be seen. We have only just gotten back, still following up with everyone.
NikoKun wrote:- Now that you're back from CES, has anything changed because of all the new excitement and hype generated by it? Any surprises, or still taking things in?
Lots of surprises, nothing I can share!

- Could you tell us what the various dials on the Dev Kit do? The screw-driver dials on the sides, and the grip-dials around the lenses?
Nope!

- I'm always hoping for new blog updates, whether it's progress reports, updates on the production/shipping, or even just ideas/brainstorming/discussion posts, I hope we see more, instead of quiet before the dev kits go out. ;) (Not really a question.heh)
Expect a lot more once the developer kits ship.
BOLL wrote:- Ok, like this, what is the approximate average of hours you have slept per night the last week, and how do you think it has affected your health. A real question eh?

- Oh oh oh. Will the foam on the dev-kit be replaceable? As I plan to bring my kit around to 200 people it would be nice as it'll get worn/insanitary.
It is replaceable in a mechanical sense, it remains to be seen if we can get it on its own without the Rift itself. It is modeled after ski goggle foam, so replacing it with that on your own would not be too difficult.

- How come you don't have a forum avatar?
I like to stay low profile.
Randomoneh wrote:- How is it possible that all those journalists at CES were able to enjoy the Rift event though they all have different IPDs?
The lenses have a wide exit pupil, and the generic settings we were using work pretty well for everyone, if not optimally.

- Basics of perspective tell us that, when we're looking at our flat displays, pixel appear to be larger in the center since our eyes are closest to the center. Lenses have opposite effect. Is it possible that those two effects cancel each other - leaving us with pixels that appear to be about the same size?
It is definitely exaggerated.

- How did you calculate the actual FOV of the Rift since usual calculations are off the table because of nature of the lenses on view?
We will outline all the work that takes once we ship.
DannyO wrote:- Are there any plans for additional models alongside the main ~$300 model? e.g lighter more exotic materials, higher res OLED display for those that are willing to pay a lot more.

We plan on sticking to one model. Even a tiny change would essentially require producing a whole new product, so it would cost many, many times more than a mainstream mass produced unit. The main model is going to have the best possible specs within a reasonable budget, so I would not worry.
GobHoblin wrote:
alekki wrote:How are you making developers support positional tracking when it's not included in the dev kit?
I'm also pretty curious about this... Any word on when devs might be able to get info on the positional tracking the rift will be using?
Nope.
3dRat wrote:Hi everyone!

my question: have you registered some patents about oculus rift or something?
I mean I know it is build upon some publicly available componentes but what if some big company are just now registering all sort of "ideas" about VR and when the rift is going to be out this big company will say "wait a minute! we got something to talk about..." that would be sad... :x

I think the modern patent system is a travesty, but unfortunately, it is the only way to protect yourself. We are building up up our IP.
2EyeGuy wrote: - Why didn't you show people the 7 inch rift you had sitting on the desk at CES?
Our software was optimized for the old prototypes, particularly the warping code. Those prototypes were fresh from the factory, we did not have enough time to get things working well enough, though we tried.

- Is there anything to help short-sighted people use the Rift yet?
I am nearsighted. Can't say more than that right now.

- Can we use the Rift in other programming languages besides C++?
Yes, but development is going to initially target C++. We only have so many programmers!

- Are you going to give money to Cybereality for making his driver?
No comment.

- How many bits per pixel is the screen?
8 Bits.

Actual developer questions:

- Does the Razer Hydra interfere with the Oculus Rift's tracking?
Not in initial testing.

- Is it possible to do something different for each eye in a UDK game, for example having an injured eye, or having a character with a patch over one eye?
It is possible, we have not done that yet, though.
BOLL wrote:- Will there be any restrictions to where we can show off the devkit Rift? Outside of private demonstrations would going to an event like DreamHack and bringing the Rift along be a bad idea? Or more bluntly, would buying a couple of table spots and setting up shop with official looking OR shirts, pamphlets, neon lights and fireworks be a bad idea? Erhm, yes my mind is spinning out of control.

[Edit] Realizing that hmm, yes, feels like this would be an important question for sure. We wouldn't want devkits to be displayed and mistaken for the final product, or without the information that the consumer version is not available for some time yet. Perhaps some kind of guidelines or even a license agreement should come with the devkit? Haha xD eh...

We don't plan on formally restricting it, but if people set up an official looking Oculus booth at a show, we would probably ask them to stop.
Kanibal wrote:- We saw a lot of people use Rift over their glasses in CES videos. I think I read somewhere that it lowers fov. Can you estimate how much although it is probably a function and not a constant right? Just so I keep my expectation in check. Also does not wearing glasses with Rift pose risk of scratching the lenses?
It totally depends on the face of the person and the glasses. And yes, glasses do pose a scratch risk.

- Can you elaborate on different ways of dealing with bad eye sight including wearing glasses or contact lenses and what are their advantages and disadvantages relative to each other? Just so I quell my fears from the first question. :)
Contacts, gluing glasses lenses onto the headset, hoping for a last second announcement.

- Will you start taking preorder for consumer version of Rift soon? I'm too chicken for dev kit but I want to be among the first to get the consumer version and not knowing release date is no problem for me. It would also let you know what the demand is right?
Not soon, it will be a while. We won't take preorders till we have at least the specs worked out.

- Can you tell us how would curved display improve Rift design, not just fov but also maybe form factor?
Not until I have a chance to use some!

- You are getting pretty visible in the industry. I'm sure you have been dealing with some big screen manufactures. I know you probably can't talk any specifics but have you been able to get some super prototype screen maybe? If so can you talk about how it feels?
We have some prototype screens. It feels like being in a secret club.

- Follow up to that, if you have been in talks with some big fishes in the industry, can you say if in general they view you as some no-name garage company or if their attitude is changing? Like if they are starting to see the new trend emerging or if they're are blind.
They see us as a new company with a lot of potential, and also a lot of risk. I think their evaluation of us is correct.

- Is there an question that you wished someone had asked you but no-one did? If so can you tell us both the question and the answer?
People should ask what launching a startup does to your relationships. My answer: Do not expect good results.
Libertine wrote:-How thrilled are you that someone created a community questions for Palmer thread?
It gave me a good excuse to take a break from working on this sorry can't post about that.
Charge wrote:- Will Oculus be able to tell each of the Kickstarter backers if their Rift is going to be produced in the first manufacturing batch of 5000 units?
- If so, when? :P
Not yet, don't know yet.
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by Randomoneh »

Palmer delivers.
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by MSat »

Lots of great questions, and some very pleasing answers!

8-bit LCD
No IMU interference from the Hydra (in initial testing... hope it stays that way)

:D :D :D
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by BOLL »

Whoa, cheers Palmer! I knew I should have posted more questions, and also not written questions late at night as that sure affects my character, hahaha. Perhaps there will be a new thread after the next CES...
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by Chriky »

Thanks Palmer.

So how is the secret prototype Rift with the 1600p screen? :lol:
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by MrGreen »

PalmerTech wrote:I like to stay low profile.
Epic Fail. :lol:
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by MSat »

MrGreen wrote:
PalmerTech wrote:I like to stay low profile.
Epic Fail. :lol:
hehehehe
I was thinking about making a comment about that as well.
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by rmcclelland »

Thanks for the answers Palmer, appreciate it.

I can image all the long hours are hard on relationships. In my opinion, to be wildly successful, you have to be talented, charming, AND put in crazy hours (plus a bit of luck... and good looks :D). There is no other way. I hope everything works out for you on that front.

Glad to hear there is progress on better screens. I'll sneak in one more related question in case you re-check this thread.

- Could there be other development hardware released between the current Dev Kits and the Consumer Version?
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by zalo »

He said earlier that they might do the sensors separately (because they're so badass).
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by bobv5 »

-Other than the purpose of the Rifts knobs/dials/whatever they are called, is there anything intresting about the Rift dev kit hardware that MTBS does not already know?

Palmer, it seems you are thinking of including audio in the consumer version. If you cant make it awesome, please make it optional.
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by 2EyeGuy »

Wow, thank you! I wasn't expecting so many questions to actually be answered! And the answers sound like good news.
PalmerTech wrote:Yes, but development is going to initially target C++. We only have so many programmers!
That's not entirely true. There are probably loads of programmers out there that would happily port it to other languages for free.
PalmerTech wrote:They see us as a new company with a lot of potential, and also a lot of risk. I think their evaluation of us is correct.
That's a worry. What are the risks? Maybe you should cut down on expenditures until you have a more certain income. Too many companies in this field fail. But this seems like something you could easily keep going indefinitely if you are careful not to overspend too much. But I don't know. Maybe you're better off taking the risks for a great consumer product launch.
PalmerTech wrote: People should ask what launching a startup does to your relationships. My answer: Do not expect good results.
Maybe you need to get your girlfriend more involved in what you're doing. Or maybe you just need to delegate responsibility more and take some breaks. Get Dycus to talk at events like CES on your behalf. :)
PalmerTech wrote:
Libertine wrote:-How thrilled are you that someone created a community questions for Palmer thread?
It gave me a good excuse to take a break from working on this sorry can't post about that.
OK, that's enough slacking off. ;) Get back to work on sorry can't post about that, or on your relationships.
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by Mystify »

2EyeGuy wrote:
PalmerTech wrote:They see us as a new company with a lot of potential, and also a lot of risk. I think their evaluation of us is correct.
That's a worry. What are the risks? Maybe you should cut down on expenditures until you have a more certain income. Too many companies in this field fail. But this seems like something you could easily keep going indefinitely if you are careful not to overspend too much. But I don't know. Maybe you're better off taking the risks for a great consumer product launch.
Risk is very inherent to this type of endeavor. Doubly so when dealing with a technology that has never met with widespread acceptance before, which requires massive support from 3rd parties to succeed(in this case, developers making compatible games). This isn't the 5th game is a best selling series. This isn't some megacompany with so many baskets that losing a few means that they still have plenty of eggs. This is a new technology, and their success or failure rides solely on it. Holding back from their product doesn't really lessen their risk, they don't have an established base to fall back on. Making sure their product is as good as possible will maximize their chance for success.
That said, I do believe they are on track to succeed. They have a prototype that is consistently wowing people, it is getting the right kind of attention, developers are eager to make content for it. But despite all of these reasons to be optimistic, you can't say its not risky. Its just the nature of what they are doing.
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by German »

2EyeGuy wrote:That's not entirely true. There are probably loads of programmers out there that would happily port it to other languages for free.
And once it's released they can. C++ can be used to make libraries for most other languages used today very easily.
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by yautjacetanu »

I love that you say "No" and "No Comment" rather then just ignoring questions :)
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by Libertine »

bobv5 wrote:Palmer, it seems you are thinking of including audio in the consumer version. If you cant make it awesome, please make it optional.
A high quality option would be nice, but I can't imagine looking around much unless your in a dogfight or doing some VR out of your seat. It seems like most people will just be sitting at their desk and mildly looking around as the play, especially for long gaming marathons.
Last edited by Libertine on Wed Jan 16, 2013 1:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by MSat »

Libertine wrote:
bobv5 wrote:Palmer, it seems you are thinking of including audio in the consumer version. If you cant make it awesome, please make it optional.
A high quality option would be nice, but I can't imagine looking around much unless your in a dogfight or doing some VR out of your seat. It seems like most people will just be sitting at their desk and mildly looking around as the play, especially for long gaming marathons.

I just can't see the sense in having built-in headphones unless the headset ends up being too bulky to use your own. Most people already own a pair (some very expensive too). Not only that, but some people prefer in-ear instead of on/over, and vice-versa. It just adds to the final cost, while providing a solution that may not be desirable for many. If the goal is to eliminate too many (or all) wires going back to the computer, then it's probably best to just add a headphone jack to the HMD. Just my 2c.
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by EdZ »

Palmer on integrated audio:
I really think that’s a cool idea. It’d be awesome to have built in audio, you know? The problem is if we’re going to do audio, we’re going to do it right. It doesn’t make any sense to do audio and just be like, “Oh it has included headphones and they’re decent.” The only reason to do it would be if we could give an experience that’s superior to what people can get out there on their own.
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by Flassan »

rmcclelland wrote:I can image all the long hours are hard on relationships. In my opinion, to be wildly successful, you have to be talented, charming, AND put in crazy hours (plus a bit of luck... and good looks :D). There is no other way. I hope everything works out for you on that front.
It's a problem that afflicts every creative and dedicated person. People like company. Something I've found works is to install another PC at the back of the living room (with the minimum software it boots in seconds and becomes the 'go to' device). That way you don't unnecessarily 'hide yourself away' at work or in the study. It really makes a difference.
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by TheHolyChicken »

I have a question! :)

How do you feel the experience is when you have a "driver" Rift and a "passenger" Rift? My wife and I often play games together, where only one of us is playing and the other is watching, and both viewing the same screen. It's obviously not possible for two people to view the same Rift, and having the spectator instead watch the warped/split picture on a monitor (as in the press demos) won't exactly be very fun. How have you found the experience to be when you have 2x Rifts, with the spectator just seeing a duplicate image of what's being displayed on the 'primary' Rift? Does it work well? Is it disorientating, or uncomfortable, to have your vision "steered" by someone else?

(edited post for clarity)
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by vtms »

That's a cool idea. One could implement an observer idea by making the observer turn on "ghost mode" and become instantly invisible from the perspective of the player while the spectator would maintain complete independence to move around inside the same virtual environment, seeing all that's happening.
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by LikeMike »

I have already asked these questions in the Rift threat... but after seeing this thread I guess I would really like to hear the answers Palmer Luckey might have to them... oh, and I´ve added a new, personal one for him:

1. As I understand it and see it in the videos, the screen is basically divided in two halfs showing basically the same thing - doesn`t that mean, that we have an about half as wide field of view than we would have on a monitor? And basically a larger vertical field of view than a horizontal? To me that seems kinda odd...

2. I am not a programmer by any means - but I can code a bit and enjoy level editors, so I would be intrigues to try some things. How easy would it be to get UDK or Unity creations into the rift? Is it basically just checking a box ("add support for Rift") - or do I have to really code it in there somehow?

3. For people that have already tried it - how immersive is it? Do you really get the feeling that for example this knight is physically standing right in front of you - or is it like great 3D really close to the screen?

3. Positional tracking seems to be the biggest thing missing from the developer kit - is that something that could be added later with a software update, or is the necessary hardware missing from the devkit?

4. How easy will it be to get and load user created content? I can only imagine what you guys will produce - and I can`t wait to wander on famous movie sets, see historical events, walk the moon or dive the great barrier reef - but like I said, I am not a programmer, so would it be easy to get and use those?

5. Any idea when the consumer version comes out? I know there is no release date yet, but is there a timetable of some sort? Like this year, early next year, christmas next year... something like that. I am really tempted to get the devkit. But it wouldn`t be here till May probably or even later - and if the consumer version comes out only a few months later I guess I´d rather wait.

6. I only recently learned that you are only 20 years old - how did you get this thing started? Is there anywhere to read about your story? I know you`ve built stuff in your garage and are an enthusiast, but I imagine it is very hard to meet the right people, persuade them and get the funding, material and also knowledge to get a thing like this running - and seemingly make all the big studios look stupid... maybe in 50 years we will say your name in the same sentence as Steve Jobs...
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by Namielus »

6. I only recently learned that you are only 20 years old - how did you get this thing started? Is there anywhere to read about your story? I know you`ve built stuff in your garage and are an enthusiast, but I imagine it is very hard to meet the right people, persuade them and get the funding, material and also knowledge to get a thing like this running - and seemingly make all the big studios look stupid... maybe in 50 years we will say your name in the same sentence as Steve Jobs...

In regards to Oculus, go read the first page on the Kickstarter thread to see how it began.
http://www.mtbs3d.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=140&t=14777
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by MSat »

@LikeMike, I'll try to answer some of these questions for you.

1.
The game engine renders the scene at the correct FOV of the Rift's optics for each half, which as I understand it is about 90 degrees horizontal, and 110 vertical. It has nothing to do with the display being split into halves.

2.
UDK and Unity will probably just be a matter of "checking the box", though I imagine there will be some customizable options that you will explicitly specify.

3.
I haven't tried it, but in theory, if you design your game objects/worlds with proper scale, objects can appear just as they do in real life. A knight will be just as 3D in the game as if a real one was standing in front of you.

4.
It should be identical to creating any content in a 3D engine.

5.
It's likely that not even Oculus currently knows when the consumer version will be released. There's still much to learn about creating content suitable for VR - and that's one of the main goals of the dev-kit.
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by Zoide »

I wish this forum had Thanks buttons for people who post helpful posts, for example like they do on XDA. Any chance of that happening? I find myself reaching for a Thanks button that isn't there every time there is a post like Namielus' or MSat's:P
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by Namielus »

This is not Palmers forum, you are better off asking Neil.
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by Daloots »

When seeing the response at CES I'm curious:
In a few long months all 10.000 of us will have a rift to show to our friends, family, coworkers and every stranger on the bus that we'll explain to how great the Rift is. Given the response a single prototype has evoked, I'm expecting demand - even for the dev kit - to skyrocket in March/April. I'm wondering what the strategy of Oculus will be?

I'm guessing they've got investors knocking on their door to bridge the time until the consumer version arrives while limiting the number of dev kits. Or will they keep out investors to keep independant (and keep 100% of the company) while selling dev kits to fund development of the consumer version?
I'm not really expecting an answer, and I'm sure it's a tough decision.
At least I think they did the right thing so far starting with a dev kit. The future will depend on the software support. And I'm sure one of the brilliant minds on this forum will develop an unexpected and creative killer app that will make the consumer version huge.

PS. I just realized February is only 28 days, suddenly the wait seems a bit shorter, I'm filled with joy :D
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by MSat »

If they keep on managing to sell dev kits, then their profit margins should increase. The kickstarter campaign allowed them to pay for the tooling and production line setup without having to go to typical investors. So now with the tooling already paid for, any additional units that they sell should turn a reasonably good profit. If they can get their hands on a higher resolution 7" panel, they could possibly make an interim consumer version at no additional cost to production aside from the likely increased price of the LCD panel itself. Since they're using steel molds that should last for a million shots or more, they might have a legitimate incentive to keep the form factor going for a little while and build up some revenue to pay for the R&D of the final consumer version. If Oculus ever goes public, I'm buying stock 8-)
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by FingerFlinger »

MSat wrote:If Oculus ever goes public, I'm buying stock 8-)
For sure.
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by Metathias »

FingerFlinger wrote:
MSat wrote:If Oculus ever goes public, I'm buying stock 8-)
For sure.


That would depend on when they went public. If its long after they ship the consumer edition and saturate the market with Rifts. Then probably not. This is a great product, but a one product company can be risky. It does'nt become easier after the rift reach's market acceptance it becomes harder. Competition will not stand idly by while Oculus takes all their market share. That said. Palmer and the Oculus team have my best wish's. And i'd love nothing more than to see Sony and Microsoft groveling at their feet. However unlikely that might be.
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by MSat »

Metathias wrote:
FingerFlinger wrote:
MSat wrote:If Oculus ever goes public, I'm buying stock 8-)
For sure.


That would depend on when they went public. If its long after they ship the consumer edition and saturate the market with Rifts. Then probably not. This is a great product, but a one product company can be risky. It does'nt become easier after the rift reach's market acceptance it becomes harder. Competition will not stand idly by while Oculus takes all their market share. That said. Palmer and the Oculus team have my best wish's. And i'd love nothing more than to see Sony and Microsoft groveling at their feet. However unlikely that might be.


The thing is, Oculus doesn't have to be strictly a hardware company. They could create technology related to VR and license it not unlike what Dolby Labs does for audio, Sony does for BlueRay, etc. It's about innovating in the VR sphere, which isn't just simply HMDs. There's a lot of work to be done in VR, and potentially a lot of money to be made.
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by 2EyeGuy »

I'm not Palmer, but I know some answers:
LikeMike wrote:1. As I understand it and see it in the videos, the screen is basically divided in two halfs showing basically the same thing - doesn`t that mean, that we have an about half as wide field of view than we would have on a monitor? And basically a larger vertical field of view than a horizontal? To me that seems kinda odd...
1. Only if your monitor is really really really huge or you are sitting really really really close. Your head needs to be exactly a quarter the width of the screen away from your monitor for the monitor to be (almost) twice as wide as a Rift. Yes, it's a larger vertical field of view than horizontal. Yes it's a bit odd, but that's not a bad thing. The Rift is really huge horizontally, and really really huge vertically. And I for one, am perfectly happy with that.

If you are talking about the game camera's field of view, rather than your real eye's field of view, then the Rift still has a slightly wider horizontal field of view than most (if not all) games normally use.
3. For people that have already tried it - how immersive is it? Do you really get the feeling that for example this knight is physically standing right in front of you - or is it like great 3D really close to the screen?
I haven't tried it, but I've watched videos of people who have. Very immersive. Yes. Some people verbally apologised to him for bumping into him, others jumped when they saw him. It's better than great 3D really close to the screen, because normally in 3D the screen edges look like they're overlapping things that should be popping out in front of them, which destroys some of the 3D effect, but the Rift has a much bigger FOV so that doesn't happen, it feels like there's no screen. Also the scales are all wrong in normal 3D, but on the Rift everything is exactly life size and the right dimensions.
6. ... I know you`ve built stuff in your garage and are an enthusiast, but I imagine it is very hard to meet the right people, persuade them and get the funding, material and also knowledge to get a thing like this running - and seemingly make all the big studios look stupid...
He met the right people right here in this forum.
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Re: MTBS3D community questions for Palmer?

Post by AntiCatalyst »

Is Oculus looking to hire in about 4½ years? Because by then I'll hopefully have finished my EE master(s). :D

No really, I just came here to say i really hope VR takes off this time, and I can't wait to be able to work in the field!
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