3D glasses/goggles/VR headsets

[joedev 0]

Greetings, All:

 

I'd like to know if anyone has had success or dissapointment with various types of 3D, stereo-image viewing in P3D (or FSX, only because they share the same code base atm).

 

I turned on Nvidia anaglyph 3D on a lark, and the resulting increase in immersion within P3D was really something, in my opinion. Of course, the magenta/cyan combo isn't really good for long-term use, there's a lot of color info lost, and there are quirks with the Nvidia implementation approach, since it is independent of the program itself, namely ILS lights not being where they should, having to zoom way in to click VC buttons, etc.

 

This got me interested in the real-deal, but there isn't much current information to be found, especially as it pertains to compatibility within P3D/FSX. Does anyone have experience in this area? Any good products on the market right now? Any specific ones to avoid?

 

The most intriguing set-up I saw was from Vuzix, their 1200VR headset was alleged to not only provide high-res stereoscopic images, but built-in headtracking as well, rendering the track-IR obsolete. Color me skeptical.

 

Any and all input is most appreciated.

Thanks!

 

Joseph D'Agostino

[hesynergy 67]

the resulting increase in immersion within P3D was really something, in my opinion...

 

Joseph D'Agostino

 

I was so jazzed by The Clickstart outfit, Occulus, and their VR HEADSET, The Rift, so much so I ordered a pair ,....so did Lockheed Martin... probably more than several ... They are due for delivery in March!

 

Dunno what LM plans to do with them....but just think about the possibilities!

 

Google them.

 

Chas

[joedev 0]

The Rift is getting a lot of good press lately, and I dearly hope it lives up to, and surpasses all that's been promised of it. However, it's not even being releeased for couple of months yet, and the website clearly implies pre-orders are for developers only, and what's delivered won't be a consumer product.

 

That last part dampens my hopes a fair bit that it won't be usefull to someone like me who wants to use it asap, as it may not even function depending on its' software implementation requirements for existing programs. I can tinker with the best of them, but if it's just a hardware devkit, I'm outta luck there.

 

Or am I missing something? I've tried to read up on all of this rather quickly, but I'm wading into a 5 year industry history with 30 minutes of research.

 

Joseph

 

EDIT: Okay, just finished reading several recent articles on the RIFT, and I can honestly say that is exactly what I'm looking for. Unless Forbes, et al. have been hoodwinked, it looks like this thing is really, actually happening, and that is awesome! The whole reason I started a thread on Avsim about this was because the existing products on the market all seem (depending on who you listen to) to be half-hearted, half-baked attempts that fall down in any of several important areas.

 

Now we just have to play the agonizing waiting game to see how this sucker gets worked into existing products and hope and pray that backwards-compatibility is a priority (for FSX), and/or that LM will implement it in existing P3D versions. Exciting Stuff!

 

Joseph

[Mir // Flightbeam 575]

Oculus is the first company that for the first time ever, is actually preparing a worthy VR product for consumer use. The reason why it's happening just now, is because previous companies have tried and failed, making very little sales and discouraging other companies in following their path. The problem is.. they never did it right. Most of them had very little field of view.. and low resolution. It really killed the sense of "virtual reality".

 

So it's great news to see a fresh new company like Oculus.. who knows what they are doing with a passion in the market, and not just trying to make a big buck.

[Tabs 2,790]

Very excited about the Oculus Rift as well - will probably get one after it matures a bit.

[Arismac 10]

This may have put the release date of Prepar3D Ver 2.0 back for some months, but who cares??? If LM intend to produce and OR compatible product I for one will patiently wait for as long as it takes. My P3D is already a great product, stable, texture rich and first class for the using as it is intended. Jump into a QW BAe-146 and cruise the Orbx world. Heaven ....

[joedev 0]

Alright, after reading endless posts over at 'Meant To Be Seen', I just pulled the trigger on a RIFT dev version, so we'll see how this goes!

 

I'm not expecting much of anything, but seeing their commitment to doing VR tech, and doing it RIGHT, I felt compelled to support them, and do my very small part to help this thing see the light of day. Whatever I end up receiving in a few months, I'll be back to let everyone know, and will update this thread with the trials and tribulations of early adoption and 3rd party drivers, etc.

 

Joseph

[mgh 89]

This may have put the release date of Prepar3D Ver 2.0 back for some months,

 

Have you any evidence that Lockheed Martin is even considering using Oculus Rift?

[Gregg_Seipp 573]

In regards to the Rift, the one question I have is how do you find your controls? Is there a way to look down and see your buttons/switches/knobs/throttle?

[gizmosellsbunnys 106]

Probadly would not buy right now, but it be good to try out thou.

[Arismac 10]

Have you any evidence that Lockheed Martin is even considering using Oculus Rift?

 

Not my rumor. See "hesynergy" post higher in this thread. Having said that I consider it ridiculous to presume that a "rank and file" member of this forum would ever be provided with "evidence" of their business transactions. I there will continue to consider this as just a rumor until LM announce otherwise.

[mgh 89]

I'd expect Lockheed Martin to aquire some for evaluation purposes. But that's a long way from a decision to incorporate it in P3D - it may not meet LM's requirements for a number of reasons.

[joedev 0]

I'm more optimistic for a 3rd party modification, or "homebrew" that will allow it to function in FSX/P3D 1.XX.

 

There is a very competent, very motivated group of VR/3D enthusiasts currently working on legacy device drivers for older games. Now, whether this all comes to fruition is anyone's guess, but given 1) the age of the game's codebase, 2) the relatively SLOW in-game head movements needed to acheive a convincing effect, and 3) the appropriateness of a flight simulator for inclusion into a VR platform, and I'd say the chances are better than they've ever been.

[DocBird 79]

In regards to the Rift, the one question I have is how do you find your controls? Is there a way to look down and see your buttons/switches/knobs/throttle?

 

You are completly right: How do I find the controls and keyboard?

 

And what about this product? http://cinemizer.zeiss.com/cinemizer-oled/en_de/home.html

[pegger74 18]

In regards to the Rift, the one question I have is how do you find your controls? Is there a way to look down and see your buttons/switches/knobs/throttle?

Exactly!!

This looks like a truely amazing product and seems to be they are on track to deliver as promised, but this is not the right way to go about gaining "immersion" in a flight sim. Imersion is sim involves building a cockpit, and populating it with working control inputs (buttons, switches, displays), then wrapping your cockpit with an OUTSIDE display. If you are flying IFR then monitoring these displays in your cockpit is all that matters. If you are VFR, then you look out the window to see where you are going, then you look at your guages, then you look out the window, then you look at your gauges...lather, rinse, repeat. How do you make an adjustment to a switch, guage, dial etc, with a pair of goggles on your face, especially in complex aircraft?

 

Now if you plan to fly your copy of Flight with an Xbox controller, then this might be the right way to get "immersion". Otherwise, it just doesn't offer any advantage for flight sim.