woah on 20/9/2020 at 00:45
Quote Posted by EvaUnit02
Your headset would still work with non-Oculus ecosystem software (eg Steam VR, OpenVR, etc). You'd just wouldn't be able to play games tied to Oculus' storefront and their DRM.
AFAIK, you will need the iOS/Android app in order to setup the Quest headset before it can even be used on a PC. That app requires that you login with a Facebook account (or it will in October). The Quest is then associated with that account and smartphone.
Current Oculus accounts have a couple more years but thereafter they will be forced to use a Facebook account as well. And anyone upgrading to a Quest 2 will be required to associate it with a Facebook account regardless of whether or not they already have an Oculus account.
I suppose he could create a FB account with his real name and just never use it. Unfortunately just using the headset is effectively using the Facebook account. One of the major motivations for FB getting into VR and AR is to use all of the sensors to collect data on you and all of that data would be associated with his FB profile. E.g. those sensors need to create a map of your room. He'll also have that Facebook app associated with his smartphone.
DarkForge on 26/9/2020 at 14:43
Quote Posted by EvaUnit02
Your headset would still work with non-Oculus ecosystem software (eg Steam VR, OpenVR, etc). You'd just wouldn't be able to play games tied to Oculus' storefront and their DRM.
Quote Posted by woah
AFAIK, you will need the iOS/Android app in order to setup the Quest headset before it can even be used on a PC. That app requires that you login with a Facebook account (or it will in October). The Quest is then associated with that account and smartphone.
Current Oculus accounts have a couple more years but thereafter they will be forced to use a Facebook account as well. And anyone upgrading to a Quest 2 will be required to associate it with a Facebook account regardless of whether or not they already have an Oculus account.
I suppose he could create a FB account with his real name and just never use it. Unfortunately just using the headset is effectively using the Facebook account. One of the major motivations for FB getting into VR and AR is to use all of the sensors to collect data on you and all of that data would be associated with his FB profile. E.g. those sensors need to create a map of your room. He'll also have that Facebook app associated with his smartphone.
As soon as I read Eva's post there, the immediate thought in my head was "Wait, so if I were to buy all my VR games from Steam (for example), the whole Facebook account thing would be a non-issue?"
Because that would be fine if that were the case, but then I read woah's post and that brought my hopes back down again, if it is indeed the case that you need an Oculus account just to use the headset in general. It also doesn't help that I don't have a smartphone or anything that uses "apps" either (yeah I know, don't ask!) so that would sort of rule out the Quest by default.
You only mention the Quest though. What about the Rift (which I know they're discontinuing): any account/phone requirements for that one?
woah on 26/9/2020 at 15:31
Quote Posted by DarkForge
As soon as I read Eva's post there, the immediate thought in my head was "Wait, so if I were to buy all my VR games from Steam (for example), the whole Facebook account thing would be a non-issue?"
Because that would be fine if that were the case, but then I read woah's post and that brought my hopes back down again, if it is indeed the case that you need an Oculus account just to use the headset in general. It also doesn't help that I don't have a smartphone or anything that uses "apps" either (yeah I know, don't ask!) so that would sort of rule out the Quest by default.
You only mention the Quest though. What about the Rift (which I know they're discontinuing): any account/phone requirements for that one?
You need to create an "Oculus" account in order to use the Rift or Rift S to install the Oculus software. That will remain as an Oculus" account until ~2023, after which you will be forced to switch to/associate it with a Facebook account. It used to be that you could just install the Oculus drivers and then just use SteamVR (this is what I used to do--and also firewalled the Oculus runtime process because it was constantly phoning home with about 5kB/s to FB), but they removed that functionality--the Oculus software has to be running now.
The only other options right now are:
used Vive or old WMR gen 1 HMDs
the Index ($1000)
the upcoming Reverb G2 which will ship in early November ($600, a Valve/WMR/HP collaboration)
There's also the Vive Cosmos and Pimax but I cannot recommend either. However, patents and recent rumors suggest another Samsung HMD is in the works that will apparently be a hybrid standalone/PCVR headset.
Unfortunately these things are just expensive right now and Facebook's ability to bring this down to $300 is a result of (1) some rather significant compromises with the IPD adjustment, audio, the headstrap/comfort, and the quality of the connection to the PC (and once you "fix" the audio and headstrap with the official add-ons, it comes out to about $450) and (2) major hardware subsidization.
DarkForge on 27/9/2020 at 11:15
Quote Posted by woah
You need to create an "Oculus" account in order to use the Rift or Rift S to install the Oculus software. That will remain as an Oculus" account until ~2023, after which you will be forced to switch to/associate it with a Facebook account. It used to be that you could just install the Oculus drivers and then just use SteamVR (this is what I used to do--and also firewalled the Oculus runtime process because it was constantly phoning home with about 5kB/s to FB), but they removed that functionality--the Oculus software has to be running now.
Hmm, so an Oculus account is required regardless of where you buy the games from. I figured that was going to be the case, and fair enough I guess. What about the phone app side of it though: does the Rift need that as well, or is it just the Quest? To be honest, that was a factor I never considered - I can probably make the Facebook thing work if I
really had to but a phone requirement would throw a whole new load of spanners in the works!
Quote:
The only other options right now are:
used Vive or old WMR gen 1 HMDs
the Index ($1000)
the upcoming Reverb G2 which will ship in early November ($600, a Valve/WMR/HP collaboration)
Of the VR games I had my eye on, whilst the majority are certainly multi-platform, there are a couple that appear to be Oculus exclusives, hence why I always had this one in mind. I don't think any other headset has a game I want that isn't also available on Oculus (apart from some PSVR titles, but that's a different ballgame altogether.)
woah on 27/9/2020 at 14:16
Quote Posted by DarkForge
Hmm, so an Oculus account is required regardless of where you buy the games from. I figured that was going to be the case, and fair enough I guess. What about the phone app side of it though: does the Rift need that as well, or is it just the Quest? To be honest, that was a factor I never considered - I can probably make the Facebook thing work if I
really had to but a phone requirement would throw a whole new load of spanners in the works!
Of the VR games I had my eye on, whilst the majority are certainly multi-platform, there are a couple that appear to be Oculus exclusives, hence why I always had this one in mind. I don't think any other headset has a game I want that isn't also available on Oculus (apart from some PSVR titles, but that's a different ballgame altogether.)
The phone isn't required for Rift S or Rift, but if that's the route you're going down you'd want to buy one in the next month or so because they're about to completely discontinue the Rift line and PCVR headsets.
You can play facebook's exclusives with Revive (
https://github.com/LibreVR/Revive) . There's a small performance impact in some cases but it's really nothing major. Unless you're referring to Quest exclusives, I certainly wouldn't base a headset selection decision on that. In addition, Facebook is starting to bring their exclusives to Steam as they move away from PCVR. E.g. Medal Of Honor: Above & Beyond is coming to Steam at launch and will support SteamVR. They followed up this announcement by expressing their interest in bringing over other exclusives to Steam
Thirith on 27/9/2020 at 14:44
Quote Posted by woah
The phone isn't required for Rift S or Rift, but if that's the route you're going down you'd want to buy one in the next month or so because they're about to completely discontinue the Rift line
and PCVR headsets.
I'd rephrase that: they're discontinuing the
PCVR-only headsets. From what I've heard about using the Quest with a Link cable, it's already not far from using a Rift S. The Quest 2 might clearly top the experience you get with a Rift S once it uses the full resolution and 90Hz refresh rate, though obviously there's still questions about tracking (5 sensors vs 4 sensors) and compression.
Depending on what people say about using the Quest 2 as a PC headset in a couple of months, after a bunch of patches, I may well see if I can sell my first-gen Quest and my Rift S and get a device that works well both as a PC headset and as a standalone, wireless headset.
Weasel on 17/10/2020 at 15:29
I pinched my nose / sold my soul and bought the Quest 2, partly because I want to try to develop for it and partly because wireless VR is pretty great.
The black levels are a little disappointing, but I like other aspects of it quite a bit. The resolution and performance improvements are immediately obvious. I got the pro battery strap, which makes it the most comfortable headset I've worn (whereas the Quest 1 was the least comfortable). It's like my head is getting a hug.
Arizona Sunshine already has a lot of things added back in that had to be stripped out for the original Quest: breakable glass, blood puddles, higher-poly zombies whose bodies stick around (for a bit), specular highlights.
The game I'm working on was frustratingly dipping just below 72fps a little too much on the Quest 1, but runs perfectly on Quest 2 (I'll still have to see how it does at 90 fps).
I'm happy.
Did anyone else begrudgingly cave to Facebook?
Renault on 3/11/2020 at 18:10
I've been playing a game called The Persistence, and it's got a really great System Shock vibe, but it's more roguelike in nature. You build your character but die a lot and maintain your stats for the next run, etc. It's pretty creepy, good atmosphere and audio, but I wonder if the gameplay will get old. There's a bit too much mundane collecting if stuff at the center of it. Overall digging it so far though, but we'll see
Iron Man and Apex Construct were decent, but both suffered from "I'm sick of killing the same AI over and over again" syndrome. I like the archery mechanic in AC, wouldn't mind suggestions on other games that use a bow in VR.
Also, Trover Saves The Universe - pretty much the most hilarious video game I've ever played. Your mileage may vary on the humor but I loved it (made by the Rick & Morty guys). In addition, a really good platformer on par with
Astro Bot.
And I've got Walking Dead-Saints & Sinners on the way from Gamefly, really looking forward to checking that out from what I've heard about it.
Guess I'm digging VR. And....I just bought a Quest 2.
Renault on 4/11/2020 at 16:06
Safe to say Unknightly looks right up my alley, I'll definitely be checking it out. I also bought a stealth game called Espire on PSVR during a sale awhile back, have yet to try it out. The reviews I saw were fairly mediocre though.
That said - any reccos on other good stealth VR games for PC VR? I heard about one where you're primarily in a kayak, which sounds completely ridiculous.