Have to ask: Oculus Rift?

[Falkenherz]

Guys, I am a big Oculus Rift fan and I feel pairing this fantastic VR device with the freedom of steering through space and landing on planets must be one of the best VR experiences ever. Kerbal Space Programme might be very well suited: Improved IVA, an ego-perspective for EVA, and we should have another killer-app for VR. What do you think?

Edited June 20, 2015 by Falkenherz

[wossname]

It would add a new level of terror for Mun landings. I hear it can cause motion sickness for some people so I'll be avoiding the Rift myself.

However I think CastAR or maybe the new Hololens would be a good alternative for those that tend to feel nauseous when playing 3D immersive games.

[impwarhamer]

They support TrackIR now, so I wouldn't be suprised if they added in oculus support when it's released.

I've played with the trackIR in ksp back when it was just a mod, and I gotta tell you just that alone adds a whole new imersive element to IVA flights. Oculus would be amazing!

However, this IS ksp, so it's bound to get modded in even if it's not officially supported.

[Falkenherz]

I tried the Oculus while playing Elite: Dangerous and had no problems; apparently, motion sickness happens more easily when being in first-person view. Or, doing a lot of loops...

On E3, there was also a report about Minecraft being ported to Microsoft´s Hololense. You know, the more I think about it, the more I am convinced that this game would absolutely rock with an Oculus Rift!

[comham]

It's possible now, with a mod, and Unity comes with an oculus plugin so official support shouldn't be difficult.

However, as the game stands, the flow of gameplay, most IVA's, and the UI are not designed for VR so I don't think it would be very comfortable beyond a curiosity. Definitely something to consider when planning the inevitable sequel.

[PB666]

It would add a new level of terror for Mun landings. I hear it can cause motion sickness for some people so I'll be avoiding the Rift myself.

However I think CastAR or maybe the new Hololens would be a good alternative for those that tend to feel nauseous when playing 3D immersive games.

First person POV is in a capsule, with modern day technology you would probably be looking at a flat screen CC image. Where it would differ is for landings with a command-chair (rover chair). BTW if you have VR and doing rover-chair you are going to see every defect in the texture. I will be very unforgiving of game graphics.

[karolus10]

I guess that IVA's designed for kerbals eye level is essential for good cockpit experience with VR. It could be solved by right positioning of front windows in relation to seats or get rid of the (like in size 2 capsule) front facing windows and use periscope(like in Soyuz or just move IVA end of the window lower so it mimics using mirrors window) or camera-screen glass cockpit.

[PKing Zombie Spy]

On E3, there was also a report about Minecraft being ported to Microsoft´s Hololense. You know, the more I think about it, the more I am convinced that this game would absolutely rock with an Oculus Rift!

Exciting ideas. Oculus Rift excels at situating you in some sort of virtual reality, so you could imagine it being excellent while actually flying the craft, landing, etc. (And yes, absolutely excellent in E:D!) I can imagine trying to dock, looking around my craft to see just how well I line up, etc. The HoloLens is about placing virtual elements so they appear to be part of the existing real world, so you could imagine it being excellent in applications that benefit from the use of your hands, say, the VAB/SPH. I like the idea of building KSP rockets on my office floor, like I'm a kid again with my big box of Legos. Both sound exciting.

[wossname]

First person POV is in a capsule, with modern day technology you would probably be looking at a flat screen CC image. Where it would differ is for landings with a command-chair (rover chair). BTW if you have VR and doing rover-chair you are going to see every defect in the texture. I will be very unforgiving of game graphics.

Quite.

[Wolf Baginski]

There was, late in the v0.90 cycle, a Mod with perspex-bubble capsules. That might be good...

[Checks]

"Panopticon Hi-Viz Command Pod", back in April, I expect it needs the tweak for the node definitions, as well as any rebalancing, and you would have to launch the capsule in a fairing.

There's an encapsulated version of the EAS which could be good on a rover. That might be better for immersive VR. I've never been much into IVA, and the tech is expensive. On the other hand, could something be done with a capsule of that sort, with a well-designed IVA, and the Google Cardboard interface which lets a suitable mobile phone provide the display? I tried it last Christmas, and I don't have a phone which meets the full standard (depends on the magnetic field sensors), but my eyes aren't really good enough for stereo.

The Google Cardboard rig is a decent way of trying out the way things look, otherwise VR is currently more akin to an expensive toy, in a way that our computers are not.

[*Aqua*]

Unity Engine already supports Oculus Rift. Squad just* needs to enable it.

*Yeah, there's a bit more to it. The UI needs to be changed for VR use.

[Falkenherz]

Unity Engine already supports Oculus Rift. Squad just* needs to enable it.

*Yeah, there's a bit more to it. The UI needs to be changed for VR use.

So, this is a good point to mention Oculus Rift, then. Squad is right now re-doing the UI. They really should keep VR-Goggles in mind when doing so!

[karolus10]

So, this is a good point to mention Oculus Rift, then. Squad is right now re-doing the UI. They really should keep VR-Goggles in mind when doing so!

In a way making UI console-friendly and VR have overlapping goals, improvement of IVA and making UI more accessible with game-pad... second aspect could be even beneficial for PC version as it could possibly lead to more/easier hotkeys and manipulating with parts in VAB or using map view(maneuver nodes an perhaps maneuver/mission planner UI) with use of keyboard.

[Sma]

There was, late in the v0.90 cycle, a Mod with perspex-bubble capsules. That might be good...

[Checks]

"Panopticon Hi-Viz Command Pod", back in April, I expect it needs the tweak for the node definitions, as well as any rebalancing, and you would have to launch the capsule in a fairing.

There's an encapsulated version of the EAS which could be good on a rover. That might be better for immersive VR. I've never been much into IVA, and the tech is expensive. On the other hand, could something be done with a capsule of that sort, with a well-designed IVA, and the Google Cardboard interface which lets a suitable mobile phone provide the display? I tried it last Christmas, and I don't have a phone which meets the full standard (depends on the magnetic field sensors), but my eyes aren't really good enough for stereo.

The Google Cardboard rig is a decent way of trying out the way things look, otherwise VR is currently more akin to an expensive toy, in a way that our computers are not.

I was just looking for info about this as well. I printed and cutout the parts to make cardboard to make sure my note 4 fits well enough, which it seems to, now I just need to order the lenses and magnets and modify it just a bit to fit the tabs so it all goes together smoothly.

I imagine controlling the camera wouldn't be too complicated with the right driver/interface. I think the toughest thing would be getting the video from the PC onto the screen of the phone. Of course I guess getting the KSP output to be in the format needed for Google Cardboard might also be an issue. Hmmm...

[_stilgar_]

I don't know about Occulus, but when I'm using nvidia 3D vision, shadows are not rendered correctly. Other than that, it does look pretty nice in 3D.