KSP in VR

[I_Killed_Jeb]

With the launch (sort of...) of both the Oculus and the Vive, I think it'd be incredible to play KSP in VR, whether it be in normal external view (oooo 3D rocket plumes blasting in my face) or in IVA view (holy grail imo). I'm sure it's not on the roadmap or anything, just think it'd be amazing

 

Edit to add: Not to start that whole DLC controversy again but I'd legit pay again for such an experience.

Edited April 13, 2016 by I_Killed_Jeb

[Jhawk1099]

With the memory VR games plus the memory that KSP takes? You would need one hell of a computer.

[nli2work]

it wouldn't be very good without a huge art work overhaul, especially for IVAs. 

Edited April 13, 2016 by nli2work

[JohnF]

31 minutes ago, Jhawk1099 said:

With the memory VR games plus the memory that KSP takes? You would need one hell of a computer.

That's no problem, just download some more memory!

[Rocket Farmer]

While that is interesting I think Microsoft Hololens would be better.

 

Imagine launching rockets off your living room table.  Doing landings onto your floor.  Doing docking maneuvers while you walk around each space craft to check angles.

The possibilities are endless.

[I_Killed_Jeb]

2 hours ago, Jhawk1099 said:

With the memory VR games plus the memory that KSP takes? You would need one hell of a computer.

Not sure why the VR would take significantly more resources considering everything on your monitor is being rendered just the same. The only necessity would be 90fps but you can probably get away with 45.

1 hour ago, Rocket Farmer said:

While that is interesting I think Microsoft Hololens would be better.

 

Imagine launching rockets off your living room table.  Doing landings onto your floor.  Doing docking maneuvers while you walk around each space craft to check angles.

The possibilities are endless.

I'd be ok with that too!

[scribbleheli]

The vive and Rift already take one hell of a computer.

I wouldn't think playing KSP vs other titles would be more demanding. 

But yes. KSP in VR is a must!

[cubinator]

7 minutes ago, I_Killed_Jeb said:

The only necessity would be 90fps but you can probably get away with 45.

Ehhh...you can't really get away with less than 60 fps and still be able to play for extended periods of time. I think with the widespread release of VR tech, there will be a mod for it soon enough.

[zarakon]

It would be cool for flying planes, especially with mods for combat and extra buildings/cities to look at

[purpleivan]

I was trying out the Vive today and one of the things that occurred to me was how good it would be to play KSP in that.

The extensive GUI and keyboard controls of the game would be a bit of an issue, but certainly it could be a really fun experience.

[Pecan]

I think it'd be incredible if the majority of people rush to spend £600 on their favourite version of VR while it's still so new.  Don't buy betamax!

[I_Killed_Jeb]

5 minutes ago, Pecan said:

I think it'd be incredible if the majority of people rush to spend £600 on their favourite version of VR while it's still so new.  Don't buy betamax!

In fairness it seems more akin to buying AMD or Nvidia for your next graphics card

[Pecan]

6 minutes ago, I_Killed_Jeb said:

In fairness it seems more akin to buying AMD or Nvidia for your next graphics card

My first reaction was, "yeah they're both good", but then betamax was better than VHS in a most ways.  More recently, ebooks only went one or two ways.  Point remains - there's going to be a standards war, you might have a lot of fun before you find out you backed the wrong one, but whatever you do it'll cost a lot of money to join in.  [Personally, I'll wait until there's a clear choice under £100.  Look at Google cardboard or any of the 'phone-based visors]

To be more clear - your program should work on AMD or nVidia; your VR program won't work on competing VR systems

Edited April 13, 2016 by Pecan

[Maddmatts]

There's one thing I know of that could make this idea crash completely. To combat the Kraken, Squad had/has used perspective tricks by shrinking/expanding the planets to simulate moving to and away from them. It works on a 2d screen but would be immediately noticeable in VR.

It's possible they've changed this since they implemented it but I don't recall it being mentioned. Hopefully someone else can chime in.

 

[nli2work]

 

[pincushionman]

5 minutes ago, Maddmatts said:

There's one thing I know of that could make this idea crash completely. To combat the Kraken, Squad had/has used perspective tricks by shrinking/expanding the planets to simulate moving to and away from them. It works on a 2d screen but would be immediately noticeable in VR.

It's possible they've changed this since they implemented it but I don't recall it being mentioned. Hopefully someone else can chime in.

 

Not any kind of issue with the length scales we're dealing with from orbit. Your ship is at "normal experience" distance most of the time, but you're so far from the planet while flying any parallax from your eyes' separation is essentially meaningless.

[Pecan]

5 minutes ago, nli2work said:

 

BIG difference:

VR = I look right, I see right.

TrackIR (or similar) = I look right, I can't see the sodding screen any more!

[nli2work]

14 minutes ago, Pecan said:

BIG difference:

VR = I look right, I see right.

TrackIR (or similar) = I look right, I can't see the sodding screen any more!

like I said before, it would take a huge art overhaul for KSP to look decent in VR. 

[I_Killed_Jeb]

1 hour ago, Pecan said:

My first reaction was, "yeah they're both good", but then betamax was better than VHS in a most ways.  More recently, ebooks only went one or two ways.  Point remains - there's going to be a standards war, you might have a lot of fun before you find out you backed the wrong one, but whatever you do it'll cost a lot of money to join in.  [Personally, I'll wait until there's a clear choice under £100.  Look at Google cardboard or any of the 'phone-based visors]

To be more clear - your program should work on AMD or nVidia; your VR program won't work on competing VR systems

That's not broadly true though, you can plug Oculus in and have it work with Steam VR

[Pecan]

15 hours ago, I_Killed_Jeb said:

That's not broadly true though, you can plug Oculus in and have it work with Steam VR

Oh, in that case I will have to watch the market.  If they're co-operating on standards, that's a whole new game.

[FyunchClick]

22 hours ago, nli2work said:

like I said before, it would take a huge art overhaul for KSP to look decent in VR. 

Have you seen screenshots for job simulator? It's one of the more popular titles as I understand it but it doesn't seem to go out of its way to do hyper detailed or realistic graphics, and looks rather stylized like Kerbal does.

[nli2work]

yes. But KSP isn't cartoony enough (besides the kerbals themselves) for that art style to work; and too low res, mesh and texture wise, to work for a little more realistic style. the newer art assets Porkjet made might work well; but there are still many legacy assets that wouldn't look good in VR.

Edited April 14, 2016 by nli2work

[wumpus]

Have you tried landing in IVA mode yet?  Or even looked at the controls of a Mercury capsule (hint, the IVA for the mark 1 has bigger windows)?  I don't think KSP-VR is going to fly any time soon.

On the other hand, I really can't think of a good KSP 2.0 follow-up.  KSP-VR might be the best KSP 2.0 that Squad could make.

[I_Killed_Jeb]

3 hours ago, wumpus said:

Have you tried landing in IVA mode yet?  Or even looked at the controls of a Mercury capsule (hint, the IVA for the mark 1 has bigger windows)?  I don't think KSP-VR is going to fly any time soon.

On the other hand, I really can't think of a good KSP 2.0 follow-up.  KSP-VR might be the best KSP 2.0 that Squad could make.

No man, I haven't ever, in my multiple years and 500+ hours of playtime, ever even looked at the IVA controls. I've further never ever tried to build ships using high visibility crew modules to make the experience easier. I've certainly never heard of mods that enhance IVAs either.

[wumpus]

44 minutes ago, I_Killed_Jeb said:

No man, I haven't ever, in my multiple years and 500+ hours of playtime, ever even looked at the IVA controls. I've further never ever tried to build ships using high visibility crew modules to make the experience easier. I've certainly never heard of mods that enhance IVAs either.

Then why would you bold the bit about the real capsule?  It wasn't a "high visibility crew module" at all.  There was a claim (although I think it was just the book/movie "The Right Stuff") that NASA didn't plan on a window at all and made one as a sop to the "super 7" that were the PR heroes.  It certainly wasn't anything you could use for piloting (although later Gemini and Apollo *were* used for orbital eyeballing.  But don't count on seeing very much).

Also make sure those mods are 90fps friendly.  What works fine on a static monitor is completely different in VR.