This year, 2016, will be revolutionary in terms of new technologies applied to the video game industry. And, as could not be otherwise, driving simulation will also benefit from this. We’re talking specifically about the imminent arrival of full-fledged Virtual Reality (VR) for the general public. These are HMD (Head-mounted Display) headsets that transform the computer image—in this case, the simulator—into 3D and a 1:1 scale thanks to their two lenses and the interleaved images projected for each eye.
Until now, only the most enthusiastic in the field had tried development versions (prototypes) like the Oculus DK1/DK2, HTC VIVE DK (Development Kit), and similar ones for smartphones, but it’s only a matter of weeks before the first commercial, fully finished units start shipping to everyone who has placed (or will place) pre-orders on the official websites of these products. In January of this year, Oculus got ahead of the competition and launched the official pre-order for its HMD headsets at a price of $599 in the USA, which, after conversion and adding the appropriate taxes, came to €741 with shipping to Spain. And last Monday, February 29, it was HTC’s turn, officially launching pre-orders for its HTC VIVE at an initial price of $799, which translated to just under €1,000 for residents in our country.
The two headsets are very similar, but the main difference is that the Oculus only comes with a motion sensor and an Xbox controller at its official launch, while the VIVE includes two wireless controllers and two sensors. For us simracers, either one is a great choice, as we’re talking about cutting-edge, revolutionary technology that will change the concept of driving in our simulators. But to avoid delving too much into the technical aspects of each version, we’ll explain in detail what kind of sensations these gadgets can transmit and how our brains might shift gears when racing online. For this, we’ll focus on the previous Oculus version, the DK2 (prototype), which I’ve had for several months and tested on nearly all driving simulators. I warn you that it’s very hard to put into words the sensations the Oculus DK2 provides with a simulator, but I’ll do my best.
What Do I See When I Put Them On?
It’s very simple: you see everything the way your eyes interpret images in real life. In other words, you put them on in Assetto Corsa, iRacing, or Live For Speed, for example, and you see yourself in first person as a virtual driver with a body, arms, hands… inside a car with depth of vision, objects in 3D shapes, the steering wheel in front of you at a distance you can intuitively gauge, the rearview mirror farther to the right, you look back and see the empty part of the car with its roll bars, you stick your head (your head) out the window and see the front tire… in short, you see everything with REAL depth and scale.
And you might say, “I still can’t picture it,” or “I don’t believe it, because when I watch a video of someone testing them on a monitor, I see two 2D images with a very narrow field of view (FOV),” or “I’ve already seen 3D movies in the theater and it’s nothing special”… And I get it, but I have to tell you that you’re still miles away from understanding what HMD headsets are.
Types of 3D
The 3D you see with these Virtual Reality (VR) headsets isn’t the typical 3D from movies—forget that, this is far more natural. There’s anaglyph 3D (the classic kind with red and blue edges you view with old-school glasses) and also the passive 3D from theaters with polarized glasses showing a different image to each eye.
And then there’s active 3D with glasses that display the appropriate image to each eye to create a stereoscopic effect, but it’s still less effective than what these HMDs offer. Plus, you’re still focusing on a screen and seeing a frame in front of you—whether it’s a TV or a theater screen—that separates the 2D from the 3D, keeping immersion very low. With both eyes looking at the same image (but with a slight offset of a few centimeters) updated every few milliseconds, your brain constructs a visualization that’s what you’ve been used to perceiving since birth: stereoscopic 3D images with object depth.
For example, when you look at one or three computer screens while in a car simulator, everything is in 2D (since the screen displays flat images, like photographs) that the software tries to manipulate to give you a sense of depth. How? By blurring what’s far away, using shadows, making nearby objects larger, creating lateral perspective, etc. But with Oculus (or Vive), that doesn’t happen—there’s no need to manipulate the image. It’s you, or rather your brain, that takes those two images and merges them inside you to perceive the same depth you’d notice in real life, no more, no less.
For example, cover one eye and look at some objects on your desk—don’t you notice the lack of depth? That’s what happens with one or three screens (or projectors). Now uncover your eye and look at the objects with both eyes—don’t you see the depth and 3D shape of things? That’s the kind of image you perceive with these devices.
The Famous FOV (Field of View)
To keep this brief, I’ll tell you that after properly testing the Oculus, it’s not as critical as many think. It’s improvable, of course, since it currently gives you a horizontal FOV of about 110 degrees, but if you think three screens with a 160-degree FOV offer more immersion, you’re very mistaken.
Does it feel like you’re wearing diving goggles? Sure. Do you have to look to the sides to see the cars? Fine. But I’d still take this over having three 40-inch TVs in front of me. Why? Because the FOV the Oculus gives you, though technically smaller than that of three TVs, is REAL FOV. The other is manipulated FOV with a 2D image. It’s like looking at a photograph. With these VR headsets, though, with that incredible depth, the shapes of objects, and the 1:1 scale of everything around you, you literally forget about that detail.
Natural Driving
This detail is very important, and it’s something I’ve noticed while diving deep into driving with the Oculus DK2. Unlike one or three screens (or projectors), where the virtual driver’s image is always facing forward and you have to look to the sides, it often becomes harder than it should be to control the car in turns or loss-of-grip situations. And don’t even get me started on drifting into a corner. With the Oculus, though, since you’re “literally” inside the car and have visual mobility in all directions (even forward or backward), you can drive much more precisely and naturally. I’m certain any real driver would feel more comfortable with the Oculus than with three screens.
Distance Handling
Very important, possibly the most revolutionary aspect of this new technology. By noticing the depth of the objects around you, you can do things you couldn’t before. For example, what amazed me without even thinking about it was that on any track, I’d brush past barriers and tires in corners as if I knew exactly that I’d nail it.
With one or three screens, distance handling is unclear, and when trying to get close to the apex of a corner with a barrier, you might crash or end up too far from it. Now, with these VR headsets, that’s solved, letting you push everything much further than before. And it’s intuitive—no relearning required, unlike with one or three screens.
Total Immersion
The most important aspect—why? Simple: you put them on, and you’re no longer in your living room; you’re in a virtual world that makes you feel completely different. You’re there—I can’t explain it any other way. And your brain loves it because you dive so much deeper into the experience.
In contrast, with one or three screens (or projectors), you see the frames and perceive what’s behind them, below, or to the sides… in other words, your mind still knows you’re sitting in a chair in your room, not in a virtual car.
It Can Be the Worst or Best VR Experience
Without a doubt, trying them can be the best or worst thing you’ve ever done. Why? Because there are many factors to consider.
First, properly adjusting the HMD headset. You need to find that sweet spot where it’s neither blurry nor uncomfortable to look through.
Second, the demo or game. Some demos you try for the first time at a trade show or a friend’s house are very intense (like roller coasters or free falls), and they leave you standing, which can make you dizzy and think, “This isn’t for me.” The best approach is to start with something basic (a light demo with smooth movements), seated, and with headphones for a proper experience.
Third, sound. Very important. The sound needs to be as immersive as possible and isolate you from your surroundings, so if there are speakers with background noise, the experience will suffer. That’s why surround-sound headphones are recommended.
Fourth, a decent PC. If you dare try these devices on a laptop with a standard graphics card and without optimizing the demo or game, the experience can be awful (lag, ghosting, stuttering, blurry images…).
And fifth, good optimization. VERY IMPORTANT. A well- or poorly-configured car simulator can lead to different opinions. The key is to optimize graphics settings properly (high quality if possible, with antialiasing enabled, though it depends on the game), center your view and seat position, etc.
In short, driving simulation has reason to celebrate with the launch of the Oculus and HTC VIVE. Welcome to the new era of Virtual Reality.