Virtual Reality

[Lebowski]

Awww call it Peno-type its a lot funnier name


An actual screenshot form the game

[Asura]

Started playing Hubris tonight and I'm disappointed. It does look good, but it has some really poor level scripting.

Like... There's a bit at the start where you approach another character, and floating nearby are some batteries.

You're meant to speak to her, then she tells you to grab the batteries.

But if you grab them first, she still tells you to get them... Then moments later just says "great!".

It feels really janky. Tons of other examples.

[Asura]

Rather disappointingly I've requested a refund on Hubris; in two sessions it "crashed-to-desktop" twice. Not willing to put up with that. I've emailed the developer and said I'd potentially re-buy it if they fix it.

Fortunately the store has quite a generous refund policy. Probably gonna grab Dungeons of Eternity as that seems to be the new hotness.

[Neon Ignition]

https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/25/23932715/valve-steamvr-2-0

The full version of Steam VR 2.0 has launched

[Lebowski]

Seeing a lot of stuff popping up on youtube these last few days about the poor battery life of the Quest 3, its worse than meta says with a sub two hours playtime not the 2:20 meta quoted, previous battery solutions like the new bobo elite strap cant keep up as the current bobo battery solution have a lower output than the draw the internal needs so its not maintaining the battery life like it did on the 2 but just stopping it draining the internal battery as fast with a 20 minute boost to playtime before the headset and the external battery die.





An Ifixit teardown shows this has an absolute beast of a battery inside, 19.44 Wh compared to 14 wh in the quest 2 its not that they have cheeped out on the battery, its just that the new chips set it uses and the increase to brightness needed form the screens, due to the pancake lenses is really hurting its battery life.

[Asura]

Seeing a lot of stuff popping up on youtube these last few days about the poor battery life of the Quest 3, its worse than meta says with a sub two hours playtime not the 2:20 meta quoted, previous battery solutions like the new bobo elite strap cant keep up as the current bobo battery solution have a lower output than the draw the internal needs so its not maintaining the battery life like it did on the 2 but just stopping it draining the internal battery as fast with a 20 minute boost to playtime before the headset and the external battery die.

Yeah; they need headstraps to have an 18w battery output, whereas the manufacturers assumed it would be the same as the Q2's draw.

You can extend the life pretty far by reducing the brightness in-headset a bit, and the power consumption for games is pretty variable (kinda like the Steam Deck). But people will need to come along with better battery solutions if they're going to extend gameplay indefinitely.

I haven't encountered this problem yet as I haven't upgraded from the default headstrap, so I kinda use the headet 1hr on, 1hr, off - but I used to use my Quest 2 for longer once I modded it, so I'll be planning to do this too with the Q3 once I have the hardware.

[Neon Ignition]

Just needs an affordable charging stand. I'm getting 1:30-2:00hrs on average given most software isn't that taxing for the headset but typically 1hr is the common max that I find it comfortable to play in VR regardless so it being charged in the meantime does away with the issue. Wearing out the USB port is a bigger concern which is where an affordable stand would come in.

[Lebowski]

interesting points, but limiting your playtime or reducing the brightness of the screen aren't great solutions, their compromises to work around the limited battery life that only going to get worse over time as you charge and discharge this unit. Having a battery that you can swap in and out in seconds would be the best solution here, building it into the strap like they have with the elite strap would be perfect and help distribute the weight better too. you could have one battery on charge one in the headset problem solved.

It's weird that we just accept non user replaceable Battery's on modern tech as a thing now, I blame Apple and Samsung as it didn't used to be that way, the Nintendo Gameboy SP and Micro had rechargeable battery's that where easily accessible and not buried behind a complete tear down that voids your warranty the Sony's Vita and PSP where the same too.

Doing repairs on modern devices really makes you realise how the manufacturing process is geared towards disposability and how cheaply made modern tech is, devices glued together with the end game being replace not repair.

[Neon Ignition]

Yep, the charge station wouldn't be a fix for all, I just rarely get past an hour because even at its best I find VR a bit of a mental/eye strain for longer sessions

The XBox Controllers rechargable battery approach would be the idea method for all devices - if MS included it as standard.

[Asura]

It's weird that we just accept non user replaceable Battery's on modern tech as a thing now

Yeah, it's gotten really bad; but I think this is also a symptom of a societal problem - too many people replace instead of repair.

Even now; my phone is dying. I just want to replace the battery and USB connection and I'd happily use it for longer, but I can't, because the parts are obsolete.

[Lebowski]

I just rarely get past an hour because even at its best I find VR a bit of a mental/eye strain for longer sessions

The XBox Controllers rechargable battery approach would be the idea method for all devices - if MS included it as standard.

Id agree though an hour is about right for a regular solo vr sessions though sometimes i go longer if im playing a story based game, We had quite a long VR session the other afternoon with my nieces and nephews that wouldn't of been possible on the quest, they all took it in turns having 15-20 turns and swapping about over the course of the afternoon between gaming Lego, Nintendo switch and playing outside, the vr was on from lunch continually till about tea time before the controllers gave up and had to be charged.

[MartyG]

Just needs an affordable charging stand. I'm getting 1:30-2:00hrs on average given most software isn't that taxing for the headset but typically 1hr is the common max that I find it comfortable to play in VR regardless so it being charged in the meantime does away with the issue. Wearing out the USB port is a bigger concern which is where an affordable stand would come in.

I have a 90-degree USB-C short extension lead, velcroed on the strap, so any connections are to that to avoid messing with the headset socket directly. With PCVR, I just have either a charge running into that directly then, or can use an external battery. Plugged in, the headset remains at 100%.

[Neon Ignition]

[Asura]

Gonna say the obvious but looks a bit Mirror's Edge.

[Neon Ignition]