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Simple experiments with gamepad controls and VR

mrgreen72
Superstar
I thought I'd share some of the small experiments I'm making with gamepad controls. This is a WIP and nothing ground breaking or very exciting but it's I thought it would be as good a starting point as any for a discussion/collaboration on VR and gamepad controls.

*NEW UPDATE 2014-04-27*

This is based on SDK 0.2.5.

Ugly paste of the description from the readme file:

Simple experiments with VR and gamepad controls by Hugo Tremblay aka Mr.Green.

This has been made using the 360 controller on Windows.


*Press the Back button of the 360 controller to see the control options*

1 - Control Modes

You can cycle through the different control modes by using the left and right
D-Pad buttons of the 360 controller or the + and - keys of the keypad.


1.1 - OculusSDK

This is the default mode of the Oculus SDK. You walk in the direction you're
looking at.

Left analog stick: Walk forward/backward. Strafe left/right.
Right analog stick: Turn left/right.
Left analog click: 180° turn.
Left trigger: Run.

1.2 - FreeHead

This mode lets you look and walk in different directions.

Left analog stick: Walk forward/backward. Strafe left/right.
Right analog stick: Turn left/right.
Left analog click: 180° turn.
Left trigger: Run.

1.3 - FreeHeadLS

This mode is like the FreeHead mode with strafing and turning swapped to give full
control to the left stick.

Left analog stick: Walk forward/backward. Turn left/right.
Right analog stick: Strafe left/right.
Left analog click: 180° turn.
Left trigger: Run.

1.4 - HeadStick

This mode lets you turn with your head when you're moving (walking or strafing).

When you turn your head past a configurable angle (default 20°) to either the
left or right, you beging turning at a configurable senstivity, much like an analog
stick.

You can freely look around normally when not moving.

Also, it assumes that if you're looking up 15° or more, you're probably looking
at something and will NOT turn.

This mode is requires good VR legs.

Left analog stick: Walk forward/backward. Strafe left/right.
Right analog stick: Free.
Left analog click: 180° turn.
Left trigger: Run.

1.5 - FixedAngle

This mode is probably very similar to what CloudHead's VR Comfort Mode. You
walk in the direction you're looking at but you can make broader turns using
the left stick, which turns in fixed increments (default 20°). The angle is
configurable.

Left analog stick: Walk forward/backward. Strafe left/right.
Right analog stick: Turn left/right in fixed increments.
Left analog click: 180° turn.
Left trigger: Run.

1.6 - FixedAngleLS

This mode is identical to the FixedAngle mode except that it gives you full control
with the left stick and puts strafing on the right stick.

The strafing could be put as a button modifier or removed altogether, which would
leave the right stick free for a potentialy more useful role like a free gun aiming
mode for instance.

Left analog stick: Walk forward/backward. Turn left/right in fixed increments.
Right analog stick: Strafe left/right.
Left analog click: 180° turn.
Left trigger: Run.

1.7 - FixedAngleHead

This mode is a mix of FixedAngle and HeadStick.

When you turn your head past a configurable angle (default 20°) to either the
left or right, you will turn in that direction by that angle.

Left analog stick: Walk forward/backward. Strafe left/right.
Right analog stick: Free.
Left analog click: 180° turn.
Left trigger: Run.

1.8 - TurnButton

This mode lets the user set his orientation (walking direction) to where he's
looking at with the press of a button. Initiates a rotation by the delta
between the camera orientation and the "body" orientation. Both the camera and
the body rotate by the same angle, which lets the user recenter his head and have
the new orientation facing forward.

Kinda hard to explain, try it for yourself!

Left analog stick: Walk forward/backward. Strafe left/right.
Right analog stick: Turn left/right.
Left analog click: The Turn Button.
Left trigger: Run.


1.9 - TECHNOLUST

This mode has been demanded by Anticleric over at the Oculus forums for his game
TECHNOLUST.

It's meant as a very simple mode for newcomers. It lets you walk forward simply
by pressing the left bumper or X and goes in the direction you look at. Holding the
right trigger lets you look around freely when walking, and turns you to the
direction you're looking at when you release it.

It also has the FixedAngle functions on the analog sticks.

Left analog stick: Walk forward/backward. Strafe left/right.
Right analog stick: Turn left/right in 45° increments.
Left analog click: 180° turn.
Left trigger: Run.
Left bumper/X: Walk backward.
Right bumper/Y: Walk forward.
Right trigger press: Independent walking/looking directions.
Right trigger release: Sets the walking direction to the looking direction.


2 - Options

2.1 - "Blink" turning

Experimental function to alleviate discomfort while turning with a gamepad.

On [default]: The image goes dark while turning. Simulates the user blinking his eyes.
There's a "deadzone" which lets the user make very slight adjustments
without blinking.
Off [stock OVR SDK]: No change in the camera behavior while turning.

You can toggle this feature by pressing the right analog stick button on the 360
controller or by pressing CapsLock on the keyboard.

2.2 - Turn angle

Specifies by how many degrees fixed angle modes will turn.

For head controlled modes, this is also the angle you need to turn your head
to start turning.

Default is 20°. A minimum of 30° is recommended for the FixedAngleHead mode.

Home: Increases turn angle
End: Decreases turn angle.

2.3 - Smooth Turns

This applies to the automatic turning initiated by multiple functions: (Fixed angle
turns, 180° turns, Turn Button).

You can activate smooth turns if instant changes in the point of view when
turning are disorienting to you. Could cause motion sickness though.

On: The camera rotation is fast but perceptible.
Off [default]: Instant point of view change.

B button or ScrollLock: Toggle Smooth Turns.

2.4 - Turn speed

When using Smooth turns, sets the speed of the rotation in degrees/s

PageUp: Increases turn speed
PageDown: Decreases turn speed.

2.5 - Sensitivity

Analog stick and Head turning sensitivity (HeadStick mode).

PageUp: Increases turn speed
PageDown: Decreases turn speed.



Modified Tuscany demo - Windows - 64 bit

Unity package of the modified OVRPlayerController prefab - SDK 0.2.5
68 REPLIES 68

Anticleric
Expert Protege
Awesome stuff, yet again.
Just gave you a shout-out on the Technolust Kickstarter.
Keep us the awesome! 🙂

mrgreen72
Superstar
"Anticleric" wrote:
Awesome stuff, yet again.
Just gave you a shout-out on the Technolust Kickstarter.
Keep us the awesome! 🙂

I saw that!Pretty cool! Thanks! 🙂

My 15 minutes of glory! :lol:

cubytes
Protege
Firstly because i want to be able to walk in one direction and look at any other direction at the same time.

Secondly because I think the turning speed should be gradual corresponding to how much you turn your head, which can be ensured if activated via a button (when you press the turn button you don't start turning until you actually move your head, even if it's altready not looking straight forward).

As it is now i find a bit confusing when you are stopped and looking for instance 90 degrees to your right, then press forward and it starts turning really fast. I think the main point of using head turning is that it always matches with your head turns.


ahh i gotcha. the whole idea of configurable "swivel points" was so you could move in one direction and slightly gaze in another. with swivel points your avatar's body wouldn't turn 1:1. it would only turn when you turn your RL head to hit the configurable angle thus initiating rotation of camera/avatar body. plus you could set it to be very sensitive or very loose depending on personal preference. sensitive would be 15degrees, loose would be 30degrees (or more) but i do like the idea of it being an activated mode tho. i see what you mean and why you are thinking it would be better off to implement headmouse/headstick as an activated mode instead of it being "always on"

So with HeadStick mode when you turn your head for instance 30 degrees to the right what actually happens (approximately) is the following:
1- acceleration
2- fixed velocity turn (no acceleration)
3- deceleration
4- stopped (turned 30 degrees)

But from these 4 RL stages only the 1st one matches very briefly with what happens in VR:
1- fast acceleration
2- acceleration
3- slower acceleration
4- fixed velocity turn (no acceleration)

In contrast with HeadMouse mode you would press a button and then your avatar would turn only while your head is turning, so if you turn your head 30 degrees your VR head will turn 30 degrees and your VR body will turn 30 degrees as well (60 degrees total). The actual amount of acceleration would not match 1 to 1 (would be 1 to 2) but at least the acceleration forces would actually match between RL and VR. My theory is that the human brain is quite sensitive to acceleration type mismatches but not so much to actual acceleration values.


The only problem with this is that with a mouse we almost unconsciouslly lift it from the table and move it back to the "center". The equivalent action with HeadMouse would be to release the button when you have finished turning and then recenter your view (note that here accelerations match 1 to 1 again).

I'm really not sure how practical it would be for most people (if you want to turn 90 degrees it forces you to look 180 degrees in you virtual environment and then compensate) but i think it's worth experimenting with. Obviously you can also adjust the ratios, so for instance 30 degrees RL head turn corresponds to 30 degrees VR head turn + 60 degrees avatar turn (90 in total). I did actually implement this and it kind of works, still not sure if i like it very much.. i think i would need to see my own avatar in VR to make up my mind about it.I'm really not sure how practical it would be for most people (if you want to turn 90 degrees it forces you to look 180 degrees in you virtual environment and then compensate) but i think it's worth experimenting with. Obviously you can also adjust the ratios, so for instance 30 degrees RL head turn corresponds to 30 degrees VR head turn + 60 degrees avatar turn (90 in total). I did actually implement this and it kind of works, still not sure if i like it very much.. i think i would need to see my own avatar in VR to make up my mind about it.


good insight here (RLhead30, VRhead30 then VR Torso60 = 90 in total)

my question is...

if headmouse/headstick was an activated mode, do you think it would be good enough or feel better then that of fast turns? if dialed in properly (with an avatar body acting as a frame of reference) do you think it could replace fast turns as the ideal way to turn around in VR?

PatimPatam
Protege
"cubytes" wrote:
if headmouse/headstick was an activated mode, do you think it would be good enough or feel better then that of fast turns? if dialed in properly (with an avatar body acting as a frame of reference) do you think it could replace fast turns as the ideal way to turn around in VR?

I'm not sure yet to be honest, the problem is that i'm not very prone to getting VR sick.. hopefully all this will become much more clear once we can test it on the DK2. Personally i think i will prefer HeadStick or MotionTurn (combined with PositionalMove) as i believe it will be very intuitive, precise and flexible.

But in general fast turns and/or blinking might be a more safe approach to avoid simulation sickness for beginners; still probably the best bet will be to include both control methods and let people decide for themselves..

cubytes
Protege
"PatimPatam" wrote:
hopefully all this will become much more clear once we can test it on the DK2.


true that!

mrgreen72
Superstar
Edit: Nothing to see here! 😉

PatimPatam
Protege
I guess he thought it was kind of funny that it was wrongly attributed and that then the real author was on reddit and corrected it.

I know, i wouldn’t laugh out loud about that, but sometimes people use lol more like saying “oh cool” or something. I wouldn’t take it personally.

mrgreen72
Superstar
"PatimPatam" wrote:
I guess he thought it was kind of funny that it was wrongly attributed and that then the real author was on reddit and corrected it.

I know, i wouldn’t laugh out loud about that, but sometimes people use lol more like saying “oh cool” or something. I wouldn’t take it personally.

I didn't see it this way at all but maybe you're right...

I kinda doubt it though. 😐

Jose
Heroic Explorer
[irrelevant post]

[My head was stuck in the clouds]

mrgreen72
Superstar
CloudHead cleared that out:

MrGreen!!! I was totally confused by the reddit thread flow and what you were referring to. Paul at the office clued me in and I was like OOoooooh! He helped work on the Tuscany implementation!

Sorry, I thought it was a weird joke about starting the reddit thread!


That's more like it :lol: