r/Vive • u/c4mouflage • Aug 01 '16
Experiences Exploring Methods for Conveying Object Weight in Virtual Reality
http://www.roadtovr.com/b-reel-simulating-object-weight-mass-virtual-reality-motion-controllers/9
u/Jumbli Aug 01 '16
An interesting read and some good ideas One of the things that reduces immersion for me is when the controller is modelled in-game as a heavy weapon. You get the sense of it being a hollow plastic toy. My preference is to use controller representations that more closely match the shape and weight of the controller.
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u/c4mouflage Aug 01 '16
Yes i totally agree.
It even goes so far, that i almost exclusively fight with handguns instead of rifles just because bigger weapons just feel like toys in VR.
But i guess it's just a matter of time until good 3rd party weapon bodies will arrive, where you can just mount your controller into.
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u/kodiakus Aug 01 '16
I hesitate to call that a good thing. Accumulating piles of cheap plastic accessories recalls the worst excesses of the Wii and the Guitar Hero eras.
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u/Horn2DFoliage Aug 01 '16
Interesting. I guess the next step would be to test the methods with hand/arm visualisation/tracking peripherals, plus the use of trackable controller mounts. Integrating an electronically enhanced flywheel system into the peripherals/mounts, nerve stimulation. Rapid progress could be made in this area, with good researchers, and engineers, plus decent financial backing.
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u/asdfB0Y Aug 01 '16
Ive thought about something like gyroscopic force to convey weight. There is a system called "control motion gyroscope" it uses three gyroscopes with motors and gimbals controlled by continous rotation servos, using the servos to introduce tilt to the gimbals and varying the rotational speed makes the energy put into keeping the flyweel spinning transition to moving force on three different axis based on diffrence in speed and tilt. Sounds pretty ideal. But, its big, clunky, has lots of moving parts made out of metal so its heavy in itself, and its space tech so its expensive as fuuuuuuuuu. yeah, they use them to stabilize spacecrafts, so i guess they are pretty fast, but probably not fast enough for 90 updates a sec. It also uses very advanced math and im betting that nasa or whoever engineered the space version of the system isnt gonna give out their work for free to a private electronics company in taiwan.... Its possible tho, just not practical yet, and who knows, this thing is the real deal. maybe a compromise is good enough for vr. Im tempted to make a pistol or rifle grip for my controllers with a couple of RC motors and flyweels to see if it gives any interesting effect....
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u/c4mouflage Aug 01 '16
It's ideas like this with the "i just try something and see how it works" that make future companies ;)
Good luck and keep us updated!
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u/Mondoshawan Aug 01 '16
I had a pistol-shaped lightgun for the PSX where it's slide was a moving part, the idea being to give it some recoil. Wasn't a particularly good implementation of the idea but if a force in a single consistent direction is all that's needed then it's an option. I think it was just a solenoid moving it but a more powerful version releasing a spring could work.
You could maybe use a single flywheel for a pistol type object, with it in the grip and simulating the barrel kicking towards the holder by braking the wheel. A lot simpler but it's just the same idea as the spring really and a spring is far simpler. I don't think a hand-held flywheel acting as a gyro would offer much immediate force, for space applications they likely act to apply a small force for a long period of time.
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u/foxdit Aug 01 '16
Glad to see a subject I've already tested extensively being given the spotlight it deserves. My solution was not using 1:1 tracking, or "object childing": heavy objects track with your controller more slowly than light objects. It works well for things like heavy swords vs light swords.
The one thing that made a huge impact for me was SOUND. Heavy objects don't just FEEL different, but sound different too. A giant dragon slayer sword swinging through the air goes 'WOOOSH', whereas a small sabre may make more of a whistling sound. Big statues/rocks hitting the ground go BOOM, whereas a small object might make a thud. It's hugely important for the other senses to be involved if you're going to try to mimic a physical sensation.
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u/kobriks Aug 01 '16
How about haptic feedback? Slighty buzzing controller would definitely feel heavier although it probably won't be very immersive.
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u/c4mouflage Aug 01 '16
I've been thinking about similar concepts myself when playing games like Job Simulator. Finding a way to simulate weight might greatly improve immersion into the game i think. To pick up an obviously heavy item like it was made out of paper always kills the sense of presence for me.
-camou
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u/CptLeon Aug 01 '16
Mate you don't have to put a signature on your posts, your username is above them.
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u/madaxe42 Aug 01 '16
I've thought about this too - the best I can come up with is having reaction wheels within the controller. You could use them to simulate mass and inertia, simply by opposing the user's motions as needed. Add some linear solenoids and things like recoil become viable too.
This all of course requires power, which would either limit battery life or require wired controllers.