by tex

VR Drones Racing Beta subscription

Subscribe here to be part of the (Android) VR Drones Racing beta test, you’ll be notified by email as soon as the beta is available (in the comings weeks).

In a first time, these subscriptions will be limited to 100 seats.

Please select any of the gear you own

by tex

Introducing the VR Drones Racing project

You may have noticed my interest in VR headsets and race tracks’ modeling, well i think it’s time to introduce you the project i’ve been working on for several months now : VR Drones Racing

VR Drones Racing

You guessed it, this project is about a drone racing game for virtual reality.
It’s intended to run on Android and iOS, maybe on oculus later, but this is not my first target. I really think that VR will be a mobile thing.

My current prototype allows me to play against 5 oponnents on a complete track and is running quite smoothly on an old Galaxy Nexus.
I still have to rework the oponnents’ AI, and produce most of the 2D and 3D graphical assets.

I will publish posts as much as possible during the development.

by tex

My experience with VR Headsets

Since Oculus Rift Kickstarter campaign was launched, Virtual Reality became a growing trending topic. In the mid 2014 i decided to finally make a jump in it, but as i’m more interested in mobile development, i bought a Durovis Dive, an accessory that basically convert your smartphone in an Oculus like VR headset.

Durovis Dive

The Durovis Dive is more like a Google Cardboard in plastic with some straps to maintain it on your head (the Google Cardboard was not existing yet).

You launch your favorite VR app on your phone , put the phone in the Dive , put the whole thing on your head, and your are ready to go. No cables, it just work as well as the app is good at tracking your head movements.

It’s made with more or less cheap plastic, but it’s OK because it was just less than 70 euros. (latest version is now available for 50 euros)

The other minor cons of the Dive are :

  • the size of the lenses
  • the lens holder itself
  • the phone mount system

Despite this i was happy with the Dive and started to work on my own VR experiments and a brand new project (but it’s another story).

To make the Dive a little more immersive,  i purchased new lenses from magnifiers found on amazon : http://www.amazon.com/Ultra-SV-2LP-LED-Pocket-Lighted-Magnifier/dp/B000BQSWK8/

Magnifier

and downloaded a new lens holder to print it via shapeways : http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:277225

durovis eyepiece holder

It was better but some weeks later i found the crowdfunding campaign for the Homido headset. The final product seemed to be more qualitative for the same price, and it’s a detail, was built in my country. So i participated to the campaign and received mine some weeks later.

homido headset

The Homido headset is way more better than the Dive, good plastics, big lenses, comfortable and the lens holder is robust and fully adjustable.

Now that the Samsung Gear VR is available for some little more euros, i ‘m still using the Homido, because it’s a really good headset for my needs.

To fully complete my VR equipment i use a wireless PS3 compatible gamepad via the Sixaxis controller app

The app was not found in the store. 🙁 #wpappbox

Links: → Visit Store → Search Google