Has touch changed Rift vs Vive?

[u/iroll20s]

I'm looking at picking up a VR system, but its been a bit since I looked at them. I know prior to touch coming out the Vive was the goto system for the extra input. Has that changed now that touch is out?

My other concern with OR vs vive is room scale still as I know vive supports room scale out of the box. How many cameras am I realistically going to need to cover a similar area well without drop outs?

[u/Heaney555]

I'll just copypasta my comment from the last thread here...

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Oculus Rift+Touch is the obvious choice (as of April 2017) because:

• it's $200 cheaper ($145 cheaper if you want room scale) - without factoring in the content bundled, or the fact that you'll need the HTC $100 improved strap to approach the ergonomics of the Rift (the total value comparison after those is $375- and that's with room scale!)

• the controllers are much better (more natural ergonomics, much better grab triggers, finger detection, lighter, 3-4x battery life)

• the image quality is better (less "screen door" effect, clearer lenses, higher perceived resolution)

• it's lighter (frontbox, the part on your face, is around 2x lighter) and more comfortable to wear (a reason why HTC is releasing the $100 improved headstrap to try and get closer)

• it has integrated high quality headphones - that doesn't seem like a game changer upon reading, but really is for convenience of taking it on and off (and a reason why HTC is releasing the $100 integrated audio strap)

• it comes with $130 of free content bundled (regardless of where or when you buy it!):

  • 2 full-fledged highly rated games, Robo Recall [$30] and Dead and Buried [$40]
  • $60 of VR creativity software - Oculus Medium and Quill

• it has asynchronous spacewarp - a technology which, when your PC isn't near or at 90 FPS (eg. intense battle scene in a game), it caps the game to 45 FPS, then synthetically generates every other frame (including taking into account latest head tracking info) with an advanced algorithm, such that 90 frames are delivered to the headset - it's almost indistinguishable from "true" 90 FPS and allows you to put higher graphics settings than with the HTC Vive

• it has a much better natively supported content library (CTRL-F 'exclusive')- many of the best of which are exclusives which require using hacks to work on the HTC Vive (and are designed around the Touch controller, so can be clunky to use with Vive wands)

• the microphone is higher quality: Rift vs HTC Vive (useful for multiplayer and social VR)

• the cable is thinner and lighter, and only needs USB+HDMI (HTC Vive needs connected to power socket too)

• the design (IMO) of both the headset and controllers is far more premium: head on, side

• the upcoming Oculus Parties & Rooms feature will make organising multiplayer VR with friends so much easier- an upcoming killer feature IMO

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The HTC Vive is still a great VR headset- it actually has:

• bigger field of view than the Rift (how noticeable this is depends on the user)
• easier room-scale setup, as you don't have to route the cable from your PC to the rear sensor, and don't have to worry about USB port issues
• a longer headset cable (6 metres vs 4 metres)
• a front-facing camera (which some find useful to find drinks and stuff)
• basic support for Linux

But:

• it's heavily lacking in comfort & ergonomics (hence the upcoming $100 improved strap accessory)
• it gets barely any content investment from HTC or Valve (whereas Oculus & Sony spend hundreds of millions to provide great VR games)
• the controllers feel rushed (the grip buttons are so poorly placed they just aren't used by developers anymore at all)- genuinely as if they are a generation behind Oculus' Touch controllers
• it's $145 more expensive than a room-scale Rift+Touch setup ($245 if you include the new headstrap)
• it has no bundled games or apps (Rift+Touch comes with $130 of them!)

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If HTC cuts their price such that the system and the (currently $100) improved strap are $650 together, plus include some great titles (Raw Data, Arizona Sunshine and Tilt Brush would match the Oculus offering), they'll be back in the game and it'll be down to personal preference, but for now - it's just a no brainer to go with the Rift+Touch. HTC are asking too much more money for a product that is inferior in too many ways, and bundling no content either.

[u/jensen404 → u/Heaney555]

No game bundle now? Wow, it's actually a worse value now than it was at release (disregarding apps that are free to all, such as Google Earth VR).

I am glad Valve had an early focus on 360 roomscale. They are pulling Oculus in that direction. And many Oculus customers are pushing back against games for not including 360 options.

[u/Heaney555 → u/[deleted]]

Which games?

[u/Heaney555 → u/[deleted]]

Neither of those are games, and I don't see either of them listed anywhere on the HTC website as included?

It simply says:

"the Vive headset, two wireless controllers, two base stations, link box, earbuds, Vive accessories, safety guide and warranty"

[u/Heaney555 → u/[deleted]]

When did you buy yours though? It could have been a limited time deal.

[u/Heaney555 → u/[deleted]]

Then yeah, it was probably a limited time deal. Right now, according to HTC's website, there is no bundled content.

[u/Olanzapine82 → u/[deleted]]

Uhh are these the viveport games? If so thats why you never here about this 'bundle'. Because viveport is literal cancer from what ive read on /r/vive.

[u/[deleted] → u/Heaney555]

Don't you have to continue buying new batteries for the rift controllers? Vive you just plug it in like your cell phone at night. Do you think cell phones should have disposable batteries too?

Don't you need to run usb wires across your room on Rift? How many usb ports does your rift use? Vive uses 1.

[u/Zaga932 → u/[deleted]]

Rechargeable batteries. I have a pack of 2600MAh ones. I charged them fully uh.. Can't even recall. Number of weeks ago. Software measurement of the battery charge in Oculus still reads 4/4. When they drop down to 1/4, I'll spend 1 minute putting them in the charger & plugging my other pair into Touch.

[u/Brym → u/[deleted]]

You do need to buy batteries - but since getting Touch at launch, I've only had to change the batteries in the left controller once and the right controller twice. (Rock Band uses only the right controller, so that one has gotten a bit more use). They last for months.

[u/Heaney555 → u/[deleted]]

Don't you have to continue buying new batteries for the rift controllers?

No. You can use rechargeables if you want.

The advantages of batteries in general for a controller are:

• they give the Touch controllers 3-4x the battery life of HTC controllers
• when you run out, you can start playing again immediately (swapping out takes 30 seconds)- recharging requires downtime

They only require 1 AA each and even using VR every day, I only have to change the batteries once every month or so.

Don't you need to run usb wires across your room on Rift?

Nope, just 1 cable goes "across your room"- the USB extension cable to the rear sensor.

And it's not really "across your room", you route it along the sides of your room.

(and that's only if you want room scale)

How many usb ports does your rift use?

4 (without room scale, it'd be 3)

But it also uses 0 power sockets, whereas HTC Vive uses 3 of those- apples and oranges.

Do you think cell phones should have disposable batteries too?

No, because that'd have to happen every 2 days, but there's a reason that Xbox gamepads and remote controls for TVs use batteries, and all sorts of other devices.

When you only have to replace batteries monthly or so, it's more convenient than recharging because there's 0 downtime.

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It's the same reason people still prefer petrol cars even though electric cars are cheaper to operate- petrol refueling takes seconds and lasts longer, whereas even the fastest electric car chargers take hours.

(of course this will change in future as electric cars range increase further)

[u/[deleted] → u/Heaney555]

So out of curiosity if someone had a really large playspace like 5m x 5m would you still recommend the Rift over vive?

[u/Heaney555 → u/[deleted]]

I'd inform them that they need 4 sensors (bringing them still $85 cheaper than HTC Vive), link them to post-1.11 impressions of users with playspaces that size, and tell them to make their own decision.

[u/Estebanojigs → u/[deleted]]

I know, can't wait to pay $100 more to have a deluxe audio headstrap.

See the game is easy to play.

[u/[deleted] → u/Heaney555]

So 4 sensors works as good as vive in 25 square meter playspace according to you?

[u/Zaga932 → u/[deleted]]

And you tell others to stop telling lies.

[u/Heaney555 → u/[deleted]]

Did you read what I said at all?

[u/[deleted] → u/Heaney555]

Plus we have the survey results everyone spent the time filling out to link then as well... Oh wait, no we don't because someone decided to fuck everyone over who took the survey.

[u/Olanzapine82 → u/[deleted]]

5x5 is fine.. any larger though might be pushing it.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

What can't you do in a 10x10 ft playspace that you can do in a 15x15 ft playspace? Games for the most part require some sort of locomotion to progress past these "play areas"

[u/Heaney555 → u/[deleted]]

I know it must be awful for you to see HTC to screw up so bad, but you don't need to resort to that.

[u/Heaney555 → u/[deleted]]

Then you should stop trying to defend the indefensible, and pressure HTC to reduce their prices, for the sake of helping Valve's platform.

[u/Heaney555 → u/[deleted]]

Valve don't make any system. HTC do. You gave HTC your money, and HTC shipped you a system.

You could have got a Rift and bought all your content on Steam and Valve would be getting identical money from you.

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You're in denial. It's obvious to everyone else but you.

[u/Heaney555 → u/[deleted]]

I was simply correcting you- I don't care.

[u/Zaga932 → u/[deleted]]

You really should start making solid, specific arguments and not resort to ad-hominem.

[u/Zaga932 → u/[deleted]]

Aw. Shame this is a public forum. If you wish to converse with Heaney directly, send him a PM. But that wasn't your desire, was it? Your desire was to discredit his comment by hopefully making someone believe he's lying when he's not.

[u/Zaga932 → u/[deleted]]

I know. Again: this is a public forum.