Thursday, December 12, 2019

Dev Update #55 - GameWarp release!

It's finally LIVE. We have released VRidge update 2.5 which is now available to everyone. It contains GameWarp feature and several other improvements that we made over the last months.

Deployment status:
Platform Version Status Link
PC 2.5 Deployed Link
Google Play 2.5 Deployed Link
iOS App Store 2.5 Deployed Link


GameWarp - prepare for a new VR adventure!

Details
You can now use GameWarp feature to play non-VR games in your VRidge PC VR setup. GameWarp will turn the in-game visuals into SBS (side-by-side) view for you to see in your VR headset. Your head movements and VR controller buttons will also let you control the game.


Using GameWarp is easy - simply press the "Play GameWarp" button in the top bar play menu of RiftCat client.


For more detailed tutorial, simply watch our instructional video:


Pricing
VRidge was planned to have a higher price since the beginning of its development but we didn't want to just increase the VRidge price and call it a day. We wanted to provide value in exchange of the cost increase. That's why we have decided to make GameWarp a paid expansion feature to VRidge. 

This way, we can make a "soft" price increase of our services while at the same time - keep the VRidge base function in the same affordable cost range so anyone can start with inexpensive PC virtual reality.

Current pricing details are as follows (prices in EUR / USD depending on your region):
Unlocking VRidge - 14.99 EUR / USD
Unlocking GameWarp (requires unlocked VRidge) - 9.99 EUR / USD
Unlocking VRidge + GameWarp in a bundle: 19.99 EUR / USD

Users that have already purchased VRidge will receive a special 50% discount code for GameWarp purchase via email so they can benefit from the bundle purchase discount, too.

VRidge changes

VRidge itself also received some improvements so your experience should now be better!

Better quality for Daydream devices
Daydream phones will have better picture quality due to more uniform resolution scaling.

Gamma correction slider
Display too dark? Simply increase the gamma of your stream with a convenient slider! Works both with VRidge and GameWarp streaming.

Better detection of laptops dedicated GPU 
If you are using a gaming laptop, there is an integrated graphics card available and a dedicated one. VRidge sometimes launches on the weaker, integrated GPU making the experience much worse. VRidge should now do a much better job at detecting such cases.

Fixed controllers detection for Vivecraft
Controllers of Oculus Quest, HTC Vive Focus and other VR headsets will now work in Vivecraft. Playing Minecraft with VRidge will be possible once again to the full extend.

Tilt Brush will work correctly for everyone.
Let loose of your imagination in Tilt Brush. Paint anything you'd like using Oculus Touch, HTC Vive Focus or other controllers. Tilt Brush now works correctly.

Moonlight streaming will no longer be capped at 30 FPS.
If you are a Moonlight user, expect much smoother experience. Due to some mistakes on our side, Moonlight streaming was capped at 30 FPS. Now it will stream correctly.

Fixed AMD RX 5000 series green lines issue.
AMD RX 5000 series GPUs should now work correctly with VRidge.


Final notes
Thank you guys for your Beta testing. With your feedback, we were able to drastically improve GameWarp experience from its initial Beta release. We hope that this release will allow you to rediscover your favorite games in virtual reality.

Don't hesitate to still provide us feedback via support@riftcat.com! Sharing the information about the new release is also highly appreciated. Have a nice VR time!

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Dev Update #54 - 2.5.2 Beta Update

RiftCat 2.5.2 Beta - Release candidate
We have deployed another minor patch to Beta channel that should address some reported issues.

To test the Beta features, learn how to join Beta channels reading THIS guide.

Added
  • GameWarp settings can now be saved as profiles
  • Option to stream 3D games with in-game SBS option.
Changed
  • Discrete GPU should be selected more reliably for VR streaming. GameWarp should now work if VRidge is launched on integrated GPU on laptops (it will be attempted automatically unless overridden by global settings).
Fixed
  • Green lines instead of stream on AMD RX 5000 series.
  • Memory leak during pointer image change.
  • GameWarp crashing when device goes to lock screen.
  • GameWarp crashing on launch with FreeTrack active (race condition).
  • StreamView not working with GameWarp.
  • GameWarp being too shaky on Focus (requires Focus build 2.5.2)


Feedback highly appreciated.
This update makes VRidge 2.5 version and GameWarp almost ready for release. As always, we are awaiting your feedback at support@riftcat.com. Hopefully we'll be able to bring you the final version before the end of the year!

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Dev Update #53 - 2.5.1 Beta Update

RiftCat 2.5.1 Beta - GameWarp fixes
We have deployed a patch to our Beta channel that aims to improve the GameWarp experience.

To test the Beta features, learn how to join Beta channels reading THIS guide.



User Experience Improvements
We have realized that we did a very poor job of informing our users how to launch GameWarp and how to turn on Input simulation. 

We made several changes to the RiftCat launcher UI to improve that aspect a little bit.

Mouse pointer will now be captured
When using GameWarp, your game will now properly display the mouse cursor so you can precisely aim in your head even in RTS games (because why not!)

FPS limit will now be respected during capture
Games exceeding 110% of desired FPS will skip frames at regular intervals. For best smoothness, try to limit the game itself (for example, through in-game V-Sync or RivaTuner) to match your phone refresh rate.

Bug fixes and tweaks (GameWarp and other)
  • Moonlight Mode and recenter hotkeys will now be working again.
  • Controllers will now deactivate faster in SteamVR on shutdown.
  • Gamewarp will no longer stop working when game switches between fullscreen and windowed mode.
  • Gamewarp GPU load during capture and streaming is greatly reduced compared to 2.5.0.


We are still waiting for feedback.
This update should bring GameWarp closer to full release but we still need your feedback on how we can improve upon it even further. Don't forget to tell us what you think about it or if you'll encounter any issues. As always, we are waiting for your message at support@riftcat.com

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Dev Update #52 - RiftCat 2.5 Beta Available

RiftCat 2.5 Beta - GameWarp introduction
Hi RiftCats!

We are excited to announce a new Beta version of RiftCat which brings several important improvements and fixes. We also have a new huge feature that should encourage you to revisit some of your favourite games.

As always, our Beta changes are deployed to our special Beta channel that is different that you may encounter when using VRidge normally. To test the Beta features, learn how to join Beta channels reading THIS guide.




GameWarp Beta
We have developed a feature that will let you use your VR equipment to play non-VR games. GameWarp will stream any normal game into your mobile VR headset and convert the image to VR format.
It will also allow you to control your mouse movements with your head so you could immerse yourself completely in FPS games. Additional support for VR controllers will let you bind all VR controller buttons to the respective keyboard + mouse commands.

Wanna play The Witcher 3 immersed in VR with your Oculus Quest with a standing experience? Now you can!


To start using GameWarp, simply start it from the PLAY menu, juz below normal SteamVR startup button.


GameWarp feature is also highly customizable. All options can be found under GameWarp integration config. You can find it on the integrations list.




GameWarp is a feature that we have plenty of ideas how to expand on. We hope that we will be able to fix all issues detected during the Beta and gather a lot of feedback.

Known issues in this Beta version:

  • GPU usage is higher than required. This may significantly affect framerates on GPU-bound games.
  • Mouse pointer is not visible in streamed frames.
  • Capture rate may exceed 60 FPS and bitrate won't be interpreted properly if FPS is not 60.
What's new
We have introduced a few new elements to VRidge experience as well:
  • Better picture quality on Daydream phones because of more uniform resolution scaling.
  • Configurable gamma correction - with a slider in the VRidge settings and during live streaming.
  • Extra check to verify openvrpaths.path integrity.
  • Extra call to select high performance GPU on laptops with intergated+discrete GPU combo.
Bug Fixes
This update also brings a lot of very important bug fixes that should make VRidge a much better product. Vivecraft & Tilt Brush should work with controllers correctly now:
  • Incorrect alignment on certain Daydream phones with top notch got fixed.
  • Controllers will now work in Vivecraft.
  • Tilt Brush should work properly.
  • Moonlight streaming at 30 FPS maximum got fixed.
  • Fixes for session initiation problems in certain networks with local DNS.
  • Fixed a crash on PCs with 2 same-model GPUs not in SLI/Crossfire.
Other changes
There several other changes too:
  • Mobile builds should now be 64-bit by default.
  • Updated NVENC card whitelist to include few new variants of GeForce and Quadro cards.
  • Updated .NET Framework target to 4.7.2.
  • Updated Daydream SDK to 1.190.
  • Updated OpenVR SDK to 1.7.15.
  • Updated Steam installation link to use https.


We really await your feedback!
Every new version of VRidge brings new features and bug fixes but there is still a lot of work to do. We need your feedback to know on what should we focus on, what works and what are the anticipated features. 

If you'll join the Beta tests, please send us your feedback and any bug reports at support@riftcat.com. Your cooperation is invaluable to us as VRidge software wouldn't be possible if not for your awesome support. 

We hope that new GameWarp and Beta changes will bring you a lot of fun. See you in VR!

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Dev Update #51 - Oculus Quest release.

We have decided that it's time to go out of Beta for Oculus Quest. All changes that were available at the Beta channel will now be deployed for everyone.

We tried to get VRidge into an official Oculus Quest store but due to their content requirements we will have to keep our current installation process described here. We did our best to make the process as easy as possible so it shouldn't cause too many troubles.


We hope that VRidge for Oculus Quest will provide you with hours of awesome experience :)



Your RiftCat client should automatically update. No mobile update is required to get the new changes.


Changes

Button mapping for Oculus Quest
All button mappings should now be correct. Oculus Quest experience shouldn't differ from normal Oculus Rift S experience when in comes to hand tracking and input.

Controllers 3D model

Whenever you will use Oculus Quest with VRidge, your controllers will now appear as Oculus Rift S controllers in 3d space. Their physical appearance is basically the same as those of Oculus Quest so your experience with VRidge should be more comfortable.
iOS USB Tethering
With updates RiftCat client, you will now be able to connect iOS phone via USB cable. To learn how to connect VRidge for iOS via USB, read our guide.

Languages update

We have deployed Serbian language (thank you for your translation effort!) and updated existing languages with your fixes. Thank you for all of your contribution.

Minor changes:

  • Added Oculus Quest installation instructions to connection screen.
  • Improved headset type detection within games for better input and 3d model recognition.

Enjoy the new update! As always, let us know if you'll have any issues with updated version. You can reach our support team at support@riftcat.com

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Dev Update #50 - Oculus Quest Beta version and iOS update.


Hello RiftCats!

We have an update for you which we hope will make your VRidge experience even better. To make use of these changes, you'll need to use RiftCat Beta client. To learn how to try out the Beta version, simply follow this guide.


VRidge (Beta) for Oculus Quest

As many of you already know, we have released an Oculus Quest version of VRidge as a Preview version. You can see how it works in action by watching this video:


The installation of Oculus Quest version is a bit clunky but we have written a guide to help you install VRidge Beta for Oculus Quest with relative ease:

READ MORE

If you already had VRidge Preview version for Oculus Quest installed, simply rerun the script described in the above article to update.

What's new

Controllers in SteamVR will now be visible as Oculus Touch controllers.

We are using Oculus Touch model to represent your hands in VR when using Oculus Quest. They have very similar shape and using them provides us the following benefits:
  1. Game developers that created PC VR games often had Oculus Touch controllers in mind when creating their games - ensuring that games will work reliably with this controller mapping.
  2. Oculus Touch controllers have 3D model which is fully animated (you can see button presses in VR).
  3. Oculus Touch controllers are physically similar to Oculus Quest controllers which allowed us to adjust them accordingly.
We hope that with this controller mapping you will play the games close to the native PC VR experience :)

Keybindings improvement and fixes

You should now be able to freely operate SteamVR games by using Oculus Quest joysticks. Also, we have fixed an issue with right joystick pressess not registering in SteamVR.

All buttons should now work properly.

VRidge for iOS

We didn't forget about iOS users - we have several improvements for you too.

What's new

USB tethering should now work with iOS

We have received many requests to make iOS version of VRidge work with USB cable. We have found the root cause of why it didn't work in the first place and now if you'd like to use VRidge tethered you can easily do so.

QuickSync encoder fixed for iOS

iOS version had issues with QuickSync encoder. It should work properly now when using it as streaming encoder.

Required iOS version lowered to 11

Some of you asked us to enable VRidge installation on lower version of iOS than 12. We thought that due to the most recent AppStore requirements it won't be possible but we found a way! If you have an older iOS version, give VRidge a try.

Various fixes and improvements for stability

VRidge for iOS received a multitude of minor fixes which should make it much more stable.


Final words

This update should bring iOS and Oculus Quest version to a state of which we are really happy about. We will continue to bring you improvements but as of now it should bring you a lot of fun time in VR.

Also, if you thought about making a video or streaming VR games with VRidge. We made a small article on how our little StreamView tool can help you. Read about it here: https://support.riftcat.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005933460

See you in VR!

Thursday, May 9, 2019

Dev Update #49 - VRidge 2.4 is LIVE - iOS released!

It's been a long time but we finally were able to finish what many of you have waited for. iOS version of VRidge is now LIVE! VRidge 2.4 is released to everyone - your mobile app and RiftCat desktop client will automatically update.

Deployment status:
Platform Version Status Link
PC 2.4 Deployed Link
iOS App Store 2.4 Deployed Link

iOS version released

Finally VRidge can now be used with iPhones so simply update RiftCat client and download VRidge from iOS App Store to have fun with PC VR!


Spread the news to all your friends that couldnt use VRidge before because of their phone model. Let them also have a try at inexpensive PC VR :)

AMD GPUs fixed

Specific AMD GPUs chipsets like Vega had an issue with certain resolutions which showed up as a pixelated screen with green lines. 


The issue is now fixed so AMD users with Vega cards should now be able to enjoy VRidge without issues :)

New languages deployed

With your tremendous help via CrowdIn we were able to bring in additional languages to VRidge. This time we are releasing 7 additional languages:
  • Estonian
  • Norwegian
  • Portuguese
  • Romanian
  • Slovakian
  • Ukrainian
  • Vietnamese
Thank you for your help. VRidge now supports a total of 22 languages!

Final notes

VRidge now works with basically every major mobile platform. Thanks to your support we were able to reach that point. We are very grateful that you helped us with VRidge improvements over the years. 

Let us know your feedback about VRidge 2.4. As always, reach us at support@riftcat.com - our team will be able to see it.

Monday, April 15, 2019

Dev Update #48 - iOS coming very soon


Hello everyone!

Today we have released a new Beta version. It doesn't contain a lot of changes but they are very important for our next big release. Read further to learn about what's coming :)

To learn how to join the Beta, read this guide.

This Beta update has an update only for Windows RiftCat client. It is already deployed on Beta channel.


iOS groundwork

This RiftCat client is compatible with iOS version of VRidge. We are in the process of iOS App Store approval.

As soon as we'll get approved on the iOS App Store we'll be able to bring this RiftCat client version to the public and we'll finally be able to use VRidge with iPhones :)


Unfortunately, there is no feasible method of sideloading apps for iPhones so we'll have to patiently wait for the approval. In the meantime, please try out the updated RiftCat client to check if we didn't break anything :)

Fix for AMD GPU's

Some AMD GPUs (especially Vega chipsets) had an issue that made VRidge unusable in certain scenarios. Usually it appeared as a pixelated screen with green lines.


We were able to narrow down the issue and fix it so if you have any AMD Vega card - let us know if the Beta version helped you.

Translations

Thanks to your help, we have additional languages ready to be deployed :) For now they are only available in the Beta RiftCat client but with the stable release they will get deployed fully.


You can learn how to join the translation effort by reading this Blog entry.

Final words

Thank you guys for your everlasting support! 

Thursday, January 31, 2019

Dev Update #47 - VRidge Controller and Tracking Update released!


It is time! VRidge 2.3 is released. Thank you for your relentless testing and feedback. Now everyone will be able to have fun with our new tracking options.

This update brings everything that was available on Beta channel to our live version. We also have an additional surprise for you.


Current deployment status:

Platform
Version
Status
PC
2.3.12
Deployed
Google Play
2.3.11
Deployed
Viveport
2.3.11
Awaiting approval
Oculus Home (Go and GearVR)
2.3.11
Deployed
Daydream store
2.3.11
Awaiting approval


VRidge Controller

Earlier last week we have released a trailer video for our new product - VRidge Controller. It’s an Android app that will let you turn your spare phone into a VR controller compatible with VRidge.
You can use two phones to have full 3-DOF VR experience or pair it with Daydream/Oculus Go/HTC Vive Focus controller and use them together.

You can check how well it works on our VRidge Controller trailer video:



The usage of the app is very simple. The straightforward setup process should get you up and running in no time but if you’ll get confused at any moment, our tutorial video might come in handy:


Currently VRidge Controller is distributed through Google Play and is being priced at $5. We hope that this neat add-on will bring you a lot of joy in VR!

Xbox and Mouse+Keyboard controllers

With this update, our new movement model is also going live. New integrations available in RiftCat will let you use Xbox controller or Mouse+Keyboard to move and control your hands in virtual reality.

Learn how to do it by watching our tutorial video:



This feature should let you fully play VR games that do not require very fast and precise hand movements. It is a perfect addition to what VRidge has to offer and it is completely free. You can find this option integrations tab in RiftCat client.


You can even pair these controls method with VRidge Controller app to create very interesting control schemes!

Lenovo Mirage Solo support

Daydream All-in-One headsets like Lenovo Mirage Solo had limited support. The controller was working but the headset positional tracking system was not. This update brings full support to Daydream WorldSense technology so anytime you use VRidge with device utilizing this tracking technology you will be able to freely move in a VR world!

Camera passthrough option

It’s not comfortable to constantly take off your headset whenever you want to look at your keyboard or monitor screen. This patch solves this problem if you have front facing camera!

Double tap your phone screen or capacitive button of your headset. You can also use Gear VR touchpad to do it and if you prefer keyboard shortcut, simply press: CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + S to to check what’s in front of you through your device camera.


Of course to use this option make sure that you have front facing camera on your VR device. If you are using phone inside a VR case, make sure that nothing is obscuring your phone camera view.

AR Core positional tracking

If you have an AR Core support phone, you can try out an experimental feature to track your head position with it. This option is hidden in RiftCat/Config folder. Simply change “ArcoreTrackingEnabled” to “true” in VRidge.cfg file which can be opened in Notepad.

New interface changes

We’ve made some changes to RiftCat GUI to make it more readable. Among various small convenience options like adding IPD / Scale slider values or creating an option to show login window on connection screen we have remade the integrations screen to be more descriptive.


We also have new SteamVR icons for VRidge!

New languages

Thanks to your great effort via our CrowdIn campaign we were able to deploy additional languages and update previous ones! Released languages:
  • Greek
  • Japanese
  • Swedish
As always, there is always something to improve with these translations so don’t hesitate to use CrowdIn to provide your feedback!

We also received the last minute translations to Estonian language which is 100% complete. Unfortunately it missed the deployment window, but we’ll make sure to release it with the next update!

Updated VRidge API

We’re opening up a way for you to also remap your 3DOF DIY controllers in the same way as Gear VR / Go, Daydream or Vive Focus controllers are remapped. We also added additional access layer to simplify API usage. This is combined with a release of Java SDK which can be used by your Java or Android projects.

Additions

  • Added Java API client.
  • Added VridgeRemote class as a fire-and-forget access layer to use API without managing connection state.
  • Added a way to remap 3DOF controllers into 6DOF controllers, attached to head.
  • Added HeadRelation which configures how the pose is affected by recenter calls. Default "Unrelated" should cover most cases.
  • Added discovery UDP broadcast which lets you find active VRidge servers on the local network.
Changes
  • Removed async offset's pitch and roll axes. Old calls will discard pitch and roll data and only use yaw offset. Discussion.
  • When using reprojection-enabled device, rotational head tracking input will be discarded. External rotational data doesn't play well with devices expecting to use late reprojection based on their own sensor data.
  • Controllers will now disappear after 5 seconds without new data.
  • Deprecated OrientationMatrix as pose format. Added separate rotation quaternion and position vector instead. Removes ambiguity of pose matrix format and byte layout. Old format still works.
  • C# API client now multi-targets .NET Standard 2.0 and .NET Framework 4.7.
Go to our GitHub repo and explore changes for yourself!

A lot of minor fixes and features

There is also a lot of minor features and fixes. For example, we now natively support Finch Shift controllers so if you have them, you can enjoy using them with VRidge. Other changes are:
  • Changed how recenter hotkey works internally so it doesn’t conflict with API trackers and reprojection.
  • Changed the way we calculate velocity of controller (throwing should work more reliable now). Controllers should be less jittery in most games.
  • Updated Oculus SDK to 1.16.
  • Updated PC app .NET to 4.7.1. You will be automatically prompted to update your .NET runtime if you disabled Windows Update.
  • Whitelisted RTX cards for NVENC (GUI problem only).
  • Blacklisted GTX 1030 from NVENC. It doesn’t have hardware encoder.
  • SteamVR should now be closed in a nicer way by VRidge (trello card).
  • Legacy oculus sdk games should now work properly on devices with reprojection.
  • Added option to autostart SteamVR when mobile device connects to Vridge.
  • Improved connection streaming stability, especially with high bitrates.
  • General Android side optimizations.
  • Fixed crash logging in vridge.log
  • Fixed Android’s VRidge lobby overlay becoming stuck in some cases.
  • Fixed Daydream app not resuming properly on some devices.
  • Fixed a crash related to missing DirectX components on Windows 7. It will now ask user to download missing DirectX update.
  • Fixed rare Android networking native crash caused by race condition.
  • Fixed gamepad recenter binding not being detected properly in Riftcat Config.
  • Fixed Riftcat crash when Config subfolder was deleted by user if Riftcat was installed to Program Files.

New Android permissions

This update will ask for additional permissions on your Android device. It will ask for camera and bluetooth - we use these permissions to be able to work with AR Core and Finch controllers SDK. We do not use any of these permissions for anything else so you do not have to worry.



What’s next?

We are now focusing on iOS development. It’s in advanced development stage so hopefully we’ll release it very soon!

Also, there is Oculus Quest release coming up. We will make sure to be able to fully support it as soon as possible.




Final words

This update is a great step for RiftCat but giant leap for VR… or something among these lines. It’s definitely important milestone for us that will vastly increase VRidge possibilities. We hope that this update will bring you a lot of joy and fun in virtual reality.

Don’t hesitate to share the news about the update on our social media and among your friends. The more people know about VRidge, the more VR players we’ll have to hang out with in virtual worlds.



Monday, January 21, 2019

Dev Update #46 - Tracking Update Beta Release Candidate



We have just released an update to our Beta channel. This version is a release candidate that will get pushed to stable update channel quite soon. Expect some good news to come!

This patch changes:
  • Added Greek, Swedish & Japanese language
  • Added a "missing windows component" popup with a download link to fix one Win 7 crash.
  • Added a way for emulated controllers to work in single-hand only mode (to be paired with 3DOF controller or other options).
  • Added configurable System-press event delay for controller emulation.
  • PC app will now ask for admin rights to fix itself if user deletes Config folder in Program Files.
  • Fixed a crash happening on Mirage Solo during app pause & restart.
  • Fixed Xbox-controller player's movement speed.
  • Fixed API networking crash in PC app.
  • Fixed native Enet networking crash in Android app.
  • Fixed ARCore not starting when camera see-through was enabled.
  • Improved error reporting in NVENC.
  • Improved VRidge-API (more details @ our GitHub soon)
Enjoy trying it out :) Let us know as soon as you will find any errors. Every piece of feedback is highly valuable!

To learn how to try out the Beta version, simply follow this guide.