Maybe OculusConfigUtil could ask for torso length as well?

There has been a lot of discussion here about how to retrieve user dimensions - in particular things like neck length, shoulder width, head dimensions, etc. would be really useful, but it's unlikely people will break out a tape measure and start measuring their entire body. So there is a compromise between what we can ask for, what can be measured, and what can be derived. We already estimate eye position based on player height. I think a similar thing could be done with torso height (within some reasonable averages).

Good point, I didn't make the distinction that the SDK is already estimating eye height from player height.

Thanks for the response!

I wouldn't mind seeing a "chair height" setting in the config util--NOT tied to any one profile, but a single universal setting, along with a universal seated/standing toggle that games could read.

Then, whenever "seated" mode is enabled, all Rift games would (if they wished) estimate your eye height based on the chair height, your profile height, and biometric estimates for torso height and (as currently) the distance from eyes to top of the head.

For my game I'd consider using the "chair height" value for more than eye height: I'd actually scale the in-game chair model. I bet a lot of vehicle or virtual-seat-based games would benefit from that.

It would be just one more measurement (with a sensible default pre-loaded) and it would only be done once,* not per person.

* But you'd change it when you changed chairs/venues, and you'd be on your own to "squash down the cushion" if any to get a good estimate. (Having a stored list of "seat profiles" could be neat, but probably not worth the added complexity. Most people can remember or re-measure 2 or 3 chair heights, which should cover most cases.)

"brantlew" wrote:
There has been a lot of discussion here about how to retrieve user dimensions - in particular things like neck length, shoulder width, head dimensions, etc. would be really useful, but it's unlikely people will break out a tape measure and start measuring their entire body. So there is a compromise between what we can ask for, what can be measured, and what can be derived. We already estimate eye position based on player height. I think a similar thing could be done with torso height (within some reasonable averages).

Although I do see the problem, I wanted to mention I order a lot of custom fit clothes from the same website. Initially, it took my wife and I a good hour to get all the measurements they needed. Now that it's done however, and my profile is saved, I can order a new suite in 30 sec.

Making estimates is a great way to appeal to the casual one timer, but I'd bet most of us here would def. take the extra time and measure out every last detail if available.

"Cyacene" wrote:
Making estimates is a great way to appeal to the casual one timer, but I'd bet most of us here would def. take the extra time and measure out every last detail if available.

I like the idea of an Advanced button in the OculusConfigUtility. It would be pre-filled with estimated values, ready for games to use, generated from your height. But you could edit them to put in real values if you wanted.

I do think that complexity should (in the end) be hidden from most users, knowing that the ultimate goal is broad consumer acceptance, and that VR by its nature has enough barriers to that already! Troubleshooting/help info could guide people to those Advanced settings, but they could otherwise safely be ignored.

These are great ideas, guys.

I think asking for all these different values may prove too cumbersome for most users. I bet just estimating an average value (based on the player height) would probably work well for a lot of people.

"AdamsImmersive" wrote:
I like the idea of an Advanced button in the OculusConfigUtility. It would be pre-filled with estimated values, ready for games to use, generated from your height. But you could edit them to put in real values if you wanted.

Sounds like the perfect solution to me.

spyro

"cybereality" wrote:
These are great ideas, guys.

I think asking for all these different values may prove too cumbersome for most users. I bet just estimating an average value (based on the player height) would probably work well for a lot of people.

Honestly, I think for most of the things people are going to be using the Oculus Rift for the difference between a few inches isn't going to be that big of a deal.

For the things that do matter, though, developers are likely going to be relying on external profiles for height calculations anyways. I'm having a really hard time thinking of a situation where being that specific about eye height matters enough in any sort of simulation where you are going to rely solely on LibOVR to provide that information to you.

Sounds like a good idea. There's the solution offered by TeddyOK in Hydra Cover Shooter that can be utilized as a variant. In HCS, you're prompted to touch the floor with the Hydra to determine sensor height (desk height), then you touch the back of your neck to determine the starting height of the SDK neck model. I don't see any reason why you couldn't add an option to detect initial hip and even knee height. For those without Hydras, the numbers can be manually inputted.

So the heights would be: Ground to knee, ground to hips, ground to base of neck, ground to eyes (or height - 10 cm). Like you suggested, this can help model the player's avatar that both he and others will see. It should operate more naturally as well if you put sensors in the appropriate places on the body. A STEM on the chest and one thigh should give plenty of positional data to determine the player's physical position whether leaning, squatting, kneeling or even lying down. Add a sensor to both thighs and you should be able to track a player model to great degree.

Probably reading too much into this, sorry for the rambling.

Just occurred to me: the profile utility should probably ask for left- vs. right-handedness.

Important for weapon hand, grabbing hand, flashlight hand, whatever. (Games can always choose to ignore it, as with height, but especially with a Hydra or Leap, handedness matters to immersion, not to mention accurate aiming.)