New to the Rift *tips and tricks please*

I think it's fair to say that for game settings, it's been brought up in 90% of the threads here. I'll outline for you the basics:
1) boost up colors in GPU control panel
2) enable 4x or higher multisample anti-aliasing (MSAA, don't bother with FXAA) or similar amount of downsampling (AA tend to work faster)
3) lower graphics settings down until you get solid 50-60 frames per second rate

IPD affects perceived world scale, the software bundled with the Rift can give you accurate measurement, but you can also google for other ways or just visit your doctor.

As for issues, see corresponding forum, though these are actually rare - I estimate that you will have any problems with your Rift as something like 5% out of box and 15% down the road. Chances for severe problems are below 1%.

One thing I'd like to mention specifically is low-pass screen filter hardware hack - it eliminates screen-door effect, given it's vast amount with current devkit, I suggest you try doing this.

For Unity demos you can add this to the target of a shortcut and have it show up on the Rift.

-Adapter N

Where N is the monitor number of the Rift, usually 1.

This will allow you to have the Rift as an extended desktop with a normal monitor (at different resolutions) and then have the games only show up on this Rift. If you don't do this, then you will either have the mirror the displays or set Rift as primary.

"cybereality" wrote:
For Unity demos you can add this to the target of a shortcut and have it show up on the Rift.

-Adapter N

Where N is the monitor number of the Rift, usually 1.

This will allow you to have the Rift as an extended desktop with a normal monitor (at different resolutions) and then have the games only show up on this Rift. If you don't do this, then you will either have the mirror the displays or set Rift as primary.

thanks, that is super helpful!

These are super helpful. How do you access the GPU to boost color settings?

Nvidia Control Panel / Catalyst Control Center.

I've just boosted the contrast on the Rift Box and it was sufficent.

1. If you want to make a character body that you can look at, make additive animations that will bend the spine alng with the neck. People will not be able to look inside their body, even if the go upside down ;)

2. If you want to do head bobbing, do it up-down, avoid left-right swaying or forward-backward movement.

And normal maps have to be like twice or three times as strong to be even visible in Rift. At least I have that feeling.

No, you can leave normal maps as is. The general problem is that such lghting effects don't look well on the Rift. They're essentially painted on top of completely flat surface, and in the Rift they're perceived as such. The model should actually have such geometry, or at least, should have parallax-maps.

One thing I'd like to mention specifically is low-pass screen filter hardware hack - it eliminates screen-door effect, given it's vast amount with current devkit, I suggest you try doing this.

raidho36, I've been looking for some explanation on how to do this, but so far I'll I've found is various methods of using plastic. Is that what you're talking about, or is there a digital hack? Thanks.

"raidho36" wrote:
No, you can leave normal maps as is. The general problem is that such lghting effects don't look well on the Rift. They're essentially painted on top of completely flat surface, and in the Rift they're perceived as such. The model should actually have such geometry, or at least, should have parallax-maps.

But the performance... Try just increasing the normal maps strenght. It really works. You really really want to avoid 20 000 polygon-a-piece brick walls...

Hey,

Can someone help me with my rift please. I just got it today and cannot not get the demos to run on the display that the rift is on. I can drag stuff over but it does not look right.

I tried the -Adapter 3 option and it did not work. For some reason I cannot clone my display to the rift only extend it.

Any help would be great!!!!

Thank you so much