VR and Reverb G2 Launch

User Support Hub Virtual Reality (VR)
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VR closed beta is here and predictably I didn’t get an invite email. (Currently have a Reverb v1). Fair enough.

However I did buy a Reverb G2 under the impression that MSFS was going to be a “launch title” and that the release of VR was synced to the shipping of G2 headsets. I don’ think I was alone in doing that.

In this video it was stated that “we [Asobo / MS] intend to release VR alongside the HP Reverb G2”

The media picked up on that and dozens of articles promoted MSFS VR as being somehow tied to the G2 shipping, and launch title for the hardware. Asobo certainly did nothing to correct that if was incorrect information.

It now seems like VR beta could go on for weeks, maybe months, and plenty of people will have their shiny new G2s with no ability to try MSFS. At best, I don’t think that was made clear, as worst it seems like deceptive marketing to sell a few more G2 headsets.

I hope I’m wrong and VR will be available to all G2 owners once they get their headsets.

Edit: In this article Jorg Neumann also seemed to brief Eurogamer that G2 owners would get access to VR

“ While VR support isn’t exclusive to the headset [G2] it will make its first appearance there before rolling out to other headsets . “We’re starting with them,” Microsoft’s head of Flight Simulator Jorg Neumann told Eurogamear.”

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Exactly my thoughts. I too ordered my G2 based on what was set by MS. If MS renege on that commitment I will most certainly cancel the G2 as I have a Valve index already.

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I also preordered the Reverb G2 assuming this. Would be nice to get more infromation about the Beta process. Even the application for the Beta was a mess. (No E-Mail if you succesfull applied etc.) Very disappointed about the communication of Asobo regarding the Beta.

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It was clearly stated that all WMR headsets were getting support in Phase 1 (which includes the G2) for testing, so I have no reason to doubt that if you’re invited, there is nothing stopping you from using a G2. Also VR support is coinciding with the launch of G2 because it’s in collaboration with Microsoft.

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@Emberlight1091 actually the confirmation was part of the application process. When you submitted your application, including the DxDiag, the same page returned a green confirmation.

What I think it wasn’t clear to many, I knew and understood it, is that “all the Windows Mixed Reality Devices are going to be supported”. In fact the VR mode is not based on the device itself, but on the OpenXR APIs and related support.

Whoever was accepted for the Beta, have been informed by email from MS and Asobo last Friday, so if you applied but didn’t received the invitation, I believe if means your system specs didn’t pass the screening.

By my understanding, and I just guess on this, I don’t have any information from any source, is that a point is missing with the “Reverb G2” thing… if you don’t have, or didn’t have at the time of applying for the beta, a VR headset, it should be kind of obvious the application was rejected.

I don’t see the meaning by MS and Asobo of asking the systems specs, if not to check you actually do have a device that can be used to test the VR mode. Having ordered a Reverb G2 I’m not sure it was enough for them to say “ok, you are in”.

In my case, for example, I do own several headsets, including the very first HP VR1001 and the Reverb G1, together with some Oculus at this time not supported. I did plugged and made sure it was running the Reverb G1, before export the DxDiag used to apply.

It wasn’t required in the instructions, but it seamed logic to do it for me.

So my guess is that all the applications, and I suppose they received a lot, as it was covered by most media, that didn’t have in the xml a compatible device listed, have been just discarded by default. It makes sense, if you think about. If I’m getting applications for testing a new sw, I at least want to see people to have the required equipment.

In any case, by my knowledge, beta is still waiting to start.

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I made my dxdiag with a Dell Visor running, got the email to say I’m in so you could be right.

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That’s basically my point. If I run a software house and I select beta testers, I will focus on those who have at least the equipment required to run the test.

I think the beta will keep accepting applications, also because all those who ordered the G2 is unlikely they got it in hands.

But what is important is that between a 3-4yo device like the VR1001 I keep in the cabinet and didn’t use since ages and the latest G2, almost all the big difference is the screen resolution and speed, because all the rest is handled by OpenXR and is going to be almosta same, for everyone.

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It makes sense to me that this is the way they screened the DxDiag to check what headsets were supported. The thing I don’t understand is for the folks who ordered the Reverb G2 specifically for this sim but did not previously have any VR headset will be out of luck getting into this beta because they wouldn’t have had any reference to the G2 yet in their DxDiag file at the time it was submitted. Unless they will leave the application open?

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Should I attach my G2 order to the DxDiag? :smile:

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Well yes, I would :laughing:

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I own vive gen1, think I’ll wait before ordering a newer headset until vr is released and polished, who knows perhaps a G3

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Phase 1 VR Beta test is for folks who own a WMR headset as in you own and are in possession of a WMR headset right now.

Why would you get an invite for a preorder headset thats not even in your possession right now.
What good is your non existent G2 for the Phase 1 Beta?

Either your dxdiag has a WMR/HoloLense HMD listed or it doesn’t.

Hopefully by the time folks receive their G2s beta will be making great progress and can move on to Phase 2 implementations of non WMR HMD support.

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I know the beta date is November 2nd, but is there a specific beta launch time today?

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It’s about what NickHod said:

“The media picked up on that and dozens of articles promoted MSFS VR as being somehow tied to the G2 shipping, and launch title for the hardware. Asobo certainly did nothing to correct that if was incorrect information.”

I don’t moan about getting no invitation. I fine with that because at the end they want us to test the product and as you rightly noticed it makes no sense to test without the HMD. Let’s see if they invite more people at later stage… But there is no Information about the whole Beta itself. That is what I meant with more communication from Asobo’s side…

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Sorry, yes I should have been clearer. I have a Reverb G1 and no invite. Now doubting whether the thing was plugged in when I submitted the DxDiag file. I’ll try to resubmit.

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I’d say because the first G2 pre-orders are about to be shipping this week, coinciding with the FS2020 VR beta starting. Irony is by the time folks receive their G2, Phase 2 for non-WMR might start. Some can test non-WMR right now though while they’re waiting receiving their G2…

Let’s hope phase 2 and G2 shipment don’t take too long then…

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I don’t think there is much interest from MS to open to let’s say Oculus customers too soon… Not WMR options, if you don’t count small market players like the (exceptional) Varjo, the market share is between WMR and Oculus/Steam platforms… Especially since the one with largest customer base (Oculus) introduced the mandatory Facebook account on the platform, while the whole MSFS and WMR is based on MS/Xbox account, I don’t think there is real interest to support the competitors.

Not a big difference for me, to be honest, I have several headsets from both the platforms, but I think the market is pretty much split an MS is not going to let Facebook to jump in easily.

IMO

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Given that MSFS is on Steam, would atleast make me think support for the Vive ecosystem would be following suit very close. That being said, I don’t really know all the technological workings of VR and integration into platforms, so who knows!

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The market is not split at all: they are using OpenXR and any OpenXR capable driver can be used.

This is limited to WMR artificially only because in the the FS2020 code they are checking the name of the actual driver running the OpenXR implementation and they are checking it against the following string: “Windows Mixed Reality Runtime”.

Furthermore, they’re also specifically binding to these two MSFT extensions:

  • xrCreateHandMeshSpaceMSFT
  • xrUpdateHandMeshSpaceMSFT

It might be possible they will be adding hand/gesture detection with virtual hands in VR, or they’re just binding these 2 so that it prevents any other implementation than WMR from running it for now…

Besides, they do support configuring other headsets in one way or the other (menu? config file?) or at least they’ve already taken provision for other HMDs because there are specific statements for the following:

“oculus”, “openxr”, “fake”

the later most likely for testing without any HMD connected.

NB: I don’t mind they are limiting to WMR for now because they do control the implementation and this helps eliminating bugs caused by any unknown HMD driver (Valve etc…).

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This is interesting… may I ask where did you get those references? I may have an old SDK installed, I didn’t find anything yet about implementation of the VR.

Did you perhaps installed a latest SDK?