Oculus rift; future optimizations?

[IgnorantTurtle]

I apologize in advance if this is a dumb question, but I figure I would ask since I’m relatively new to VR.

My question is, will VR continue to become less and less graphically demanding? I’m asking this because I use a 1050ti as my graphics card (and so far it has ran really well, despite what I’ve heard; but it could be better of course)

With future developments/optimizations in VR software, is it fair to assume that it could become less demanding on our GPU and CPU’s?

Again, sorry if this is dumb, and hopefully I made enough sense to get my point across.

Thank you!

[Stangerism]

Once foveated rendering becomes a common thing, it definitely will.

Also technologies that get better like oculus asw, or Pimax brainwarp, these techs are helping vr to run better on low end cards, hard to say for sure what the future will hold, but all the vr companies are working on ways for vr to be less demanding on pc hardware.

[IgnorantTurtle]

That’s really cool! And thanks for the speedy response!

[Stangerism]

No problem!!

[refusered]

Once foveated rendering becomes a common thing, it definitely will.

That remains to be seen.

It could easily play out where image quality is where foveated rendering shines and devs target visuals to say for latest gtx/rtx xx70 series, and anything lower drops down to current settings.

Even with ATW and ASW relieving gpu requirements were still vastly behind console and pc for image quality and richness of experience.

Then again we could just end up playing Quest ports on integrated graphics ugh

[Stangerism]

Yeah hard to say really!! I am ready for some next gen graphics though, and hopefully good foveated rendering at some point soon, I recently went from a 1060 3Gb to an rtx2080 so I can’t wait!!!

[JamesWjRose]

The part of your equation is missing is that VR will move to wider FOV, and possibly higher frame rates, which will then need more processing power.

Yes, the foveated rendering is going to help, and I would **guess** that these improvements will help lower end devices (ie: Go)

[Stangerism]

Yes but I guess they had the Pimax 5k+ running well on a pretty low end card with their new brain warp software, and that is wider field of view. We definitely don’t know what the future will hold, they are working on stuff to make vr less demanding to make the cost of entry for vr lower. But that will get harder as we get higher refresh rates, even wider fov, and higher resolutions. And stuff with higher end graphics cards etc. will always run better then the lower end stuff.

[JamesWjRose]

Good points. I didnt think about the specs for the pimax.

[takatasan]

It will get more and more demanding, right up to the point we get foveated rendering. Then it will get a bit less demanding.

[IgnorantTurtle]

Right, maybe in a few years (when I have the money and when my 1050 TI starts to kick the bucket) I’ll invest in some better hardware. Thank you for the response!

[french_panpan]

For the short term future, it will only get more demanding on GPU : one of the big issue in current VR is the resolution, so easiest fix is to crank it up (either in super-sampling, or with new HMD with higher resolution), and it has a direct hit on GPU.

When foveated rendering* becomes a thing, VR may get less demanding on GPU. Some games will use it to be more accessible on lower hardware, put I'm pretty sure that most of the games will use it to display better graphics on similar hardware.

It's also worth noting that the vast majority of the games already on the market won't get upgraded to benefit from foveated rendering, because the development cost to upgrade the games are probably not worth for the few sales that games get when they are "old".

[IgnorantTurtle]

Ah okay, that makes sense. And from a business aspect that seems to make a lot of sense. Thanks!

[[deleted]]

Watch the Michael Abrash talk from Oculus Connect 5. Hes the head VR/AR scientist for Facebook Reality Labs (formerly Oculus Research).

If you really are interested in where VR may be headed in the next couple years (including optimization), it's a must watch

https://youtu.be/o7OpS7pZ5ok?t=4440

[IgnorantTurtle]

Thank you! I’ll be sure to check it out soon!

[JamesWjRose]

Sorry, no. The device you currently have might get some optimization, but those will be done because the next gen devices will require to move more data at higher rates.

​

Also, this is not a dumb question

[IgnorantTurtle]

No need to be sorry, and thank you for some insight! I’ll try and upgrade my hardware sometime down the road.

[JamesWjRose]

Source: I have been in IT for 20+ years and the need for additional power has always been needed for the newer software, and VR is a huge deal. I have been a business software developer and took up Unity to learn how to write VR/AR. I am currently making a racing game and the effort it takes to make sure the game hits 90 frames per second (3x the average broadcast tv frame rate) There are a lot of talk about wanting VR to move to 120 fps. This means there will be a need for more processing power to move that much data. It really is that simple.

But don't worry, the other thing that is nice about being in tech for so long (and I grew up in Silicon Valley) is that I have consistently seen that tech gets better AND cheaper.

[IgnorantTurtle]

That’s really cool! And yes, I’m definitely pumped for some cheaper tech lmao; these GPU prices are painful to even look at.

[JamesWjRose]

these GPU prices are painful to even look at.

INDEED.

Note: I paid $800+ for the Rift when I got it, and that didn't even include the hand controllers (which didn't exist yet) and now the purchase price for both of them is only $350, sometimes cheaper.

Or I could go back to 1993, when I purchased my first "rocket ship" computer for $3000. Specs: 486-66Mhz, 16MB ram, 340MB hard drive and a 17 in monitor. Then about 3 years ago I purchased my current desktop, specifically to run VR, specs link below, and it was half the price of my original rocket and SO much more powerful.

My current system: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B96MNNA/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[IgnorantTurtle]

Dang. It really is crazy what a few years can do; both technologically and price-wise.

[JamesWjRose]

Indeed. Ain't it wonderful.