Freedom Locomotion VR (itch)

Version 1.2.0 release

13th March 2017

Freedom Locomotion VR is now fully compatible with the Oculus Rift!

A fair number of changes has been made to the demo to take on board feedback and provide more and better options for locomotion.

Key changes include:

• The Freedom Locomotion System adds Snap Turning. This new method, of turning (which can be selected from the menu) allows users to instantly turn to their new location. Unlike other 'snap turning' methods, FLS' snap turning allows users to turn arbitrarily to any angle.
• To use this, users simply point their controllers in the direction they want to turn and press the 'turn' button on the Rift, or hold down the grip button and click the touchpad for the Vive.
• You'll turn to face the new direction instantly. If you're already looking in the direction you want to turn to, it won't turn you much, if at all however.
• Walking algorithm tweaked once more. Now users have more direct control over movement when walking in place. Locomotion should feel more 1:1. So long as your foot motion moves your head up and down a reasonable amount, it'll almost feel like you're wearing foot trackers!
• Movement on the Vive is now click and maintain touch to activate, rather than click and hold. This reduces the stress on user's thumbs and the Vive touchpad. Users lift off their thumb from the touchpad to deactivate movement.
• Touch to move is now deactivated by double clicking the touchpad. This means users can toggle touch to move on and off by double clicking.
• Simple Touch mode (uses controller direction for heading only, instead of controller direction + touchpad input) is improved. Users can now indicate backwards movement (relative to controller) without having to point their hands and controllers backwards.
• CAOTS movement defaults to the improved Simple Touch mode, making it easier to learn. Option to turn off Simple Touch is still available in the menu.
• Dash and Blink Step functions have changed. In order to move faster, users angle their elbow up. Point down to move at the slowest step pace. Point forwards to move at the fastest.
• To increase the length of steps, touch the touchpad further from the center, and/or move the controller physically further away from your body.
• Blink Step now has a 'fade to black' option that can be found in the menu.
• Random height changes should no longer occur while using Dash/Blink Step. General Dash/Blink step movement should be smoother.
• Movement speeds (and speed presets) have been tweaked. The stated max speeds are now more accurate.
• Tutorials and control guides have been updated to reflect these changes.
• Boundary reveal changed from squeezing one grip button to squeezing both grip buttons.
• Other minor bug fixes have occurred as well. Please report them if you see any others!
• Some changes have been made to effects and materials to improve performance. The most noticeable will be the change to The Nexus (opaque material used instead of a transparent one). The space is now enclosed by a roofless room with curved edges.

Rift Compatibility Changes:

• User starts at normal standing height now, and not in the ground.
• Touch controllers shown instead of Vive controllers.
• Hand orientation now correct to Touch controllers.
• Grab collision now works properly.
• Rift users can now climb.
• Head tracking works properly on the Rift now. Previously wasn't tracking the head properly for Rift users in some parts of the code.
• Menu button now works, allowing Rift users to access all the options.
• Automatic detection of 2 sensor or 3+ sensor setup. Provides users with a back facing indicator for 2 sensors (forward facing). This option can be turned off in the menu.
• Movement input functionality changed to suit the Touch. User doesn't have to click down the thumbstick or press in a button to register movement. Simply push the thumbstick in the desired direction of movement.
• Turning functionality has been given its own buttons on the Touch controllers and doesn't require the user to squeeze the grip while pressing another button to use it.
• Rift users get control guides specific to Touch controllers.

For the Oculus Rift + Touch & the HTC Vive

Version 1.1.1 release

2nd Feb 2017

- Tweaked walking algorithm to provide more control at the low end of the walking motion. Users should find slow sneaking movement to feel more natural now (before it would cut out and stutter at the lowest movement ranges).

Version 1.1.0 release

1st Feb 2017

1.1.0 sees a number of substantial updates to the Freedom Locomotion System, which should help it feel a lot more intuitive and natural for a wide range of users.

• Comfort options have been upgraded significantly, and are highly recommended for users who have any knowledge or even suspicion that they might be prone to motion/sim sickness.
• Added a more detailed calibration system to account for improved functionality.
• Calibrates CAOTS movement ranges to allow it to feel natural for a wide range of different users and their on-the-spot movement styles.
• Comfort mode functionality improved. FOV restriction uses a more distinct black boundary (as opposed to the hazy effect that had the side effect of darkening the entire screen that was used previously) that shrinks and grows per the function that's been used.
• Comfort boundaries can be seen through the black FOV restriction borders, making it a great pairing.
• The comfort level is selected during calibration so that more experienced users will never have to see it if they don't wish to.
• Comfort FOV settings can be tweaked extensively.
• CAOTS calibration sensitivity can be tweaked in menu as well (allowing users to set the sensitivity for different movement bands).
• Improved climbing functionality by providing more feedback. Audio cues and colored outlines to the hands will let players know when they can grab at a surface (yellow outline), and when they've successfully grabbed at it (green outline).
• Improved climbing instructions to make it more obvious what needs to be done.
• Changed Dash and Blink Step functionality to mirror the CAOTS 'touch to move' function.
• Instead of clicking (or double/triple clicking for faster movement speeds) and holding down the touchpad button to move continuously, now the user can simply press the touchpad once, and maintain thumb touch contact to continue moving.
• This allows them to relieve pressure from the touchpad and their thumbs while moving around.
• To stop moving the user must lift their thumb completely off the touchpad.
• CAOTS stopping functionality has been improved. Slide to a stop mechanic has been implemented that quickly but gradually slows the user to a halt, rather than stopping them immediately.
• Slide to a stop has been made an option that can be turned off in the menu (it's on by default).
• Removed the Maze from the tutorial level (currently gone, will add back in at a later stage as more development is required).
• Replaced it with a 'throne room' to the sword.
• Added a ladder near the Huge Robot to allow players easier access to the gun.
• Also unlocked the second gun in The Nexus for immediate use, allowing players to experiment with running and shooting functionality immediately.
• Added a couple more climbing walls to The Nexus - A red platform for 'hard', a yellow platform for 'medium' and a green platform for 'easy'.
• Fixed a bug that was causing falling acceleration occasionally.
• Fixed a bug with prone crawling causing the user to 'bounce' after releasing their grip.
• Fixed a bug where prone crawling wasn't following along with the slope of the virtual ground.
• Fixed a bug where users could pull their head through objects by grabbing and pulling.
• Fixed a bug where the glowing ring indicator around the Comfort mode placard in the Tutorial Level was been bypassed.
• Now if the user attempts to put their head through an object while climbing, both controllers will start to rumble, their screen will continue to black out as per normal, and if they get too close, they'll lose grip on their climbing hand, causing them to fall.
• Redesigned boundary violation system to affect the user mainly when they're moving only in room space (as opposed to moving around with CAOTS while drifting around in room space).
• As a result, the boundary violation system no longer teleports them back if they run against a wall or a waist high boundary while in CAOTS (allowing users to navigate, for example, the Maze (which is currently not available) without been teleported back repeatedly due to grazing the walls).

Version 1 release

The Freedom Locomotion VR Demo showcases the revolutionary Freedom Locomotion System - an immersive way of getting around for VR users that allows them to feel like they're running along a long mountain trail or clambering around on huge robots.

There are 3 types of locomotion that allows users to quickly change between them:

CAOTS - highly immersive in-place locomotion solution that is easy and intuitive to use and will help reduce motion sickness for the majority of VR users.

Dash Step - Alternative to in-place movement, using short dashing teleportations that essentially mimick the action of taking a step, and also reduce motion sickness in the majority of VR users

Blink Step - Alternative to Dash Step - removes the visual motion - like other traditional teleportation solutions but retains everything else, meaning it should make the fewest VR users nauseated.

The demo itself features a variety of levels and terrains for you to traverse, from easy wide open relaxing abstract spaces in the sky, to a rocky mountain trail that takes you over picturesque undulating terrain over the course of 500 meters.

There are also a variety of test objects that allow you to observe the viability of this locomotion system while interacting with various objects, including swords and guns.

For the HTC-Vive