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PocketStrafe Visual. Image Credit:PocketStrafe
Once again, the quick and clever innovation in the virtual reality (VR) industry has me intrigued and excited.
A company called Cool Font has designed a way for existing smartphone devices (iPhone and Android) to be used during VR as a form of locomotion.
Cool Font’s PocketStrafe allows users to running in-place in a bio mechanically equivalent way to running, making this a comfortable way to move through virtual environments.
PocketStrafe Details:
Thus far PocketStrafe works with most VR games that support keyboard or joystick input automatically, however VR games that are designed for motion-tracked controller input are not yet supported these forms of input.
The placement of your phone in your pocket does matter and must be unlocked.The PocketStrafe algorithm takes the direction of motion into account for a more accurate experience, and gives users two options:
1. Phone upside down with the screen facing your leg, or
2. phone right side up with the screen facing outwards.
According to the PocketStrafe website the app uses vJoy, an open source project, to disguise itself as an HID joystick device, and has also promised XInput device support. In the mean time, Cool Font recommends checking out XOutput and x360ce while they are working on a solution we work on our solution.
It is not Perfect…yet
I say this with true hope, PocketStrafe is not perfect, yet, and I am totally okay with this. The PocketStrafe beta and is actually free to test which is great. Also, keep in mind that this is a small team of friends that are developing this app. It will take some time for this to be a fully viable form of locomotion in VR, but a big shout out to this team. They are tackling one of the biggest problems in VR
My Experience:
I tried PocketStrafe one of its recommended apps, Altspace VR. I had slight successes during my tests. I plan to test the beta extensively over the next few days and will provide an update soon.
Fear Not Android Owners:
Although PocketStrafe is not on Android, the company has disclosed that it is working on an Android release.
So, for any PC VR users that sign up for this beta, please let us know how this works in other games you test. I am especially excited to test the PocketStrafe beta with the Stickied: Waifu Sex Simulator VR 1.8.
With that said, check into vrporn.com, periodically for new posts on everything under the VR sun, from breaking VR developments – to the most up-to-date VR porn collection, we will do our best to keep you informed. Oh yeah we are also on Twitter, so do not forget to follow @vrporn and @trexxxvr.
Solving one tech huge problem = Huge amount of money. I’ll check this out.