Bridging The Gap Between Virtual and Reality with HTC VIVE – Guest Blog from CXC Simulations

This is guest post from the President of CXC Simulations, Chris Considine.

We designed the CXC Simulations Motion Pro II to accurately replicate the sensation of being on a race track. Everything including the chassis, proprietary motion control system and visual solutions have been integrated in such a way to make the user feel like they are sitting in the cockpit of their favorite car on any given track.

While our audience is primarily race car drivers looking to get an edge on the competition, there are others who see the value in a highly accurate and detailed racing experience. Recently, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, CXC Simulations was invited to take part in the launch of the latest and greatest VR hardware hitting the market, the HTC Vive Pro.

We have been excited about the adaption of Virtual Reality headsets and last year, began to offer VR integration with the Motion Pro II. Virtual Reality ties in well with all the other elements of the Motion Pro II to really make you feel like you are in the race car. CXC was involved in the beginning stages of development of the Vive Pro and for CES we worked closely with HTC as well as Assetto Corsa to fine tune the experience.

The Vive Pro offers a big jump forward in resolution which significantly enhances the feeling of ‘presence’ or immersion, and it’s clear that the journalists in attendance shared the same thoughts.

Ian Hamilton from UploadVR wrote that “the racing demo put together by CXC Simulations delivered what was easily the most immersive time I’ve ever had in the driver’s seat of a virtual car. A large part of that presence-inducing effect was the rig itself, which offered an incredible amount of haptic feedback. The increased resolution, however, invited me to repeatedly marvel at the detail inside the car’s cabin. Small letters for various buttons on the steering wheel were very easy to read. Overall, I found myself less frequently noting the rings of the lenses compared with the current Vive and there’s a dramatically reduced screen door effect.”

Shane Hoalst from VR Fitness Insider noted the seamless way the HTC Vive Pro worked with the Motion Pro II.

“We were invited to visit the HTC Lounge at CES:2018 and demoed lots of different immersive VR experiences, but one really left us in awe,” said Hoalst. “HTC took us to the wheel-gripping CXC Simulations simulator where we got to be one of the lucky few to demo the HTC Vive Pro headset before its release!

“While racing, we didn’t see any visual interruptions or lag from the Vive Pro headset. I kept expecting there to be lag from fluctuations in acceleration, braking and turning changes but the ride was smooth and bumpy where it needed to be. The overall improved visual quality of the Vive Pro headset display is a great sign that HTC has listened to their customer’s concerns.”

ShackNews.com’s Asif Khan had similar impressions.

“In the demonstration, I had to sit down and strap in as I raced around the track trying to not die,” said Khan. “The seat is outfitted with a number of hydraulics that allow for users to feel a natural tilt or roll of the car as you are making your way around turns. It also increased the feeling of immersion when you slam on the brake or floor it to get it going super fast. The Vive Pro definitely enhanced the visual experience, but I have to credit CXC Simulations for creating a great way to train racers and fans.”

The simulator experience would not be complete without the physical feedback introduced by the steering effort and braking force on the body, which was noted by other journalists.

“I took the Mercedes-Benz advanced driving course at Laguna Seca in California – it is a fun, very technical race course,” wrote Rob Enderle from Tech News World. “So imagine my surprise when I visited the HTC rook at the Wynn and they set me down in a racing car simulator, and put the new HTC Vive Pro on my head. I suddenly found myself back on that track.

“I have the old HTC Vive and it kind of sucks. It’s a pain to set up, and the resolution makes it look like you are looking through a screen door. The HTC Vive Pro is nothing like that. It has decent resolution and, in that simulator,, it really felt like I was really in a Formula One car. One final comment: When I finally finished, I was drenched in sweat – apparently it gave me one hell of a workout.”

As improvements in hardware and software continue to create a more realistic racing simulator experience, CXC Simulations will continue to evolve and improve the Motion Pro II which can now be ordered with the Vive Pro. Configure yours today.