We’re very pleased to announce a major new upgrade to the VR Simulator. This brings us to VR Simulator v. BETA-0.9, and we’re expecting this to be the last major beta release before we release the VR Simulator to the Unity Asset Store.

This version brings with it many major changes and new features:

IMPORTANT Requirements Update

Oculus Utilities for Unity v. 1.8 is now required . This is the result of the new simulated Play Area features described below. However, if you use older versions of Oculus Utilities for Unity you will run into show-stopping errors. So please be sure to upgrade – click here for more details on Oculus Utilities for Unity v.1.8.

. This is the result of the new simulated Play Area features described below. However, if you use older versions of Oculus Utilities for Unity you will run into show-stopping errors. So please be sure to upgrade – click here for more details on Oculus Utilities for Unity v.1.8. Unity 5.4.1p1 and higher are recommended. While the VR Simulator will function in Unity 5.4.0f3 and Unity 5.4.1f1, if you are developing for Oculus then Oculus Utilities for Unity v.1.8 has a number of issues that may impact performance and behavior of your project. This is why we strongly recommend using Unity 5.4.1p1 or higher.

Major New Features

Simulated Play Area Support

Your user’s real-world setting has a fundamental impact on how they experience your VR project. The VR Simulator already lets you simulate a seated or a standing user, and to test your scene with users of varying simulated height. But this new version of the VR Simulator lets you simulate your user’s Play Area as well.

Using the VR Simulator, you can now:

Simulate a Play Area in your scene, regardless of whether your scene is targeting SteamVR or an Oculus HMD.

Customize the dimensions of that play area, using a fixed (pre-selected) size, a custom size, or your actual calibrated play area (this last one requires the HMD be connected).

Configure when the play area’s displays. For example, have the play area always be visible, appear only when approached, or when a particular input action occurs.

Customize the play area’s appearance, using custom materials and colors, and;

Constrain the user’s simulated movement to the simulated Play Area.

For more information about our new Simulated Play Area support, please read: Managing Your Play Area.

Automatic Input Settings Management

The VR Simulator relies on a robust system for managing input across different input devices (keyboard, mouse, gamepad, Vive Wands, Oculus Remote, Oculus Touch, etc.) and mapping that input to movement within your VR scenes. However, in earlier versions this relied on manual updates to your ProjectSettings files in your Unity project folder – less than ideal.

In VR Simulator v. BETA-0.9, the VR Simulator automatically manages your project’s input settings within the Unity Editor. Here’s how it works:

When you enter Play Mode in the Unity Editor, if you are using the Immerseum SDK’s default Input Actions, the VR Simulator will check to see if your project’s input settings are correctly configured. If they are not, then it will prompt you to TEMPORARILY update them:

If you confirm, then the VR Simulator will temporarily over-write your project’s input settings. When you leave Play Mode, Unity will revert your project’s input settings back to what they were before you entered play mode.

You can also use the VR Simulator to PERMANENTLY modify your project’s input settings (this way, you aren’t prompted to update them every time you enter Play Mode). To do this:

Click on the [VRSimulator] object in your project hierarchy. Scroll down to find the InputActionManager component. If your project is not using the default Immerseum SDK input settings, you should see a brief message and button that lets you apply those settings:

When you click the Apply Immerseum InputManager Settings button, you’ll be asked to confirm. When you confirm, the VR Simulator will over-write your project’s current input settings with the Immerseum defaults.

For more information about how the VR Simulator manages your project’s input settings, please read: Configuring Input & Movement.

Auto-disable the VR Simulator in Standalone Builds

Now when creating standalone builds of your VR project, the VR Simulator can auto-disable it. Just select the appropriate checkbox in the [VRSimulator] game object.

New Avatar Movement Events

We’ve added OnMoveAvatarStart and OnMoveAvatarEnd events which, respectively, fire when your user’s avatar either begins moving through the scene or stops moving through the scene.

Bug Fixes

No longer throws an exception when an HTC Vive is connected / detected . Instead, the VR Simulator reverts control over the camera back to the HMD and suppresses controller simulation. A diagnostic warning is still generated, but not an exception.

. Instead, the reverts control over the camera back to the HMD and suppresses controller simulation. A diagnostic warning is still generated, but not an exception. Fixed another height-adjustment bug that occurred when using the Oculus: OVRPlayerController prefab.

To Learn More or Download…

Click Here: