Vrilda - Virtual Reality Laser Show Player

[Grix]

Virtual Reality Laser Show Simulator (VRLSS)

EDIT 2015-08-15: new version 0.5.0

This is a program I've been working on for the last few days, it's called Virtual Reality Laser Show Simulator (VRLSS), formerly Vrilda. Natural 3D, rotational and positional headtracking and multiple scanners supported. Don't own a laser projector, or want to test out a show without firing your projector up? Well this is the next best thing!

Unfortunately you do need an Oculus Rift to fully enjoy this program, but even if you don't own one, you can still view shows in regular 3D mode on a normal monitor as well, it just won't be as fun

You can download the newest version here: https://github.com/Grix/vrlss/releases

Demonstration video (old version, worse graphics than now): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bX3FqQi1Z0

Screenshot:

Program is open source, but it's made in Game Maker: Studio so you'll need that program to make contributions unfortunately. Github page: https://github.com/Grix/vrlss

READ THE HELP.PDF FILE FOR CONTROLS AND INSTRUCTIONS, you can find it here (right click+save as): https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Grix/vrlss/master/help.pdf

Keep in mind this is a beta, there are probably bugs and features are lacking.
Known problems:
- Only ilda format 4 and 5 supported
- Unrealistic laser transparency (multiple layers eventually turn opaque)

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[Grix]

I've worked a bit on this in the last few weeks, and released a new version. New features include a much better user interface, a more realistic laser projection with fog simulation, and various optimizations and bug fixes.
You can download the newest version here: https://github.com/Grix/vrilda/releases

Also, I have ordered an Oculus Rift dev kit 2 which should arrive in August, and I will add support asap. The DK2 should provide a much better experience, not just because of better resolution and tracking, but it uses an OLED screen with much better colors and deeper blacks, which is obviously very good for laser simulation.

 

[Grix]

I finally got around to releasing a new version of this program. A whole lot have changed, but most importantly:

- Initial Oculus rift DK2 support with positional tracking
- Freely positionable, rotatable and arbitrary number of projectors
- Lots of performance improvements
- Toggleable starry night skybox environment
- Many bug fixes and improvements

https://github.com/Grix/vrilda/releases/tag/v0.4

 

[Grix]

I released a new version yesterday, way overdue.

Changes:
Update to Oculus SDK 0.6.0.1 (meaning better virtual reality performance, direct mode, etc)
Far better laser rendering and 3D graphics in general
(Laser shader features: Proper 4D simplex noise fog simulation, laser is brighter the closer to projector it is, laser is brighter when viewed in a more parallel than perpendicular angle to the camera, like in real life.)
Lots of tweaks, bugfixes and optimizations

Should be a much better experience.

https://github.com/Grix/vrlss/releases/tag/v0.5.0

 

[FireMyLaser]

Is this still in development? Can this be made to work with htc vive?

 

[CurtisOliver]

Thinking the same thing.

 

[Grix]

Is this still in development? Can this be made to work with htc vive?

Thinking the same thing.

I have been wanting to update this to work with the Vive and the final version of the Rift, however the program currently depends on a third party extension to the engine I am using to enable VR support, and that extension seems to be out of development. I don't even know how to contact the developer, and I don't have enough skill to code it myself, it involves pretty heavy manipulation of low level DirectX. In retrospect I should have chosen an engine with official VR support, like Unity or Unreal, but it's too late now, and I don't have time to rewrite the program..

Actually there might be a way to play this on the Vive right now. I haven't tested it, but maybe it works to use an oculus to steamVR runtime wrapper. See this guide for example: https://www.reddit.com/r/Vive/comments/4ltxhc/instructions_step_by_step_to_get_dk2_demos/

 

[CurtisOliver]

This would be very good if it will work with the Vive. Good work. Unreal engine 4.13 includes vr templates now all for free.

 

[FireMyLaser]

I don't want install Oculus home fluff on my machine just to try this experiment. Though, I have fantasized about a laser simulation like this, and this seems cool.
I understand that the screenshot is old, but I imagined the beams to not be so 1-dimentional.
It might look better if they are slightly 2-dimentional and always rotated correctly based from the perspective of the user, so all the beams look to have a little bit of width.
That would also help with making the beams look more solid when viewed from further away. Current VR is pretty low resolution, so thin lines break up in the distance.
Then to better simulate intensity, make the center of the beam's width over-saturated and add bloom around the beams/in the air. I'm not a programmer any means, so I don't know if this is even doable.

 

[Grix]

I don't want install Oculus home fluff on my machine just to try this experiment. Though, I have fantasized about a laser simulation like this, and this seems cool.
I understand that the screenshot is old, but I imagined the beams to not be so 1-dimentional.
It might look better if they are slightly 2-dimentional and always rotated correctly based from the perspective of the user, so all the beams look to have a little bit of width.
That would also help with making the beams look more solid when viewed from further away. Current VR is pretty low resolution, so thin lines break up in the distance.
Then to better simulate intensity, make the center of the beam's width over-saturated and add bloom around the beams/in the air. I'm not a programmer any means, so I don't know if this is even doable.

The screenshot doesn't quite do it justice, it looks a bit different (better) in a headset. For example the image lack anti-aliasing for some reason.
You can look at this video, it shows the quality a bit better: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a82y9Y5_hw