24 Minutes with Oculus Founder Palmer Luckey on Rift CV1, Touch Controllers, Fresnel Lenses and More

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E3 is over for another year and on this, the final day of the show, we caught up with Oculus founder and inventor of the Rift Palmer Luckey for an interview that covers everything from the Rift CV1’s hybrid Fresnel lenses and ergonomics to Oculus Touch’s capabilities and limitations.

E3 2015 was arguably Oculus‘ most important ever. With the consumer Rift’s design and specs now locked down and ready to show, the company had to demonstrate their readiness to hit their announced launch window early next year. Not to mention the small matter of a brand new VR specific controller announced as Oculus Touch.

oculus touch hands on e3 2015 (4)
Oculus’ input solution for virtual reality called ‘Touch’

Road to VR’s Ben Lang sat down with Oculus Founder Palmer Luckey for a candid interview which includes some revealing details on the Rift’s Fresnel-style lens design, the company’s relationship with Microsoft, and Oculus Touch gesture and tracking capabilities.

You’ll also find snippets of information regarding Oculus’ global launch strategy and Luckey’s persuasive argument on the topic of so-called ‘input fragmentation’, regarding the negativity surrounding the company’s decision to pack-in an Xbox One wireless controller from launch.

oculus-rift-cv1-back
The Oculus Rift Consumer Edition

Most importantly, we learn the origin of Palmer’s dazzling shirt. Never let it be said we don’t ask the hard questions here at Road to VR.

Finally, we have a bet at Road to VR on how long it’ll take for someone, somewhere to make a new animated Luckey gif from a certain section of this interview. See if you can guess which.

There’s much more to come from our extended visits with Oculus at E3 this year, stay tuned.

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Based in the UK, Paul has been immersed in interactive entertainment for the best part of 27 years and has followed advances in gaming with a passionate fervour. His obsession with graphical fidelity over the years has had him branded a ‘graphics whore’ (which he views as the highest compliment) more than once and he holds a particular candle for the dream of the ultimate immersive gaming experience. Having followed and been disappointed by the original VR explosion of the 90s, he then founded RiftVR.com to follow the new and exciting prospect of the rebirth of VR in products like the Oculus Rift. Paul joined forces with Ben to help build the new Road to VR in preparation for what he sees as VR’s coming of age over the next few years.
  • spark

    Nice video … if I can find it.

    • George

      You have to use your imagination :P

    • Scott Hayden

      Small issue with our backend editor. It’s back up now!

  • VReady

    Where is video?????

  • kristen1

    I want to hear someone ask him “What makes the Rift so much more compelling than the Vive that I should wait 3+ months for it?”, because for me, there is no reason. The specs are basically identical, and people who have tried both say they are neck and neck. If anything the Vive has the upper hand because of the room scale tracking. The only thing the Rift will win on is price, as I expect the vive will be $500+.

    • zachavm

      With the possible exception of the lighthouse tracking, I think oculus will be much more polished. The basic experience/specs itself may be comparable, but the overall experience will likely be much better. Specifically ergonomics. I would wager that when you get into extended gaming sessions the appeal of the oculus over the vive will be very apparent. Oculus has just been doing this longer and knows what the biggest problems to fight are.

      Second, why do you have to choose? Do what I’m doing. Buy the Vive and when the oculus releases sell it online. For those of us who pre-order immediately, we will get it right away. However, it will be months, if not over a year, before they can ramp production up enough to keep up with demand. These are entirely new products that are being mass produced for the first time. Production WILL be an issue and that means a high resale price. I would wager it will be months before the used price drops bellow the sale price.

      • rangry

        the statement “Oculus has just been doing is longer” is unsubstantiated.. they were first in many many things (positional tracking, low persistence etc etc).. what is true that the lighthouse system tracking sensors might be a slight problem to ergonomics and weight.. other than that.. it should really be neck and neck and not everyone wants to use vr for more than an hour.

  • kalqlate

    12:44 – 12:49 – the Contrived Chicken Dance. That be yer animated GIF. OK. What did I win?

    • crim3

      Ego

      • kalqlate

        Loser! :P

      • kalqlate

        Yeah, but I suppose an ego boost is a good enough prize. :)

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