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Show HN: Neon Jack, my VR racing game prototype

23 points by JabavuAdams 12y ago

tadfisher 12y ago
This would work great with Google Cardboard, if you want to spend some more time and energy to port this to Android :)
- JabavuAdams 12y ago
  Silly question: how do controls work? I.e. I assume you can't tap the screen with it attached to your face. Maybe lean-to-turn?
  - nuclear_eclipse 12y ago
    Android supports bluetooth game controllers, including the PS3 Dualshock if you're willing to jump through a couple hoops to pair it with your phone.
    - JabavuAdams 12y ago
      Maybe I'll pick one up and try that. It still seems like a way to greatly reduce the market. Isn't the whole point of Cardboard to be a kind of cheap VR? I can't imagine the target market going out to buy a controller.
maqr 12y ago
Maybe offtopic, but just a quick question about "You can use a wired Xbox controller (recommended)". Why not wireless? I thought they were the same from Windows point of view.
- JabavuAdams 12y ago
  I suppose you could try one. To be honest, I just don't know how to connect the wireless controller to a PC / Mac.
  - wingerlang 12y ago
    You need an adapter like this http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Wireless-Gaming-Receiver-Windows/dp/B000HZFCT2 http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Wireless-Gaming-Receiver-Wind...
    - PhasmaFelis 12y ago
      There is, BTW, an excellent chance that it won't work, since Microsoft stopped making them ages ago and 90% of the available models are shitty Chinese knockoffs with Microsoft branding.
      - wingerlang 12y ago
        Ah, I did not know that. Last time I looked into these things must have been 4 years ago.
- Igglyboo 12y ago
  The wireless 360 controller requires a separate adapter which is not manufactured anymore and is shoddy at best, even installing the drivers can be difficult especially for a non technical person.
abbeyj 12y ago
Somehow whenever I spin out I manage to find myself facing directly into the opposite wall. Is this by design? This is then hard to get out of. It is like the wall is pulling you back in as you try to turn away from it.
- JabavuAdams 12y ago
  This is not by design. You may still have a non-zero commandedSpeed. There's an internal commandedSpeed variable that should get set to 0 on a crash stop, but that's a bit of a hack. Try reversing (pressing brake or down-arrow or S) out of the wall, instead of turning.
Scramblejams 12y ago
No Linux? :-(
- JabavuAdams 12y ago
  I could make a Linux build, but I'm not willing to test it or support it right now. Want to test it? I mean just a minimal smoke-test to see if it runs.
- JabavuAdams 12y ago
  Made Linux builds, and updated page with Linux download link. Uploading as I write this.

23 points by JabavuAdams 12y ago

tadfisher 12y ago

This would work great with Google Cardboard, if you want to spend some more time and energy to port this to Android :)

JabavuAdams 12y ago
Silly question: how do controls work? I.e. I assume you can't tap the screen with it attached to your face. Maybe lean-to-turn?
- nuclear_eclipse 12y ago
  Android supports bluetooth game controllers, including the PS3 Dualshock if you're willing to jump through a couple hoops to pair it with your phone.
  - JabavuAdams 12y ago
    Maybe I'll pick one up and try that. It still seems like a way to greatly reduce the market. Isn't the whole point of Cardboard to be a kind of cheap VR? I can't imagine the target market going out to buy a controller.

maqr 12y ago

Maybe offtopic, but just a quick question about "You can use a wired Xbox controller (recommended)". Why not wireless? I thought they were the same from Windows point of view.

JabavuAdams 12y ago
I suppose you could try one. To be honest, I just don't know how to connect the wireless controller to a PC / Mac.
- wingerlang 12y ago
  You need an adapter like this http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Wireless-Gaming-Receiver-Windows/dp/B000HZFCT2 http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Wireless-Gaming-Receiver-Wind...
  - PhasmaFelis 12y ago
    There is, BTW, an excellent chance that it won't work, since Microsoft stopped making them ages ago and 90% of the available models are shitty Chinese knockoffs with Microsoft branding.
    - wingerlang 12y ago
      Ah, I did not know that. Last time I looked into these things must have been 4 years ago.
Igglyboo 12y ago
The wireless 360 controller requires a separate adapter which is not manufactured anymore and is shoddy at best, even installing the drivers can be difficult especially for a non technical person.

abbeyj 12y ago

Somehow whenever I spin out I manage to find myself facing directly into the opposite wall. Is this by design? This is then hard to get out of. It is like the wall is pulling you back in as you try to turn away from it.

JabavuAdams 12y ago
This is not by design. You may still have a non-zero commandedSpeed. There's an internal commandedSpeed variable that should get set to 0 on a crash stop, but that's a bit of a hack. Try reversing (pressing brake or down-arrow or S) out of the wall, instead of turning.

Scramblejams 12y ago

No Linux? :-(

JabavuAdams 12y ago
I could make a Linux build, but I'm not willing to test it or support it right now. Want to test it? I mean just a minimal smoke-test to see if it runs.
JabavuAdams 12y ago
Made Linux builds, and updated page with Linux download link. Uploading as I write this.