Simulation is one of the key genres of gaming that really stands to benefit from VR. CXC Simulations couldn’t agree more.
The company is known for is elaborate simulation setups for both racing and flight games, the most advanced of these being the Motion Pro II. Designed with racing titles in mind – though flight sticks are also included – this full set up offers all the components you need to feel like you’re sitting in the driver’s seat for real, complete with a panoramic display system, pedals, speakers and a low-mass motion system that is able to simulate turns and more. This week, the company is adding support for the Oculus Rift into that mighty bundle of hardware. Take a look below.
With the HMD on, there’s no longer any need for the Motion Pro II’s one to three screen display that provides a 180 degree view (though they’re still included). Instead, you’ll of course get a full 3D view of VR compatible games like Project CARS with a full 360 degrees to look around in. A custom wiring harness and mount has been added to the system to support the kit, and it can also be bought separately so that existing owners can implement it for themselves. Note that the Rift itself is not included in the bundle. In a statement, CXC Simulations CEO Chris Considine named this the “new standard” for the kit.
You can see some of the company’s earliest work with VR support in one of its videos above. Here CXC Simulations constructed a full-motion kart racing simulator using the now ancient Oculus Rift DK1. The footage is amusing, but shows that the company has been thinking about this integration for a long time.
Don’t get too excited about the thought of ultra-realistic VR racing just yet, though. The Motion Pro II is strictly for professional and very, very enthusiastic consumers. A Standard build with just one screen, for example, costs a staggering $49,000, with Racer and Pro models coming in at $60,775 and $73,625 respectively. If you thought the Rift itself was expensive, then that’s likely to be way out of your budget. Still, it’s nice to dream about what could be.
