Custom Home Mapper (Oculus Quest)

Build your own customized VR home and play multi-roomscale minigames! · By CuriousVR

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Custom Home Mapper (Oculus Quest) community

I bought in - but this thing needs some work

A topic by armyturtle created Jan 12, 2021 Views: 429 Replies: 6

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armyturtle3 years ago(+1)(-1)

I could have acquired this app via other methods where the developer isn't rewarded for their work, however I really like the concept and it's not absolutely terrible. This really could be a great thing - so I bought it through itch.io. I'm hoping you can fix some things very soon (as in, within a couple of months):
1. Adding in more walls and deleting some after the initial barrier is defined is extremely frustrating and makes no sense. If I delete the "wrong" wall, it appears to want me to add a replacement in, but in the middle of the room. I can't "deselect" the wall tool and instead am left there standing with a partial stretchy wall piece in my hand. For defining the exterior wall I don't mind running around and clicking at each corner. But when I want to delete one in the middle of my room, or even a section of the exterior wall, the program freaks out because there's no longer a "completed circuit."

2. I cannot figure out how the heck to add in ceilings; one of your demo videos shows a room with a ceiling.

3. I cannot customize the window sizes?

4. No doors? How do I insert a door?

5. Gaping holes in the floor in places. I don't understand why

6. Can't split the flooring areas so I can have a different texture in each?

7. Speaking of textures: Can you enable a way to import my own textures? I'd like to make a "granite" countertop, or tiled backsplash in my kitchen

8. Cabinets as objects would be nice - and a sink inside one of them, or a sink at all, except the bathroom one, you have that down; that and a toilet paper holder for some reason.

9. Alignment is garbage. Setting up the anchor point, how to do it, and it's purpose is NOT explained very well; and/or it doesn't work well at all. After walking around a bit, and especially after shutting down and reloading, the virtual room does not match my real one. It's off by 3-5 feet at times. And if you reset your view with the right oculus button (by holding it down), forget it, everything is permanently thrown out of whack.

10. The cartridge that allows you to customize your home - it says on a button "music on" - but I'll be damned if I can actually hear any music. I must be old and deaf!

11. Allow me to import custom OBJECTS I CREATE!

I'd gladly donate MORE $ to see this develop more, but it needs a TON of improvements, and SOON before I forget it exists.

Don't sit on it.

CuriousVRDeveloper3 years ago (1 edit) (+1)

hey wow.

I like this post, it's a kick in the ass. Agreed all around. Theres are too many neglected areas, its due for an overhaul, ive been busy with backend/multiplayer and the last month of updates havent addressed many of these issues.

I can sort out some of the issues you are having within the next week. Other issues are gonna take longer. I would like very much to arrange a time to meet with you, in app, so you can really unleash more critique, its really more valuable to me than further $$ support.

Appreciated. You've gone deep, and are really seeing the potential of this app. I am making notes, furiously.

armyturtle3 years ago(+1)

Really? Holy crap! You're awesome. I can't imagine how much work it takes to even get as far as you've gotten already, so most of what I was banging out on the keyboard was pie-in-the-sky dreaming. There's no rush to do anything within a week - but hot damn! But there are so many people that have bought an Oculus quest for the season for their kids... I've personally infected several families we know with VR... their kids begged them for the Quest 2 for xmas and they all jumped on board - but the parents just see it as a gaming platform. When I start explaining about Virtual Desktop, Immersed (similar to VD), and Custom Home Mapper, they're utterly shocked to think there's more that can be done with it besides just fiddling around in games.

We found it just easier to map our space out, then go outside into a larger open area of our yard and then walk around in it. The wife (who has literally NEVER done anything in VR since I've owned the DK2 in 2014) was amazed she could "see" her potential kitchen remodel before it was even worked on...

Let me know how you'd like to connect. I'd be happy to collaborate. And again - what you've done to date is amazing.

Agniusm3 years ago

I would add on this topic. It looks like you are jumping a lot on different aspects of the app, adding more stuff. Home mapper, games, now multiplayer. I would suggest doing this in stages. As it is home mapper i would suggest spending no time on additional functionality and concentrate on one, home mapper. Then when it is ironed out jump on next task. I don't know if you are working on this alone but its a big project

CuriousVRDeveloper3 years ago(+1)

yeah. (Caught red handed, am working on two new minigames this week)

Im a solo dev. Technically, im a circus performer of 20 years with no background in programming/video games. Im in way, way over my head here.

The project has grown quite a bit since i launchef v1 6months ago, resulting in the current mess of prototype ideas and concepts. Its far, far from a finished package and as i add more, the finish deadline moves further away. Same problem with my other (big ambitious) game Space Pilot Alliance.

I hear you. Im nearing the end of my old roadmap, and theres a change in focus to polishing, refining and ultimately cutting out a lot of content. This project has seen an unexpected amount of support and i'm talking with a few junior devs about contracting some work (ui, asset creation).

I didnt launch this game with a home builder tool. I didnt even think about it at first, i was focused on games. A user on reddit asked if i could add one in, so i threw together the current catridge in about 2 week, and havent updated it much since (except for adding all the co-op features, you can invite a guest and they can create/edit objects in your space)

So yes, given that the home building tool is probably the core feature of the program now, it certainly deserves more love. I'll prioritize it, and hopefully have a small team to work with going forward.

What do you want to see fixed/added? In a lot of ways, this entire program is being created in response to users who just tell me what to do. I love meeting up inside virtual apartments and discussing/getting feedback.. So let me know if you want to schedule a time, otherwise maybe send an email with more feedback if you have time.

All that said, thanks for support :)

Agniusm3 years ago(+1)

I would love to meet in VR but having 3 small kids, scheduling time is next to impossible. I think that the key here is customization. Its good that you have library of things but developing an option where user can load models is very appealing. I would look into ways supporting well accepted file format, say step or iges. This way it not only allows for personalized spaces but also allows 3D drawings to be discussed in VR with your multiplayer option.

Another thing is interactive modules. Buttons, panels, levers, portals mapped to device apps. Browser integration. Portals to friend's homes. Imagine a door, you knock on it or ring a bell, your friend hears it if he is online and opens a door at hes end, then you walk in and you are at friends place :) Sure its more simple to have a panel with friends name list, click on it and you are in, but where's the fun in that, where's immersion?
There is so much people with skill can do but all we see is 2D buttons and icons, same old style interaction in VR like quest home we have for 30 years.

Basically, work out the plan, the bareboanes, then attach modules to it like games etc.

Tubelord2 years ago

"portals mapped to device apps"

Wow, this just triggered all my memories of Microsoft Bob! Not sure how valuable it would be, but setting up your house like an OS where you could have different apps in physical places sounds amazing.