All Pimax has shown before were prototypes of vive wands. Then they changed concept and decided to listen to the community.
Just because the new pimax controller design will be “knuckles”-like, everybody expects these controllers to have the same features like valves knuckles controllers, which valve developed for over a year now with countless testing and prototypes. From my perspective this is far from realistic.
Like I said before in another thread: I believe the success or failure of pimax will be measured by the ability to deliver a HMD that satisfies the promises they made before the kickstarter. With the controllers it’s a different thing: I think it is impossible for pimax to meet these expectations. They will loose anyway on this front. And it dosn’t matter in the long run, because the headset is the big new innovation and not the controllers.
Certainly, the main thing is the headset. But many, including myself, would have waited for the Valve’s Knuckles, and if we decided to include those of Pimax it was because they showed that the controls had the same functionality; they clearly indicate it in various diagrams on their kickstarter page.
It was also to be expected that they were receiving Valve’s help in their design, as well as with the Lighthouse.
I think everyone expected that its release in April would correspond with the release of the Valve Knuckles, and even with LG equivalents.
Pimax said it would have capsense technology and elastic straps. So I think it’s alright to assume they should have these features they promised backers.
Ok. I didn’t know they explicitly said the controller will have capsense and these functionalites. If they did, I am wrong in my previous post. sorry for that.
Personally I think they should focus on the headset. Wait till Valve knuckles are released. Get a hold of a set, tear it down, clone it, and put their spin on it.
As much as I expect the headset to be produced and received before, according to Pimax’s survey I also look forward to the controllers. Focus should be on both. One without the other is incomplete.
In a sense I agree with you, but realistically they can probably get a pair pretty easily if they really tried.
Also it would be a good idea, but there is no release date on the Valve Knuckles and it would be unfair to all their backers who do not have Vive Controllers or Base Stations to use the Headset with.
I agree with you, but it seems most people don’t agree with us here.
I think one of the most immersive things about VR is hand presence.
I can only imagine how amazingly immersive VR will be with full five finger tracking and the ability to actually let go of the controller while its still fixed on your palm.
What do you all think of this Vive joypad mod as a solution to the joystick vs. trackpad issue? (some people want joystick and some people want trackpad)
There could be a version printed for pimax knuckle-style controller specs.
Yes, when I backed the controllers I assumed they would license Vavles knuckle design but it now seems they are determined to clone it without doing so. Which I think is a big mistake, but if this is the route they are going to take I think they should be put on hold for now.
I see the potential problem with “Valve design” that these has been announced this summer and since then there were not so many reports nor any confirmation from Valve that the design is proven. Which could also mean that what seemed originally as a brilliant idea does not work that well when really used. Valve can afford delaying the knuckles indefinitely (or change the design completely) however Pimax is pressed to deliver “something” to the backers.
So if Valve is now clueless, Pimax is stuck with whatever they put together themselves.
The other reason could also be that Pimax does not want / cannot afford to simply rebadge Valve controllers as they may cost more than what Pimax foreseen in KS.
I guess it would quite interesting for the backers if Pimax (@Matthew.Xu) could comment on the situation and what is their plan.
The knuckle is not open source, so the controller is our own design. We are hardware design and function implementation will have a cap sense module, but the software is not sure whether can be finished before delivery, so I updated picture have not define all the key function.
Our plan is the first batch of shipping guarantees that the hardware part contains these sense, and later you can upgrade the software to realize this function.
Please let me know if you have any better suggestions or requests. Thanks
Hardware design shipped without software debugging could cause major unfixable problems after the kickstarter. What if there is a design or physical function issue that hasn’t been debugged because it was unable to be tested and fixed because it was not functional with software till after shipment.
sorry for that.