Monoscopic rendering to aid in easing hardware constraints and boost FPS in demanding games

Pimax 8K Series
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Its been known in the research for quite some time that Monoscopic rendering is not ideal for a static shot like a 360 degree Photo (although its still usable, as I’ve tested with multiple depth sensitive monoscopic 360 images) but when there is motion, the visual system is able to infer depth from a monoscopic view.

We see this all the time on 2D displays that have a high resolution video source displayed, like 4K blu ray. Texture gradient in this case is the monoscopic cue we use to sense depth.

I think for these HMDs a monoscopic rendering mode could solve the gulf between 5K+ and the 8k, and even let us push a much higher frame rate, stable current frame rate, or a higher SS level, or both. This could also potentially help the Pimax 8K push a higher native resolution on its display.

A lack of Stereo 3D isn’t always noticeable, especially in simulator games. Many professional flight simulators for example are only monoscopic.

The majority of the Pimax FOV in the periphery is already monoscopic, so why not offer the option in software to save on the rendering cost?

Its also true that the majority of depth cues in human vision are monoscopic. You could even offer a faux 3D effect like Tridef 3D’s or VORPX’s power 3D mode, where the program is using Z buffer data to create a depth map for a 2D image to appear 3D.

Since the Pimax has such a large FOV, I don’t think a monoscopic rendering mode would see much of a downside on “low end” cards like GTX 1070.

Titans of Space was an early app on the Note 4 Gear VR that needed to run in a monoscopic mode to be able to run within the hardware constraints, and not overheat the device. From personal experience, you could still infer depth just fine, particularly when moving because your visual system relies on several cues for depth, other than stereoscopy.

Even someone who is stereo blind can enjoy VR

https://pexlab.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/2013/10/28/question-1/

https://www.scotsman.com/news/scots-scientists-people-can-see-3d-with-one-eye-1-3140843

http://www.drashvr.com/2014/11/titans-of-space-update-plus-tough-gear.html

Maybe this would be worth a shot. What do you think @deletedpimaxrep1 @Heliosurge @SweViver

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I vote yes (I only have one eye, so kinda biased).

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I also have mostly monocular vision because of nystagmus, and somewhat of a lazy eye. I can still sense stereoscopic depth, but stereoscopy really isn’t important. I get as much enjoyment out of VR as anyone.

It’s a fact that Most visual cues in human vision are monoscopic anyway.

I just think it would be a really cool mode to be able to Max the headset out today, and it might even help us overcome some of the Distortion issues.

I’m pretty sure that the binocular overlap on the pimax is about 110 degrees, so it really wouldn’t have as large of an impact as we might ar first think.

There are a few hmds that trade stereoscopy for resolution also, and are still very immersive.

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This would definitely help with games Like hell-blade, Elite, Project Cars, and other intense VR titles that chug even on a 1080ti. It’s really worth a shot. Even a 1060 3gb can push 1440p at 70hz as long as it isn’t in stereo.

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Agreed. Folks have been asking for this for YEARS. It’d be a big win for folks like us if Pimax could deliver.

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If Pimax open-sourced the driver/firmware it would also help, if they don’t want to spend time on such feature, someone else could :slight_smile:

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Its just that with 2080 TI only offering 30% inprovement, and Pimax wanting several customers, trading stereoscopy doesn’t sound like a bad idea, at least as another optional software feature.

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Based on what we’re seeing in the reviews, a 2080 TI would drive a 8K-X without any of the new shiny features (new VRWorks features, DLSS, etc). in monoscopic mode. Like even the shittiest game engines…

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Would be great as an option.

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Excuse me, but WTF?!

The biggest difference between a monitor and VR is 3D depth and stereoscopic rendering and you want to take that away just to save on rendering requirements?

That’s like buying a sports car and and only sitting in it in the garage because you can’t afford the slick tires or the gas.

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Yeah, but it’d be nice to have the option. In your analogy, where were are is like having a sports car but not have a garage to park it in. If you don’t have the hardware to play the latest game, you are shit out of luck. Monoscoping rendering affords you folks with a good set of eyes the option to play the latest games when your budget doesn’t allow for the latest GPU.

Also, super jealous of your stereoscopic vision. I really loved using shutter glasses with gaming for the depth it provided;it turned my monitor from a flat render into a window into a 3D universe. But I’d lost my eye before the CV1 came out, so don’t exactly know what I’m missing.

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I’m stereoblind and have been for as long as I can remember (pretty sure I lost it due to having squints corrected).

I failed a depth perception test back when I was a kid and never realised why, as in normal situations i’m a pretty good judge of distance and have no issues with depth perception. It wasn’t until the craze of autostereograms I investigated myself and realised my failure was due to the test relying entirely on stereopsis.

Only way it affects my day-to-day life is that 3D movies look the same as regular 2D movies which look the same as regular life - full of depth perceived thanks to other cues (just no illusion of things flying out of the screen).

Can’t wait till Pimax’s wide FOV!

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The point is that the human visual system doesn’t rely hugely on stereoscopic for depth cues. Getting rid of stereoscopy as a mode WOULD NOT mean that you couldn’t sense depth in the image, and performance savings on all supported GPUS, FOV levels, and games would be huge.

Gear VR already does something similar to this in some apps, and you don’t notice the loss of stereoscopic vision as much as you would think

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That’s the whole point there are like 7 depth cues, and two of them are stereoscopic. This Would ease rendering, allow us to crank supersampling on higher end cards, it’s just an option for a mode if pimax could implement it, and after watching @SweViver’s video of using the 5k and 8K on a 1070 laptop, something has gotta give.

I think modern VR displays rely too much on stereo when our visual system relies on so many things other than that.

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I would like that option, too. For high quality fps games etc this would be a great option!

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huh… so it would be 2d, but with your headmovement etc. you would still have an idea of how far or big things are…
i find the idea interresting, i could imagine the experience beeing about as good as bad 3d, but with less performance needed.

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my initial reaction is to recoil in horror at loss of stereoscopic. but i have not experienced vr without it… so i really dont know how much it impacts immersion. but it is hard to imagine it without it.

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@destraudo If you have a gear VR, try the original Titans of Space. It has a 2D mode. Its noticeable, but not as much as you would think.

Titans of Space on my Note 4 Gear VR in Stereo 3D ran at 45hz for 15 minutes or less before overheating. In monoscopic, 60hz no overheating issues.

You can still access some depth from the Z buffer, (make a depth map with the 2D image,) and there are other depth cues. it would save so much rendering power.

Imagine @SweViver’s 1070 laptop running all games 20 or more fps faster.

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Exactly right. Try closing one eye and walking around, or looking at objects. See how much depth you still sense.

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never tried or owned any vr bar vive so hard to conceive impact of it.