Review cover Riftcat 2.0 (Computer)
Official GBAtemp Review

Product Information:

  • Release Date (NA): January 30, 2018
  • Release Date (EU): January 30, 2018
  • Publisher: RiftCat Sp. z o.o.
  • Developer: RiftCat Sp. z o.o.

Game Features:

Single player
Local Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
Co-operative
The definitive way to bring AAA VR quality games to the masses?

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This is for the mass

I’ve had a VR-ready PC rig for more than a year now and I own as many VR headsets as there are good games for them, i.e, zero… until recently. With big publishers, like Bethesda and Square Enix, pushing their flagship games on the VR platform (Fallout 4 VR and DOOM VFR only came out a few months ago), they aim to entice gamers to embrace the new technology that promised to literally take us to another reality.

However, the VR headsets required for playing those AAA games like the Oculus Rift or the HTC Vive are quite the investment. The Vive has an MRSP of $599 and the Oculus Rift is priced at $399, both costing as much as, if not more than, a VR-ready rig…

Just like the Robin Hood of VR-gaming comes Riftcat. This nifty software, along with its companion Android app VRidge, tricks your PC into thinking that your phone is an HTC Vive headset. You can see where this is going: slide your VRidge-powered phone into a Google Cardboard headset and ta-da! $5 HTC Vive!

Cheaper, yet not cheap

Before diving into the prowess of this software, bear in mind that you need a VR-ready PC, an Android 5.0+ smartphone and any cardboard-compatible mobile viewer. See below for the minimum and recommended specs that Riftcat suggests:

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All set? Let’s get this cat out of the bag!

Enter Riftcat 2.0

Riftcat 2.0 is, as the name suggests, an updated version of the software and it is the one that introduced me to this promising concept. This version came out this January 30th which you can purchase at € 14.99 and download on their official website. The companion Android app, VRidge, is available for free on Google Play. However, to allow potential buyers to test the compatibility of their setup, Riftcat also has a free version of the PC software on their website that has all features of the paid version except for the limited 10 minutes per session playtime.

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The PC software and its Android companion app communicate via your phone’s USB cable after enabling USB tethering option on your phone or via WiFi connection for a tangle-free VR experience. Riftcat then shares the computer’s images with the phone as a video stream, with about 1-2 frames behind input (less than 50ms delay). On the phone’s side of things, the latter sends back the head rotation data to enable head movement for the user.

In theory, all HTC Vive-compatible games will work via this method. However, since you won’t have the Vive’s controllers, it works best with VR games that require minimal input (ideally none) from the Vive controllers or those that are compatible with a regular Xbox controller and/or mouse + keyboard. Here’s a handy list from Steam for all games in its library that you can use with Riftcat and a controller.

I’ve tested quite some games and apps from that list and below are some of the most interesting games that I’ve tried. Note that the purpose of the videos are not to show the games in detail but rather to demonstrate how the PC and Android software work in conjunction.

  • Vivecraft

Vivecraft is a mod of Minecraft for the original PC Java edition that adds the VR twist. It currently supports versions 1.7.10, 1.10.2, 1.11.2 and 1.12.2 of the game. As the name suggests, it supports HTC Vive and subsequently Riftcat. Since the game is in first-person and plays with a mouse and keyboard, it works perfectly with Riftcat allowing to do… Minecraft stuffs?

  • Project CARS

Get in the driver’s seat of racing cars with this title that officially sports a VR mode. Best experienced in first person! I’m not a huge fan of racing games in general but the VR experience here is a very recommended one!

  • Rise of the Tomb Raider VR

Explore the Croft Manor as if you were right there! Flipping through notes and inspecting artifacts in VR is a nice way to explore the lore of such a revered series but moving Lara with the point-to-teleport mechanic makes exploration more tedious than it should be.

  • DOOM VFR

Best for last, DOOM VFR was my favorite VR experience of all. Impersonating Doomguy has never felt so immersive. Yet again movement is done via teleportation which however works better in fast paced action sequences. Actually teleportation has an added bonus in this title: teleport to a demon’s location and you’ll blast it away, leaving its blood and guts splashing all over the screen… eww! Cool!

However I cannot share the experience in the video since it is a game that has to be played with the HMD on and using the gyroscope to look around while using the controller to take action as the environment contains quite a few interactive elements (demons to exterminate in general). This does not translate well in a video where I have to move the phone in one hand and use the controller with the other.

To Be Continued

Now if you want to further expand Riftcat’s potential, there are additional tricks and hardware that you can pair it up with.

While the Riftcat is geared towards “emulating” the HTC Vive, it can also play Oculus Rift games via Revive.

 

Want to have the Vive controller without having to actually buy the device? Fiddle around with cheaper alternatives like Leap Motion and you are there.

However, the Riftcat team tells me that they are working on an emulator for the controller that is planned for a release later this year but the pricing is unknown as of writing.


As you might expect, it’s not all roses in cheap Vive world. Screen glitches like in the DOOM VFR video at 1:11 are quite common. I have also had some issues like the VRidge phone app disconnecting at random, my PC crashing (which might arguably not be an issue due to the app but it happened quite some time while running the software and gaming) and on some occasion a blue horizontal line would persist on the phone screen while playing.

Review image Review image

Blue line of death?!

Thankfully Riftcat has quite a competent and responsive support team that helped me in addressing the issues I had. Feedback is quite valuable as it is thanks to the latter that updates for the software are build upon to perfect it.

Verdict

What We Liked ...
  • Affordable method for AAA VR gaming
  • Free version available
  • Responsive support team
What We Didn't Like ...
  • No native support for games that require Vive's controllers
  • Android-only
  • Some pertinent issues
7.5
out of 10

Overall

Riftcat is an ambitious and promising software that is worth a try for anyone with a VR ready rig but without the extra capital to invest additional in pricey hardware.
"The Vive has an MRSP of $599 and the Oculus Rift is priced at $399, both costing as much as, if not more than, a VR-ready rig…"

Ehh...started off a bit rough there. Even before the cryptocurrency jump a fully VR-compatible rig (GTX 970 or better) would run you at least $800 without monitor and extras. Now that shit is like $1000 for the minimum to run VR. Unless you can get a pre-built, I suppose, but at cheapest it's still gonna be $700 with a GTX 970 in it.
 
ROFL OMG this is rich coming from the "all inexpensive indie games are shit" guy. :lol:

Indie is shit because its indie, not because it's cheap. It's super obvious to anybody with half a brain. So, what drove you off point so much? Natural stupidity, or my remarks set your butt on fire and this just your poor attempt on reckoning? I think both.
 
"The Vive has an MRSP of $599 and the Oculus Rift is priced at $399, both costing as much as, if not more than, a VR-ready rig…"

Ehh...started off a bit rough there. Even before the cryptocurrency jump a fully VR-compatible rig (GTX 970 or better) would run you at least $800 without monitor and extras. Now that shit is like $1000 for the minimum to run VR. Unless you can get a pre-built, I suppose, but at cheapest it's still gonna be $700 with a GTX 970 in it.

You can get now get VR ready PCs for as low as 500. Prices on 'prebuilts' have really dropped in the last few months.
 
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You can get now get VR ready PCs for as low as 500. Prices on 'prebuilts' have really dropped in the last few months.
Wow that's cheap, haven't seen prices quite that low. Then again I'm not really in the market right now, but at that price range I'd definitely recommend going for the full VR experience instead of missing out on controllers and good tracking and a decent resolution HMD.
 
I tryed playing Minecraft on cardboard like 2 years ago, and it made me very sick, I'm sure this is better though. Real VR headset don't make me sick at all.
 
Please don't review something ever again if you have no idea what you are talking about.

- playing VR games without VR controllers is just awful, so please don't overrate a solution that can't offer support for those
- basing the amount of good VR games on the amount of big publishers supporting the platform shows that you lack knowledge about actually good VR games (Raw Data, Superhot VR, Climbey, To The Top, Sprint Vector, even the Budget Cuts demo that hasn't turned into a full game yet and most importantly Sairento VR are only examples of great games you'd miss out on if you just wanna see big names)
- using a smartphone for VR might be cheap, but using the wrong phone can totally ruin one's idea of VR (as much as the lack of Vive controller support will probably do on its own)
- Windows Mixed Reality is a thing and it already lowers the required specs for "VR-ready" while keeping the HMDs at a decent price

So, it might be nice as an entrypoint to see if buying an HMD is a good option... but compared to the real deal it's nothing more than that and definitely not worth a 7.5 out of 10. I say this as someone who is able to compare it to a Vive and a PSVR, though I guess with a $500 smartphone (which would be overkill for anything else) and a pair of selftracked VR controllers, it might stand a chance, but for the money you invest there you could then again get an actual PC HMD).
 
It's worth noting that there's a Gear VR specific version of Vridge that makes use of low persistence and the extra sensors, and should result in a better experience.
Indie is shit because its indie, not because it's cheap. It's super obvious to anybody with half a brain. So, what drove you off point so much? Natural stupidity, or my remarks set your butt on fire and this just your poor attempt on reckoning? I think both.
There are lots of good indie games, I don't know what you're on about.
Please don't review something ever again if you have no idea what you are talking about.

- playing VR games without VR controllers is just awful, so please don't overrate a solution that can't offer support for those
- basing the amount of good VR games on the amount of big publishers supporting the platform shows that you lack knowledge about actually good VR games (Raw Data, Superhot VR, Climbey, To The Top, Sprint Vector, even the Budget Cuts demo that hasn't turned into a full game yet and most importantly Sairento VR are only examples of great games you'd miss out on if you just wanna see big names)
- using a smartphone for VR might be cheap, but using the wrong phone can totally ruin one's idea of VR (as much as the lack of Vive controller support will probably do on its own)
- Windows Mixed Reality is a thing and it already lowers the required specs for "VR-ready" while keeping the HMDs at a decent price

So, it might be nice as an entrypoint to see if buying an HMD is a good option... but compared to the real deal it's nothing more than that and definitely not worth a 7.5 out of 10. I say this as someone who is able to compare it to a Vive and a PSVR, though I guess with a $500 smartphone (which would be overkill for anything else) and a pair of selftracked VR controllers, it might stand a chance, but for the money you invest there you could then again get an actual PC HMD).
What's wrong with playing using a gamepad? I had no problems playing VR games with a 360 gamepad, I didn't feel like it was preventing me from enjoying the experience at all, although I'm sure it would be even better with motion controls.
 
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You've got to be kidding. I thought of this concept last year! I should have pitched it to someone then.
 
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I tend to use Trinus VR with a gyroscopic mouse strapped to my head. For the most part it works well. Tried Riftcat once. Wasn't very fond of the setup process.
 
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I tend to use Trinus VR with a gyroscopic mouse strapped to my head. For the most part it works well. Tried Riftcat once. Wasn't very fond of the setup process.
they've updated Riftcat so everything is handled by the PC, just need the phone app and connect your phone to the PC and it's all done.
 
they've updated Riftcat so everything is handled by the PC, just need the phone app and connect your phone to the PC and it's all done.

What about phones without a gyroscope? Is Riftcat smart enough to use the gravity sensor?
 
no idea about that but I think yeah, you need a phone w/ a gyroscope.

I feel ya. It's one major reason I use Trinus VR. I can simulate VR pretty well with my phone. Trinus handles the spit video feed to my plastic Google Cardboard headset while my gyroscopic mouse (tied to the headset) handles head tracking (mapped to the mouse in game). Lastly I use my controller to "control" the game. The major caveat is that games that don't allow for the mouse and gamepad to be used simultaneously still need to be adjusted in your Steam Configuration settings (provided that you can do so.... I'm looking @ you Gal*Gun!). Also I have two gyro mice. One tied to the headset for VR gaming and one tied to my controller for motion aiming in shooters. If there is anyone here using a game controller without built in gyros, I'd advise you to spend the extra 10-15 dollars and get a gyro mouse!
 
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I feel ya. It's one major reason I use Trinus VR. I can simulate VR pretty well with my phone. Trinus handles the spit video feed to my plastic Google Cardboard headset while my gyroscopic mouse (tied to the headset) handles head tracking (mapped to the mouse in game). Lastly I use my controller to "control" the game. The major caveat is that games that don't allow for the mouse and gamepad to be used simultaneously still need to be adjusted in your Steam Configuration settings (provided that you can do so.... I'm looking @ you Gal*Gun!). Also I have two gyro mice. One tied to the headset for VR gaming and one tied to my controller for motion aiming in shooters. If there is anyone here using a game controller without built in gyros, I'd advise you to spend the extra 10-15 dollars and get a gyro mouse!

Thanks for your input! Hope it will come in handy for those trying other methods to try out VR.



Also about Gal*Gun...
 
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What's wrong with playing using a gamepad? I had no problems playing VR games with a 360 gamepad, I didn't feel like it was preventing me from enjoying the experience at all, although I'm sure it would be even better with motion controls.

It can cause motion sickness issues in some people as they get the perception they're moving without their body really doing anything. Generally results in a sense of nausea. I'm fairly resistant to it myself most of the time, but I learnt the hard way when I added vertical height adjustment using the thumbstick on a Touch controller in a project. I decided I'd go down to rooftop height in a low poly overview of the city I live in. My legs buckled and I learnt a very uncomfortable lesson.

At the moment with a number of VR titles, gamepad movement is something that is done, but it causes discomfort in some people, which is why many devs tend to opt for a teleportation system instead. No sense of motion if you're in one spot and in another when the screen fades back in, etc.
 
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It can cause motion sickness issues in some people as they get the perception they're moving without their body really doing anything. Generally results in a sense of nausea. I'm fairly resistant to it myself most of the time, but I learnt the hard way when I added vertical height adjustment using the thumbstick on a Touch controller in a project. I decided I'd go down to rooftop height in a low poly overview of the city I live in. My legs buckled and I learnt a very uncomfortable lesson.

At the moment with a number of VR titles, gamepad movement is something that is done, but it causes discomfort in some people, which is why many devs tend to opt for a teleportation system instead. No sense of motion if you're in one spot and in another when the screen fades back in, etc.
I don't think that's really related to what controller you're using.
Anyway, I hate it when they do that, it kind of ruins the point of VR if you don't have full freedom of movement.
 
I don't think that's really related to what controller you're using.

If traditional analog controls are the primary method of locomotion, it can cause issues with people in a VR experience. Not everyone, but certainly not an insignificant number either. The exact reason isn't quite known, but it's certainly established at this point. If you're moving around your character with a control stick and a headset strapped to your head, there is a mismatch between the information your eyes are telling you, and your own sense of balance. Some people can deal with that, others not so much.

That's why a lot of VR titles at the moment try to minimise such movement.

I'm not trying to say you're wrong or anything, I'm glad you can play like that. I'm just trying to help shed some light on why developers have moved away from the gamepad way of playing VR in recent times.
 
Review cover
Product Information:
  • Release Date (NA): January 30, 2018
  • Release Date (EU): January 30, 2018
  • Publisher: RiftCat Sp. z o.o.
  • Developer: RiftCat Sp. z o.o.
Game Features:
Single player
Local Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
Co-operative

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