Virtual reality is developing at a rapid pace. Oculus continues to push the VR envelope, although the forthcoming v29 software update for Oculus Quest and Quest 2 doesn’t offer a huge deal of inspiration.
The Oculus Quest v29 Update
Oculus has announced its v29 update via an Oculus.com blog post, and with it comes a host of extra features and updates to the Oculus Quest and Quest 2 eco-systems. The v29 update includes:
- Multi-user accounts and app sharing for owners of the original Quest (Quest 2 owners got this feature in February 2021).
- Use Quest’s built-in microphone to capture your voice, for casting to the internet or recording your gameplay.
- A feature called Live Overlay, which adds more visual functionality when casting to the internet or recording gameplay.
- Enabling iOS phone notifications via the Oculus headset display, so you can see them without removing your headset.
- A new Files App, which gives you more control over the management of files stored on your Oculus headset and move them around if you need to.
- A new Passthrough environment, which lets you see the real world through your Oculus, so you don’t have to take the headset off to find a door handle, for example.
- Oculus content recommendations via Oculus mobile app advertising.
What Is Live Overlay?
Unfortunately, it doesn’t place you in the game for yourself to see, which makes the Oculus blog headline “See yourself in VR” a little inaccurate. The official announcement for the forthcoming v29 software update from Oculus makes much of this feature called Live Overlay.
According to the Oculus.com blog post, it intends this feature for those who cast their VR experiences to audiences via the iOS Oculus app. So it is simply for casting footage via the internet or recording your gameplay to share later. The VR brand says:
… it allows you to look like you’re really “in” VR by layering your real-life self over a live shot of whatever you’re seeing in the headset. Just place your phone on a flat surface and aim it at yourself while casting (or enlist a friend to hold the camera), toggle to Live Overlay and hit record to get started.
So, it sounds pretty straightforward. Apparently Live Overlay will incorporate a selfie mode so you can see for yourself how you look projected into your VR environment, but only via an image in the Oculus gallery.
A Slightly Underwhelming Oculus Update
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Oculus was suddenly allowing you to see and interact with yourself in the VR environment, thanks to Oculus’ own blog headline. Sadly, not yet, but perhaps this is a native feature we’ll see one day.
Sure, there are some useful updates here like the Files app and the Passthrough feature, but useful and exciting don’t tend to go hand in hand.
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