McLaren Branded HTC Vive VR Headset and rF2 Game Released

[Paul Jeffrey]

McLaren have released an officially licenced and branded version of the HTC Vive Pro VR headset recently, complete with a McLaren specific version of rFactor 2.

With McLaren seemingly ever keen to further engage with the world of sim racing and "eSport" competition, perhaps an officially licenced and branded product like the Vive Pro McLaren Edition was always on the cards in the near future.

Rather than simply slapping McLaren logos on existing hardware, the former World Championship winning team have built a relationship with the VR headset manufacturer that expands further than just hardware alone, with the HTC Vive Pro McLaren edition also coming complete with a tailor made McLaren version of rFactor 2, and an innovative ‘McLaren Garage VR’ experience – a Vive Studio release in cooperation with McLaren that aims to put viewers into a "multi-player simulation game where players can be part of the McLaren pit-crew, learning how to complete tyre adjustments just like crews do in a race. The experience includes the ‘Pit-stop Challenge’, a multiplayer competitive game that allows users to explore McLaren’s latest pit garage in room scale, learn to change a car tyre, and take other players on a timed tyre change challenge. These special edition experiences are available exclusively on VIVEPORT, where current Vive owners can create a subscription today to access these titles for free".

Of the new product release, McLaren Chief Executive Office, Zak Brown had the following to say:

“It’s been brilliant to tap into HTC’s technology and work together closely to create this top-of-the-range headset and VR experience, so fans can feel like they are in the heart of the action, at a racetrack with the McLaren Racing team. We think this limited edition Vive Pro headset is hugely exciting for both racing and VR fans alike.”
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Sadly for those of us keen to get involved with the new project, the McLaren Limited Edition version of the HTC Vive Pro doesn't come cheap, with current deals on the official Vive store quoting an eye watering price tag of £1,450.00.... so don't expect it in the Christmas stocking this December 25th..!

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[Steve Worrell]

Total BS. I had a Vive Pro. The tracking in sit-down games is identical with the Odyssey +. For room-scale, the Vive Pro's tracking is slightly better. Depending on the game. For triple the price.

So much disinformation here from people regretting their $800+ VP purchase I think. Glad I returned mine. Little lighthouses needing their own power and USB with cords going everywhere was ridiculous. With Odyssey+, you simply connect the HDMI and a USB. That's it: No power bricks, no lighthouses. It draws power off the USB. The total elimination of SDE plus the exact same res as the Vive Pro is amazing. Especially for $299.

Lol I don't regret owning a Vive pro. Like I said in previous comments I conceded that maybe the room scale tracking isn't a deal breaker for sim racing. Having said that I still believe the fidelity is higher and more accurate on Vive pro. I also feel I can look at this objectively as I have access to pretty much any VR product out there through my work.

 

[Oldzeb]

I have a WMR at 150euro just for the sim I prefer to keep the remaining 1300euro to live

 

[ears]

Dude, I had a Vive Pro. Returned it due to horrible SDE once again. The tracking is about the same on the Odyssey+ (and exactly the same in sit-down racing games) and picture quality is twice as good (no SDE). Samsung's engineers are simply on another level compared to tiny little HTC.

Lighthouses (each requiring their own USB and power) are so 2015. Inside-out tracking is the future.

Lighthouses don't require USB.

Are you sure you had one?! If you did, you had it wired up incorrectly.

So much disinformation here from people

Indeed.

 

[NDG]

This is what you get when struggling companies joined forces...

 

[Davebrave]

I have a WMR at 150euro just for the sim I prefer to keep the remaining 1300euro to live

Same here, did you get it last black Friday? Is it a Lenovo Explorer by any chance? I got one at that price and I can only compare with Oculus DK2 and so far so good (it has some downsides but I'm blown away otherwise).
Anyway, getting back to the topic, the price matters for our perception of quality also. Maybe there isn't so much difference between the Oculus CV1 and the Vive Pro ( I mean, there is, but not so huge probably) but the fact that you have to pay way more for the latter sometimes helps to appreciate better such improvement (that I'm sure it's there) and say "it's totally worth it". The same effect but opposite perception happens with lower end HMDs, they are like "it's so inexpensive that it can't be as good as the others..."

(Disclaimer: I haven't tested the Vive Pro yet, only regular Vive, Oculus DK2, Lenovo Explorer and PSVR)

 

[ears]

The Vive Pro is a top end of the market product. There are others emerging too now, like the Pimax 5k+ and 8k.

But it's not just a case of getting the headset - they don't have inside out tracking so you need to get the tracking devices too. If you want to be able to use hand held devices, you need to buy them too.

The original Vive came with all that bundled, I think the Vive Pro does now (for £1300 by the look of it).

It becomes a question of diminishing returns for me.

£150 for a headset that will work with racing (WMD etc)

So that's £150 and the difference is not being able to race in VR and being able to race in VR.

Then The Oculus has been available for £300 I think of late - so that's another £150 and what do you get in addition? Well you get better tracking, you get some hand controllers and you get a few games. You also get the very well developed Oculus SDK and 'spacewarp' software that helps older hardware run games in your headsets with good quality graphics.

Then for another £200 - up to £500 now - you can get a Vive bundle. And, well, the most seasoned reviewers have repeatedly stated that there's little difference between the Rift and the Vive, so I'm not sure there's much value in there.

Then a hike of another £700 to get to £1300 and the Vive Pro bundle. Better displays apparently, I'm sure you'll be able to tell the difference - but will the difference be worth the £1000 between that and the Rift? The £1150 to the WMDs?

What else could you do with that £1000?

Diminishing returns.

 

[Yapci]

What else could you do with that £1000?

Yep, a DD wheel would do better than the marginal improvement of the vive pros

 

[ears]

Total BS. I had a Vive Pro. The tracking in sit-down games is identical with the Odyssey +. For room-scale, the Vive Pro's tracking is slightly better. Depending on the game. For triple the price.

So much disinformation here from people regretting their $800+ VP purchase I think. Glad I returned mine. Little lighthouses needing their own power and USB with cords going everywhere was ridiculous. With Odyssey+, you simply connect the HDMI and a USB. That's it: No power bricks, no lighthouses. It draws power off the USB. The total elimination of SDE plus the exact same res as the Vive Pro is amazing. Especially for $299.

Again, as you would put it,

Total BS.

The fact that you don't realise that HTC Lighthouses do not connect to your PC via USB and only require a power connection make me think that your claim to have ever owned an HTC Vive or Vive Pro is

Total BS.

And therefore any claims you make comparing the two should be treated as

Total BS.

 

[M-Bimmer]

150€ price difference? or am I missing something? Are both full kits or not?

(The ugly blue paint still sucks)

 

[ears]

Well somebody had to pay for this!