Category Archives: Gaming

HTC Vive/SteamVR on an NVIDIA laptop running Optimus

HTC Vive running from a MSI GS60 6QE (1080p)  with Optimus graphics (GTX 970M)
HTC Vive running from a MSI GS60 6QE (1080p) with Optimus graphics (GTX 970M)

When the HTC Vive hit the market, one of the first complaints was that it wouldn’t run on a laptop using NVIDIA Optimus graphics with 9xx-M series GPUs (970M/980M). Optimus works by using an Intel IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) to handle desktop rendering, and passes through the discrete GPU graphics to the screen for presentation with higher performance.

Unfortunately, this did not work for Direct Mode, which was implemented to significantly improve performance for standard GPU setups.

Fortunately, however, Valve has just updated SteamVR to look specifically for the dedicated GPU in the case of these laptops. In the July 5th change notes, the following entry was listed:

  • Added Optimus hints to prefer dedicated GPU.

Intrigued (as I was unable to get the Vive to run from my MSI laptop previously), I gave it a shot, and sure enough, it works! (There was some unplugging and replugging, but it did work).

While the performance doesn’t stack up to a custom portable VR build,  this is great for developers who may just need to do basic testing or proof-of-concept demos.

I hope this helps those of you who are in a similar situation.

Notes!

The Vive will show up as an extra display. You need to switch it in windows to be an Extended display instead of mirrored, or SteamVR will send you angry messages.

Direct mode doesn’t work.

Some programs may not work. (Virtual Desktop did not work for me).

Performance is noticeably less than a desktop GPU.

 

 

 

Building a VR-ready portable PC

Not interested in buying one of the pre-built gaming rigs offered by Asus because you want something more mobile for using your Oculus Rift or HTC Vive HMDs (head-mounted devices)?

Here’s a list for a build spec that will get you going with something you can carry around easily:

SilverStone “Milo” ML08B-H

A Mini-ITX form-factor case which has a great design, allowing you to mount a full-length video card in-line with the motherboard, making for a slim design. In addition, this particular model has a carrying handle for increased portability.

Continue reading Building a VR-ready portable PC

Kerbal Space Program Mods (1.1 edition)

Updated 2016-04-22 13:34 (GMT -4)

Version 1.1 of KSP has just been released, so I will be updating this page with mod descriptions and compatibility notes as I work my way through the list.

Please note, version 1.1 is a full engine upgrade, (from Unity 4 to Unity 5). Squad overhauled a lot of the code, so expect many mods to require significant updates, or changes in functionality. Some mods may be discontinued.

64-bit is now fully supported, which means that texture-heavy mods will no longer cause the game to crash on load (as long as you have enough RAM), so memory management mods should no longer be required… unless you have very little RAM and a lot of mods. 😉

Boilerplate from previous versions of the mod list:

If you’re new to KSP, or completely unfamiliar, it is a simulation game, where you take the role of director for the little green man version of NASA/ESA/Roscosmos/etc. (I wrote a preview/review of it a while back)

One of the reasons for its success is its massive mod community, which has taken the stock game and added a tremendous amount of depth in the way of new ship components, graphical overhauls, sounds, functionality (life support, flight model re-write, mining/resource gathering, etc), and other content.

 

KSP 1.1 has an API which allows save games to be brought in from version 1.0.5, as well as documentation to allow mods to bring their data forward as well. Until a mod has been updated and confirmed to keep data intact, be sure to keep backups of your saves in case of space kraken.

Below is my list of what I feel are the best and most useful mods, but also those that I feel add fun touches to the game.

Continue reading Kerbal Space Program Mods (1.1 edition)

Kerbal Space Program Mods (1.0.x edition)

Updated 2015-06-22 20:46 GMT -4 (DST)

1.0.3 has been released today (2015-06-22). This has some notable changes for physics, not the least of which is heat management. This will probably require some tweaks by the mod authors, so I’ll start updating the page once those start trickling out.

Kerbal Space Program version 1.0 is finally released to the public. I will be updating this page with mod descriptions and compatibility as I work my way through the list.

Please note, Squad overhauled many systems in 1.0, so expect many mods to require significant updates, or changes in functionality. Some mods may be discontinued.

If you’re new to KSP, or completely unfamiliar, it is a simulation game, where you take the role of director for the little green man version of NASA. (I wrote a preview/review of it a while back)

One of the reasons for its success is its massive mod community, which has taken the stock game and added a tremendous amount of depth in the way of new ship components, graphical overhauls, sounds, functionality (life support, flight model re-write, mining/resource gathering, etc), and other content.

KSP was in pre-release for a long time, which meant that updates could be significant and game-changing. Because of this, I would start a new campaign over from the beginning when a new patch came out. In the future, I plan to stay with the save file I start for 1.0, unless there is a significant game-breaking save change that requires me to start over.

My assumption at this point is a clean slate for 1.0 for mods, so I will not comment on backwards compatibility for saves started prior to 1.0.

Here’s the state of my recommended mods, and a bit about each of them:

Continue reading Kerbal Space Program Mods (1.0.x edition)

Kerbal Space Program Mods (0.90 Beta edition)

Updated 2015-02-27 16:24 GMT -5

PLEASE SEE THE NEW POST FOR 1.0 MODS! 🙂

KSP v 0.90.0 Beta is officially out in the wild. I will be updating this page with mod descriptions and compatibility as I work my way through the list.

Please note, there are a lot of changes to 0.9, so it will likely take mod authors a while to get their mods back up to the stability they were before, depending on which parts of the game they tie into. Editor mods in particular are likely to be affected by this, as previous functionality is now built into the stock game in many cases.

From my 0.25 mod list post:

If you’re new to KSP, or completely unfamiliar, it is a simulation game, where you take the role of director for the little green men version of NASA. (I wrote a preview/review of it a while back)

One of the reasons for its success is its massive mod community, which has taken the stock game and added a tremendous amount of depth in the way of new ship components, graphical overhauls, sounds, functionality (life support, flight model re-write, mining/resource gathering, etc), and other content.

The game is technically still in pre-release, which means that updates can be significant and game-changing. Because of this, I tend to start a new campaign over from the beginning when a new patch comes out.

This also means that a lot of mods break on the new version and have to be updated… some require only a version compatibility change update, while others require significant code work to get back to functionality.

Here’s the state of my recommended mods, and a bit about each of them:
Continue reading Kerbal Space Program Mods (0.90 Beta edition)

Kerbal Space Program Memory Management

 

One of the biggest problems modders and their fans run into is the issue of memory management. When you’re a game developer creating content for consoles or mobile devices, you have a specific memory budget that you have to maintain. This requires hard choices during development, and one of the first places to cut is on texture resolution. Every artist wants to make their work look as good as possible, so telling someone to smash their gorgeous 2048×2048 texture down to 512 (or lower) can be met with resistance.

Continue reading Kerbal Space Program Memory Management

MonkeyWrench

I’m working on a small project for Kerbal Space Program.

The goal is to fill in a few gaps left by other mods for my own play style.

Easy changes: KAS and TweakScale config additions for mods that don’t already support them.

Moderate changes: Add functionality to existing parts. (Such as adding a radio to Universal Storage’s EVA-X pack for transmitting science when away from a craft.)

A bit more complicated: Adding new parts, such as the Vernier OmniRCS, which uses the same specs as the stock Vernor engine, but with a bit more flexibility.

OmniRCS_RenderBeautyShot_small

 

See my post on the KSP forums for more until I update this post 🙂
EVA-X KAS-GrabStnScience

Kerbal Space Program mods (v. 0.25 edition)

Updated 2014-12-16 09:51 GMT -5

UPDATE: Version 0.9 BETA is now released. Go here for the new list.

Version 0.25 of KSP has been released, and it’s time for the reinstallation of ALL THE MODS. I’m hoping this mod compatibility list helps others out.

If you’re new to KSP, or completely unfamiliar, it is a simulation game, where you take the role of director for the little green men version of NASA. (I wrote a preview/review of it a while back)

One of the reasons for its success is its massive mod community, which has taken the stock game and added a tremendous amount of depth in the way of new ship components, graphical overhauls, sounds, functionality (life support, flight model re-write, mining/resource gathering, etc), and other content.

The game is technically still in pre-release, which means that updates can be significant and game-changing. Because of this, I tend to start a new campaign over from the beginning when a new patch comes out.

This also means that a lot of mods break on the new version and have to be updated… some require only a version compatibility change update, while others require significant code work to get back to functionality.

Here’s the state of my preferred mods, and a bit about each of them:
(Due to the recent release of 0.25, this list is in progress!)

Continue reading Kerbal Space Program mods (v. 0.25 edition)