Update 30th March 2020
SIMRIG Control Center now includes native support for VR motion cancellation on SteamVR for Valve Index, Oculus Rift S, and other popular VR-headsets.
See the software documentation for more details.
The method described in this article, though still technically correct, is no longer useful. This method calls for attaching a controller to your rig. The controllers are not designed for this use case. They will sporadically enter sleep mode which disables motion cancellation, or worse, repositions your camera outside the vehicle.
The new method built into SIMRIG Control Center works without a controller attached to your rig. It instead uses the motion system's current position and adjusts accordingly. If you have a VR-headset and own a SIMRIG SR1 we invite you to give it a try in the latest software release.
Quick and dirty motion cancellation for Oculus Rift:
- Mount a single Oculus camera on your rig (close to your wheelbase)
- Enter game
- Center camera in vehicle (reset HMD)
- Cover the camera with a black sock
- Play
Oculus camera covered with glove while racing.
Why it works
The Oculus Rift headset features an internal gyro. By covering the camera we disable tracking system. Forcing the headset to rely entirely on the internal gyro for orientation. The gyro cannot capture the translations caused by the motion system. It is limited to rotations. Rotations mostly occur when you move your head.
Limitations
This is not true motion cancellation (aka. motion compensation.) This technique cripples the VR tracking system forcing it into a degraded mode where translations are ignored. You won't be able to lean forward and inspect the vehicle dashboard. All translations are ignored. The upside: no software tricks are involved.
It only works for Oculus Rift; not Vive, not Index, and not Oculus Rift S.