The Oculus Quest is going to warn you less about bumping into things – but it’s a good thing
The Oculus Quest‘s latest firmware update is out and it aims to fix an issue where the Guardian system was trying a bit too hard to stop you from getting bumps and bruises.
The update launched today and comes with some general performance improvements and improved Guardian sensitivity. Oculus Quest – and other Oculus VR products – utilises a system called Guardian to warn you when you are nearing objects in your environment. However, the Oculus Quest has been experiencing problems where the system is activated even when it isn’t required.
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Guardian presents a grid to the user when they are nearing a real-life object but the grid has been cropping up at the wrong times. Oculus declared the fix should bring the Quest’s Guardian sensitivity in line with the Rift.
Alongside the update to prevent unwanted grids interrupting your virtual reality fun, Oculus lists “various performance improvements” in the changelog as well. Unfortunately, no more detail is provided but – hopefully – it enhances the overall user experience as intended.
The Oculus Quest seems like it is going to be receiving fairly regular updates to ensure optimal performance. A firmware update was made available on launch day – following the first update, users reported improved audio performance.
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Guardian is particularly important for the Oculus Quest – a completely untethered virtual reality experience. In May, a pair of game developers showed off the true potential of new headset’s wireless capabilities. The developers created a shooting game based on the layout of their office – allowing them to freely roam around in-game without fear of crashing into a desk.
In our review of the Oculus Quest, computing writer Ryan Jones said: “The pick-up-and-play convenience coupled with the affordability of an all-in-one system make the Oculus Quest the very best virtual reality headset you can buy. If VR is ever going to hit the mainstream, this is the headset to pull in the masses”.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.