Here it is, my thorough Reverb G2 Tracking Review! So how good or bad is the Reverb G2 tracking after all?
If you believe some horror stories and watch certain YouTube videos of glitching controllers, you could believe that the tracking is unacceptably bad and would break your whole experience.
I have been using the Reverb G2 now for several months and I can confidently say that those horror stories are not true. However, you do have to make sure that lighting conditions are good and I will give you 3 simple tips to follow for you to get the most out of G2 tracking.
The G2 tracking actually has improved as compared to all previous Windows Mixed Reality headsets. The reason simply is that there are now 4 cameras that do the tracking. Before, headsets like the Samsung Odyssey or the first Reverb had to do the job with only 2 cameras. Tracking volume therefore has increased.
In direct comparison with the Quest and Rift S inside-out tracking though the Reverb G2 still cannot quite compete in terms of tracking volume. The reason simply is that the camera placement is not as good as that of the competition.
The G2 tracking therefore lacks in situations when the controllers are in very low or very high positions and if you actually want to break tracking, you can do so. However, in most situations you would move the controllers and the built in sensors that track movement and the smart algorithms predicting the controllers’ positions even when outside of the tracking area work very well. Therefore, in the absolute majority of games you will not have problems. However, if, in shooters for example, you like to stand still and hold your weapon facing downwards, this might be a problem. Please check out my video above to see the tracking volume for yourself.
In the areas where the controllers are tracked though the tracking is fantastic and very precise. Also difficult situations like occlusion work well and you won’t have any problems aiming down the sights. Another difficult challenge for inside-out tracking is getting close to the headset. You can get reasonably close to the headset without losing tracking, but also in this situation, the Oculus headsets do a slightly better job.
Overall, the tracking does a good job, but lighting conditions are imporant. To get the best out of the tracking, make sure to follow the following tips:
- Room Cannot Be Too Bright – direct sunligh / big studio lights will confuse cameras, therefore put curtains on and create a “candle light” atmosphere
- No Green Screen – cameras need points of reference to recognize environment
- It cannot be pitch black – again, cameras need points of reference
If you follow this, you should have a good experience with your Reverb G2 and its tracking.
For the next generation of Reverb headsets the company does have to improve their tracking even further and close the gap between this tracking and that of the Oculus headsets to stay relevant.