Sorry for the wait, it's taken longer due to a variety of robustness, visual, and performance problems. But we're now very close to having the new City mode ready for release. Here’s what to expect!
City mode will join the existing Comfort mode and Country mode, as we’ve decided to call the current default. It uses “Pokémon go” like square buildings to receive the projections of street view images, which minimizes the distortion you see on buildings. It has virtual roads that cover up car distortion on the real roads. And we made the street view image lighter in the sky (anywhere that’s not building or ground) to minimize overhangs that don’t move like the road and therefore seem too large.
These three features mostly benefit cities where there are lot of buildings and overhangs and cars on the road. It should feel more comfortable than Country mode not only from lesser distortion, but also because the roads are level so you won’t feel height changes or ever float above or go under them.
On the flip side, City mode won’t have any of the precise road and roadside details and depth that Country mode will still offer. It you tried City mode on a ride like Arches National Park you’d miss out on much of its grandeur. We’re also keeping Comfort mode because it’s still useful for those with strong reactions to VR motion, but we hope that many of its current users will like City mode as a middle solution.
A final note is that since these modes all have differences in movement, when you matchup with other online riders you will be forced to their mode while you are together. Thanks for everyone that’s been waiting for this feature.
City mode will join the existing Comfort mode and Country mode, as we’ve decided to call the current default. It uses “Pokémon go” like square buildings to receive the projections of street view images, which minimizes the distortion you see on buildings. It has virtual roads that cover up car distortion on the real roads. And we made the street view image lighter in the sky (anywhere that’s not building or ground) to minimize overhangs that don’t move like the road and therefore seem too large.
These three features mostly benefit cities where there are lot of buildings and overhangs and cars on the road. It should feel more comfortable than Country mode not only from lesser distortion, but also because the roads are level so you won’t feel height changes or ever float above or go under them.
On the flip side, City mode won’t have any of the precise road and roadside details and depth that Country mode will still offer. It you tried City mode on a ride like Arches National Park you’d miss out on much of its grandeur. We’re also keeping Comfort mode because it’s still useful for those with strong reactions to VR motion, but we hope that many of its current users will like City mode as a middle solution.
A final note is that since these modes all have differences in movement, when you matchup with other online riders you will be forced to their mode while you are together. Thanks for everyone that’s been waiting for this feature.