Explorer 2D for phones and tablets

[emalafeew]

I also love using this app on my Galaxy S7. Is there a possibility for this app to work with the Samsung Gear VR headset? This would provide a very low-cost way to get into VR and would be a good steeping stone for people wanting to get their toes wet in VR without the initial huge cost.

Also, it would be good if there was a search function for Explorer where you could search for rides anywhere in the world rather than having to scroll through all the tabs and lists of rides, or maybe even the ability to filter rides based on your current location using your phone's GPS or internet IP address.

We currently run on the Oculus Go but cannot run on GearVR because the Oculus SDK no longer supports it.  Oculus has also announced end-of-sales and support for the Oculus Go in December.

With respect to rides, we're making a more powerful interface this month!

[AfxTwn]

Thanks for the reply, it's good to hear more improvements will be coming to Explorer soon.

My reluctance to buy a Quest headset and look for alternatives was fuelled more when support for the Go was dropped and with the recent news that all future Oculus headsets will require a Facebook login. I don't have Facebook and I don't want it either (although I admit I am probably in the minority on that one). It may not effect current Quest users but that could certainly change, especially if and when they release its successor, Oculus/Facebook could drop support for it and make it go the way of, well the Go.

I agree with HHH's previous comment about there being a bigger market for your apps in the phone/tablet arena and it worth considering pursuing that avenue as well. I think a lot more people who are into fitness and indoor cycling are far more likely to want to use an app like Explorer and will already have a smartphone and/or tablet. The VR market seems very niche to me (even though I own a headset myself, just not an Oculus one) and it's made even smaller by the number of people who have a headset and an exercise bike and are willing to use both together.

Admittedly there are people who enjoy games like Beat Saber which have a fitness element to them but I doubt many of them have an exercise bike or an indoor bike setup or are even willing to get one to use your software. There are a lot of people who use Zwift and similar apps but again, how many of them either own a headset or are willing to get one to use with VZFit? I think a lot of people would be put off by how hot they would get and the amount of sweat they would produce with a headset on.

I probably don't know what I'm talking about and I understand you probably have a very small development team, I'm just trying to understand the numbers. It must obviously be worth your while to pursue VR but you seemed to have really narrowed your focus on an already very narrow market in not making it available for all headsets and not opening it up for use on a wider variety of devices such as smartphones, tablets or even computers. Explorer on it's own offers something a lot of the more mainstream apps don't and this could be developed further for those that like races and the more competitive side of indoor cycling or those wanting to join group rides and be part of a community.

Anyway, I have gone way off topic and don't mean to sound like I am slating your product or marketing strategy. I just feel that it has a much bigger potential reach than what it's current focused direction enables if it was just opened up a bit more to other avenues.

[emalafeew]

Thanks for such a well written piece. We put out Explorer 2D to gauge such interest, and to see how well our monthly updates would continue to suit 2D. So far no problems, in fact I’ll rebuild with the latest now.

We agree that Explorer has wider platform, and wider device, potential than we’re focused on now. The key thing for us is to build something great that people will use every day to keep fit. Our method has been to do so with monthly releases that follow new feedback and inspiration. That is the main reason we’re now on one platform, as well as the fact that we truly love the immersion VR brings and the Quest is the most affordable and capable headset out now.

We do have plans to grow in those directions, which you will start to see soon. We’re also not done with the game or ever will be, and will continue to do both one step at a time.

Meanwhile Facebook is the most devoted to VR research and making it mass market. We believe the Quest will be supported for many years to come, and it makes sense they’d use the same login, which I believe you could make and not use any other Facebook product. Microsoft also uses their universal login for Xbox, and Google for Stadia, presumably to avoid managing a separate account system for their services and devices.

[emalafeew]

The latest 2D build with Customizations and other hotfixes is up now.

[AfxTwn]

Hi, I wasn't able to update my current version of VZFit Explorer on my phone (Build 8/8/2020 2:02.36 AM) to whatever the newest version is but the old version still works for me. Are you going to release the app on the Google Play Store soon?, as this will be a much easier method of downloading and applying updates to the app than the current method of having to go to your website on my phone, find the forum (which doesn't have an optimised display for mobile and appears very small and is difficult to navigate), find this thread and then click on the Google Drive link to download the app to my phone and hope it installs/updates correctly.

Also, it would be great if in Explorer we could see a little mini-map displayed in the corner somewhere showing the route/ride and where we are on it (kind of like what you see in racing games). This would give you a better indication of how much further you have left to go, especially for longer rides.

[emalafeew]

Hi, I wasn't able to update my current version of VZFit Explorer on my phone (Build 8/8/2020 2:02.36 AM) to whatever the newest version is but the old version still works for me. Are you going to release the app on the Google Play Store soon?, as this will be a much easier method of downloading and applying updates to the app than the current method of having to go to your website on my phone, find the forum (which doesn't have an optimised display for mobile and appears very small and is difficult to navigate), find this thread and then click on the Google Drive link to download the app to my phone and hope it installs/updates correctly.

Also, it would be great if in Explorer we could see a little mini-map displayed in the corner somewhere showing the route/ride and where we are on it (kind of like what you see in racing games). This would give you a better indication of how much further you have left to go, especially for longer rides.

We currently think of Explorer 2D as a bonus app, and haven't made as many improvements as we'd like to it, or worked to get on Play store for easier finding and automatic updates.  If we made a push for that we'd also want to get on iOS.

Until then, we at least intend to keep it current with our VR build.  Were you able to download the latest APK and it just failed to install?  Was there any kind of failure message?  One thing that could help is if you uninstall your current app before installing the new one.  

Here's the link again https://drive.google.com/file/d/117sUncK...sp=sharing

[AfxTwn]

It's the same problem as before, after the app installs, it doesn't create an icon on my phone and when I click the "open" button directly from the installation window, then it tries to open the Samsung Gear VR app.

I tried uninstalling the old version and the same problem occurs so now I don't have any version of the app available.

[emalafeew]

I got a Samsung S8 to test this today. The problem last time this happened was a piece of the Oculus SDK was left in the build that caused that behavior just on Samsungs. Our fix to that is still in place but we'll figure out how it got back in.

[AfxTwn]

I got a Samsung S8 to test this today. The problem last time this happened was a piece of the Oculus SDK was left in the build that caused that behavior just on Samsungs. Our fix to that is still in place but we'll figure out how it got back in.

Hi, just wondered if you have been able to find a fix for this as I can't use the app at the moment. Thanks.

[emalafeew]

Sorry getting that working again is just behind getting our current release out, which is hopefully tonight.