Will this release for free on Steam?

[erretter]

^

[secretsquirrel89]

No, Retinopsy VR is available on Viveport, and it is $24.99. Retinopsy VR is by far my favorite way to read text, as somebody with a print-related disability.

See: https://www.viveport.com/5445b338-0944-49a8-80ce-7c0f4ea7709c

I am going to write a review on Viveport later, but here are my first impressions.

I have been using Retinopsy VR with my Valve Index headset, Valve Index controllers ("knuckles"), and SteamVR Base Station 2.0 (2x). The Valve Index system, in its entirety, is 100% compatible with Retinopsy VR, and I have experienced no issues whatsoever with compatibility, even though the Valve Index is not listed as a supported device for the app on Viveport. There is also full native support for the knuckles controllers, and when using Retinopsy VR you can see the full outline of the knuckles controllers, with high contrast highlighting of controller components by the developer. So, the knuckles controllers are recognized, as the HTC Vive controllers ("wands") are not being outlined when the knuckles controllers are being used.

I just started using Retinopsy VR today, and I find the app to be absolutely amazing. I am pretty sure this is going to help me tremendously and change my life. The app costs $24.99, and I can assure you that it is worth it so many times over for people with print-related disabilities. I have been using it to read the newspaper and the internet in general via Firefox. I have also been reading a book using Retinopsy VR, using a screen reader software known as Kurzweil 3000 (https://KurzweilEdu.com). Kurzweil 3000 has multimodal highlighting, which means that when it is reading a sentence aloud, it highlights the sentence in one color (default is set to yellow) and the word being read aloud in a different color (default is set to green),. The multimodal highlighting helps me focus on the material, and also helps me absorb it better. Kurzweil 3000 also has a "Read the Web" browser extension for Firefox and Chrome, which has the multimodal highlighting feature. I frequently use Firefox with the Kurzweil 3000 "Read the Web" feature when using Retinopsy VR.

Anyways, it is similar to reading text on a movie screen but better. There may be claims that there are similar apps on Steam, such as desktop mirroring apps, but they really do not compare. The quick and seamless adjustability, such as being able to change the size of the screen, the viewing distance from the headset lens to the screen, the curvature of the screen, the brightness of the screen, and the contrast of the screen, is unparalleled. There is no app on Steam or feature on Windows that allows one to do any this as efficiently or effectively in virtual reality as on Retinopsy VR.

Also, this is hard to describe, but there is a really nice scrolling feature, using the controllers, for browser-based internet use, that makes this app more effective for surfing and reading the internet, relative to any other similar virtual reality app that I have ever used. I do prefer however to use a wireless or wired mouse with a mousepad that I have set up on a lap desk (I personally use a Couchmaster Cyton 2 lap desk, which I think is by far the best experience), as I prefer to be reclined on the couch or in bed while reading. I use a laptop as my virtual reality PC. If I was sitting in front of an actual desk, I would just set the mouse on the desk.

On the Retinopsy VR in app keyboard, being able to choose different types of high-contrast keys, along with spacing between the keys, is an indispensable and unique feature, which makes typing with the controllers much easier than any other app I have used in virtual reality. I have not seen similar features for in app keyboards on other more comparable virtual reality apps. I do however prefer typing with an actual mechanical wireless or wired keyboard over the in app keyboard, which I set on top of my lap desk. Because I cannot see the keys of the mechanical keyboard when I have the headset on, I have braille keyboard stickers on top of the keys which allow me to feel for the right key.

The magnification feature is very effective and efficient. The right controller pointer is always pointing to something, and whatever is being pointed at is magnified in the magnification box. The magnification box, just like the keyboard, can be enlarged or shrunk in size. When pointing the left and right controllers to opposite ends of the object, this can be done by gripping the controllers in tandem, and spreading them apart (to enlarge) or coming closer together (to shrink). This works much like the zoom in and zoom out function on a laptop touchpad. The magnification box can be enlarged to a very large size, which may be important for those with low vision. But, if the screen is already set to a high resolution, a huge magnification box may not be necessary, but it is still an essential tool. For people whose visual acuity is normal, it is still a useful tool because it allows one to see smaller images in detail without having to zoom or further adjust the magnification settings, which allows for efficiency with viewing.

The overall ambience of the app is very pleasant. It is like sitting in a dark theater, with 4 walls. Also, the planetarium-styled ceiling with stars on the ceiling of the "viewing room" of Retinopsy VR is aesthetically pleasing and is an extremely nice touch. Overall, the environment is very effective for working and leisure and it allows me to read very effectively without distractions and minimal setup and adjustment, despite my print-related disability.

I have a perceptual visual impairment, which does not affect my actual visual acuity, known as severe convergence insufficiency. I see a neuro-ophthalmologist for this impairment, and this is caused by a very rare immune-mediated neurological disease affecting my peripheral nervous system. I also have ADHD, and Retinopsy VR really allows me to focus and absorb the material that I am reading and viewing, due to the virtual reality experience along with ambience.