Here is a list of Enterprise and Location-Based Entertainment Support FAQ topics:
The Mixed Reality Docs hub contains several pages covering different components of the immersive experience design process, including core concepts, interaction models, UX elements, etc.
Additionally, there are many pages dedicated to developing immersive experiences.
Begin your native development journey by getting acquainted with OpenXR, which can be used to develop unique immersive experiences with on any Windows Mixed Reality immersive VR headset. OpenXR is an open royalty-free API standard from Khronos, providing engines with native access to various devices across the mixed reality spectrum.
OpenXR lets you write code once that’s portable across a wide range of hardware platforms. The OpenXR API uses a loader to connect your application directly to your headset’s native platform support. End users get maximum performance and minimum latency, whether they’re using a Windows Mixed Reality device or any other headset.
Azure PlayFab is a complete backend platform for live games. Learn more about Azure PlayFab.
Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR allows users to run SteamVR experiences on Windows Mixed Reality immersive headsets. Learn more about using SteamVR with WMR.
Windows Mixed Reality supports a compelling portfolio of devices depending on your needs.
Currently available headsets from our partners at HP are a great fit, as each headset has its differentiated attributes tailored to your specific business needs. More details on each are below.
If your location specializes in mixed or augmented reality experiences with see-through headsets, check out the Microsoft HoloLens 2.
Azure Kinect DK is a good fit if you’re experimenting with experiences that use advanced computer vision, speech, and body tracking.
For PC-tethered VR experiences, we recommend that you use the HP Z VR Backpack G2, which is optimized for free-roam experiences. See details.
[!Note] Windows 10, version 1709 (the Fall Creator’s Update) or newer and Windows 11 contain key OS components and technologies that maintains full Windows Mixed Reality platform functionality
The Windows Mixed Reality platform consists of the following major components:
[!Note] This feature requires installations of Steam, SteamVR, and Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR.
This feature is available on Windows 10 (version 2004 and newer) and Windows 11.
To suppress the Mixed Reality Portal’s virtual home experience and launch directly into SteamVR, open the Settings menu, select the ‘Startup & desktop’ option within the ‘Mixed Reality’ tab, and select the ‘Automatic startup’ drop down option. Check the box next to the option, “When I open Mixed Reality Portal, automatically start Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR.”
[!Note] This feature is available on Windows 10 (version 2004 and newer) and Windows 11].
There are multiple home environments available to pick from within the Mixed Reality Portal virtual home space. Each option affords more virtual space to use at the cost of a less performant VR experience. To set the home experience to the least resource-heavy option, open the virtual Pins Panel, select the ‘Places’ option, and select the ‘Infinite Expanse’ option. Once a virtual live hologram of this space appears, select it, and the ‘Infinite Expanse’ virtual home environment will now become your new default virtual home environment.
The Mixed Reality Portal is updated differently depending on which version of Windows is being used:
Visit the Mixed Reality software overview and release history page for more details.
Businesses often have robust network security to prevent the Windows Mixed Reality platform from being usable in an enterprise environment by default. To enable or block the use of the Windows Mixed Reality platform in enterprise environments, please refer to the Enable or block Windows Mixed Reality apps in enterprises page.
[!Note] This feature requires the Mixed Reality Portal version 2000.19061.1011.0 or greater.
You may find that you need more customization of Mixed Reality Portal than normally available through the app, such as deploying apps to kiosks or customized experiences. Mixed Reality Portal supports several advanced settings, which you can set via a configuration file:
[!Caution] Failure to set up, use, and properly care for your device can increase the risk of serious injury, death, property damage, or damage to the product or related accessories. See details.
To set any of these configurations, you need to create a file called UserConfig.json under this directory:
$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Packages\Microsoft.MixedReality.Portal_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\
For most users, this will look like:
C:\Users<username>\AppData\Local\Packages\microsoft.mixedreality.portal_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\
The JSON file should have the below contents with “true” set for any of the above settings you want enabled:
{
"shouldAllowFailedSystemChecks": true,
"shouldSkipDcaApp": true,
"shouldSkipRoomSetup": true,
"shouldSkipStoreAppInstall": true,
"shouldShowPreviewFullScreen": true,
"shouldHideEngagementPane": true
}
Configuring a playspace should be done as you would with a consumer setup experience. The Room Setup process will also let you define your room boundaries. More details on configuring room boundaries can be read here.
As discussed in the above document, the maximum reasonable single coordinate playspace is around 5mx5m. If you want to have a larger area, you can use the Spatial Anchors capability in the Windows Holographic API stack. Using this API will require custom engineering in the experiences you’re producing.
See here for more details on optimizing your content for different space sizes.
To set up a larger space than ~18x18ft, you can’t use the boundary experience provided by the system. The boundary systems rely on a single fixed coordinate “anchor,” which can become unstable when a user is too far from the center stage anchor.
You can set up “seated” mode, which won’t display the boundary or configure a stage bound or playspace. You’ll need to configure multiple spatial anchors to reference physical boundary areas within the app.
The application developer is responsible for displaying necessary safeguards so that users don’t collide with physical surroundings. These could be digital walls within the experience or a customized game boundary visual.
See here for guidance on setting up the room boundary with WMR.
If you opt in to the Windows 20H1 or later build via our Windows Insider program, you can access an interface for map sharing. This new functionality is available via the Map Manager interface of the Windows Device portal. To use this tool, follow the steps below:
[!Note] Previously, it was possible to use the Spatial Data Packager Tool. However, that tool was originally released as unsupported and is now officially deprecated and no longer functional on 20H1. Instead, please use the inbox Map Manager tool as described above.
If you expect multitudes of staff and customers to be using the same devices in an enterprise or location-based entertainment environment, we recommend using the HP Reverb G2, which has additional and clean facial gaskets available, that can swap easily between individual uses.
See HP Reverb G2 Wipeable Gasket 3 Pack: Details
Mixed Reality shares the same tracking technology as the HoloLens. For more information, see inside-out tracking system.
For a description of how the higher-level spatial mapping system works, see spatial mapping.
To best configure the environment for tracking success, you can find best practices in HoloLens environment considerations.
The following practices can help with getting a more reliable tracking volume:
Providing different features in the room that overlap at multiple positions will help the tracking system get a solid lock. Think of random paint splatters and hatching rather than solid contour style lines.
Minimize the dynamic range of lighting in your area where possible. The tracking cameras on our Mixed Reality HMDs aren’t HDR and have AGC (auto gain) and AEC (auto exposure) dealing with different lighting. Depending on the distribution of surface light, patterns, and contrast, either AGC or AEC may conclude you’re in a much all-white or black room, which can wash out your features in the opposite “color.” When you’re trying to take an interior picture in front of an exterior window with bright daylight behind, you adjust exposure so you can see detail outside; everything on the interior is underexposed and black. Or if set for inside, everything outside is now overexposed and all white.
Spotlights in a room (even overhead) in the tracking cameras’ view can sometimes be culprits, which can confuse the AEC/AGC of the tracking cameras. Flat/diffused lighting would help.
Azure-based onsite and remote management can help your business be data-driven, reduce operational costs, and scale deployment across existing and new locations. Azure cloud services such as Azure Storage, Azure Functions, App Service, Azure Networking, and IoT Hub can help with the following use cases:
Azure Spatial Anchors is a new Mixed Reality service that enables multi-user, spatially aware mixed reality experiences across HoloLens, iOS, and Android devices. Learn more about Azure Spatial Anchors.
We have a few helpful resources to help you engage with subject matter experts on our team, get troubleshooting support, and contribute to the broader mixed reality dev community.
If you run into issues with any publicly released features, file a bug using Feedback Hub. For guidance, refer to this page.
For other troubleshooting help with WMR, file a support request with our customer support team.
Join our HoloDevelopers Slack channel to engage with the mixed reality developers and subject matter experts: aka.ms/holodevelopers.
Twitter: Follow our Mixed Reality Developer Relations team for news, events, and updates @MxdRealityDev
If you happen to be in or around San Francisco, there’s always something going on at the Microsoft Reactor.