Question Quest 2 and VAM while Offline

[Johninvr]

Hope I don’t stir up a hornets nest….

Is it possible to run VAM and an Oculus Quest 2 while completely offline? Or does the latest quest upgrade force you to be continually logged into Facebook while utilizing the Q2?

I’m planning on dropping serious cash on a whole new system and head mounted rig in the next month, the Quest 2 seems the best bang for the buck but I’ve got major concerns hearing about numerous owners getting “bricked” (Facebook account locked, hence no access to the Q2).

How serious is this for VAM users? Is the Q2 continually monitoring your use, even in virtual desktop? If your headset did get “bricked” could you still use non oculus/FB software such as VAM,or is the unit totally unusable at that point?

Even on a practical side, I would hate to lose all access to VR just because my internet went out. In my geographic location this is entirely possible without losing power, I would hate to be hamstrung and unable to use content I already have downloaded and available just because I cannot log into an account.

Has anyone tried using the latest updated Q2 and VAM while offline?

 

[MacGruber]

I have looked into this a bit, as I'm thinking about buying a Q2 myself. Have not done so yet, though.

• Footage from the sensors (which are just cameras) is not supposed to ever be stored or leave the device. However, a benefit of the inside-out method is even if the footage goes out showing you "doing things", your face is NOT visible.
• They are recording which apps you use and when you open them, probably to show you a history of recently used apps. So, VaM might appear there. Although with my current Rift CV1 you can mark VaM as "hidden" so it does not show up. However, I guess its recorded anyway.
• What you DO with the app is not recorded, unless the app does so itself. (Which VaM doesn't do)
• I could not find out for sure, but I think playing offline might still cause data to be recorded and synced as soon as you go online at a later point.
• With your Q2 you can logout of your FB account and login with another one. It's even an intended function to be able to use the device with multiple users. If your FB account is locked, you loose access to any games you bought from the Oculus store with that account. But that's it. The Q2 is not bricked, you can just login with another account. (so at the very least you can factory reset it and sell it on Ebay)

In my opinion the things FB is collecting are not that much of a problem. The problem is what they accidentally could record, which would then be tied to your real life FB account. Like..."oh, sorry, we had a bug, so video footage of you jerking off was send to all your real life FB friends and work colleagues". The main problem is that you are not allowed to have more than one account to ensure these things are definitly separate.

 

[Johninvr]

Thanks MacGruber, I’m pretty much at the same place you are. As long as it’s essentially capturing in essence “metadata” (length of time playing apps, etc) Im willing to accept that for getting a top notch headcount for essentially half of what it should cost.

I am curious if the Q2 even allows owners to use the system at all in an offline state, but I haven’t been able to play with one enough to find out. Essentially, every time I want to use my Q2 would I have to “ask permission” from the Facebook mothership in order to use apps that are not even oculus exclusives?

my Q2 would be used almost extensively for VAM, everything else would just be nice to haves.

 

[Jiraiya]

The Q2 should certainly work offline, and I have had my profile logged out in the headset but still able to play sideloaded apps.
If you are paranoid you can block your headsets MAC on the router after setup and then it can never communicate with FB again, but still should work locally to your PC for WiFi Virtual Desktop etc.
I frequently get internet drop-outs at home and that normally doesn't effect my Q2 as a PCVR use, unless the WiFi actually breaks so it can't talk to the PC.

 

[Johninvr]

The Q2 should certainly work offline, and I have had my profile logged out in the headset but still able to play sideloaded apps.
If you are paranoid you can block your headsets MAC on the router after setup and then it can never communicate with FB again, but still should work locally to your PC for WiFi Virtual Desktop etc.
I frequently get internet drop-outs at home and that normally doesn't effect my Q2 as a PCVR use, unless the WiFi actually breaks so it can't talk to the PC.

Thanks, that’s EXACTLY what I was wondering and settled my decision to go ahead with the Quest 2. Thanks for the help!