Less than a week ago new models of Valve’s prototype Knuckles controller surfaced in SteamVR Home. The device is an attempt to innovate in the VR space with controllers that allow you to grab and release in VR without being concerned with dropping a controller.
The key to the Knuckles controller is being able to freely manipulate items in a virtual experience without worrying about dropping a handheld controller while doing so. VR controllers, in their current forms, have straps simply because some people may accidentally have the natural inclination to release them when mimicking certain types of actions like swinging a sword or throwing an object. We’ve seen what the Knuckles controllers will look like and this demo shows off how they work.
There are sensors on the Knuckles grip that will activate individual fingers and the video starts off showing how, using your index finger and thumb, you can pick up something like a coffee mug in a natural way and then toss it across the room. We also get to see how we can hold an object in place in our hands using different fingers or use our open hands to spin a globe without having to press a button to interact with it.
This type of intuitive control is going to open up lots of doors for VR creators as long as Valve finds a way to get it into homes at a decent price. If you have a prototype and/or want to check out the demo and the source for the interaction, Zulubo has made it all available via GitHub.
Fast experiences in VR have to tread a thin line when giving players freedom over control. Locomotion is a fickle beast in the virtual ecosystem as developers continue to experiment as they seek a perfect balance of movement of comfort.
Survios has established itself as a leading VR developer with its game Raw Data, but now the studio is trying to propel even further with a title that pushes what is perceived to be acceptable when it comes to fast locomotion. It’s called Sprint Vector and we got our hands on it at E3 2017.
Before getting put under the hood for this high-speed experience, the mechanics were broken down for me. Forward propulsion is managed by swinging your arms in a natural running motion with you pulling the Vive controller trigger at the highest point of each swing and releasing at the base. The direction of your sprint is controlled by the direction your head is turned. There were buttons for jumping, where you press and then swing both arms toward the ground and release to push yourself upward, and there are special points on a map that allow you to climb. Climbing can be managed normally by grabbing and reaching out for the next point, or you can kick it into high gear by grabbing and using the same motion as a jump to send yourself flying up a wall to grab a much higher point.
We kept hearing that natural locomotion is impossible in VR. It makes people too nauseous. So instead of giving into that, we decided to prove them wrong. In this game players are not just walking or strolling, they are running jumping flying on the ground through the air using our fluid locomotion.
Once I got the headset on and the controllers in my hand, I learned that they accomplished just what they wanted. I played a solo run at first and did a pretty solid job moving through, over, and around all of the obstacles toward the goal. There’s a newly implemented ability to shoot beams from your hands and a portion near the end of the course was designed to take advantage of that, but I was so engaged with the running motions that I weaved through all of the large vases instead of shooting them.
Once I was done, I watched another journalist play after they’d just watched me and he took things up a notch with how fast he swung his arms and tried to climb up walls. He didn’t best my time, but the stage was set. The Survios team gave us a break and then pitted us against each other in a race. I got a chance to check out their special power-ups for the versus mode and I kept blasting my opponent with an item that slowed him down a great deal, though I wasn’t 100 percent sure of how I was deploying it. It ended in a victory for the UploadVR team but the biggest win is just how fun this game was. There are more things in the works like wall running and drifting, but the key here is that they have a very fun foundation to build upon.
Immersive experiences are the foundation of VR’s growth and devs or creators continue to find ways to keep the illusion from being broken as long as they can. Controller input is one of the biggest offenders when it comes to this, but the team behind CaptoGlove is utilizing our natural gestures to keep players engaged.
The glove is equipped with many sensors and can track the movement of your wrist and the individual fingers. It also has a customization tool to make a large number of gestures work in many different ways for any experience. We got a chance to try out a demo at E3.
The CaptoGlove was fully funded on its Kickstarter campaign and is already making its way into the homes of those that supported it during the campaign. It also made it onto our list of the best hardware we saw at E3 and I go into detail on my experience with the device. In that piece we noted:
Once I got my bearings with the glove, which I was wearing while mimicking the action of holding a helicopter’s control stick, I flew closer to the ground and between buildings. The accuracy and response time allowed me to maneuver deftly, an impressive feat in DCS World for sure. The creators of the tool have plans to add haptic sensors to the base glove in the future, so we could be witnessing an affordable and functional new step for immersive input in VR.
To clarify further what “got my bearings with the glove” means, I initially was thinking of the CaptoGlove’s input in the wrong way. I moved in wide, sweeping moves as if using a large joystick. I realized that the movements weren’t really met with great degrees of input and realized that the glove itself wasn’t being tracked by anything outside of the glove. So I adjusted my strategy, keeping my arm in the same place but turning and tilting with my wrist in more controlled motions and that got a much better and accurate response in the game.
The glove gets as warm as any glove normally would and was quite comfortable throughout the demo. It wasn’t so comfortable that you forget you’re wearing one, but you won’t find yourself getting tired of it with extended play. Further, the glove is designed practically with individual sensors that can be removed with ease if they have to be replaced. The same functionality that allows for that type of repair also opens up the door for updates to the glove without having to buy a new version altogether, an element explained to me by a rep at the demo. There are plans to add a haptic feedback accessory and, though that is still far off.
Welcome to another week chronicling the latest releases for HTC Vive. We’ve got a couple highlights for you that are of incredibly different flavors. Chess Ultra is a visually impressive experience that pits you either against online players or a collection of AI modeled after chess grandmasters. VINDICTA channels expertise of a different kind, giving you a shooting experience that’s enhanced by insight given to the dev team from a military expert.
We also have a top list of the absolute best HTC Vive games — which is updated every few months with the latest and greatest options.
New HTC Vive Releases on Steam
Xion, from Zenz VR
Price: $8.99 (Currently Discounted)
Xion channels the nostalgia of arcade shoot-em-up games with a 90s aesthetic splashed over voxels. The gameplay is kept interesting with randomized levels similar to rogue-likes and you can continue to enhance your ship as you work toward the hardest level.
Recommendation: Check this one out if you like either voxels or top-down shooters. Or both!
Unearthing Mars VR, from Winking Entertainment
Price: $10.49 (Currently Discounted)
Unearthing Mars drops you onto the mysterious red planet for an adventure. There are multiple gameplay mechanics from puzzle solving to shooting and, while short, players will experience quite a bit.
Recommendation: Give this one a look if you’re feeling like a journey through space.
Space Panic VR, from Xefier Games Inc.
Price: $5.24 (Currently Discounted)
Space Panic is an escape the room experience that takes place aboard a space station. There are multiple puzzles to solve but you’re also working to get the best time and climb the leaderboards.
Recommendation: Could be worth a look if you want more of a challenge.
SPACE DVRTS, from Laser Fuel Games
Price: $1.59 (Currently Discounted)
SPACE DVRTS is a dart combat experience that takes place across different environments in space. On a hostile planet, you play a few games of darts as you guard the ships while your team is on an adventure. But then things take a turn for the worst.
Recommendation: Mostly just two half-developed games mushed together. Good price, but probably a pass for most people.
VR Photo Viewer, from SprocketVR
Price: $9.74 (Currently Discounted)
This program gives you a platform to view your Photosphere, Cardboard Camera, and other media in room scale VR. You can load content from your Google Photo collection or local system.
Recommendation: There are free and/or cheaper platforms that are more robust. Pass.
Mocove Arts VR, from Mocove Studio
Price: $2.99 (Currently Discounted)
Mocove Arts VR welcomes you into a virtual museum where you can view legendary works of art that span different time periods. There are over 1,000 paintings and over 50 sculptures for you to view with 14 pieces of classical music accenting your experience.
Recommendation: Pretty solid escape that can serve as a bit of calming, informative tour. Great for art connoisseurs.
Diesel Express VR, from Lazylab Games
Price: $9.99
In Diesel Express VR you take on the role of a Legionnaire of the Regiment and your task is to make sure Dreadnoughts make it to their destinations safely. As you take on enemies in their dieselpunk vehicles, this title gives a Mad Max-style experience.
Recommendation: Could become something special, keep an eye on it through Early Access.
Chess Ultra, from Ripstone
Price: $12.99
Chess Ultra is a visual feast with 4K visuals outside of VR and a variety of ways and environments in which to experience chess. You can play against 10 Grandmaster AIs or against online opponents.
Recommendation: This is a must-have for any chess fan.
VR Guest, from Alison M. Bailey, Chronos Development Studios
Price: $9.99
Have you ever wanted to have a chat with Albert Einstein, Mozart, or Kleopatra? VR Guest is your chance. This experience lets you be a fly on the wall while they have a thoughtful discussion and then you can ask questions at the end.
Recommendation: A bit pricey for the premise. History buffs might get a kick out of it.
Redfoot Bluefoot Dancing for VIVE Trackers, from Rebuff Reality
Price: $5.19 (Currently Discounted)
Redfoot Bluefoot is a dancing game where you’ll actually be strapping the VIVE trackers to your feet. It’s suggested you use the Rebuff Reality TrackStrap in this DDR influenced dance fest.
Recommendation: If you want to purchase additional gear ($14.99) on top of the Vive trackers, then sure, give it a go.
RoboTraps, from Poltergames
Price: $8.49 (Currently Discounted)
In RoboTraps, a corporation wants you to remote control their collection of lethal products. You’ll work your way through a collection of puzzles while making sure the work robots don’t destroy themselves.
Recommendation: A solid pick for Lemmings or Fly to Kuma fans.
MultiVR.se, from VRider, Inc.
Price: Free
MultiVR gives you a beautiful virtual space that you can explore, settle down in, and customize with an intuitive toolbox. There are 19 environments, video players, and more to get the most of the virtual space without removing the headset (some elements limited to the paid version at $9.99).
Recommendation: Check out the free version and see if you fall in love with it before diving into the paid version.
Drone Hero, from Neuston AB
Price: $11.69 (Currently Discounted)
In Drone Hero, you must steer a remote-controlled drone through goals and dodge different weapons and obstacles all the while. There are 25 increasingly difficult challenges and grades for each chapter.
Recommendation: Nothing special, probably a pass unless you just love drones.
VINDICTA, from Game Cooks
Price: $20.09 (Currently Discounted)
VINDICTA is an intense VR shooter with mechanics enhanced by insight from a military vet. UB Industries is building a robot army to take over the world and you’re the elite agent tasked with infiltrating and putting an end to them once and for all.
Recommendation: Very solid shooter with some of the best accuracy on the market. Check it out.
Deadly Hunter VR, from Leiting Interactive
Price: Free
Deadly Hunter is a wave shooter where you play as an Orc hunter that must utilize the best traps as you take on his enemies. Dodge the enemy attacks as you learn their weakness and expose them.
Recommendation: This is quite the intense experience and its free. Check it out.
Keep Defending, from Faster Time Games Limited
Price: $8.79 (Currently Discounted)
In Keep Defending your task is simple: Just do what the name of the game says and keep defending. You’re an archer that must build up your defenses and take down the enemies before they reach your gate. You earn gold as you progress to improve your defensive constructs.
Recommendation: May be worth a look if you don’t have a ton of defense shooters in your library already.
Dwingle: B.O.T, from XXII GROUP
Price: $5.59 (Currently Discounted)
Dwingle is a narrative puzzler where you interact with the environment alongside Bot the robot. You two will build a connection and evolve as you progress through the story.
Recommendation: Clever little interactive game. Recommended.
RunVR, from Smoketree Studios
Price: $5.39 (Currently Discounted)
RunVR‘s premise is simple enough, giving you a platform that shows what the developers consider to be the best way to run, jump, and climb around in VR.
Recommendation: If you’re interested in a locomotion tech demo, check it out, although the price is high for something that isn’t actually a game.
New HTC Vive Releases on Viveport
Natatorium, from Blue King Technology
Price: Free
Natatorium is a visual experience that shows off a highly detailed swimming pool facility running in the Unreal engine.
Recommendation: Check it out to get a look at some impressive visuals.
VidCon is a celebration of online videos from the viewers to the creators and 8i took to the annual conference to share that it is making the technology available to consumers by way of a new app called Holo, which allows them to take pictures and record video in what they term as 3D holograms.
To simultaneously promote the new technology and an upcoming film, 8i partnered with Sony Pictures to give users a hologram of Spider-Man from the Homecoming film to add to their pictures and videos. Holo adds the holograms to your image or video while you’re in camera view and they’re not just static, augmented overlays. Spider-Man, for example, can flip, facepalm, and pose for a selfie.
“People are creating, augmenting and sharing content like never before directly through the cameras on their phones,” says Steve Raymond, CEO of 8i, in the press release for the new development. “With Holo, we’re introducing a new way to create and express yourself using holograms of real people combined with the AR capabilities of smartphones. Until now, it’s never been possible to direct your own videos using recognizable characters and celebrities and we’re seeing lots of creative storytelling from Holo users.”
The partnership with Sony is just the beginning of their desire to have exclusive content available for the app. Holo currently includes content from Cosmopolitan (Magic Mike dancers) and holograms of various go90 stars and, if the app permeates throughout social networks, more big ticket partnerships are sure to sprout up in the future. Holo is available for free on the iOS Store for iPhone and on Google Play Store for Android devices.
Gamers rejoice. Wallets retreat. The Steam Summer sale has arrived! Our list of some of the best deals goes live a bit later today and it’s been proven that Valve regularly attacks our savings accounts but HTC is getting in on the conflict this time around. Not only has the HTC Vive been dropped down to $749.99, new Vive customers will receive a $50 Steam card to help them dive into all of the discounted games for the sale.
The HTC Vive already comes bundled with Star Trek: Bridge Crew, Richie’s Plank Experience, and Everest VR along with a month of Viveport (the subscription is also 75% off for a limited time.) On the blog post, the Vive team also listed a few VR games that are getting steep discounts during the summer sale:
Though not in the massive droves that came with the launch of the game, you’ll still see a few people out in public trying to catch-em-all, and the developers are continuing to enhance the application. Niantic is celebrating the first anniversary of Pokemon Go with co-op raids, a reworked gym system, new items, and more.
The Pokéstop system is one of the coolest aspects of the Pokemon Go experience, one that businesses used to its full potential by promoting the fact that their venue was a Pokéstop and offering discounts to players that came to their establishment. Now, the gyms will also include Pokéstops so players can use special items and this also gives players in more rural areas the ability to experience the social Pokéstop experience more often.
There are some balancing changes being made as well so players can’t abuse the gym system by placing the same overpowered creature in all of the slots. Each gym is limited to one of each species and you battle each in an order based on how long they’ve been in the gym. There’s even a motivation system where you must replenish your Pokémon’s excitement level by returning to the gym and feeding it berries (there are bonuses for feeding the Pokémon of the other trainers as well). As their motivation gets lower, their effectiveness in combat decreases. If you take a gym, you earn a badge. The more you play at that particular gym, the more you’ll level up the badge and you’ll receive more rewards with a higher level badge.
An element of Pokémon Go that was lacking at launch was the availability of co-operative combat against strong creatures. That’s being remedied with a new Raid system. At unspecified intervals, an egg will appear with a countdown. When that countdown ends, an extremely powerful Pokémon will hatch and you’ll have to team up with other trainers (up to 20) to take it down. The Pokémon will revert to a more manageable state at the end of combat and, depending on how you contributed to the take-down, you’ll get a specific amount of attempts to capture the Pokémon with Premier balls. You’ll need a Raid Pass to participate which can be purchased or earned at a Pokéstop. Niantic also plans to introduce legendary Pokémon via an Exclusive Raid system in the future.
Despite the astronomical interest tapering off after a rough roll-out, Pokemon Go was a pop culture hit and a big boon for conversations around augmented reality. It dominated 2016, out-earning all mobile games including Candy Crush with 11.6% of the market share. These additions will improve the experience in a big way for those still playing and likely inspire people to return to the game.
The hype for Gran Turismo’s VR Tour has been tempered regularly since it was announced, boiling down to a limited mode that supports only one versus one racing. Despite that, the experience has an opportunity to show off what some photo-realistic racing could look like in VR and we went hands-on with it at E3 2017.
The setup at E3 was a full, single-driver cockpit with a high-end steering wheel and pedals.
The volume on audio was fairly low, which took away from the experience because of the loud environment outside of the VR headset, but that’s something that is fixed when playing at home. Beyond that, the race was a pleasant and comfortable experience. While it is disappointing that the VR races are only one vs one, the trade-off there is that it doesn’t really look like Gran Turismo sacrifices a great deal visually when using it in VR mode.
The developers of Gran Turismo pride themselves on essentially being a show floor for the world’s best cars and VR is an opportunity to really show players how it feels to be in the seat of a supercar. It’s no surprise that they’re focusing on a beautiful VR experience but, with the limitation to one versus one on a smaller selection of tracks, we’ll have to accept that GT Sport VR in its current form is yet another cool tech demo for VR. That makes GT Sport at least a taste of a virtual future.
Some argue that AR will be the immersive tech that really takes off due to the fact that it adds elements to our daily lives and surroundings vs VR’s dependence on isolated virtual worlds. Shopping is simply one of the examples of augmented reality’s potential to change how we live, giving us different ways to test out consumer products, and Apple is coming to the table with one of the biggest names in furniture for a new AR application. A report relayed via Business Insider suggests Apple is teaming up with Ikea to launch an AR app that lets you test drive some furniture in your home before making a purchase in the very same app.
AR has been used as a promotional tool in a somewhat gimmicky fashion from other entities, but a statement from Ikea’s Leader of Digital Transformation Michael Valdsgaard points to the company investing heavily in the technology. While he recognizes that the physical stores are their greatest assets, he declared that future new products “will first appear in the AR app”. We don’t have any direct insight into such a decision, but this could also be a cost-saving move that allows them to see who is interested in certain products before moving to mass produce an item.
Early in the year, we got another glimpse at the potential of augmented shopping when Gap and Google collaborated for CES 2017. Apple and Ikea are both leaders in their field and this could be a major boost for augmented platforms.
Innovation around VR controllers is an ever-evolving conversation and Valve revealed prototypes for a new style of input in October of last year and, in a hands-on report with the prototype, people reported an intuitive way of input that focused on manipulating a virtual world and virtual objects without pressing buttons. Valve has continued working on the Knuckles prototype and, contained within an update for SteamVR Home, there appears to be a look at a virtual model for Knuckles in its current form.
Last night’s SteamVR Home update added models for Valve’s “Knuckles” controller prototype. pic.twitter.com/b0nXOuAaVP
Knuckles is expected to recognize finger positions and allows users to realistically grab, grip, and release virtual objects without dropping the controller. The new model simply looks like a more polished and well-designed version of the rough mock-up shown before. There looks to be a Steam home button but, otherwise, it looks to employ the same intuitive design that promotes immersion in VR rather than breaking it with button input.
For comparison, feel free to read our Oculus Touch review and learn why we think it’s the best VR controller on the market. Also, take a look at how the Oculus Touch was modified to make them similar to Valve’s early Knuckles prototype.
