Kevin Eva – Page 73 – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

March 26, 2017

The VR Job Hub: Cloudhead Games, nDreams & IrisVR

Whatever it is you do in the computing space, even if it’s currently nothing, you’d be surprised by the variety and number of roles relating to virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) or mixed reality (MR) that appear every week. Roles in programming, engineering, art and design, from all over the world.

View the new listings below for more information:

Location	Company	Role	Link
Qualicum Beach, BC, Canada	Cloudhead Games	Senior Producer	Click Here to Apply
Qualicum Beach, BC, Canada	Cloudhead Games	Project Manager	Click Here to Apply
Farnborough, UK	nDreams	Backend Server Engineer	Click Here to Apply
New York, USA	IrisVR	DevOps Engineer	Click Here to Apply
New York, USA	IrisVR	Full Stack Developer	Click Here to Apply
New York, USA	IrisVR	UI Designer	Click Here to Apply
New York, USA	IrisVR	Marketing – Demand Generation	Click Here to Apply
New York, USA	IrisVR	Client Experience Associate	Click Here to Apply
New York, USA	IrisVR	Technical Project Manager	Click Here to Apply

As always you can check back at last week’s edition of the Job Hub for additional listings. If you’re an employer and are looking for someone to fill a VR or AR related gap on your workforce and would like your role to feature on next week’s VR Job Hub please send details of the role to either pgraham@vrfocus.com or keva@vrfocus.com.

Check back with VRFocus at the regular time of 3PM GMT every Sunday for the latest positions in this ever growing industry.

March 26, 2017

Samsung UK giving away Gear VR with Gear 360 camera for limited time

Whilst it might be at the lower end of the immersion spectrum of virtual reality (VR), 360 degree video continues to grow in popularity.

360 degree video is now used for everything from advertising, to training and education to television and film. There’s plenty of good cameras on the market as well, something we looked into last week on VRFocus with our guide to the best 360 degree cameras you can currently buy.

One of the cameras on the list is the popular Samsung Gear 360. Launched back in April 2016, we brought you news a couple of weeks ago that both it and the Samsung Gear VR had received a price cut, with the Gear 360 dropping £100 (GBP) from its £349.00 price bringing it down to £249.00. Although at the time this was believed to be a limited time offer, there was no initial indication of when the deal would end.

Now however, the Samsung Shop – at least the one in the UK – is making that deal even more attractive. As up until the end of the month (31st March 2017) not only will you get the reduced price on the Gear 360 you will be eligible to receive a complimentary Samsung Gear VR2 without any extra charge. (Although buyers can actively refuse the deal and remove it from their basket.)

Upon checking the U.S. version of the Samsung Shop whilst there is a $50 (USD) off reduced price on the camera at present, purchasing a Gear 360 does not mention anything about a free head-mounted display (HMD) at the time of writing. It is unclear if any other regions are mimicking this current offer. UK buyers can also get free next working day delivery on all orders confirmed before 7PM via the Samsung Shop.

VRFocus will bring you more news on deals and sales of VR games and hardware as we get the information.

March 26, 2017

Summer Lesson Release Dated, Getting Physical Release

With Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE)’s virtual reality (VR) headset the PlayStation VR doing well both critically and commercially – the latter to a degree that has surprised even SIE – talk inevitably turns to what new games are coming to the head-mounted display (HMD) to keep the momentum going. This last week brought news on a number of videogames including puzzler Korix getting dated as well as three new titles from PlayStation’s own China Hero Project.

Another title that many have been waiting to hear more about has now also been dated. Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia’s Summer Lesson has now been set for release on 27th April 2017. This was revealed in a trailer, one of three videos released at the end of last week by the studio.

The videogame sees you take on the role of teacher/mentor to Japanese student Hikari Miyamoto, and you spend time with Hikari, interacting with her in her room and the world around you. With additional content also available relating to Japan’s maid cafe culture among other subjects. The videogame is one of the earliest titles revealed for the PlayStation VR. Being first revealed back during the pre-Tokyo Game Show conference of SIE – then called Sony Computer Entertainment – in 2014.

It was also confirmed was that the previously mentioned subtitled English version for Southeast Asia would also be coming – shown in a Chinese language version of the trailer released at the same time. Summer Lesson was originally slated as a Japanese-only release with this additional version first mentioned near the end of 2016.

As well as the date announcement trailers additional trailers were also released for the Grand Fireworks scenario and costume and “Day Out” downloadable content which will be included in the physical version of the game. It will also include the standard game Summer Lesson: Miyamoto Hikari Seven Days Room, aforementioned Maid cafe-related outfit and scenario and other DLC package “Second Feel”. You can see the other trailers below.

Interested PlayStation VR owners outside the region looking to purchase the game should likely look to specialised online retailers and should be sure to check with them it is the correct version they are purchasing. Particularly if they are looking for English subtitles.

VRFocus will bring you more news on the release of Summer Lesson as it becomes available.

March 25, 2017

The Week In VR Sport: Intel Bring You Courtside

Saturday means a return of our regular weekend feature This Week in VR Sport. Where we look at everything relating to the world of sport. Be it competitive, non-competitive, traditional or eSports – which featured in last week’s outing. All within the fields of virtual reality (VR) as well as augmented reality (AR) and even mixed reality (MR) on occasion.

Actually this week has been rather dominated by stories about health and education, but there was one story though that we reported at the beginning of the week however and that was the announcement that the NCAA’s March Madness had received its own VR app for the Samsung Gear VR.

Intel & NCAA Team Up For Courtside VR Broadcast

Not only that but there will be coverage of the last sixteen (or the “Sweet 16”), quarter-finals (the “Elite 8”), semi-finals and championship match will all be available via a VR Premium Ticket.

This tied in with news that Intel was providing tournament coverage for VR as a corporate partner for the event. With the company offering two ticket price point options depending upon your funds and desired level of immersion.

Gold – for $2.99 per game or $7.99 for all six games

“Fans will be able to feel like they are sitting courtside with their favorite team, via fully-produced VR coverage incorporating multiple courtside cameras, sounds from inside the arena and dedicated game commentary featuring Spero Dedes with analyst Steve Smith and reporter Lisa Byington. Dedes, Smith and Byington will call the game specifically from the perspective of fans watching the live coverage in VR.”

Whilst Silver – for $1.99 per game, offers a more simpler service

“Fans can experience VR through a single courtside camera presentation (180-degree live stream) with the same commentary featured on the CBS broadcast with Jim Nantz, analysts Grant Hill and Bill Raftery, along with reporter Tracy Wolfson.”

The NCAA March Madness Live VR App (available on the Oculus store) also gives stats and other details whilst additional highlights in 360 degrees will be made available on the NCAA March Madness Facebook page.

A Marathon Effort In Los Angeles

And speaking of the realm of 360 degrees last weekend saw the Los Angeles Marathon take place, a video of which could be found on last Wednesday’s Life In 360° post. One of the publications covering the event was, naturally, The Los Angeles Times which placed a camera on one part of course. The result is a view with you effectively leaning up against a lamppost watching the various runners go past as the field challenges themselves in a very personal way.

You can see that video below:

VRFocus will be back next week at the same time with another round-up of all the week’s sporting action relating to VR.

March 24, 2017

Life In 360°: The Cave Of Wonders

We end the week on Life In 360° by heading back underground. You may recall last week we travelled 200 feet below the city of Seattle to check in on the feat of engineering might that was the construction f a major tunnel beneath the city.

Today though we’re not in America; in fact we’re somewhere we’ve yet to go on our 360 degree adventures. We’re off to Vietnam to join RYOT and Google as part of their news series The Turnaround. In Saving Son Doong, the companies went there to visit a location in Quang Binh Province known as Son Doong. A recently discovered cave system and the largest cave in the world, containing a pristine and untouched ecosystem.

Untouched until now: because despite surviving being in one of the most bombed areas in the world, a cable car company are set to potentially destroy this previously untouched natural resource for the sake of commercialism.

RYOT and Google investigate in this two parter, which you can find out more about here: http://www.ryot.org/stories/saving-son-doong.

VRFocus will be back on Monday at the usual time with more adventures in 360 degrees.

Part One:

Part Two:

March 23, 2017

Studio Roqovan CEO James Chung On World War Toons & Other Projects

As the technology behind virtual reality (VR), both the hardware and the software continues to develop at a pace so to do the companies behind it. The studios, products, and individuals involved continue to evolve. The studios their working practices, the products their scope and rage of creative vision, whilst the individuals evolve their talent and skills bringing new ideas to the forefront. Everything evolves.

2016 was for Studio Roqovan, like many other creators, a busy one. They too evolved at the beginning of October, rebranding themselves from Reload Studios. Their cartoonish VR shooter World War Toons was released, and was a PlayStation VR launch title.

It too continues to change, which we looked in our first chat with the team on Monday. This time however Nina talks to CEO James Chung, who discusses how the team are continuing to improve the game. Studio Roqovan’s work with Boulevard (the former Woofbert VR) and their virtual museums. Chung also gives his thoughts on where VR is going.

VRFocus will be back soon with another interview.

March 23, 2017

VRTV Weekly Recap: Giant Cops, Control Gloves & Dancing Candlesticks

We’re already five weeks in to the second season of VRTV on VRFocus and it’s that time again as our video correspondent Nina covers what has been in the news.

Stories include:

The CaptoGlove Kickstarter campaign which launched this week.
For people in the UK who want to invest in VR, retailer GAME is trying to make it easier to buy VR headsets and VR-ready PCs from Asus through their online store.
HTC is planning to sell its manufacturing facilities in Shanghai so they can focus more on their VR business.
Ocean Interactive will be bringing their game Giant Cop: Justice For All to the Oculus Rift for $24.99 (USD). It will also eventually be posted to PlayStation VR and HTC Vive.
Honor Code will be releasing underwater VR experience Narcosis on 24^th March 2017.
Polish Studio 10Ants Hill are releasing VR table-tennis game Racket Fury for the HTC Vive.
Stellar VR are bringing hybrid RTS/Tower defence game Korix to the PSVR on the 28^th March.
Disney are releasing a VR tie-in to the live action Beauty and the Beast film called Lumiere’s Dress Rehearsal.
Ghost in the Shell is getting an augmented reality tie-in to the upcoming theatrical film release.

You can watch the episode below for further details.

For future updates and episodes of VRTV, keep watching VRFocus.

March 23, 2017

Digital Catapult Announces New Head Of Immersive

As we often say on our regular Sunday feature, The VR Job Hub, the virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) industries are always changing, always moving and there are always new opportunities in each for those looking for a change for those either already in it or looking for a change. And as we have already seen this week there are always new investors, new partners and new roles being filled.

The latest company to announce a new post is UK-based Digital Catapult, which works to encourage technological innovation in the UK with the goal of helping the UK thrives in an increasingly tech-based world and remain at the forefront of that technolgical evolution. The company has today announced that Aurelien Simon has been appointed as their new Head of Immersive.

Simon was previously Head of VR at Unit9 where he led immersive projects for the likes of Google, Microsoft, Samsung and Oculus Rift, which included working on the award winning Samsung: Bedtime VR Stories. Simon is said to be taking on a new remit at Digital Catapult, identifying how immersive technologies can disrupt businesses, sectors and the wider
economy.

“We’re getting close to the next wave in immersive, where hardware improvements, price reductions and more
sophisticated content will strengthen the overall experience and make it easier for people and organisations to engage.” Said Simon on his new role, “For immersive technologies to really take off, it is vital that content creators fully
understand the language of VR and AR and create content with relevance, either that is fitting to a consumer audience or relevant to a specific business or market need. Digital Catapult is uniquely placed to facilitate interactions across all parties and become the innovation hub for the industry in the UK. The opportunity to play a part in that is hugely exciting.”

Digital Catapult’s CEO Dr. Jeremy Silver added: “We are delighted to welcome Aurelien Simon to Digital Catapult. His previous work at Unit9 was exemplary and his appointment is the latest in our drive to hire great talent across our focus areas. Aurelien’s wealth of expertise will add tremendous value to our ongoing work in the immersive sector. We are helping to make the UK the best place in the world to create content and applications for Immersive experiences and Aurelien is already contributing significantly to this effort.”

VRFocus will bring you more news on Digital Catapult’s work with VR and related technologies when they reveal it.

ENDS

March 23, 2017

Robo Recall Gets Locomotion Mod From 3dRudder

How to move in a natural way continues to be a hot topic within virtual reality (VR) mainly because moving about at speed is a big factor in many cases of sim sickness. There are a number of different movement methods that are being used in the current crop of VR videogame titles, including various forms of teleportation. I.e. moving via clicking from place to place either freely or via hotspots.

Critics say of these methods that they are an immediate barrier to the immersion of a title, one company that is such a critic is VR controller firm 3dRudder who have announced a new mod today called the Locomotion3dRudder Mod tailored specifically for use with Epic Games latest game, VR FPS Robo Recall that aims to bring intuitive motion control and banish what it calls the “immersion killer” of teleportation.

The 3dRudder itself is a controller platform with which you use your feet, that aims to bring 360 degree movement to VR environments with an eye not only on games but on use as a tool for designers and similar professionals; with recent developments including a wireless version of the controller which was revealed at CES earlier this year. Players tackle games in a seated position using their feet to push and shift their weight across the raised platform to move forward, backwards, sideways or even turn around. The idea being that your feat, naturally will know where you want to go, thus freeing up hand movements for more important things – like shooting enemies and grabbing loot. The team have released a video (shown below) which demonstrates the 3dRudder and mod in action with Robo Recall.

Robo Recall, of course, is the Unreal Engine powered action-packed shooter for Oculus Rift and Touch, developed as a follow-up/spiritual sequel to Epic Games earlier VR shooter Bullet Train. In a recent review in which VRFocus awarded a rare five star rating, it was stated that: “Robo Recall elicits such a high standard that future FPS titles will be measured by it, and should be considered a killer app for Oculus Touch.”

Robo_Recall_OC3_A4_screenshot_02 (1)

The mod, which was developed by the 3dRudder team itself can be found here, along with instructions for installation. Whilst the 3dRudder controller can be purchased online for $179 (USD) or 179€ (EUR) at 3drudder.com.

Robo Recall itself was released with its full source code available to mod, Epic Games allowing us to share an in-depth ‘how to’ guide with you on Robo Recall and the development team earlier this month revealed three official mod packs for the videogame.

VRFocus will bring you more information about the developments with both Robo Recall and 3dRudder as we are able. Be sure to follow us on social media for more news.