Zeena Al-Obaidi – Page 40 – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

September 2, 2016

Neon Orb Shooter Cosmos Crash Out For HTC Vive As Early Access Release

One of the latest Early Access titles to test the waters is Cosmos Crash, which almost looks like the cross between the National Lottery and the ball-on-a-wire children’s toys in the dentist waiting room. However, fear not, as it is actually a space-based shooter that could be likened to Peggle for the matching of colours.

In this Early Access version, the aim is to fill your spaceship with the orbs that all run along a rail in space, and the way to do that is to shoot balls of a similar colour to the one you are shooting. Special items will show up every once in a while, such as bombs and ice, according to the last marble of three combos successfully shot.

cosmos crash screenshot

In the full version it is hoped that there will be more and more levels added until it reaches 100, and there will be an easy, normal, and hard mode. There is a possibility of a 1v1 real-time mode, but there is still much to be designed and materialised.

The title is currently available on Steam for the HTC Vive, and the price is expected to rise after it becomes a full title. It is expected to release as a full title in three to five months, and it is hoped the title will be playable for at least 24 hours.

For more on the latest releases for the HTC Vive, as well as all the news, updates, and features, in the world of VR, make sure to check back with VRFocus.

September 2, 2016

Alienware Showcases Its First VR-Ready Laptops, and Wants to Dedicate Efforts to Create More

Alienware is getting serious about virtual reality (VR) – just as serious as they are about gaming – which is why they are announcing their first VR-ready notebooks that will be coming out this month, featuring all of the top specifications that are needed for them to handle what most PCs can’t, let alone laptops.

They will feature capable graphics cards such as NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 10-Series graphics cards, as well as AMD RX 480, there will also be the more powerful of Intel’s processors featured in the laptops with its i7 and i7K, and there will be more structural magnesium to make sure it is as rigid as possible. As well as this, in the press briefing it was said that Alienware had been working with both HTC and Oculus to make sure their future releases will all be VR-ready.

aw15nt_lnb_00120rb55_gy

It was also said that not only do the laptops handle VR and gaming technically, but also physically, as they are built to take the physical abuse of the more emotional gamers – something that isn’t necessarily associated with VR gaming, but gives that added value to the notebooks.

Back in 2002, Alienware was the first company to make a gaming laptop, and so it really only makes sense for them to have created some high-tech VR gaming laptops. When talking about the history and progression of the company, it was said that “we want VR to be our next 20 years like what gaming has been the past 20 years”, which gives great gravity to how much the company wants to give to creating the best hardware for VR.

These laptops have been officially showcased at the Seattle-based event PAX West, and there at the event they will be running VR on the laptops. Pricing for the laptops will be announced as they become available.

For more on the latest news, updates, and features in the world of VR, make sure to check back with VRFocus.

September 1, 2016

VR Can Be Used For Safety Training Against Mass Shootings With Human Condition Safety’s SurviVR

We don’t often get to talk about current affairs, but this one application is a result of the very real dangers that threaten the world on now a day to day basis with gun attacks happening frequently, from hostage situations to mass shootings. Human Condition Safety has created SurviVR, which acts as a means to train civilians on how to protect themselves against these situations.

SurviVR puts users into an environment where they experience a shooting, but in the way that it will teach you survival skills – rather than give you PTSD. It is explained that it will bring up the right amount of emotions to create a highly realistic scenario where your behaviour changes and naturally reacts to what is happening. Rather than freeze, it is hoped that users will learn to react in a safer way.

“Traditional training was developed in the 1970s, for drive-by shootings,” said Peter E. Raymond, Chief Executive Officer of Human Condition Safety, in a press release. “Those response methods–to lock the door and hide– simply don’t work in the shooting, hostage, and terrorist situations we have today; in fact, they can get you killed. It’s important to understand how to respond in a way that maximizes your chance of staying safe.”

It’s not only the company themselves who are raving about it, but also those who have worked in some of the top organisations who deal with combat and safety: “The goal of this product, simply put, is to save lives,” says Brian A. Higgins, a law enforcement and security consultant to public safety agencies and international corporations, and former SWAT Commander. “It’s impressive and effective.”

It is hoped that in the future when more shooting incidents inevitably happen – particularly in the US – that having more people prepared will result in better outcomes.

For more on the latest developments in the industry, as well as all the news, updates, and features in the world of VR, make sure to check back with VRFocus.

September 1, 2016

Qualcomm Brings Untethered All-In-One Headsets Into Reality With Reference Platform

There seems to have been a bit of buzz around all-in-one untethered head-mounted displays (HMD), with the latest news of the development of a wireless HTC Vive with Quark VR. It has come out today, during this year’s IFA in Berlin, Germany, that Qualcomm Technologies Inc. has introduced a reference to create a standalone HMD, the Qualcomm Snapdragon VR820.

This reference platform, whose name is based off of the Snapdragon 820 processor, includes advanced features that let manufacturers create their own standalone HMDs. These include integrated eye tracking with two cameras, dual front facing cameras for six degrees of freedom (DOF), see-through applications, four microphones, gyro (short for gyroscope), accelerometer, and magnetometer sensors.

Qualcomm_Header

“Consumers everywhere are captivated by truly immersive VR experiences, and Qualcomm Technologies’ capabilities in graphics, displays, video, audio, computer vision and sensor technologies, as well as power and thermal efficiencies proven over years of smartphone innovation, uniquely positions us to help customers bring these experiences to life,” said Anthony Murray, senior vice president and general manager, IoT, Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd. in a press release.

“The Snapdragon VR820 integrates key technologies and features for an exceptional VR experience and provides a springboard for OEMs and developers to usher in the next generation of truly portable and untethered devices that we think are necessary for mass consumer adoption of VR.”

The Qualcomm Snapdragon VR820 is set to come out in the fourth quarter of 2016, and commercial HMDs that use the reference platform to be available shortly after.

For more on the latest in the industry, as well as all the news, updates, and features in the world of VR, make sure to check back with VRFocus.

September 1, 2016

Cherry Pop Games’ Pool Nation VR To Release On PlayStation VR In October

There has been some pretty great reception for Pool Nation VR, developed by Cherry Pop Games, as an HTC Vive title, but now it has been announced that the mini-game physics-based title is coming to PlayStation VR.

Pool Nation VR for PlayStation VR will include all the same features as the PC version with the HTC Vive, such as pool, darts, air hockey, skreeball, shuffleboard, checkers, and chess. As well as all of this, Cherry Pop Games has made sure that this is going to be one of the more social titles for the PlayStation VR as it will be supporting multiplayer hangouts of up to eight people.

PoolNationVR-01

“Playing pool in VR feels just like breaking balls in real life, you get to look around the table, line-up your shot with just the right angle as you would in your local pool hall,” said Richard Kidd, CEO from Perilous Orbit. “Our two development teams together deliver years of experience with video game physics necessary for a great pool game and proven talent in the virtual reality space. Together we are creating the most immersive pool experience with consistent updates and features to keep the game fresh.”

Pool Nation VR will be coming to PlayStation VR in October, but it isn’t clear whether or not it will be a launch title as no date has been given. The title is currently also available for the HTC Vive, and is available at a discounted price of £11.24 (GBP) right now, but this offer will end tomorrow where the price will go back with £14.99.

For more on the latest releases for PlayStation VR, as well as all the news, updates, and features in the world of VR, make sure to check back with VRFocus.

September 1, 2016

NVIDIA Releases VR Funhouse Mod Kit Along With Five Playable Mods, All Open Sourced

Today NVIDIA has revealed some juicy additions to its open sourced VR Funhouse application, described as “the world’s most advanced VR game”, which allows users to create more of their own experiences using its GameWorks, PhysX, and VRWorks technology. There is a new editor, mods, and availability to use all of this as of today.

During a press conference yesterday, Victoria Rege, who is involved with NVIDIA’s VR ventures and has produced work as a product marketer, shared the news that there is now a mod kit available for VR Funhouse, which allows users to access the game’s Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) blueprints and assets to create what they will via Steam Workshop. “The idea is that people can create their own levels, they can create their own actual games and experiences using everything that will be provided.”

Zero_Grav_Goo_1_1472656961

As well as this new editor, there are also five mods added to VR Funhouse itself that expand on the already available games: Super Whack-A-Mole; Zero-Gravity Goo, where the water that was shot into the clowns’ mouths is replaced with green sludge; Big Top; Great Moles of Fire, where their hair is replaced with fire; and Tommy Gun, where they replaced the pistols with tommy guns for the shooting gallery. These are all available to download for free on the NVIDIA VR Funhouse application, which is also free on Steam.

“It’s not necessarily about building new levels for Funhouse, but we hope that happens. It’s more about enabling the community to build more realistic, more physically accurate types of games that people can enjoy,” said Rege.

Tommy_Gun_2_1472656898

VRFocus asked whether or not additional mods would become more frequent, to which Rege replied: “We’re never short of ideas, I actually have lots of requests for Dane, and we are actually going to be working on some downloadable content, some future games that will be announced later in time, so we’re still working on some things. I can’t comment on how many, but we’re definitely going to build and explore.”

As well as these two big bits of news, it is also shared that the full source code for VR Funhouse is available on Github to create their own experiences.

There’s no doubting that NVIDIA VR Funhouse has been a hit, as there have been 100,000 downloads – which is what is estimated to be the number of Vives that have been bought. Rege also went on to say that one of the leading developers who has used VR Funhouse is Sulphur Studios, creators of Everest VR, for its realistic snow physics.

For more on the latest news, updates, and features in the world of VR, make sure to check back with VRFocus.

September 1, 2016

Invitations To Make VR Experiences On Sansar’s Creator Preview To Be Sent Out This Week

Virtual reality (VR) has a different kind of vibe to it compared to the rest of the games industry as so many developers of hardware and software want to share their lessons, successes, and failures with the rest of the community for the greater good of VR itself, and this is a defining characteristic in the overall thriving nature of VR. Sansar, with Linden Lab, opening up applications for creators to try out their own platform to create cross-platform experiences, and now invitations to try it out are starting to be sent back.

It is said that Sansar is aiming to democratise VR as a creative medium, letting people create, share, and monetise their own VR experiences with head-mounted displays (HMD) such as HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift.

Sansar_Highlands

“Since opening applications for our Creator Preview, more than 6,500 people have applied to use Sansar to create their own social VR experiences,” said Bjorn Laurin, VP of Product at Linden Lab in a press release. “To start, we’re inviting a select group of creators whose skills and projects are the best fit for Sansar’s capabilities today. As the platform matures, we’ll continue inviting more and more creators up until public release early next year. Feedback from this early community will help us improve the platform, and they’ll create a range of incredible social VR experiences that everyone can enjoy at Sansar’s public release.”

Only select creators will be sent invitations back, and it is said that the platform will be released in 2017 – although it isn’t clear at what point during the year we can expect it.

For more on the latest in the industry, as well as all the news, updates, and features in the world of VR, make sure to check back with VRFocus.

August 31, 2016

Scientists Have Created a Way For People to Enter VR Scenes By Digitalising Their Bodies

When capturing footage for virtual reality (VR), or more 360 video, people and figures are often quite flat and not very detailed. German scientists have now created 3D reconstruction technology that claims to pick up the finest details of anybody who sits in front of its many cameras.

Fraunhofer HHI researchers have created a set of multiple cameras which create a “perfect three-dimensional impression” which claims to pick up as much detail as what you could if you were to look at the real object or person.

3D_Human_Body_Reconstruction_RGB

As well as its camera technology, there are deeper configurations that ensure top quality reconstructions. Algorithms can extract depth information from the camera images, which is necessary to create an accurate 3D image. As the person is scanned and calculated, they are then transferred into the virtual world where you can even see detail such as creases in clothing.

The cameras take a few seconds to process all of this, and this can be quickly forgiven as “the illusion is perfect” as every gesture is recreated seamlessly, and you can even interact directly with the virtual scene you are scanned into.

Future plans for this technology include a spread across different applications, such as video conference calls, and even for television entertainment, as the viewer would be able to take in not only the scene, but be in it, too.

This technology is on show at IFA in Berlin, Germany, as well as in IBC in Amsterdam.

For more on the latest developments in VR, as well as all the news, updates, and features, make sure to check back with VRFocus.

August 31, 2016

Funomena’s Oculus Touch Indie VR Puzzler Luna Will Demo at PAX West 2016

Luna was mentioned a little while ago when we reported on 30 titles set to launch with Oculus Touch this Fall, and now it will finally be playable at a public event this weekend at PAX West 2016, featuring in the Indie Megabooth.

This indie title is a virtual reality (VR) puzzler that uses the Oculus Touch controllers, and players are encouraged to observe, listen, customise, and interact with a storybook world. This world is inspired by origami, minimalist illustration, abstract sculpture, and stop animation.

luna funomena

The story that brings this title to life is as described by the developers, Funomena, themselves: “The game begins when a young Bird is lured from its nest by a mysterious Owl, whose hypnotic song convinces the Bird to swallow the last piece of the waning moon. Blown far from its nest by the ensuing storm, Bird wakes up in a scrambled, unfamiliar and lonely place.

“To help the Bird find its way home, players must first look to the stars. Here, they help untangle the mixed-up constellations of Bird’s memories, which appear as tangled webs of stardust floating in the night sky.”

As well as the title itself, there is said to also be the usual freebies that come along with this event, so if trying out this title on the Touch controllers isn’t enough, then your innate sense of wanting free goodies may kick in.

Luna will be available at the Oculus Touch stations and at the AMD booth if you are looking for other opportunities to come by it during PAX West 2016.

For more on the latest events in VR, as well as all the news, updates, and features in the world of VR, make sure to check back with VRFocus.

August 31, 2016

Björk to Release Multiple VR Experiences as She Tours

Earlier this year Björk claimed to have made the world’s first virtual reality (VR) album with the HTC Vive, where she released VR videos that complemented her latest album. Now, she is carrying on the trend and releasing many, many more VR instalments as she tours around.

It was shared on Björk’s Facebook profile that she has already created four VR videos that are ready to be released, and she will go on to release more with every city she visits, starting with London.

bjork

Although it wasn’t in VR, Björk delivered the conference to announce this in real-time as she was reimagined in 3D using Unity.

On the post, Björk talked about how technology is enabling women to work outside the hierarchical system, and how technology personally helped her. She went on to say (all grammatical errors her own): “VR is helping making a new stage free of politics where sound and vision is swirling free in 360 fully liberated . i found vulnicura a helpful material to work in VR because of its old fashioned heartbreak saga , the narration in it is the most stubborn of my albums so i felt it could take on the experimentation of where VR is now . benefitted from 2016-ing it . and because of vulnicuras one singular selfpitying voice to work with many directors gave it more point of views.”

If you are in London, you can check out the debut of Björk’s Digital Exhibit at Somerset House starting on 1^st September.