VR Age Classification Needs Speed, Positivity, and a Borderless Standard

This past week has seen a couple of stories where the issue of what and how to classify virtual reality (VR) pieces of content has been taken into consideration, and this is a conversation that needs to spread wider – and fast. VR has picked up massively in momentum, and it would be almost ignorant to put off ratings for much longer.

Last week, Batman Arkaham VR, a PlayStation VR launch title that was announced during E3, was given the rating of M for Mature, and as well as the usual criteria of violence and language, VR was also listed as a feature. This could be taken a few ways. It could either mean that the classification board was simply stating that this is a VR title, or perhaps it was pointed out as a reason for this title to be aimed at a more mature audience. It is possible that some boards may very well class VR as something that not everyone can instantly adjust to – not only just due to the new use of technology, but also for the additional element of immersive viewing that hasn’t necessarily been experienced before.

BatmanArkhamVR1

Outside of VR, it can be easy to look at a screen and not make a real emotional connection with either videogames or movies, but you can’t look away in VR. With risk of sounding dramatic, there is no escaping its grip. So, perhaps the Australian Classification board was right to take VR as a reason to up the seriousness of a title due to the sheer intensity of what it can create. Either way, there needs to be a set standard, or else there will be complaints that some countries get more leeway than others.

This isn’t to say that this will make all VR titles a higher rating, and I sincerely hope that doesn’t happen. It has been said time and time again that children are able to pick up VR very quickly, and they can adjust at a much higher rate than most adults. There cannot be a sense of VR being aimed at a more mature audience in general or else the classifications will not be taken seriously.

It was also discussed openly by the classification board in New Zealand, where they stated that ratings for VR needed to happen, but perhaps not right now. However, the conversation isn’t only happening with the Aussies and Kiwis – the BBFC took a big stride and has already given a rating for its first VR film, ABE VR, which is a completely different attitude to that of the NZ classification board.

abe vr bbfc

What needs to happen now is a more unified form of action that isn’t necessarily restricted by borders. As the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Gear VR, and Google Cardboard have already taken off, and with the next big game changer is on its way, the PlayStation VR, content is going to continue to grow rapidly. At this rate, if there isn’t any action taken there will be next to no regulation. However, if the conversation is taken to the next level there is no doubt that VR will be consumed in a healthy and positive way.

Doctors of the World Releases AR Medical Treasure Hunt Using Traces App

According to the humanitarian medical charity Doctors of the World. Pokémon GO is a thing of yesterday and its use of the augmented reality (AR) app Traces is the new craze, utilising it as a treasure hunting app to find Health Heroes around the city of London.

What using Traces for with this medical application is all about is celebrating health pioneers in a way where you can catch and learn. When one of the Health Heroes is nearby, a bubble appears, and to catch them the player must move their phone towards it and tap on the screen. This will then show an illustration of the Hero and explains their story.

health heroes

The figures who will feature in the videogame will include: Dr James Parkinson, who first diagnosed Parkinson’s Disease and became an activist for the underprivileged, and Mary Seacole a Jamaican-born British nurse who went behind enemy lines in the Crimea to treat wounded soldiers in the 1800s, as well as four others.

In a press release, Dr Beau Lotto, CEO and Founder of Traces, explained in her words what the app is all about: “When we created Traces, we wanted to emphasize the importance of the giving side of sharing in the real world, rather than the broadcasting online as is so often the case. Neuroscience teaches us that our brain is always creating meaning in the world around us and that context is so important. In the case of this competition Traces will allow people to connect with the ‘Health Heroes’ at a place where London has paid tribute to them.”

Executive Director of Doctors of the World UK, Leigh Daynes, explained the importance of having an app like this: “We hope people have fun catching and learning about some of history’s greatest healthcare pioneers. Thanks to them most of us don’t die needlessly from preventable illnesses anymore. Yet globally some 400 million people do not have access to essential health services, including in the UK. The Health Heroes featured in this game stood for social justice and empowerment, values which today drive our work helping vulnerable people get the healthcare they need.”

The Traces app to capture Health Heroes is currently available to download and use and locations of the Health Heroes have been revealed on the Doctors of the World and Traces social media networks.

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

The VR Job Hub: BBC, Magnopus & Splash

Whether you’re an experienced designer, programmer, engineer, or maybe you’ve just been inspired after reading VRFocus articles – either way, you have stumbled across VRFocus’ VR Job Hub. The jobs listed here are located worldwide, from major game players to humble indie developers – the one thing they all have in common is that they are all jobs in VR.

View the new listings below for more information:BBC is looking for another engineer to join its R&D department which deals heavily in VR; noitomocap is a Beijing-based company looking for a VR Technical Artist to lead the project; Requiva is building “powerful VR and AR” experiences and needs a Sr Gaming Developer; Splash has a wide range of different technical roles for engineers, artists, designers, and more can get on board with; and Magnopus is looking for a Sr Gameplay Programmer.

LOCATION COMPANY JOB LINK
Beijing, China noitomocap Lead Technical Artist Click here to apply
Salford Quays, UK BBC Software Engineer Click here to apply
Berlin, Germany Splash 17 technical roles including Engineering, Artistic, and Design Click here to apply
Luton, UK Requiva Sr Gaming Developer Click here to apply
California, US Magnopus Sr Gameplay Programmer Click here to apply

Look back at last week’s post for ongoing listings.

Check back with VRFocus 4pm GMT every Sunday for the latest positions in one of the most progressive industries.

Cycling From One End of Britain to the Other Can Be Done With a Gear VR and a Stationary Bike

It is one thing to be able to travel through an area or map in virtual reality (VR), but one man in the UK has taken it to another level and literally turns it up a notch as he decides to cycle the length of Britain – which includes the general mass of England, Scotland, and Wales – using a stationary bicycle and a Gear VR.

Everything that Aaron Puzey, videogame developer and bike enthusiast, is cycling through is mapped out with Google Maps – all 837 miles of it. The trip starts all the way down in Land’s End, the southern most part of England in Cornwall, and all the way up to John O’Groats up in Scotland.

The way Puzey has constructed this whole project is with his own app he developed which visually allows him to move through the map, having to hit certain connecting points to advance further and acknowledge him following the route. This then results in a smooth transition through the Google Street View.

In a CNET report, Puzey tells of his time during the project: “I’ve been riding the exercise bike for years, just half an hour each day, but it’s just a bit monotonous.

“I’d been day dreaming for a while about the possibility of using VR to make it a bit more fun and now of course the technology has arrived to make it happen.”

Despite his troubles with VR motion sickness, Puzey has been making his way across the land virtually. The video below is a roundup of what happened during the 100-200km section, which only covered a small portion of his entire journey.

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

Free Demo Released For WW2 Shooter The Last Sniper

Over a week ago The Last Sniper officially launched, created by a single developer Robert Weaver, of Brilliant Game Studios. It has now come that today there is a free demo available to download.

For those who would rather try out the WW2 HTC Vive title, the newly released demo allows players to get a taste as ” a rogue sniper in the streets of Paris during the surrender of France and get a short experience of what it feels like to be The Last Sniper”.

the last sniper screenshot 2

The Last Sniper VR in full takes the player back in time to one of the most documented Wars in the history of mankind. “The Last Sniper is rich with content, jump out of an airplane as an allied soldier in Operation Market Garden, or defend Omaha beach from the hordes of Americans as a German machine gunner. Become a rogue sniper during the surrender of Paris and experience fully realistic weapon simulation, from bullet drop, to manual reloading of your weapon. The Last Sniper aims to simulate the sounds, visuals and feel of what it might have been like to be a soldier in a massive scale war.”

What is particularly interesting is how this title has been created by just one developer. Robert Weaver has had “years of experience in both developing games and sound engineering”, which explains how sound is said to play a big part in the title. Brilliant Game Studios is his own studio, and he mainly concentrates on AI.

The demo is free to download, but if you want the full version, it is available for the HTC Vive at £6.99 (GBP).

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

Experience Tahiti in Three Ways Using Google Cardboard and Gear VR

Summer is slowly winding down, but keep your chin up as you can carry on to enjoy it if you put on your head-mounted display (HMD) and crank up the heat in your house with superswell VR’s Tahiti virtual reality (VR) experience.

The Los Angeles based studio has produced this experience along with Tahiti Tourisme, and there will be a series of VR 360 videos where the islands of Tahiti will be captured in all their glory. “viewers will feel like they can reach out and grab black-tip reef sharks as they glide past” – although it can’t be said that this is an entirely desirable thing to do – “or wander out to the balcony of their overwater bungalow to watch the sunset.”

tahiti vr

There are three experiences to try out: the first is a boat ride around Mount Otemanu to the Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort & Spa to stay at an overwater bungalow and have breakfast delivered by a canoe. The second lets the user explore underwater on a snorkel safari, followed by a cooking demonstration. For the third experience, viewers can see the island of Huahine to learn about the history, culture, and religion of its people.

“The superswell VR team beautifully captured the visual aspects of The Islands of Tahiti,” said Jonathan Reap, Managing Director, Tahiti Tourisme North America. “We debuted this compelling and immersive content at the Tahiti Tourisme North America Business Forum, and they were blown away. Everyone was thrilled at the chance to be able to bring The Islands of Tahiti to potential travelers in such a visual and innovative technology and share what makes the islands one of the most desirable locations in the world.”

This Tahiti experience is viewable in Google Cardboard and Gear VR, as well as on Facebook and YouTube’s 360 players on the desktop. There is a behind the scenes video below, and the YouTube version of the first episode as well as the Samsung Gear VR is available right now.

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

Universal Orlando Resort Pairs With VRstudios to Announce “Terrifying” Psychological Horror VR Experience

Universal Orlando has already received awards for its Halloween Horror Nights, and it seems like it isn’t done with its dastardly deeds just yet. The resort, paired with VRstudios, developers of VRcade, has now announced its new generation of psychological horror with The Repository.

This is a limited-time attraction, as well as limited for youngsters as it has an age restriction for those below 13 years of age. There isn’t too much shared about the actual content of the story that leads this experience, except for the fact it is “an entirely unique storyline that will pave the way for even more brand new, best-in-class experiences across Universal Orlando Resort”. It was said on Universal Orlando’s blog that “All of this is set in a centuries old warehouse where paranormal and supernatural artifacts have been collected and stored for hundreds of years. Recently though, the secretive organization behind this practice has installed state-of-the-art technology that allows spectral transportation into paranormal realms.”

universal orlando the repository

It mixes both VR and real experiences, and is described as an immersive theatre experience, as guests explore in small teams to solve a dark mystery in “highly thematic physical environments and interact with real-life characters”. Universal Orlando describes what VRstudios has designed for the experience as “a first-of-its-kind VR platform”.

The limited time that this experience is available for is during its Halloween Horror Nights, which starts on 29th September and runs through til October 31st, the big night. Those who will be attending those nights can upgrade their tickets to become a part of the experience. These tickets will cost $49.99 (USD) and can be purchased by calling (+1)407-224-7840.

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

Universal Orlando Resort Pairs With VRstudios to Announce “Terrifying” Psychological Horror VR Experience

Universal Orlando has already received awards for its Halloween Horror Nights, and it seems like it isn’t done with its dastardly deeds just yet. The resort, paired with VRstudios, developers of VRcade, has now announced its new generation of psychological horror with The Repository.

This is a limited-time attraction, as well as limited for youngsters as it has an age restriction for those below 13 years of age. There isn’t too much shared about the actual content of the story that leads this experience, except for the fact it is “an entirely unique storyline that will pave the way for even more brand new, best-in-class experiences across Universal Orlando Resort”. It was said on Universal Orlando’s blog that “All of this is set in a centuries old warehouse where paranormal and supernatural artifacts have been collected and stored for hundreds of years. Recently though, the secretive organization behind this practice has installed state-of-the-art technology that allows spectral transportation into paranormal realms.”

universal orlando the repository

It mixes both VR and real experiences, and is described as an immersive theatre experience, as guests explore in small teams to solve a dark mystery in “highly thematic physical environments and interact with real-life characters”. Universal Orlando describes what VRstudios has designed for the experience as “a first-of-its-kind VR platform”.

The limited time that this experience is available for is during its Halloween Horror Nights, which starts on 29th September and runs through til October 31st, the big night. Those who will be attending those nights can upgrade their tickets to become a part of the experience. These tickets will cost $49.99 (USD) and can be purchased by calling (+1)407-224-7840.

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

See Mechs Tear Each Apart in the Latest Vox Machinae Gameplay Footage

When we said that Vox Machinae has been flying flying lowest under the radar, we weren’t joking, but now after six months there have been a few more bits to be seen from this title.

Space Bullet Corp, developers of Vox Machinae, has been posting a series of gameplay moments from spectator mode. This includes mostly massive robots getting shot at and obliterated – and the art is still as impressive as it was at the beginning of the year.

vox machinae screen

The first video shows the absolute carnage that each of the mech can sustain during gameplay from the use of weapons, whereas another shows explosions and defeat as a result of physical impact and collision. It also seems that players will be able to eject from the robots when they are about to die. The latest video shows a robot being taken down by an army of varied enemies.

Vox Machinae is described as a “modern take on mech combat simulators of olden days”, where the player is one of the few certified pilots left after the Earth’s resources had been depleted you fight to survive in one of the few jobs that are left. Players can pilot robots, navigate hostile planets, customise armour, punch with giant robot fists, and experience immersive physics.

This is just something new to be added to the previously officially released gameplay trailer, but there still hasn’t been a date set for the release of Vox Machinae. There is, however, a small hint in the description of the gameplay trailer from earlier this year where they claimed they are committing to a 2016 release, and there are still plenty more months to hear more about the title. Either way, the gameplay and design looks pretty great.

The title will be available on the Oculus Rift when released as it has been previewed on the head-mounted display (HMD), but it is officially classified as a PC platform, so it could perhaps open up for HTC Vive compatibility, but this has not been confirmed.

Until then, VRFocus will continue to keep up with the developments of Vox Machinae, as well as all the latest news, updates, and features in the world of VR.