Category: alien

Posted on

New Alien Game In Development, May Have VR Support

New Alien Game In Development, May Have VR Support

Empty out the cupboards for hiding, grab an extra pair of underwear, and prepare to face off against the Xenomorph swarms once again: a new Alien game is in development. The new game, which is currently untitled, was announced yesterday by way of 20th Century Fox’s new publishing house, FoxNext Games, and developer Cold Iron Studios.

According to an email from a PR representative that includes the press release, the FoxNext Games division is led by “industry veterans” that specialize in new entertainment experiences “across mobile, console, PC and VR.” The “About FoxNext” section of the press release even specifically mentions “FoxNext VR Studio” overseeing Alien and Planet of the Apes cinematic VR content. Interesting that they’d make sure to include those distinctions, no?

We don’t actually know very much about this game at all, but we think it’s a safe bet that it will have VR support of some kind. Creative Assembly’s excellent Alien Isolation never got full, official VR support, but mods have brought the unfinished feature to life and made it one of VR’s biggest and best survival horror games. It’s fair to assume that Fox is aware of that cult popularity.

We’ve previously recorded some footage of the mod in action down below:

On the development side Cold Iron Studios is made up of tons of industry veterans as well, including developers that have worked on Star Trek Online, City of Heroes, Bioshock Infinite, Neverwinter, Metroid Prime 3, Borderlands, and DOOM. This new Alien project will be the studio’s first official game.

“Cold Iron Studios has amazing design, craftsmanship and development talent that we are excited to welcome at FoxNext Games as we pursue our goal to build a multi-platform, multi-genre portfolio of great games,” Aaron Loeb, President of Studios, FoxNext Games, said in a prepared statement. “I am a personal fan of Cold Iron’s previous work and all of us at FoxNext Games are thrilled to be working with them as they create an action-packed persistent world, steeped in the mysteries of this beloved Alien universe.”

Let’s just hope the team working on this new game is far removed from the lackluster and disappointing prequel VR experience.

While the VR support note is still just speculation at this point, I think I’d be more surprised if it didn’t have VR features rather than if it did. It’s a universe that’s perfectly poised to reap the rewards of VR’s immersive potential.

Let us know what you think down in the comments below!

Tagged with: , ,

Posted on

How To Play Alien: Isolation In VR Right Now On Rift And Vive

How To Play Alien: Isolation In VR Right Now On Rift And Vive

Alien: Isolation is a great game. Like many survival horror titles it seems to have gotten better as time goes on as the subtle intricacies of its design are slowly uncovered and appreciated. Some people even regard it as the best-ever game based on the popular Alien series of  films. I tend to agree with those people.

Back when the game first came out there was a way to play it by modding the game files and unlocking an “experimental” VR mode, but that didn’t work on consumer headsets like the Oculus Rift CV1 until very recently and didn’t work on the HTC Vive at all until just last week. With the latest patch to a mod created by a developer that goes by Nibre, you can finally play Alien: Isolation in VR through direct SteamVR support. Here’s a video of me playing it with a Xbox One gamepad, seated, in an HTC Vive VR headset:

 

Having played plenty of VR horror titles such as Resident Evil 7 on PSVR, which is also seated, as well as standing motion controller games like Killing Floor: Incursion, and full-blown roomscale experiences like A Chair in a Room: Greenwater, I can honestly say that Alien: Isolation is still a top-tier VR survival horror title. The simple fact you can look around inside of lockers while hiding makes it so much more terrifying.

Granted, it was not designed exclusively for VR or officially ported directly so there are still some rough edges. Text and numbers from menus and interactive objects are very tough to read, some of the camera placement is wobbly and wonky, and it’s definitely going to make some people sick. But I’d assume if you’re a VR consumer you’re used to a bit of experimentation.

Installation

So if you want to play Alien: Isolation in VR on your Rift or Vive right now, you need this mod. Installation is dead simple as even I (someone that is typically terrified of tinkering with game files) easily got it to work. All you do is download the mod files and drag the one named “dxgi.dll” into your Alien: Isolation game folder. If you also want SteamVR support for a Steam copy of the game then drag over “openvr_api.dll” into the game folder and ad “-steamvr” to the Launch Options in Steam too.

That Launch Options setting took me a few minutes to find. Just right click on the game’s title in your Steam library and then left click on “Properties” down at the bottom of the drop down menu. Under the default “General” tab click on the “Set Launch Options” button, type “-steamvr” into the field, and click “Ok.” Now when you launch Alien: Isolation (and have your VR headset plugged in with SteamVR running) it should automatically open up in VR. All you have to do is hit play!

You can see some more gameplay in another video embedded above. For more detail on why we’re so obsessed with playing this game in VR, don’t forget to read this detailed analysis of why it’s so immersive and terrifying. Nibre is planning to eventually add motion controller support, but it’s just keyboard + mouse or gamepad for now.

Have you tried Alien: Isolation in VR? You can buy it on Steam for $39.99 (or $49.99 with all DLC) or in this currently active Spooky Horror Humble Bundle for less than $10 until 9/4/17. Did you try this latest mod? Let us know down in the comments below!

Tagged with: ,

Posted on

[Update]: Alien: Isolation Mod “MotherVR”: Support für Oculus Touch und Vive Controller integriert

[Update]:

Der VR-Mod MotherVR für Alien: Isolation geht in die nächste Phase. Der Entwickler Nibre veröffentlichte die Beta 0.8.0 mit integriertem Support für Oculus Touch und Vive Controller, Mirror View und zusätzlichen In-Game-Eintellungen auf GitHub. Der Originaltitel ist für 36,99 Euro auf Steam erhältlich.

[Originalartikel vom 28. August 2017]:

Alien: Isolation lehrt PC-Spielern das Fürchten. Als Sega den Horror-Titel 2014 veröffentlichte, enthielt es bereits einen experimentellen VR-Modus, den die Entwickler allerdings nie freischalteten. Hier schafft nun Zack Fannon Abhilfe, mit einem einfach zu installierendem Mod lässt sich der VR-Modus aktivieren, um das Spiel auf der Oculus Rift in der virtuellen Welt zu genießen. Ein Mod für die HTC Vive soll folgen, außerdem verspricht Fannon weitere Anpassungen. [Update] Der Mod unterstützt jetzt SteamVR und damit jetzt auch die HTC Vive.

Mod machts möglich: Alien: Isolation in VR für Oculus Rift

Bevor der Titel Alien: Isolation das Licht der Welt erblickte, gab es bereits eine Demo des VR-Modus für die damals aktuelle zweite Entwicklerversion der Oculus Rift. Sega lieferte dann das Spiel aus und deaktivierte den VR-Modus, der Code dafür blieb aber im Programm. Trotz Petitionen mit immerhin bis zu 3000 Unterzeichnern regte sich Sega nicht, der inzwischen veraltete Code blieb inaktiv.

Alien: Isolation dank Mod nun auch für Oculus RiftNun hat Nun hat sich Zack Fannon der Situation angenommen und den Mod MotherVR auf Github veröffentlicht, mit dem das Spiel in VR auf der aktuellen Oculus Rift läuft. Fannon, der auch mit dem Nick Nibre unterwegs ist, wollte den Hack so früh wie möglich veröffentlichen, weshalb noch viele Baustellen offen sind. So kann man derzeit lediglich mit einem Xbox-Controller, Maus und Tastatur spielen, die damals noch nicht erhältlichen Touch Controller von Oculus unterstützt Alien: Isolation nicht. Fannon verspricht aber, daran zu arbeiten. Auch eine Anpassung an die HTC Vive will der Modder irgendwann nachliefern.

Es gibt noch andere Probleme mit der VR-Umsetzung, aber für das Jahr 2014 hätten die Entwickler einen guten Job gemacht, erklärt Fannon gegenüber RoadToVR. Eine technische Hürde war zudem, dass das SDK keine externen Dateien verwendet und der Code statisch im Spiel verankert ist. Um die Limitierungen zu umgehen, musste er beim Start des Spiels jeden SDK-Aufruf abfangen und auf seinen eigenen Fake-SDK-Code umleiten. Wer über die Weiterentwicklung informiert sein will, abonniert den Twitter-Kanal des Entwicklers, außerdem kann man seine Arbeit via PayPal nicht nur ideell, sondern auch finanziell unterstützen. Alien: Isolation ist über Steam für knapp 37 Euro erhältlich, bei Keyshops kann man den Titel unter Umständen aber günstiger bekommen.

(Quelle: RoadToVR)

Der Beitrag [Update]: Alien: Isolation Mod “MotherVR”: Support für Oculus Touch und Vive Controller integriert zuerst gesehen auf VR∙Nerds. VR·Nerds am Werk!

Posted on

VRTV Weekly Roundup: Microsoft AR, Google Daydream and Oculus Rift

Celebrate Thursday and the approaching weekend with the latest edition of the VRTV roundup covering all the hottest news from the past seven days. This week sees some news from Microsoft, Google and Oculus.

The last week has seen details of the upcoming updates and enhancements to Google’s Daydream platform which is incorporating social features like YouTube co-watching, plus Microsoft researchers producing a prototype of AR glasses that don’t look silly. Oculus is also working on an update for Gear VR that will bring in a new dashboard and also an upgrade for Oculus room-scale support.

Check out the full video recap below.

Posted on

Fox Working on Multiplayer Alien VR Videogame

When Alien: Covenant In Utero was released, there was some disappointment expressed by fans that it was a 360-degree video and not a full virtual reality (VR) videogame experience. Fox are now seemingly seeking to address that complaint with a multiplayer VR experience set in the Alien universe.

The experience is being produced by FoxNext, a recently formed subsidiary of 20th Century fox that is concentrating on immersive entertainment and the future of storytelling technology.

A reporter from The Hollywood Reporter had the opportunity to try a proof-of-concept demo of the experience, which involved fighting against alien creatures – including the famous Xenomorph in a cave on a distant planet. The demo as described appears to be taking the form of a first-person shooter, complete with a prop weapon for added realism and immersion.

“FoxNext was created to support our motion pictures and with the view that technology is creating an opportunity for us to really revolutionize the way stories will be told in the future,” FoxNext president Salil Mehta ssaid, “There’s enormous innovation occurring that allows real interactive storytelling, and we created divisions to focus on games, VR and location-based entertainment. We’re trying to define the best ways to create content for each.”

Based upon Mehta’s remarks, it seems that the Alien VR experience is being designed as a location-based experience, something which has seen a lot of growth over the past few months. The demo used a Samsung Gear VR, but it seems likely that it will later be adapted for custom proprietary hardware. Mehta continued: “There’s an incredible opportunity to marry this with what we’re doing in VR and bring VR to locations. We have an incredible property in Alien and with the timing of the movie and the experience, we can make something genre defining.”

VRFocus will bring you further news on the Alien VR experience and other upcoming VR experiences.

Posted on

Daily VR Sketch: Alien

Daily VR Sketch: Alien

Welcome to the Daily Sketch! We’ve teamed up with Sketchfab and expert VR artist Elizabeth Edwards to produce one new piece of 3D art per weekday throughout April you can view with your VR headset.

So grab your headset and take a look.

This week a VR project is releasing focusing on the birth of a “neomorph” to promote the upcoming Ridley Scott Alien: Covenant film releasing next month. These creatures have been leaving moviegoers stifling screams for decades now, and we are anxiously looking forward to what variations of the “xenomorph” make it into the latest film in the ongoing saga.

Edwards captured the iconic creature with today’s VR sketch, complete with liquid dripping from its mouth.  Check it out below and remember, in VR, no one can hear you scream.

Daily VR Sketch, April 25th: Alien
by uploadvr
on Sketchfab

Tagged with: , ,

Posted on

Robot Heads, The Champ in Action, and a Mysterious Visitor – This Week’s Best VR Art

Robot Heads, The Champ in Action, and a Mysterious Visitor – This Week’s Best VR Art

Welcome art lovers. Pull up a chair. Have some wine, some cheese and please don’t forget to roll your eyes whenever you hear someone say “Oh come on that’s not art! I could do that.”

Of course this art gallery is merely digital so all of the wine drinking, cheese consuming and philistine mocking must be done from the comforts of your own home or, more likely for art lovers, a coffee shop with free wifi.

This is UploadVR’s weekly virtual reality art roundup. Our chance to look back on the last seven days of creativity and select some truly outstanding pieces to share with all of you. Sketchfab lets us embed these pieces below so you  can zoom, drag and swipe around these works to see them from every angle.

On with the show.

Muhammad Ali (Tilt Brush) – By: Tipatat 

Muhammad Ali Tilt Brush VR Painting Tribute
by tipatat
on Sketchfab

Robot Head (Oculus Medium) – By: hymer

Robot head made in Oculus Medium
by hymer
on Sketchfab

Nested (Quill) – By: naam 

Nested
by naam
on Sketchfab

Ancient Visitor (Gravity Sketch) – By: Miguelangelo Rosario

Ancient visitor ?
by Miguelangelo Rosario
on Sketchfab

–

The VR art scene is on the rise thanks to creators like these. There are more awesome tools for immersive creation now than we ever thought would be possible just a year or two ago. Who would have thought that a boxer, a bird, a robot and an alien would be created in three dimensions using only your hands, your hardware and two big scoops of imagination. What a time to be alive.

Are you a VR artist? Why not share your creations with us at tips@uploadvr.com, on Facebook at UploadVR or on Twitter @Uploadvr? You just might see your work featured here next week! 

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted on

Two Years After Release ‘Elite: Dangerous’ Players Finally Make First Contact With Aliens

Two Years After Release ‘Elite: Dangerous’ Players Finally Make First Contact With Aliens

The space exploration genre has seen a resurgence in the last couple years and some of those games remain as the most technologically impressive feats in gaming no matter what the reception may be. No Man’s Sky‘s near-infinite procedural world and Star Citizen‘s lofty ambitions have come under fire for various reasons, but they both have taken the genre to new heights.

Caught in the sweet spot between No Man’s Sky coming out way too soon and Star Citizen taking it’s sweet time, is the ever evolving Elite: Dangerous, a massively multiplayer indie space sim from Frontier Developments.  The game was funded on Kickstarter with over $1.5 million supplied by more than 25,000 backers and released on PC in December of 2014 with an Xbox One release coming the following fall in October.

The game was designed from the beginning to be one of the biggest virtual reality games and the VR perspective takes the fear and wonder of space to another level — we loved it in our review. In the two years since release, thousands and thousands of players, VR and non-VR alike, have engaged in trading, dogfighting each other, and attempting to chart the 400 billion star systems (partially procedurally generated). The developers even created a rogue A.I at one point entirely by accident. Then, this tweet revealed a monumental event:

In Elite: Dangerous your ships have a variety of navigation methods. They can travel is normal space, supercruise around star systems, and jump large distances via hyperspace. In supercruise, pilots can be pulled into regular space via interdiction by other players or enemy A.I. In this clip we see CMDR DP Sayre get pulled from hyperspace, a staple of the Thargoids throughout the Elite series, and his or her ship’s power failing while playing on Xbox One. The alien ship then seems to scan the CMDR’s vessel before jumping away.

While it’s gained immense popularity in its own right since release, Elite: Dangerous is actually the fourth entry in the Elite franchise, but the alien Thargoids have been a constant in the series for several years. Up until now however, Elite: Dangerous players only encountered them through the lore that was revealed via artifacts and planet-side monuments or ruins.

A Thargoid encounter seemed an inevitability and loyal fans of the game have continued to play in the hopes that they’d eventually come across the alien race. Now that it has happened, a new question comes to mind: Are they hostile?

We’ll possibly get answers in the near future and it’s going to be interesting to see where Frontier Developments takes Elite: Dangerous next. The game is available on the Elite website and on Steam for PC and can be purchased on the Microsoft Store for Xbox One. A PS4 release is slated for Q2 this year with potential PS VR support a possibility.

Tagged with: , , , , ,