The creators behind Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son revealed some of the project’s inspirations and design ideas in a new video.
The game from Tequila Works, produced in partnership with Sony Pictures Virtual Reality and MWM Immersive, comes out next month and we’ve barely scratched the surface of the title in our hands-on time at Gamescom. Tequila Works made The Invisible Hours (Review 9/10) with its ghost-like game mechanic allowing the player to unfold the story at their own pace and curiosity levels. Groundhog Day takes from that as well as the playfulness of titles like Job Simulator and Rick and Morty VR and sets it inside the world established by the 1993 film Groundhog Day.
But while The Invisible Hours made you a kind of ghost, in Groundhog Day VR you’re the son of the original character in present day and able to affect the story flow of the people around you in the same kind of repeating time loop Bill Murray’s character faced in the original movie.
It is kind of like your dad beat a video game back in the ’90s and now, as his son, you are faced with a similar task using the same sort of time loop mechanic as the original film.
“The idea of what would it be like to grow up as the child of this character, this bigger than life figure, was really interesting,” said Sony Pictures’ Jake Zim, in the video.
Check out the developer diary embedded above and check back for updates on Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son.
It’s Saturday morning, and the business park in Ismaning, in the north of Munich, is almost completely deserted. Only one office in the entire area seems suspiciously crowded. Inside, a group of sleepy-looking people gathers around a cluster of tables. A few of these people are still buried in their hoodies, half sleepwalking and powering up their computers, while Susi, Co-founder and COO of the company, is placing a ton of sweets in the middle of the room. The company is Holo-Light, one of Europe’s leading Mixed Reality start-ups, and the team is preparing for a hackathon—in other words, a long weekend in front of their computers. As Co-Founders Florian (CEO) and Alex (CTO) enter the room with two boxes bearing the Magic Leap logo, the programmers’ eyes slowly widen and light up with curiosity.
“Here they are,” says Flo, eagerly lifting up the box in his hands. “And now, let’s test them ’til they break!”
A few hours later, all of the developers had tried out the Magic Leap One and formed their first opinions about it. Christof Fiedler, Lead Developer at Holo-Light, sums up the first general impressions:
“Our first impression of the Magic Leap One’s hardware was quite positive overall. The different components are substantial enough to convey that they are made of quality materials, and the system appears attractive and fully thought-out.
Putting on the glasses is very easy and they sit comfortably, and to a certain degree, lightly on one’s head, especially in comparison to the Microsoft HoloLens. It is important to mention that the Lightpack, which is attached to the glasses by a cable, must always be carried around by the wearer. The weight is not carried on one’s head, but the method of carrying the Lightpack is not exactly as simple as wearing the glasses themselves. One has the option of attaching it to a pants pocket or using the “carrying case”—a shoulder strap and a small, flexible fixture on which to hang the Lightpack—included with the system. Time will tell to what extent this is more practical for industrial tasks or trade fair appearances than for instance the weight of the HoloLens directly on one’s head.”
Going deeper into the technical details, Denis Tschitschenkow, Junior Developer at Holo-Light, divides the biggest aspects of the Magic Leap One in comparison to other AR/MR devices like the Microsoft HoloLens into 3 main categories: visualisation, interaction, and developer environment.
Holo-Light’s Founders (Image via Holo-Light)
Visualisation
“At first glance, one notices that the Magic Leap One has more graphical power than the HoloLens. The resolution rendered is 1280×960 per eye. In comparison to the HoloLens, its lenses are a bit darker and the field of view is a bit larger. However, this is because the Magic Leap One more strongly limits the real field of view with its design. Due to this, the immersion is naturally greater.
The tracking is nearly as good as with the HoloLens with a few small exceptions. Now and then holograms appear to move slightly, but in general the stability is very high.
In general, Magic Leap managed to deliver very polished demo apps. For instance, all objects in the Create app interact with each other, and furthermore, the holograms interact very well with the scanned room mesh. The spatial mapping – appears to be more exact than with the HoloLens. Additionally, the spatial mesh is more finely rendered. While we explored the spatial mapping potential, we must do more research on the spatial understanding to figure out everything which the Magic Leap One can recognise.”
Interaction
“There are essentially eight standard gestures. The tracking points of the hand recognition jump a bit, but the Magic Leap One recognises the individual joints of the hand and fingers very precisely. The gesture recognition is very accurate and fast, and the glasses recognise both hands. The only problem of note is the turning of hands. On this point, it still is not 100% stabile, leading to occasional misperception. This means that quick hand movements and complicated gestures are not always easily read. The API allows access to all fingers on one’s hand, but at the moment, it appears that only thumb + one finger (possibly the index finger) are tracked. The rest will likely come in an update.
Controllers are tracked in six degrees of freedom with the assistance of 3 magnetic coils. The precision is naturally dependent on range, and we found that it fails near large metallic objects or electrical wiring, where the virtual position of the controller noticeably drifts. Its use in a factory setting is therefore questionable and could present a downside when developing potential applications for industrial use. However, the magnetic tracking is flawless with a precision of up to 1-2 cm in any other setting.”
Hands-on with a Magic Leap (Image from Holo-Light)
Developer Environment
“The development kit for the Magic Leap One is very simple and provides countless options. The API for the features tested up to this point is clear, comprehensible, and well-structured.
We develop our applications with the Unity engine. and the Lumin SDK from Magic Leap as well as the Magic Leap Unity Package – (the Lumin SDK is included in the Magic Leap One package). We use the Unity MLTP (Magic Leap Technical Prototype) -, into which the Lumin SDK is integrated and with which we can build directly from Unity. As Lumin is based on Android, one deploys an app with an .mpk file (the equivalent of Android’s .apk) via command line.
As a first test, we created an app that shows a 3D object, a McLaren Mercedes racing car with 450,000 polygons, which ran smoothly at 60 fps. Additionally, we ported one of our own software products, Holo-View, a CAD visualisation and interaction tool, onto the Magic Leap One and tested it. We were able to deploy and run Holo-View, and also load our sample .jt files.
In this version of Holo-View interactions which are usually handled by the Air tap gesture on HoloLens are done with gaze only. As we continue to explore the Magic Leap One’s potential, we will see how well hand gestures and the controller can be integrated. We will also investigate the multi-user possibilities and cross-platform applications.”
Holo-Light’s developers were able to discover the “magic” of the Magic Leap One the whole weekend, and what they saw stirred up their enthusiasm. Christof Fiedler sums up their excitement and future plans for the device:
Getting to grips with Magic Leap. (Image via Holo-Light)
“All in all, the developers at Holo-Light are impressed with the Magic Leap One. Following the first intensive testing, the impression arose that the demos available up until this point had not come close to showing the device’s potential. Many traits of the Magic Leap One are better than previous devices on the market.
The experience is fundamentally better on certain points than the available mixed reality (MR) / augmented reality (AR) devices, and the glasses are fun to develop for. Only after we took a closer look at the SDK did we see the true potential of the Magic Leap One. Following our intensive examination, we see it in any case as the first real competition for the HoloLens.”
Holo-Light’s team members are all aflutter about being among the very first people in Europe to have had the chance to test the Magic Leap One during their hackathon. Having established themselves as a leading European brand when it comes to MR/AR applications (especially for industrial uses), their close contact to Silicon Valley start-up BAD VR led to the opportunity to receive 2 of the very first Magic Leap One units delivered globally for comprehensive reviews.
Welcome to the seventh edition of our ‘Developer Diaries’, in which we keep you informed on the progress of Reality Clash and provide updates from our developers.
In this edition we wanted to share more information about the creation of the digital assets currently seen on the Reality Clash Armoury Store and Android App. As such we asked Kevin Boase, Development Director of Buko Studios, Manilla, which exclusively develops the weapons for Reality Clash, to give us a step through guide on how these digital assets are created.
The staging process involved in the creation of these assets is set out from the design concept through to the integration of the item into the app. A lot of work goes into each item and we have tried to show the major points of the process in this diary:
CONCEPT & DESIGN
Review the technical data and specifications from the Game Design Document (GDD).
Check real life references including loadout options, firing and reloading.
Block out weapon concepts in 3d, establishing moving parts and weapon form.
From the start we establish the calibre of ammo, clip size and working mechanics alongside a referenced model to conform to basic ergonomics and dimensions.
The initial batch of weapons take cues from real world weapons; great care is taken to tone the weapon aesthetic based on its imagined place in history, origin and intended purpose.
Some weapons are purely functional; their look heavily influenced by production techniques of the time or place they might be built.
More modern weapons utilise advanced materials and these required a lot of design work to ensure good handling and ergonomics.
3D MODELLING | TEXTURING
We utilise Hard Surface Polygon Modelling using a mixture of block modelling and subdivision techniques using Autodesk MayaLT.
We assign materials to the mesh, assessing use of metals, molded plastics, and padded components. Whilst we use UV Layouts, we ensure the texture data can be baked to a single texture page for optimal file handling.
SKINS | PATTERNS | DECALS
We manage our decals, texture sheets and colour schemes using Adobe Photoshop CC. The software is capable of handling the level of detail that we need when making these weapons.
The skins/decals are applied to the weapons with specific rules in order to match up our cryptocurrency skins and technical skins within the 3D application.
UV Sets are used to apply the illustrative liveries to give most impact on the weapon.
We apply decals and stickers where appropriate to give the weapons more interest and personality. We have a lot of creative room for varieties of skins due to the ongoing production prior to, and at the game’s launch, towards the end of 2018.
EXPORT FOR ARMOURY STORE
We export the weapon package for Sketchfab via Allegorithmic’s Substance Painter.
Finally, with the creation of the weapon completed, the item must be tested and then animated for use within the Armoury app and, later, in the Reality Clash app.
GAME SETUP AND ANIMATION CONTROL
Weapons are tested to conform to specifications and nodes for character attachment.
Rig controls are added to manage operations such as trigger-pulling and firing parts of the weapon.
We animate the bullet right from loading from the Magazine through to firing and ejecting the shell.
The weapon is imported into the Character Rig setup and fitted comfortably into the hands with a natural firing position.
These items are later added to The Armoury store and imported into the Armoury app, completing the long journey from our designers to our backers and soon-to-be players. The weapon is tokenized when sold to a player and ownership of this item is registered on the Ethereum blockchain. A truly unique item has been created and passed to its owner! Scarcity of the item is guaranteed and a transaction fee to tokenize has created inherent value
We hope that you have found this Developer Diary to be of interest, if you want to see some of these items up close – you can download our Android Armoury app here. All items are available at the Armoury for RCC holders, with weekly additions of limited edition weaponry. Stay tuned for our next installment in which we discuss more on the Tokenization of these items.
Following on from the high of XR Connects and the XR Indie Pitch 3rd place, we had lots of interest and positive initial discussions but getting a new game funded is never a straight-forward process. So, whilst the seas are calm and there’s less wind in the sails, we’ve been able to take the time to look at other areas of the game to ensure its appeal and success for launch.
Crow’s Nest View
VR games development in 2018 – especially the funding of – is not an easy task for a studio to secure. With many publishers and platforms looking to sign the next level of experiences against an ever-rising bar of quality and quantity of expected features for gamers.
Whilst the installed hardware ownership numbers are growing (although we still only really know the Sony PlayStation VR numbers) the overall market size is still small in comparison to standard PC and/or console hardware numbers, where publishers are much more experienced in releasing content.
A studio must be canny and have a considered design that meets the requirements of gamers keen to get their hands on deeper, longer experiences. Indies working on new IP are up against big brand names, such as Fallout 4, Skyrim, DOOM etc, potentially having a hard time to show and prove that they can create bigger budget content with a scalable team effectively. However, expected returns have to be realistic in terms of budgets and projected sales revenues.
Wind In The Sails
So, we’re focusing on the aspects that will make sure that Pastimes for Pirates is as attractive as possible to potential publishers, namely:
Multi-platform release to ensure largest potential cross-platform player base for multiplayer
Strong single player experience to ensure there is always a reason to return outside of multiplayer.
Based upon our experience and successes with Loco Dojo, ensuring that there is a reason or element of the gameplay that will make the game appealing to VR Arcade operators and the various VR Arcade admin platforms and content channels.
Strong launch content with a regular update plan, to ensure the game feels fresh and has reasons to be featured on the various digital stores, driving continued awareness and favourable positioning.
Plotting A Course
As discussions continue, we often tweak the pitchdeck accordingly so that as time moves on, the proposed game concept isn’t left behind or overtaken by advances made elsewhere. Whilst the core gameplay pillars are largely left untouched from our original intended idea, we must be mindful of areas around what the extended features and functionality need to be, how it fits within the marketplace and competitor analysis. Whilst we’re sure on what it offers that’s specifically the reason to be played in VR, each publisher and/or platform has their own unique emphasis on what model and demographics are important for them.
For example, there’s a popular wave of pirate-themed games at the moment, with many focusing on the more stereotypical activities – but with limited repeat play depth and no emphasis on life outside of the usual looting, swashbuckling and hunting treasure.
Of course, changes in scope can have adverse effects on timelines, budgets and development resources needed to achieve v1.0 (and beyond) so it’s a careful juggling act to ensure we remain within the thresholds.
A pitchdeck is only a small part of the tale however; the main concept has to be conveyed by the prototype, which we’ll look at in the next dev blog as we build upon the initial version towards a more representative vertical slice.
Welcome to the fifth edition of our ‘Developer Diaries’, keeping you informed about the progress of Reality Clash and the latest updates from our developers. For this update we wanted to focus on the backend technology that drives some of the key features of the videogame.
Nearly every modern mobile videogame will utilise a BaaS (Backend as a Service) to allow the developers to remotely communicate with each other and work on the code. Reality Clash utilises this technology in many ways and we want to explain a few of these to you.
Player Accounts
Every Reality Clash player creates their own unique account, which securely stores all relevant information such as name, user profile, gameplay statistics such as kill/death ratio, as well as weapon purchases, custom configurations and loadout. The cloud profile also ensures player preferences and inventory to be automatically restored if you they devices.
These profiles can also be accessed by the Reality Clash trading platform, so in-game item purchases will automatically show up within the mobile app.
Leaderboards
Comprehensive leaderboards allow us to store the results of in-game fights and as the title grows, highlighting the best local, national and global players to let people see how they compare against their friends (and foes!).
Economy
The in-game economy forms one of the largest parts of the BaaS – it’s where we store all the information regarding weapons and consumables. Weapons in Reality Clash are defined by a large number of parameters to ensure that combat is as realistic and fun as possible and that each weapon has its own strengths and weaknesses.
The economy can be updated at any time to add new weapons and items to the videogame without requiring an update of the iOS or Android app itself. This provides a smoother user experience, whilst also allowing us to ensure players are always up to date.
DLC
Each weapon’s models and textures are stored in a compressed downloadable package. This means we can add new weapon assets to the app alongside updates to the economy without re-downloading other weapons that haven’t changed, which reduces the bandwidth that Reality Clash uses.
Cloud Code & Data
It used to be that all the data and code needed to be on the device itself, but now we have the ability run code and access data from the cloud. This feature opens up great opportunities to interact with the community, reward players remotely and support future features such as Clans, Tournaments and Competitions.
Push Notifications
We want to ensure that players never miss anything, so the BaaS allows us to send notifications to devices, such as challenges from other players, updates on new available weapons or new safehouses in your area that may be of interest.
Analytics
The analytics system allows us to track how players are using the title and iterate and, as such, improve the gameplay and user experience. For example, if we notice that players are utilising certain features more than others, we can add new shortcuts to make them more accessible.
A/B Testing
A/B testing allows us to try out new features on different focus groups to see how they’re received before we release them to the entire world. We can add a new feature and then test it with different parameters in different geographical locations, monitoring the feedback and tweaking the gameplay accordingly.
The BaaS allows us to easily balance and improve the title once it is released without having to make players download large updates to the videogame on their devices.
It isn’t the only online technology being used however, as Reality Clash also utilises custom servers that ensure players can easily find opponents to fight and validate combat to make it harder for nefarious players to cheat.
But there will be more about that in a later update…
The Gallery: Episode 1 – Call of the Starseed [Review: 9/10] was one of our favorite VR games in 2016. In fact, it even took home the honors of being named the Best Narrative of the year. We know that Episode 2 will be called Heart of the Emberstone and the currently running series of developer diary videos are poised to divulge additional information over time. But as of now, we didn’t know much about the episode itself and what it’s all about — that is, until now.
Thanks to the second entry in the developer diary series, Cloudhead Games has peeled back a few of the layers on the strange new alien world that players are set to explore. At the end of Call of the Starseed, things end as players don a strange gauntlet on their hand and emerge through what appears to be a portal, or spaceship of some kind. It’s an epic cliffhanger. Watch the latest diary below:
We’ve spoken to Cloudhead previously about how they’re building The Gallery into an epic sci-fi property remniscent of the IPs that inspired it and that tradition is continuing in Episode 2. Denny Unger, CEO and Creative Director at Cloudhead, specially cites The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth as heavy inspirations.
“When the player gets to Ember, that’s when they start to understand the mystery of The Starseed, what it’s function is, and what your part is playing in the story of The Starseed,” explains Mike Wilson, Narrative Director.
Then Jonathan Hackett, Art Lead on the project, continues by detailing that, “When the player gets to Ember, that’s when they start to understand the mystery of The Starseed, what it’s function is, and what your part is playing in the story of The Starseed.”
Unfortunately we still know only precious little about the world itself, but the art work shown in the video and the mentions of creatures such as the pesky Wizgogs are enough to sufficiently pique our interest.
“One of the things that sets Heart of the Emberstone apart is that we’ve designed a kind of open world game flow in VR,” says Unger. “It might be the first time in VR that anyone’s attacked it from this kind of perspective…it’s a completely different ‘game feel’ than Episode 1.”
We still don’t know a release date for Episode 2, but hopefully the ramp up of behind-the-scenes footage and dev diaries is pointing to sooner rather than later.
“Here they are,” says Flo, eagerly lifting up the box in his hands. “And now, let’s test them ’til they break!”
SKINS | PATTERNS | DECALS
Finally, with the creation of the weapon completed, the item must be tested and then animated for use within the Armoury app and, later, in the Reality Clash app.
Crow’s Nest View
Wind In The Sails
Plotting A Course
Nearly every modern mobile videogame will utilise a BaaS (Backend as a Service) to allow the developers to remotely communicate with each other and work on the code. Reality Clash utilises this technology in many ways and we want to explain a few of these to you.
DLC
A/B Testing