e3 2019 – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

October 24, 2019

‘Budget Cuts 2’ to Launch on PC VR Headsets in December

Image courtesy Neat Corporation, Fast Travel Games

Budget Cuts 2: Mission Insolvency, the sequel to Neat Corporation’s 2018 stealth adventure game, is officially arriving on PC VR headsets in December.

Update (October 24th, 2019): Budget Cuts 2: Mission Insolvency is slated to arrive on December 12th, coming to Steam (Vive, Rift, Index), and the Oculus Store (Rift) at $30.

Since the game’s June reveal, we’ve had a chance to go hands-on with Budget Cuts 2. If you’re looking for a written version, head over to our write-up. If you’re looking for gameplay, check out our nine-minute gameplay video from Gamescom this year.

The original article announcing the game follows below:

Original Article (June 10th, 2019): Called Budget Cuts 2: Mission Insolvency, the game is said to arrive on SteamVR headsets sometime in 2019.

Here’s how Fast Travel Games describes Budget Cuts 2 on the game’s website:

TransCorp is about to optimize humanity out of existence, and you must find a way into the belly of the beast to stop their vicious budget cuts. Fight your way through a multitude of new environments and robotic enemies; find new tools and allies along the way. Put an end to the notion of ultimate efficiency before it puts an end to us.

Fast Travel calls Budget Cuts 2 both “the conclusion” to the adventure started in Budget Cuts, but is also a self-contained game positioned to appeal to new player’s of the franchise.

In the trailer, linked above and below, it appears the franchise is making strides to leave the indoor office space which made up the totality of the first game, instead visiting larger and more open environments.

A new weapon can also be seen, a bow that lets you get in longer, more precise shots in comparison to the sharp-thing-throwing mechanic of the previous title.

The studios have also created a Steam page (link not yet live) so you can wishlist the game.

The post ‘Budget Cuts 2’ to Launch on PC VR Headsets in December appeared first on Road to VR.

September 25, 2019

Co-op VR Shooter ‘After the Fall’ to Launch on PSVR & PC VR Next Year

Vertigo Games, the studio behind Arizona Sunshine (2016), announced that its previously revealed co-op VR shooter After the Fall is also headed to PSVR in addition to PC VR headsets.

Update (September 25th, 2019): First unveiled for PC VR headsets at E3 2019 in June, Vertigo games announced yesterday during PlayStation’s State of Play broadcast that After the Fall would be coming to PSVR. The studio says the game is slated to launch sometime in 2020. There’s still no word on whether it will be cross-platform co-op with PC VR headsets.

Original Article (June 10th, 2019): Called After the Fall, Vertigo says the upcoming VR action shooter features a “cinematic and atmospheric” campaign, both solo and multiplayer gameplay, and endgame content built for VR.

Here’s how Vertigo describes it:

Set in the post-apocalyptic, ice-covered ruins of an alternate 1980s Los Angeles, After the Fall pits up to four players against a vast, hostile world in a raging fight for control of the city and the survival of humanity. Go solo or join forces with players worldwide as you scavenge the remains of civilization, face relentless hordes and larger-than-life bosses, craft a huge range of guns and deadly close combat weapons, and wield devastating powers with real-life movements.

1 of 5

The studio will be hosting beta access soon. You can sign up on the game’s website starting today. You can also keep tabs on the game via its Steam and Oculus Store pages.

Vertigo maintains the final version is set to launch sometime in 2020.

“Arizona Sunshine was one of the first full-feature games developed exclusively for VR. Ever since, we’ve been eager to take it up a few notches and push hard at the boundaries of VR again,” said Richard Stitselaar, Studio Director at Vertigo Games. “With After the Fall, we’re bringing VR to life at a scale we believe hasn’t been done before – a seamless multiplayer experience shared with as many players as possible set in a dynamic world that will keep them coming back for more.”

Vertigo is hosting demos of After the Fall at E3 this year. We have feet on the ground in Los Angeles for the event, so check back soon.

The post Co-op VR Shooter ‘After the Fall’ to Launch on PSVR & PC VR Next Year appeared first on Road to VR.

August 22, 2019

Interview: The Walking Dead Onslaught Features 7-Part Campaign And Replayable Co-Op

The Walking Dead Onslaught is fast approaching its launch window this Fall 2019 and we’ve got some details about the game’s campaign, co-op features, and gameplay in this recorded interview.

Back at E3 2019 we talked to Survios Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder James Iliff about the upcoming game. Prior to the interview we also went hands-on with the game for the first time, which you can read more about here, and got to see the gore and dismember first hand from inside the headset. My demo was on an original Rift but it’s also coming to other PC VR platforms as well as PSVR later this year.

In the interview, which you can watch above, we talked about the game’s seven-part long campaign, the inclusion of full co-op for the campaign, and the secondary challenge mode that’s designed to be essentially infinitely replayable — including co-op support there as well.

Notably The Walking Dead Onslaught features an arm-swinging locomotion movement system, as well as stick movement, and you can see all of that in action in the video as well. Melee combat felt visceral and satisfying, as did the pistol, shotgun, and assault rifle that I got to try. Four of the most iconic characters from the show will be playable (meaning Rick, Michonne, Daryl, and Carol) and it will also include iconic weapons from throughout the series. Narratively it takes place in the Season 8 or Season 9 portion of the show’s lineage.

Let us know what you think after watching and leave any comments or questions down below!

The post Interview: The Walking Dead Onslaught Features 7-Part Campaign And Replayable Co-Op appeared first on UploadVR.

July 17, 2019

‘I Expect You to Die’ Gets Brand New Level on All Supported Platforms

Schell Games announced their hit VR spy puzzle game I Expect You To Die (2017) just got a new bit of free DLC that brings with it a brand new level.

Update (July 17th, 2019): The game’s ‘Seat of Power’ update is now available on all supported platforms.

The original article follows below:

Original Article (June 10th, 2019): Called ‘Seat of Power’, Schell Games says in a press statement that the new level begins with the player placed at the head of the table in Dr. Zor’s boardroom, where you’re challenged to retrieve information and solve a series of puzzles to escape safely and avoid death. This sounds like more or less business as usual for the spy-themed game, although any addition to the critically acclaimed title is a welcome one.

‘Seat of Power’ is slated to arrive on July 16th on all supported platforms including PSVR, Oculus Quest, and PC VR headsets via Steam, the Oculus Store, and Windows Store.

The studio also mentioned it has another free level in the works too, which is slated to release sometime in late 2019, although there’s no information as to what the next DLC drop with entail.

In the meantime, you can check out the trailer below:

The post ‘I Expect You to Die’ Gets Brand New Level on All Supported Platforms appeared first on Road to VR.

July 8, 2019

E3 2019 Interview: Calvin Labs Cross the AR/VR Divide With BOT-NET

Thanks to Google’s ARCore and Apple’s ARKit, the consumer augmented reality (AR) industry has boomed over the last couple of years. In 2018, Calvin Labs released its first AR experience BOT-NET for iOS devices and soon plans on bridging the gap between AR and virtual reality (VR) with a Steam launch later this year. VRFocus caught up with Calvin Labs’ CEO, Brandon Biggs to learn more about the crossover title.

BOT-NET

BOT-NET is a six-degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) first-person shooter (FPS) designed for iOS devices, putting players right in the middle of a robot war, with a mission to reclaim a tower and destroy the enemy. When loading up, a digital world overlays the real one, so in a small area players can use touch controls; dragging the left touchpad to move or swiping the right touchpad to turn. If they have a wider area to play in (such as a park), then the full motion controls can be used, so players can walk around, duck and cover as they fight.

Then in Fall 2019 BOT-NET will be making its way to Steam for Oculus Rift/Rift S, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality and Valve Index headsets. This will then allow both VR and AR players to either team up or go head-to-head online in an all-out robot battle. The studio also plans on supporting Oculus Quest.

BOT-NET

In the video interview below, Biggs explains that Calvin Labs has used Apple’s ARKit to essentially build a VR videogame with cross-platform gameplay. The whole purpose of this idea is to get around the bottleneck of immersive multiplayer gaming, everyone doesn’t have a headset, but a lot more people do have a mobile device that can run AR applications. Therefore combining the two facilitates a far larger gaming community. That’s the plan anyway, so you’ll have to wait until later this year to see how the idea pans out (or take a look at BOT-NET now on iOS).

VRFocus will continue its coverage of BOT-NET, reporting back when further announcements are made. In the meantime take a look at VRFocus’ other interviews from E3 2019 with Oculus’ Jason Rubin, Vertigo Games, Gearbox Software, Ready at Dawn, nDreams, Digital Lode, Sensorium, Survios and Rebellion.

July 5, 2019

E3 2019 Interview: Get in the Groove With Rhythm of the Universe

One of the great things about the virtual reality (VR) industry is the experimentation being employed by developers and hardware manufacturer’s alike. There always seems to be something interesting being thought up, as enthusiasts of VR better understand what it can do and the boundaries which can be pushed. ROTU Entertainment is a company currently creating a rather abstract title for home and location-based entertainment (LBE) use called Rhythm of the Universe (ROTU). Attending the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2019 for the first time, VRFocus got an update on the progress of the project.

Rhythm of the Universe image1

Rhythm of the Universe only came to VRFocus’ attention back in January when the studio announced the successful completion of a financing round as well as debuting a teaser trailer. The videogame will be episodic, with seven instalments planned in total. The storyline and gameplay mix some curious variables, with music, history, and mythology the three main factors.

During E3 2019, ROTU Entertainment showcased a demo called Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia featuring two heroes, Allegra and Allegro, siblings from the land of Ionia who need to save the beloved creatures of the Ionian forest. As Allegro, VRFocus was able to test some of the musical puzzles and see the grand environments that will be making up this virtual universe. One of the main sequences in the demo revolved around a giant frog (or maybe a toad) needing to find food to heal the creature, setting off musical notes in the process.

From the looks of it, ROTU Entertainment’s concept is ambitious, with gorgeous looking scenery, intricate puzzles and some beautiful audio. The first episode is expected later this year for LBE venues with a home version planned for 2020.

Rhythm of the Universe

To find out more about the project and what the studio has planned VRFocus spoke with ROTU Entertainment’s CEO Jason Parks in the interview below.

VRFocus will continue its coverage of Rhythm of the Universe, reporting back when further announcements are made. In the meantime take a look at VRFocus’ other interviews from E3 2019 with Oculus’ Jason Rubin, Vertigo Games, Gearbox Software, Ready at Dawn, nDreams, Digital Lode, Sensorium, Survios and Rebellion.

July 4, 2019

E3 2019 Interview: Woojer is all About the Bass

Haptic feedback can come in all shapes and sizes when it comes to virtual reality (VR) use cases. Ultrahaptics, for example, use arrays of ultrasonic transducers to project haptic feedback into the air, while the Dexmo Enterprise Edition gloves go for a more mechanical force feedback solution. Woojer also goes for a direct approach to immersive feedback, with a couple of devices which you can strap to your body. During the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2019 last month VRFocus caught up with Woojer’s Head of Interactive, Ryan Origin, to learn more about the company’s future plans.

Woojer STRAP

Woojer has two core devices in its current lineup, the Woojer Vest and the Woojer Strap. These both vary significantly in price and design. While both are designed to provide a physical thump when it comes to listening to music, watching films or playing videogames, the Vest model is the flagship product, with eight patented transducers built in, for a surround sound experience.

The Woojer Vest, on the other hand, is very much like a belt with two transducers attached. While you won’t get the full body experience, the device is far more useful when out and about, giving that extra feedback from your music. At home playing some VR, you’ll feel that rumble from your surroundings or when the audio gets dramatic.

But Woojer wasn’t at E3 2019 to merely showcase its current projects, the company wanted to have a little discussion regarding its two upcoming designs. Part of a new Edge Series, Woojer plans on launching two Kickstarters in August 2019, one for Woojer Vest Edge and Woojer Strap Edge. These new devices will be far more consumer-focused than the previous models mentioned operating on a two-channel stereo basis rather than surround sound.

Woojer STRAP Edge

In the interview below, Origin gives a few details regarding Woojer’s technology and what to expect with the next two devices.

VRFocus will continue its coverage of Woojer, reporting back when the Kickstarter campaigns go live. In the meantime take a look at VRFocus’ other interviews from E3 2019 with Oculus’ Jason Rubin, Vertigo Games, Gearbox Software, Ready at Dawn, nDreams, Digital Lode, Sensorium, Survios and Rebellion.

July 3, 2019

Preview: Lone Echo II – 2020 Just Seems too Far Away

It’s safe to say that here at VRFocus we’re big fans of Ready At Dawn’s ambitious sci-fi experience Lone Echo. It was one of the best reasons to own an Oculus Rift back in 2017, and when news broke at Oculus Connect 5 (OC5) last year that a sequel was in the works (it was a sure thing anyway); 2019 was shaping up to be a good year. Alas the schedule for Lone Echo II has been pushed back to 2020, but at least the videogame made an appearance during the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) last month.

Lone Echo 2

It was nice to see another decently sized demo at the event, much like After the Fall and Battlewake. If you’ve played and finished Lone Echo then you’ll know the story arc and main mechanics which continue into the sequel, with the demo focusing on a showcase of new mechanics rather than detailing what happens in the narrative.

You’re still the ever dependable (and robust) robot Jack, helping Captain Olivia Rhodes survive the perils of space. The demo had three main features to showcase, new puzzle elements, a new menu system on Jack’s hand and interactions between the two characters.

The puzzle scenarios were the main feature included in the demo, where you have to deploy clever use of energy outlets and modules to clear the way of nasty bio threats lovingly called ‘Ticks’. These essentially latch onto any nearby energy source to feed, and as a robot, you’re good eating.

Lone Echo 2

While a Tick can latch onto you quite quickly it doesn’t mean instant death, if you’re quick enough they can be grabbed and thrown away. But speed is of the essence – especially with two or more – and a rubbish throw will simply mean them chowing down once again. So the best course of action is to use the environment to remove, contain or incapacitate these nasty little beasties.

Lone Echo II provides a number of ways to do this, from switching wall panels on to attaching them to more elaborate systems which involve cranes located on runners on the ceiling. It’s these latter designs which really help immerse you in this virtual world, and a great amalgamation of the movement and gameplay mechanics. Everything is still in zero-g, so you need to cleverly use the wrist boosters alongside grabbing and flinging yourself from object to object working your way through the levels. Yet at the same time not to put yourself in danger by floating haphazardly into a group of Ticks.

When it comes to the new menu system on Jack’s hand (either one) there were four symbols which appeared, but only one was selectable. This was the cutting torch, a useful tool from the first videogame allowing you to cut through certain highlighted objects. Ready At Dawn hasn’t given a clue to what the other three do although one looks like remote activating switches while another could provide energy. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Lone Echo 2

As for the new interaction techniques with Liv, these have been designed to make the duo more personable, helping players warm to the characters and their situation. So actions such as waving or giving a thumbs up will now elicit a response from Liv. This was only a very small part of the demo but it helped make the dialogue between them feel more two way, rather than Liv purely talking all the time.

As for everything else, Lone Echo II still looks as detailed and stunning to look at as the first instalment, having that broody looking horror sci-fi feel as if you’re in a scene from Alien. Sounds are subtle and light, with the loudest tending to be Liv’s voice, giving the experience a nice eerie quality. Expectations are high and VRFocus is hoping for bigger and better things from Lone Echo II. At the moment Lone Echo II looks like it’ll be a crowd pleaser.

July 2, 2019

Preview: The Walking Dead Onslaught – Possibly the Best Tie-in to Date

There aren’t many virtual reality (VR) developers that sit in the industry’s upper echelons, providing continual high-quality videogame content. If a list was made then Survios would certainly be in there somewhere, having created notable experiences like Raw Data, Sprint Vector, Electronauts and Creed: Rise to Glory. The studio has another two on the way, Battlewake and The Walking Dead Onslaught and by the looks of things both are turning out nicely.

The Walking Dead Onslaught

With that pedigree, it’s easy to see why AMC entrusted such a high-profile franchise like The Walking Dead to the studio. The TV show is in its ninth season with the tenth season confirmed and has either appeared in or had videogame adaptions made in some form or another. However, with a virtual reality (VR) title in the works, the prospect for fans to step into their favourite zombie-filled universe is even more tantalising.

The demo Survios provided at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2019 wasn’t some rushed five-minute job as some of them tend to be. VRFocus actually had time to play with the controls and most importantly the much talked about ‘Progressive Dismemberment System’. This is going to be a core part of the gameplay, encouraging melee-based combat over ranged, and should instantly appeal to any zombie fans wishing to delimb an undead foe or two.

Survios hasn’t gone for a purely hack and slash approach either, taking your time with a machete will actually produce greater results. The system only worked from the waist up for the demo, allowing for arms to be separated at the joints – a team member did state knees and legs would be removable in the final version – depending on the weapon being held. Which kind of makes the machete the weapon of choice. Even more so when factoring in the ‘Melee Restraint System’, allowing a zombie to be grabbed by the neck before parting their head from the body.

The Walking Dead Onslaught

And because of some sort of mesh system being used for each walker you’re able to run a sword straight through their body. A weapon can even get stuck in a walker if you’re not careful. All this means The Walking Dead Onslaught lives up to the ‘onslaught’ moniker, highly visceral and gory to the extreme.

However, melee attacks only worked in certain situations, when maybe one or two zombies are in the vicinity. That’s definitely not always the case in The Walking Dead Onslaught as there were moments when a horde would suddenly break through a wall, or burst out of a shipping container. So there is the option for guns, and dual wielding a pistol and a solid implement certainly worked well. Popping heads at range is always fun and you can dismember zombies with well-placed shots. The urban level on offer also had some rather useful sticks of dynamite just tied to a post. When shot these provided a great way of clearing some of the more tightly confined areas, but the blast was considerable, so they couldn’t always be used when stood too close.

The Walking Dead Onslaught is being geared towards a realistic within the franchise universe. As such locomotion was all about smoothly walking around, picking up ammo, health and other items to help survive the zombie apocalypse. While VRFocus does prefer smooth locomotion it’s understandable why not everyone can. There wasn’t an opportunity to check the menu system at this stage to see what comfort options were available.

In its present form, The Walking Dead Onslaught looks like it’ll provide a fairly brutal zombie gameplay experience for fans of titles like Arizona Sunshine. The level design was completely linear as it’ll be following an exclusive story arc, hopefully, Survios will be implementing various solutions to encourage players to return. With a fall 2019 release window, VRFocus is looking forward to seeing how this one turns out.

July 1, 2019

E3 2019 Interview: Rebellion Shows a Keen Eye for Sniper Elite VR Perfection

There were a few good virtual reality (VR) games at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2019 last month, and one of VRFocus’ favourites was Sniper Elite VR. In development by Rebellion – the British studio which owns the franchise and the team behind VR title Battlezone – Sniper Elite VR is currently in an early stage of development so VRFocus caught up with Assistant Head of Design Steve Bristow to find out more.

Sniper Elite VR

Three months ago Rebellion released a video featuring CEO Jason Kingsley, who made several announcements regarding the Sniper Elite franchise. The VR version will be similar in design to Sniper Elite 4 (the most recent installment) set in the same Mediterranean conflict in Italy. Rebellion is working with indie studio Just Add Water (Oddworld, Gravity Crash) on the project, with the title getting its own unique storyline.

Set to feature new maps and an array of authentic WWII era weaponry, from sniper rifles to sub-machine guns and pistols, Sniper Elite VR will also include a famous staple of the series, the iconic X-Ray Kill Cam sequences. VRFocus managed to see some of this in action thanks to Rebellion taking an early demo to E3 2019, showcasing the title on PlayStation VR using a PlayStation Aim controller (the videogame will also support Oculus Rift and HTC Vive headsets).

In VRFocus’ initial assessment the preview noted: “From start to finish Sniper Elite VR certainly impressed, from the gun handling to the movement and visual design. It honestly didn’t feel as early in development as Rebellion was claiming it was, which certainly bodes well for the final product.”

Sniper Elite VR E3 2019

After the demo, Bristow was on hand to answer a few questions regarding the development of Sniper Elite VR and what fans can expect to see (spoiler, he doesn’t mention a release date) including the various other control methods outside of PlayStation Aim (which felt very natural).

Check out the full interview below, or take a look at VRFocus’ other interviews from E3 2019 with Oculus’ Jason Rubin, Vertigo Games, Gearbox Software, Ready at Dawn, nDreams and Digital Lode. For further Sniper Elite VR updates, keep reading VRFocus.