Fast Travel Games – Page 3 – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

March 10, 2022

New Look At Cities VR Goes Live Today

We’ll be getting a fresh look at Fast Travel Games’ Cities VR later on today.

The upcoming Quest 2 town simulator will be featured on Paradox Interactive’s official Twitch channel during a show that kicks off at 6am PT/9am ET/2pm BT. Expect the Cities segment to drop a little further into the stream. We’ll share the specific link for the show when it’s live.

Expect to get a better grasp of exactly how the game is coming together, with new gameplay shown. Creative Director Creative Director, Erik Odeldahl will be jumping into the title for our first look at live footage. We’ll keep our fingers crossed for some new info on the game’s release window, too.

So far all we’ve seen from Cities VR is the announcement trailer above, which we debuted at our last VR Showcase in December. It’s a full spin-off of the Cities: Skylines series that reinterprets the control scheme for Quest and lets you scale up and down in the world as you build out your own town, acting as its mayor.

Currently, the game’s scheduled to launch in spring on Quest 2 (though other platforms may arrive in the future). It seems like those plans are still on track given that Fast Travel is running a very limited playtest for the title right now, which is expected to come to a close in a few days.

Are you going to be checking out Cities VR when it arrives later this spring? Let us know in the comments below!

February 24, 2022

Cities: VR Hosting Limited Playtests Next Month

A select group of Quest 2 owners will get to try out Cities: VR early next month.

Developer Fast Travel Games today announced a limited community playtest for the city building spin-off. You can head to this link to sign up for a chance to play. You won’t be able to actually stream the game and you’ll need to sign a non-disclosure agreement, but if you get in you’ll be able to play from March 7 “for approximately five days”.

You will, of course, also need a Quest 2.

Cities: VR Playtests Incoming

This will be an unfinished build of that game that Fast Travel is hoping to fine tune before launch. Cities has carried a spring 2022 release date ever since we announced it at the Upload VR Showcase last year, so hopefully a full launch isn’t too far off.

The game is a full spin-off of the Cities: Skylines series that completely reinvents the control scheme to work in VR. For now, the game is exclusive to Quest 2, though Fast Travel has stated that it will have more to share on other platforms some time in the future. We spoke to Fast Travel’s Erik Odeldahl about building the experience last year.

Are you going to try for a chance to play Cities: VR early? Let us know in the comments below!

February 17, 2022

Virtuoso Music Maker Comes To Quest And Steam In March

Virtuoso’s VR-based music making tools will launch on Meta Quest and SteamVR headsets in March.

The creativity app made by studio Really Interactive fully launches for VR headsets on March 10, 2022. The title is meant to make it super easy to create music in virtual reality and it is the first third-party title published by Fast Travel Games. Previously known for making VR games like Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife and Apex Construct, Fast Travel marks the launch of its new publishing arm with Virtuoso.

Virtuoso comes with a number of made-for-VR instruments and tools to record music or remix creations from its community. As an example, the trailer below features a track called “Parade” made by Scandinavian dance music duo Tungevaag & Rabaan that was recreated with Virtuoso:

The app features an interactive tutorial to give creators an overview of the tools for looping sound or syncing tempo, with six made-for-VR instruments and a virtual microphone for recording vocals as well. In response to questions, a Fast Travel representative confirmed creators own the music they create in Virtuoso, with the exception that “if you share it in the community library, you are giving other players a non-exclusive right to use the song and remake it.”

“With the tape recorder you can record a song and export it in your device (it will appear in the folder Download on Quest, or on your Desktop on PC),” Fast Travel’s representative explained.

We’re looking forward to digging into Virtuoso in the weeks ahead with an eye toward how its learning curve extends from those with and without previous experience making music.

You can check out the listings for Virtuoso on the Oculus store for Meta Quest and Steam ahead of its release on March 10.

February 17, 2022

Music Sandbox Virtuoso Hits PC VR & Quest 2 in March

Reality Interactive, the indie team who’ve been developing a musical sandbox called Virtuoso have now revealed that an official launch is only weeks away; coming to PC VR headsets as well as Meta Quest 2.

If you are a Quest 2 owner then you may have already come across Virtuoso on App Lab. Rather than all the rhythm action games where you have to play to someone else’s music, Virtuoso is about creating your own; on some familiar and unfamiliar instruments.

While you can create beats on drums and snares, using the Looper tool to create layer upon layer of sound, instruments like the three-dimensional Oorgan have been tailored to VR. Here you can really let loose with motion controls, twisting and turning the controllers to create new sounds and effects. In total there are six instruments to experiment with, plus there’s an option to add vocals using a virtual microphone.

You don’t need to be a musical whizz either. One feature that’ll come in handy when trying to make your first track is Tempo Sync to keep you in time. And to stay on pitch there are preset scales. Once you got the hang of it you’ll be able to record tracks and share them with the community.

“Virtuoso is a new take on playing and creating music that is both accessible for complete
beginners and amazingly powerful in the hands of experienced musicians,” said Jonatan
Crafoord, Creative Director and Co-Founder of Really Interactive in a statement. “The instruments are built from the ground-up for expressing yourself musically in VR, while the tools and interactive tutorial help you stay on beat and in tune. We can’t wait to hear the music that the Virtuoso community will create in it!”

The first videogame to be published via Fast Travel Games’ new publishing arm, Virtuoso is scheduled to arrive for Meta Quest 2, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Valve Index on 10th March 2022. For continued updates keep reading gmw3.

February 17, 2022

Music Creation Sandbox ‘Virtuoso’ Releasing on Quest & SteamVR in March

Image courtesy Fast Travel Games, Really Interactive

Virtuoso, a VR music creation sandbox from developer Really Interactive, is officially launching on Meta Quest and SteamVR headsets next month, bringing with it an easy-to-learn interface that aims to make anyone feel like a musical wunderkind.

Virtuoso was previously available on Quest via App Lab, and Rift via its Early Access program, however now the funky music creation tool is moving towards its full release on March 10th.

The experience includes six made-for-VR instruments and microphone so you can create music using live looping, letting you lay down everything from ambient stuff to hip hop, or fast-paced techno.

Have a listen to one of the devs recreating and performing the song ‘Parade’ by Tungevaag & Raaban:

Although it focuses on easy-to-learn music creation with its VR instruments, Virtuoso also integrates into a legit DJ work flow too, as the experience lets you connect to music programs using MIDI via its light-weight companion app. That means you could noodle around in VR, find the sound you’re looking for, and then plug that into professional software to get a finer polish.

Alternatively, Virtuoso also seems entirely content with serving up enough tools in-headset to keep you there. The game even has its own save and share function that lets you show off musical creations to friends, and remix creations from other members of the Virtuoso community.

You can wishlist the Virtuoso on the Quest Store, Steam, and Rift Store before its release on March 10th, 2022.

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Created by Sweden-based indie Really Interactive, Virtuoso is the first third-party title to be published by Fast Travel Games, the VR veteran behind Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife (2021) and Apex Construct (2018).

The post Music Creation Sandbox ‘Virtuoso’ Releasing on Quest & SteamVR in March appeared first on Road to VR.

December 10, 2021

Cities: VR May Come To Other Platforms Beyond Quest 2 In The Future

Recently-announced VR city sim, Cities: VR, might come to headsets other than the Meta Quest 2 (formerly Oculus Quest 2) later down the line.

Creative Director Erik Odeldahl said as much in a Q&A with UploadVR that will be published over the weekend. When asked about the possibility of other headset launches, Odeldahl replied: “While Cities: VR is only announced for Quest 2 we’ll have more information to share on potential additional platforms at a later date.”

Well, it’s not a “no”, at least.

Cities VR May Come To Other Headsets

We announced Cities: VR at the start of last week’s Upload VR Showcase. It’s set to bring the gameplay of Cities: Skylines over to Quest 2, making full use of motion controllers as you plan out your very own metropolis, acting as its mayor. Gameplay takes place from an isometric, god-like view, though you can also scale right down into the city itself to watch its inner workings.

Currently the game is scheduled for a launch on Quest 2 next spring. There aren’t any specifics as to if we might hear about more platforms before then or after, but we’ll definitely keep our fingers crossed for PC VR and possibly even PSVR 2 versions. Fast Travel itself has brought most of its games to practically all platforms over the past few years, so it’s certainly possible. Don’t miss our Q&A for more details on exactly how the game will play and how it compares to the original Cities: Skylines.

Where do you want to play Cities: VR? Let us know in the comments below!

December 2, 2021March 31, 2022

‘Cities: Skylines’ VR Adaptation Coming to Quest 2 in April, Gameplay Walkthrough Here

Popular city-builder Cities: Skylines (2015) doesn’t offer native VR support, however the franchise is getting its first official made-for-VR game soon called Cities: VR, which will let you go hands-on as you take the reigns of your city from a new perspective. First unveiled back in December, now developers Fast Travel Games say the Quest 2 native is slated to arrive April 28th.

Update (March 31st, 2022): Cities: VR is coming to Quest 2 (re: not original Quest) on April 28th. The studio is offering a 10% discount on pre-orders, which you can find over at the Quest Store starting today.

Fast Travel Games also tossed out a new gameplay walkthrough video, linked below. In it programmer Martin Larsson says the team has been creating the “definitive city-building experience of City: Skylines [in] VR.”

The video gives you a good overview of the basics behind the series, which explains the game’s various city management tools, ways to expand, gain citizens, and build a unique city. Check out the new walkthrough video below:

Original Article (December 2nd, 2021): Cities: VR is being developed and published by veteran VR studio Fast Travel Games, the Stockholm-based team behind Apex Construct, The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets, and Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife.

The city-building and management simulator is coming to Meta Quest 2 in Spring of 2022. It’s uncertain whether Cities: VR will be exclusive to Quest 2, however if any of the studio’s other titles are any indication it’s possible we may see a timed release on other major VR platforms.

Just like the original Cities: Skylines, you’ll be able to do all of the same urban-planning and city management, albeit with the ability to fully immerse yourself in the world by either towering over your city or zooming down to see the day-to-day action.

You can get a better look at gameplay in the video below, which shows that Cities: VR appears essentially City: Skylines translated directly into VR.

“Cities: Skylines is the ultimate modern city-builder, and it’s an honor to bring this franchise to VR,” said Erik Odeldahl, Creative Director at Fast Travel Games. “The city-building genre has huge potential in the VR market and we couldn’t wait to work on this IP. We’ve spent a ton of time, research, and energy to translate Cities: Skylines to VR in a way that is both approachable for new players and a new challenge for Cities veterans. We can’t wait to see what players build!”

Fast Travel Games says they’ll be talking more about Cities: VR closer to launch on Quest 2 (re: not the original Quest), so we hope to learn more about other platforms and whether the VR title will support any mods or additional paid DLC such as different buildings, environments, or gameplay features.

The post ‘Cities: Skylines’ VR Adaptation Coming to Quest 2 in April, Gameplay Walkthrough Here appeared first on Road to VR.

December 2, 2021

Build Your own Metropolis in Cities: VR for Meta Quest 2 in 2022

With a back catalogue that includes Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife and Apex Construct, Fast Travel Games’ next virtual reality (VR) is a very different beast. Today, the studio has announced the development of a city-building experience for Meta Quest, Cities: VR.

A VR spin-off of Cities: Skylines – licensed from Paradox Interactive – Cities: VR aims to provide an entry point into the franchise whilst offering a compelling new experience for veterans. So just like the flatscreen edition of the city-building and management simulator, Cities: VR will task players with controlling every aspect of city planning. From designing the layout of your bustling metropolis to ensuring there are enough emergency services and that traffic flows smoothly, there’s plenty to keep an eye on.

Build your city from a birds-eye view, quickly placing new roads and facilities. Then head down to street level to see your world come alive.

“Cities: Skylines is the ultimate modern city-builder, and it’s an honor to bring this franchise to VR,” said Erik Odeldahl, Creative Director at Fast Travel Games in a statement. “City-building is an underserved genre in the VR market and we couldn’t wait to work on this IP. We’ve spent a ton of time, research, and energy to adapt Cities: Skylines to VR in a way that is both approachable for new players and a new challenge for Cities veterans. We can’t wait to see what players build!”

Cities: VR isn’t the only city building VR videogame coming to the Meta Quest platform next year. In October, nDreams revealed that it was publishing Little Cities by indie team Purple Yonder. Check out VRFocus’ early look at this upcoming city management experience.

Fast Travel Games aims to release Cities: VR for the Meta Quest platform in Spring 2022. Take a look at the first trailer below and for further updates, keep reading VRFocus.

October 5, 2021

Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife PlayStation VR Launch Delayed

If you were looking forward to Fast Travel Games’ new horror title Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife arriving for PlayStation VR this Thursday, VRFocus has some bad news, it has been delayed. Thankfully not by much though, with the launch pushed back to the end of the month.

The studio didn’t give much of a reason why simply saying in a statement that: “The reason for the delay is that Fast Travel Games wants to ensure the game is delivered with the best possible experience on the platform.” Quite vague so maybe the team encountered a bug or some other critical issue?

In any case, you’re going to have to wait a few more weeks to play Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife, Fast Travel Games’ first virtual reality (VR) horror and one set in the World of Darkness shared story universe. An atmospheric title that aims to build the tension rather than throwing in loads of jump scares, you play as Ed Millar, a photographer who along with his girlfriend is invited to a seance at the sprawling Barclay Mansion.

Things go awry and you end up dead, stuck between the living world and the afterlife as a Wraith. in this new form you have to explore the mansion and discover the reason for your current predicament. As a Wraith you have supernatural abilities allowing you to move through walls, manipulate objects at a distance and track the movement of other spirits. Because you’re not alone in the mansion, Spectres, spirits of wrath and vengeance roam the corridors, each having their own connection to the house and its owner. These cannot be reasoned with or fought, hide and try not to get caught.

“For those that love slow and tense survival horror Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife certainly delivers. Coming in at around eight hours of nail-biting content, Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife does the World of Darkness proud,” said VRFocus in its Oculus Quest review.

The PlayStation VR release of Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife will now take place on 27th October 2021, retailing for $29.99 USD / £24.99 GBP / €24.99 Eur. VRFocus will continue its coverage of Fast Travel Games, reporting back with its latest announcements.

September 28, 2021

Studio Behind Wraith: The Oblivion Forms VR Publishing Arm

Having released virtual reality (VR) videogames like Apex Construct and Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife, Swedish studio Fast Travel Games is getting into third-party publishing. It announced a new publishing arm today, focused on utilising the team’s experience within the industry to provide services to other VR game developers.

The new publishing arm will help VR developers with funding, access to first-party platforms, marketing and PR, certification processes, quality assurance, storefront optimization, localization, age ratings, music licensing, and all the other variables required for a successful launch.

This new side of the business will be helmed by industry veteran and former Head of Games at Mojang Studios Patrick Liu, bringing more than 15 years of experience to the role.

“We’ve been fully committed to VR since founding the studio in 2016, and in that time we’ve collected experiences, expertise, and connections that are of huge value to smaller VR devs trying to find success in this market,” said Fast Travel Games CEO Oskar Burman in a statement. “VR is still a developing medium, and we want to use what we’ve learned and accomplished to contribute to its expansion and help bring more great games to market.”

“Right now we’re experiencing a turning point for VR, with consumer interest growing and technology becoming more accessible than ever before, due in no small part to the success of Oculus Quest and Quest 2,” Burman continued. “While we will continue to develop and publish games on all major platforms, Quest has changed the game. For our most recent launch, Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife, Quest has accounted for 90% of sales since launch. VR gaming will only continue to grow and expand, and we look forward to working with other developers to bring their visions to life on Quest and all VR platforms.”

While this is the official formation of the publishing arm, previously Fast Travel Games has worked with fellow Swedish studio Neat Corp to help launch its stealthy sequel Budget Cuts 2: Mission Insolvency.

“I was thrilled to hear that Fast Travel Games is expanding to offer publishing! It’s a great way to extend the support and connections they have developed over the years to smaller development teams,” said Jenny Nordenborg, CEO of Neat Corporation. “From our experience collaborating with Fast Travel Games on Budget Cuts 2, we can confidently say this is an amazing opportunity for newer studios, and expect to see a few VR hits come out of their publishing arm!”

Any VR developers interested in pitching their project can find a new publishing section on Fast Travel Games’ website. For further updates, keep reading VRFocus.