I can’t believe I’m writing this, but PSVR exclusive Golem has been delayed again. Don’t worry, though, it’s only a small delay and (probably) the last one. Maybe. Hopefully.
Back in October we reported that the long-awaited debut from Highwire Games would finally launch physically in the EU on November 8th, published by Perp Games. A digital release was supposed to follow on November 12th.
Well, the physical EU release is now on November 15th. The digital launch will follow on November 19th. Finally, the US physical release comes on November 22nd. It’ll be available through Target for $29.99 and will come to other retailers in the near future.
In Golem, you play as a young girl confined to her bedroom. She discovers the power to possess stone golems. She uses them to escape beyond the walls of her room. The game features sword-based combat using a PlayStation Move controller. Highwire itself is made up of former Halo developers, hence why we’ve kept such a keen interest in the project.
At this point we probably don’t need to tell you about Golem’s beleaguered development cycle. The game was announced before PSVR itself had even launched in 2015. It was shaping up for launch in early 2018, but suffered a last minute delay before going into hiding. It finally resurfaced at our E3 VR Showcase earlier this year.
Even with the delay, we’re still relieved to see that the game is finally coming this year. Will you be picking up Golem? Let us know in the comments below!
The virtual reality (VR) industry is still very much a community which wants to see everyone succeed, whether that’s an indie developer or hardware manufacturer. It’s why if you go to a dedicated VR or augmented reality (AR) event everyone is always so friendly and helpful. Earlier in October VRFocus took a trip over to Prague in the Czech Republic to see VRgineers and its XTAL headset. While in the city VRgineers suggested a trip to Hamleys to see DIVR, a location-based entertainment (LBE) startup located in the store’s basement which VRgineers had help setup. Currently DIVR’s only location this was ideal to test its two custom VR videogames, Golem VR and Arachnoid. As it would turn out two very different experiences.
Being located in Hamleys (a famous toy store if you weren’t aware) gives you some impression of DIVR’s scale and ambition – it is located in the lower levels next to all the Lego. The setup is very similar to The VOID where the gameplay flows through several rooms, allowing players to touch walls and other solid surfaces whilst feeling wind on their face or a blast of heat.
Using modified Oculus Rift’s and backpack PC’s, DIVR’s system is very much on par with others VRFocus has tested. It doesn’t feel too cumbersome or heavy and the Ultraleap hand tracking is instantly familiar for those who have previously used it and easy to grasp for those that haven’t.
Like any LBE experience, it tends to be the content which sets each apart. Unlike a VR arcade which may use a distribution platform like Synthesis VR or SpringboardVR, DIVR makes its content in-house. Having originally created Blue Effect VR for home headsets, the two on offer in Prague are most definitely designed for LBE gaming.
Golem VR is the best starting point – not to be confused with Highwire Games’ Golem coming to PlayStation VR – offering a gentle puzzle adventure whilst embracing some of the city’s history. Stepping into a time machine, you’re transported back several hundred years to the Renaissance, tasked with finding Rabbi Low and his new creation, the Golem.
Family-friendly, Golem VR provides a pleasant story-driven experience where challenges range from chasing chickens to finding glyphs which unlock secret doors. Nothing too difficult which means most players should happily plod through, nicely keeping the story flow going. An important factor is that because you have nothing in your hands like you would on a home VR headset, there’s a much greater connection to this virtual world, providing an ideal hook and sense of presence new players should find delightful.
Having gone through Golem VR with one of VRgineers’ team it was then time to step into Arachnoid. This was a different beast entirely and certainly not for the faint of heart – even for those not too bothered by spiders. Alas, Arachnoid was where the chaperone drew the line, so VRFocus had to experience the eight-legged horrors alone.
As you might expect Arachnoid is rather intense. Not straight away mind, there is a nice little build-up before the fanged beasties suddenly come a crawling. For this experience DIVR gives players an actual flashlight to hold, lighting up the dark corners. As the experience is set in an underground facility which can only be accessed through a mine, a bit of extra light is certainly appreciated. But there was the occasional tracking issue which did ruin the immersive qualities at points.
Again this was a puzzle adventure, so there were no guns to speak of. This probably helps to increase the jump factor for a lot of players as they can’t protect themselves – there was plenty of temptation to throw/smash the torch when a spider popped up. And pop up they did, in their droves.
Ever watch the film Arachnophobia (1990)? Remember those latter stages of the film when all the spiders infested the house? Well combine that with a mommy arachnid the size of an SUV and you can imagine the joys that await. Oh and let’s not forget the spitting, suddenly getting a faceful of green vomit. Once up close the spiders weren’t that terrifying, having an animatronic look about them. Far scarier was the spatial sound which was excellent. Hearing something scurry around just out of view made those lonely moments much more intense. However, the spiders tended to distract from the rather mundane puzzles, collect weird goo and transport it to said location or find a set number of keys. The last one was a little more elaborate yet puzzle fans will be underwhelmed.
It was also clear that DIVR controls the experience enabling multiple groups to run through at the same time. Completely understandable from a business perspective to maximise space and time, especially if a group gets stuck. Yet there was a feeling of being rushed even when the challenge was almost complete. Doors suddenly opened just before finding the last piece of the puzzle for example. This may have been due to playing alone rather than in a team.
Arachnoid did have one final ace up its sleeve right at the end, a score. You’re given a completion percentage as there are tapes to find uncovering the story of what happened in the lab alongside how long the experience took to complete. Plus, there are multiple endings depending on how attentive you are to the environment.
Because of this replay factor, VRFocus really does want to give Arachnoid another try, with more people next time. If trying to decide between the both, remember Golem VR is a one play through deal while Arachnoid does offer a little more value for money. Neither quite offer the same excitement as The VOID’s Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire or Zero Latency’s warehouse-scale Sol Raiders but you can’t have everything. If you’re in Prague and fancy some VR, DIVR has created an LBE location that’s worth taking a look at.
Industry specialist Kevin Williams of KWP, concludes his report on the latest developments shaping the digital out-of-home entertainment (DOE) sector and all things to do with Commercial virtual reality (VR) deployment seen internationally. In this final part we see the drive for new investment and the realities and speculation on the market’s true worth.
With this final part of our coverage and we rush from Germany, to the Czech-Republic, and a major event in the country’s capital, underlined the influence that this new commercial entertainment utopia is having on the investment community. Held at the beginning of September, Future Port Prague was a two-day gathering of innovative technology trends and influential speakers on the subject. Along with dedicated conference events there was a showcase arena that comprised demonstrations of the latest tech-trends, ranging from Drone racing, electric-automobiles, smart home appliances and 3D printing to just name some of the exhibits. As part of this, local Czech developers were also promoting their influence on the scene, and VR made a big showing.
Future Port Prague 2018 – A packed outdoor festival conference stage. (Credit: KWP)
We have already mentioned in part one of this feature Beat Games; the Czech-based company had a version of the Beat Saber VR arcade setup demonstrating to attendees in the VR Zone of the event. It was interesting to see that unlike normal VR arcade deployments of the game, this enclosure used the latest technology from new industry start-up LIV. The green-screen enclosure and specially tracked virtual camera, placed the player in the centre of the action, superimposing them into the virtual environment – but not only creating a great audience element, the LIV system has been developed to offer a unique takeaway, with the player able to download a video of their ‘performance’, with appropriate social media hooks. The company looking to deploy this platform at several VR arcades.
LIV offers an added element to the Beat Saber experience. (Credit: KWP)
Another local Czech-based developer is DIVR Labs – the company famous for a local Prague tourist attraction that is seeing phenomenal business. Golem VR (not to be confused with the otherGolem), the attraction is one of the largest free-roaming virtual experiences operating. The basement of the local Prague Hamleys toy store transformed to accommodate a backpack-based VR experience using Oculus CV1’s. Groups of up to four guests traverse the virtual environment – in an experience that sees them transported through time to the 16th century, to discover the mythical Golem and its creator in an interpretation of the story. DIVR has partnered with Hamleys to develop this first free-roaming VR adventure that has no weapons or shooting (one of the first of its kind). The company in negotiations to open additional venues.
A view of the Golem VR experience at Hamleys in the city centre. (Credit: KWP)(Credit: KWP)
Returning to Future Port Prague, and another Czech-based developer, VRgineers took an exhibition space to offer the first public demonstrations of their XTAL head-mounted display (HMD). This system offers what the company calls an Enterprise-ready solution with a world’s first AutoEye system, offering automatically aligned lenses to the user’s eyes as well as an incredible wide field of view. The system has already been taken up by the local automotive industry, and the company is now in the process of receiving additional investment towards offering the platform too interested location-based VR developers. The company running at the event the ability to fly in a networked aerial combat using the visual fidelity achieved with the XTAL.
The XTAL headset in action. (Credit: KWP)
The next phase of high-end VR headsets has seen a shift in focus towards Enterprise opportunities (a sector prepared to pay for a technological lead). Most recently Kickstarter-funded Pimax demonstrated in Europe the production version of the Pimax 8K wide-field of view system, but also at the same time revealed a cost-reduced version. We saw at the Chinese Amusement trade conference in March one of the first Chinese attraction developers experimenting with the Pimax dev-kit on their robotic arm motion platform, and there are reports of at least one major VR park developer looking to deploy this at their site.
VR Enlightenment – Up in the air in a Pimax back at the Asia Amusement & Attractions (AAA) Expo 2018. (Credit: KWP)
The consideration to a wholly focused Enterprise initiative was also seen from StarVR, the company’s Vice Chairman Jerry Kao reported as saying the company was shifting its operational focus to high-end enterprise applications, with the location-based entertainment market to aerospace and automotive. This was reported following the companies unveiling of the StarVR One HMD during SIGGRAPH in Canada. The new headset offering what the company calls a “100% human viewing angle” is clearly packaged to address a DOE centric business model; building on previous associations with IMAX, SEGA and the VRPark in Dubai, as well as through VR attraction projects with Starbreeze
This year’s SIGGRAPH saw a major push towards location-based VR application of the latest high-end graphics and computer power – many exhibitors showing a shift towards this new business dimension. Leading tracking specialists OptiTrack, introduced their new Active Puck Mini at the event, offering a cost effective and 40% reduced option. The company confirmed that along with conventional motion capture business the system had Location-Based entertainment offerings squarely in their sites. The company has been deployed in many of the leading free-roaming VR installations, and OptiTrak has partnered with Dreamscape Immersive, offering their tracking solution, as well as working in conjunction with several other developers.
Dreamscape Immersive, have been in the news for the tests of their own free-roaming Alien Zoo concept – and the company partnered with movie theatre chain AMC Entertainment late last year, the deal coming after closing some $20 million (USD) of their Series B funding. It is this drive by the movie theatre business to embrace the opportunities of LBE VR that has seen momentous developments in recent weeks. One of the biggest was the announcement that Canadian cinema giants Cineplex had signed a strategic partnership with VRstudios (famous for their VRcade platform and VR experiences). The deal saw Cineplex strategically invest in their VR business, with at least 40 multiplex and location-based entertainment centres planned in the Canada territory by 2021.
Group of players start their progress through VRcade’s Terminal 17 at IAAPA 2017. (Credit: KWP)
This undertaking is mirrored by other cinema chains taking the plunge. The VOID’s “hyper-reality” location-based entertainment (LBE) operation, announced the first “In-Theatre” VR installation in the States – following the signing of an exclusive expansion agreement with leading entertainment and media company Cinemark. This development also saw The VOID LBE VR venues opening across Canada. This news follows on from continuing developments in the movie-theatre sector to embrace the opportunity of VR attractions tailored for their unique audience mix. With the expansion of the operation The VOID was also linked to brand new game content building on influential Intellectual Properties (IPs) – a joint venture of ILMxLAB, a division of Lucasfilm, and The VOID, will see a “one-of-a-kind, original adventure” based in the Wreck-it Ralph films’ unique world (tentatively called Ralph Breaks VR). This is the first of several immersive virtual reality properties from the developer, based on film licenses, building on previous Ghostbusters and Star Wars experiences.
Investing into the cinema scene has gained momentum as the theatre business has seen in the US a 16% decline in ticket sales, attributed to a need for a more diverse offering for the “millennially-minded” audience hoping to be attracted to their locations. Following a spate of mergers and acquisitions in this sector the market has fixated on finding an entertainment-mix to incorporate as a “in-theatre” offering. As we reported in our coverage from the LBE VR summit, manufacturers such as D-BOX Technologies had invested in their own D-BOX Cinematic VR Experience which launched earlier in the year at an Ottawa theatre.
D-BOX’s cinema seat put through its paces with the latest VR experiences created for this sector. (Credit: KWP)
This also brings us to developer Nomadic, who have been developing their own location-based adventure-based, tactile VR experiences – the company has promoted heavily in the cinema industry (presenting at the 2017 CinemaCon, and reportedly raising some $6 million in seed funding). Focused initially on a in-theatre approach, the company recently announced they had partnered with Vertigo Games to deploy a turn-key, modular-based VR platform based on Arizona Sunshine LB Elite. The first installations schedule to open fall this year. How much this space will mirror the wireless VR experience seen at Gamescom, in Germany recently has yet to be revealed. But this nicely takes us full circle from where this coverage began.
Arizona Sunshine LBE at Gamescom 2018. (Via HTC)
In just a matter of months and we have seen a level of investment in immersive entertainment focusing on developing virtual reality – far surpassing the previously wild speculation of the consumer VR sector. We have seen colourful analysis on the worth of the Commercial Entertainment or LBE VR market – most notably the SuperData chart that looked at a $995 million valuation of Location-Based entertainment by 2021. And we have seen other charts rise the gambit as high as $12 Billion by 2023 (Greenlight Insights), hopeful speculation to be sure – but based on a growing hunger to maximise the aspirations of the audience, to the abilities of this sectors technology, where the consumer equivalent has failed to deliver (for whatever reasons).
LBE Market Forecast via SuperData
It is important to understand that the VR arcades scene is still at a very early stage of development and has by no means established itself as a dependable business model. One such example of this is the IMAX pilot scheme to establish their concept of IMAX VR LBE operations. News recently broke that two of the seven opened sites had been closed (one in New York and one in Shanghai). The IMAX board had already revealed at the beginning of the year in an investor call that the sites were not all operating at the expected financial level, and there was no real surprise that the roll out was being reversed.
On a recent visit to the only European IMAX VR location in Manchester, the site was seen to be closed off for a private party – and while claimed to still be popular, it was revealed that the adjacent Odeon cinema had been giving away vouchers for free VR experiences, with the purchase of movie tickets; in a hope to drive some business. We have also heard reports of major reshufflings of executive teams and complete management replacements at some of the early LBE VR manufacturers and operators, The VOID saw the departure of their CTO and CEO, while other operations in pivoting towards a commercial entertainment business model have had to drastically restructure their executive team, unable to fathom the realities of the DOE business.
But we have not seen anything yet, and one of Europe’s largest amusement and attraction conventions is about to take place in a matter of weeks – already sources have revealed a record number of new VR attractions about to be launched. While the UK amusement trade will hold their Autumn Coin-Op Show (ACOS), taking place at Olympia London during October, and will include the first London Future of Immersive Leisure (FOIL) seminar run alongside ACOS, focusing on the business opportunities presented by immersive technology to the UK’s out-of-home entertainment industry (this event hosted by our consultancy KWP) – look out on VRFocus for the latest developments from these events in the days and weeks to come.
One of the major advantages of virtual reality (VR) is its ability to create or re-create an immersive world. This can involve creating fantastic worlds drawn from the imagination, or re-creating scenes and locations from history or legend. The latter is the case for a new location-based VR attraction called The Golem VR at Hamleys Toy Store in the Czech Republic.
Though not as well known as many other European legends, the tale of the Golem is deeply tied into Jewish history and the history of Prague. The new VR attraction lets visitors be a part of the legend as it unfolds all around them.
Visitors can don a VR headset to be transported to 15th Century Prague, where Rabbi Löw is creating a creature known as a Golem. The golem is usually depicted as being crafted from stone or clay, animated by a powerful incantation written on its forehead.
According to the story, the Jews of Prague created a Golem to protect themselves from persecution. This goes wrong when the golem displays an inability to tell the victims and the oppessors apart, and the body count starts to rise.
Visitors to Hamleys Toy Store in Prague can put on a backpack PC and Oculus Rift headset, along with Leap Motion hand-trackers before walking through a ‘time tunnel’ portal which transports the visitors to the historic Charles Bridge in the year 1608.
The unfolding VR experience is designed as a virtual escape room, where participants need to cooperate in order to move forward in the experience, such as assisting Rabbi Löw in throwing balls of energy in order to tame the golem.
The Golem VR was created by Ondřej Bach, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of DIVR Labs. Visitors to Hamleys Toy Store in Prague can pay $450 CZK (Roughly €17.6 EUR) to take part in the experience.
For future coverage on new or upcoming VR experiences, keep checking back with VRFocus.
