SiegeVR Debuts At GDC 2018 As HTC Vive Studios And Sixense Reveal Partnership

It’s not just the hardware side of virtual reality (VR)that is getting announcements at this year’s Game Development Conference (GDC) and when it comes to videogames it’s not just familiar faces appearing either. New experiences are also at the event to make their debuts. One such title comes HTC Vive Studios and Sixense, who today revealed a new partnership with the launch of SiegeVR – an archery title aimed at attracting interest from the eSports sector.

SiegeVR - TitleIn the title you will take on the role of an archer and, through several game modes are required to show your accuracy, speed and in one case even your ability to out think your opponent as you turn targets and enemies into well rendered pincushions. Featuring a gallery style PVP mode, global leaderboards, a free practice mode and a tower defense style ‘siege mode’ in which you’ll let loose your inner Green Arrow or Hawkeye with an array of what the developer terms “specialised” arrows.

The title is out now to buy on Steam, with a limited time discount of 15% off the usual price of $9.99 (USD) / £7.19 (GBP) and will be made available on Viveport at a later date. At GDC 2018, Sixense is hosting four tournaments, two per day over the course of the next two days. The winners of each bracket receiving the prize of an HTC Vive. A similar competition will be operating on Steam, with the top ten players on the SiegeVR Steam leaderboards being invited at the end of April to take part in a competition to crown the top player overall in the title. That player winning themselves an HTC Vive Pro.

SiegeVR - Screenshot“We are looking forward to allowing players to hone their skills within the comfort of their homes, then compete both online and in casinos for cash prizes,” said Amir Rubin, Sixense co-founder and CEO.  “By partnering with HTC, we have a powerful platform to make SiegeVR widely available to the virtual reality community.”

“With VR on the HTC Vive, we can deliver a more realistic, competitive experience from virtual sports that mimics real life sport tournaments,” said Joel Breton, HTC VIVE, VP Global Content.  “This collaboration with Sixense on SiegeVR allows us to bring a new type of eSports experience to novices and experienced gamers alike that enables them to build on their skills and improve their scores with each session.”

VRFocus will bring you more information about the ongoing news from GDC very soon, check back frequently for updates or subscribe to us on social media to stay up to date.

 

 

 

Vive Studios Title Knockout League Goes Multi-Platform

It is generally expected that first-party videogame titles will remain safely hoarded within a single platform’s ecosystem. There are the occasional exceptions, a number which has now been incremented by one with the announcement by Vive Studios that its newly launched title, Knockout League will be going multi-platform.

Knockout League is a light-hearted boxing simulator that aims to give players a workout whilst pitting them against a variety of opponents, including some ludicrous ones such as an oversized octopus with a moustache. Players must learn to duck, weave, jab and uppercut in order to put their opponents down on to the mat.

Developed by Vive Studios in conjunction with Grab Games, Knockout League will be made available on Htc Vive, Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR, making it the first Vive Studios title to be released on the PlayStation VR. According to the Vive Blog post announcing the release: “Our goal is to support the developer ecosystem and push them to generate revenue and build a community around their game. This will be Vive Studios’ first title available for PlayStation VR and with PSVR’s enthusiastic and engaged community, we knew Knockout League would be a perfect fit.”

The arcade-style gameplay of Knockout League is designed for a single player, which pits the user up against nine competitors in a style reminiscent of Nintendo classic Punch Out! With each win, players can progress on to tougher opponents who all have their own styles and tactics. It’s also possible to face stronger versions of competitors you have already faced in Grudge Match mode.

Despite the comedic stylings of Knockout League, Vive Studios and Grab Games aimed to create a title that encourages fitness, even including a special fitness mode which includes a calories tracker. The developers note that over 3.5 million calories were burned during the title’s Early Access period.

Knockout League Iron Maiden

Knockout League is now available on Viveport, PlayStation Store, Steam and Oculus Store, priced at $29.99 (USD).

For continued coverage of new and upcoming VR released, keep watching VRFocus.

HTC Vive Studios and Sixense Launch MakeVR Pro, Bringing CAD-based Precision Tools to 3D Modeling

In March HTC Vive Studios and Sixense launched MakeVR, a 3D modelling and computer-aided design (CAD) engine that could be used by amateurs and professionals alike. Today the two have announced MakeVR Pro, expanding on the original software by adding precision tools for a more precise alignment of objects.

MakeVR Pro’s enhanced functionality has been created to increase accuracy and detail of 3D projects, helping meet the needs of professional 3D designers. Creators will now be able to use grids and rulers, jigs, snapping, surface tracking, and mirroring to help improve and fine-tune their designs even further.

MakeVR Pro screenshot

“This new layer of precision, combined with Vive’s room-scale technology, paves the way for MakeVR Pro to become the primary 3D object modeling tool for professionals,” said Joel Breton, GM of Vive Studios in a statement. “Users can now manipulate objects with increased precision to take advantage of the fidelity and space that VR allows, much like the way carpenters and machinists work in their real-world shops.”

In-app tutorials are provided to guide users through the process of learning this new functionality. Just like MakeVR,   MakeVR Pro has the ability to export standard object files for 3D printing. Sent to either a local 3D printer or to a 3D printing service like Shapeways.

“While still a simple and intuitive solution to use, we wanted to ensure that _MakeVR Pro_ provides anyone the ability to create content with precision and accuracy.” said Amir Rubin, Co-founder and CEO of Sixense. “Our collaboration with Vive Studios has made for a professional-grade creativity experience that provides a powerful yet easy way, for people ranging from 3D print enthusiasts to industry professionals, to build precision models while immersed in a virtual environment.”

MakeVR Pro is available on Viveport for $39.99 USD and existing users of MakeVR will be given free access to the newly enhanced version.

For any further updates to MakeVR and MakeVR Pro, keep reading VRFocus.