Penn and Teller VR – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

June 24, 2019

E3 2019 Interview: Gearbox Software Talks Penn & Teller VR

While Gearbox Software is better known for its Borderlands franchise, the studio has some quirkier titles under its belt as well, including Desert Bus VR. This was the brainchild of none other than magic duo Penn & Teller during the 90s. This week the pair are back with another virtual reality (VR) videogame (care of Gearbox) that’s a bit closer to home, Penn & Teller VR: Frankly Unfair, Unkind, Unnecessary & Underhanded. Unveiled during the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2019 this month, VRFocus had a chat with the studio to find out more.

Penn & Teller VR: F U, U, U & U was certainly one of the weirder and wonderful VR titles to appear during E3 week, offering their unique brand of comedy and magical entertainment. At its heart, the videogame is a local party experience where players can engage in different tricks (called Bits in the experience) being taught by Penn & Teller. There’s just one catch, the Bits allow the VR player to be pranked if they’re not careful.

Without giving too much away, one of the Bits sees the person in VR playing a form of whack-a-mole. Best played using a table to hit, while the player is happily whacking digital objects someone else (if they’re feeling devious) could put an item in play, say an egg for example, which would lead to messy and humorous results.

VRFocus tried a quick preview of the title during E3 2019, saying: “What’s impressive about Penn & Teller VR: Frankly Unfair, Unkind, Unnecessary & Underhanded is that it really plays to VR’s strengths, offering an experience that’s distinctive and a refreshing change for some of the other releases on the horizon.”

Penn and Teller VR

So what did Gearbox Software have to say about the videogame? Well, VRFocus spoke with Jacob Lavender, Technical Designer on Penn & Teller VR: F U, U, U & U to learn a little more about how the project came to be and some of its features in the video below.

The videogame itself is due out for Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift/Rift S and HTC Vive on 27th June, priced at $19.99 USD, with a PlayStation VR version due to arrive shortly after on 9th July 2019. For further updates on the experience or Gearbox Software’s VR plans, keep reading VRFocus.

June 19, 2019

Preview: Penn and Teller VR: Frankly Unfair, Unkind, Unnecessary & Underhanded

Magic has long enthralled mankind for generations, offering a fascinating twist on reality that’s both entertaining and perplexing in equal measure. There have been many a famous magician, from Houdini all the way up to current street magicians like Dynamo. When it comes to stage magic, duo Penn & Teller are up there with the best, mixing magic with comedy and a little danger (as well as debunking). Collaborating with Gearbox Software, the pair have created a rather intriguing virtual reality (VR) experience called Penn and Teller VR: Frankly Unfair, Unkind, Unnecessary & Underhanded which could well be a highlight for any local VR gathering.

Penn and Teller VR

Gearbox Software shared a brief demo of Penn & Teller VR during the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) this month, allowing VRFocus to gain a sneak peek behind the curtain. It’s one of those sort of videogames where discussing it can reveal too much, as once the twist is spoilt there’s no going back. You have been warned.

The title is made up of 14 tricks (or ‘Bits’ as they’re referred to). Each Bit is essentially one magic trick which can either be performed with a friend or solo. For the demo, VRFocus got to see several of these, as well as some other parts of the experience. These were Bits involving the game paper, scissors, stone; a sawing in half trick and a water tank escape.

In Penn & Teller VR you are the magician which means you tend not to put the headset on as often, controlling the sequence via a monitor. This is because of the videogame’s other fiendish feature pranking. So the Paper, Scissors, Stone game is a prime example. Here both VR player and non-VR player enter into the classic game, trying to beat each other as usual. The twist is that you can then automate the hand movements without the VR player knowing. So while they’re happily trying to win, blissfully unaware they’re no longer playing you that frees you up to prank your mate. In VRFocus’ case, the Gearbox Software team member playing then snuck up and tapped me on the shoulder for a surprise scare.

Penn and Teller VR

Highly amusing, it’s easy to see how with a few friends Penn & Teller VR could be the party title to beat Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes. The water tank escape, on the other hand, called ‘YOU be Houdini’ was a solo experience. Chained into a tank – for added effect both hands were put through the Oculus Touch strap – there were loads of padlocks each with different key shapes (circles, triangles, squares etc.) which needed to be unlocked by random keys being dropped in. The aim is not to drown – probably best not played if you have a fear of water or tight spaces – and needless to say, VRFocus failed but managed to survive thanks to the duo.

They’ve certainly tried to make Penn and Teller VR: Frankly Unfair, Unkind, Unnecessary & Underhanded more than just the Bits by themselves. You can go into the famous ‘Monkey Room’ which guests for Penn & Teller’s live shows in Las Vegas wait in before going on stage, and the pair have recorded videos going into greater details regarding their tricks.

What’s impressive about Penn and Teller VR: Frankly Unfair, Unkind, Unnecessary & Underhanded is that it really plays to VR’s strengths, offering an experience that’s distinctive and a refreshing change for some of the other releases on the horizon. VRFocus does have one quibble at this point, and that’s longevity and repetition. Will 14 Bits be enough? Because once you and your friends are in on the gag it no longer becomes entertaining or funny, killing any pranks in the process. Hence why most magicians keep their tricks a secret.

April 2, 2019

Penn and Teller VR: Gearbox Software arbeitet an VR-Titel für PSVR und PC-Brillen

Auf der PAX East verkündete Entwicklerstudio Gearbox Software neben Borderlands 3 und der kostenlosen Veröffentlichung sämtlicher DLC’s für Borderlands 2 VR ebenso die Arbeit an einem neuen VR-Projekt. Demnach arbeitet das Studio derzeit mit dem amerikanischen Zauberkünstler- und Komiker-Duo Penn & Teller zusammen, um die VR-Erfahrung Penn and Teller VR: Frankly Unfair, Unkind, Unnecessary & Underhanded für PlayStation VR (PSVR), Oculus Rift und HTC Vive zu entwickeln. Der VR-Titel soll im Sommer 2019 erscheinen.

Penn and Teller VR – Gearbox Software entwickelt neuen VR-Titel für PlayStation VR (PSVR), Oculus Rift und HTC Vive

Mit Penn and Teller VR: Frankly Unfair, Unkind, Unnecessary & Underhanded erscheint ein neuer VR-Titel von Gearbox Software, um das magische Komikerduo Penn & Teller in die virtuellen Gefilde zu befördern. Informationen zum neuen VR-Spiel werden derzeit allerdings noch unter Verschluss gehalten, bekannt gemacht wurde, dass es für PlayStation VR (PSVR), Oculus Rift und HTC Vive erscheinen soll. Ob ein Release ebenso für Windows-VR-Brillen, Oculus Rift S oder Oculus Quest geplant ist, bleibt abzuwarten.

Für alle, die das Duo nicht kennen: Die beiden treten seit 1970 gemeinsam auf Bühnenshows auf, unter anderem in Las Vegas, und kombinieren Zaubertricks mit Comedy. Außerdem setzen sie diverse Medienprojekte um und fungieren dafür als Autoren und Schauspieler.

Penn-and-Teller-VR-Gearbox-Software-Oculus-Rift-HTC-Vive-PlayStation-VR-PSVR

Auch mit der VR-Technologie hat das Duo bereits Bekanntschaft gemacht. Gemeinsam mit Gearbox und Entwicklerstudio Dinosaur Games wurde der absurde VR-Titel Desert Bus VR veröffentlicht. Ursprünglich als Minispiel für den nie veröffentlichten Sega Mega-CD-Titel Penn & Teller’s Smoke and Mirrors geplant, wurde das Spiel kurzerhand als VR-Adaption für Oculus Rift und HTC Vive umgesetzt.

Bei Steam wird das Spiel in der Kategorie “Psycho-Horror” gelistet und das hat einen guten Grund: Ziel von Desert Bus VR ist es acht Stunden von Arizona durch die Wüste nach Nevada zu fahren. Und das in einem fast leeren Bus. Kommt man dabei von der Straße ab oder übersieht ein Hindernis auf dem Asphalt, muss man in Echtzeit zurückfahren. Ein verrückter Ansatz, der mittlerweile Kultstatus erreicht hat.

Wir dürfen gespannt sein, ob das neue VR-Projekt in die Fußstapfen von Desert Bus VR tritt oder neue Ansätze verspricht.

(Quelle: VR Focus | Bilder: Penn & Teller Bio | Wikipedia)

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