Resolution Games – Page 2 – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

May 12, 2022

Demeo’s Next Table Top Adventure is ‘Curse of the Serpent Lord’

Demeo was an instant hit for Resolution Games last year, combining D&D style gameplay with virtual reality (VR). Since the initial launch, the studio has released several expansions with Realm of the Rat King and Roots of Evil providing new quests to conquer. Today sees the fourth update teased, Curse of the Serpent Lord.

There’s only one singular image to go on currently, showcasing the titular ‘Serpent Lord’ that you’ll face as the final boss, looking like quite the intimidating character. Then you’ve got what looks like a new player character. When Roots of Evil arrived Resolution Games introduced a new character class; Molthas the Bard. So Curse of the Serpent Lord could very well add a sixth character class.

No other details are currently available regarding what else the expansion may contain, more will be teased in the coming weeks. What we do know is that Curse of the Serpent Lord is the first of two new adventures coming to Demeo this year.

This follows on from the PC edition of Demeo that launched last month. The PC version is completely compatible with the VR edition, making it even easier for friends to join in and populate a four-player game. Demeo is a turn-based title, where players have to work as a team to fight monsters, clear dungeons and vanquish the end boss.

Gmw3 is a big fan of Demeo saying in its review: “Demeo continues Resolution Games’ run of well-crafted VR titles, moving away from the frantic gameplay of Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale and Blaston into a far more laidback experience…Its slower style isn’t for everyone yet as an example of D&D in VR, Demeo excels.”

This hasn’t been the only videogame announcement from the Resolution Games team this week. They released the first gameplay trailer for upcoming sports title Ultimechs.

Demeo is available for Quest and SteamVR headsets with the Curse of the Serpent Lord expansion available as a free update from 16th June 2022. For continued updates on the latest Resolution Games titles, keep reading gmw3.

May 11, 2022

‘Ultimechs’ Looks Like ‘Rocket League’ with Missile-firing Robots, Gameplay Trailer Here

Developers Resolution Games unveiled their upcoming VR sport Ultimechs in late 2021, although it wasn’t clear from the cinematic trailer exactly what sort of game we were dealing with. Now the studio has tossed out its first gameplay trailer, showing off some very Rocket League-inspired action mixed with teleporting, missile-firing mechs.

Ultimechs promises to serve up 2v2 multiplayer matches which is said to be based on “precise punches and impeccable reaction times,” the studio says in a press statement.

Here’s how Resolution games describes the action:

“Ultimechs puts players in control of state-of-the-art machines designed for speed and power. Working alongside a teammate, each competitor pilots their mech in pursuit of a massive superball as it ricochets its way around the arena. Using quick movements to stay on top of the ball and one step ahead of opponents, victory comes with a rocket-powered fist being aimed, shot and steered into the superball, slamming it into the goal. The precision, impeccable reaction times and lightning-fast calculations required to come out on top are sure to keep fans on the edge of their seats.”

Resolution Games CEO Tommy Palm compares it to wielding a guided missile and “changing direction on-the-fly as you try to strike a target in mid-air at just the right angle.”

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Although focused on 2v2 gameplay, Ultimechs is said to also include a 1v1 mode. The game is still slated to arrive sometime this year on “major VR platforms,” so it seems there’s still much to learn.

At least for now, the studio says it’s available for Steam wishlisting, so it will be on PC VR headsets. The game’s previous trailer also showed a user donning a Quest 2, so it’s likely coming to that platform as well.

Resolution Games has tapped into multiplayer VR genre recently with a number of competitive and co-op experiences, such as Blaston, Demeo, Acron: Attack of the Squirrels, and Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale. As a pioneering VR studio, this transition to multiplayer games makes for a solid barometer in where the industry is currently.

The post ‘Ultimechs’ Looks Like ‘Rocket League’ with Missile-firing Robots, Gameplay Trailer Here appeared first on Road to VR.

May 11, 2022

First Trailer Unveils Ultimechs’ High Octane Gameplay

Resolution Games teased Ultimechs – its next virtual reality (VR) multiplayer – back in November, as an arena-based eSport with robots. Today, the studio has released the first official gameplay video for Ultimechs, showcasing fast and competitive team-based action.

Ultimechs will be a high-performance 2v2 (or 1v1) sport where players take control of huge robots. They’ll then try to score as many goals as possible by smashing a giant ball around the arena. Players do this by manoeuvring between set points in the arena, firing and then remotely controlling rocket-powered fists to punch the ball.

Very different to Resolution Games’ latest VR title Demeo, the Ultimechs announcement still leaves a few questions unanswered such as whether the different robots are purely cosmetic or whether they have different traits. There’s also no mention of multiple arenas or the possible spectator mode that was previously hinted at.

“Imagine guiding a missile and changing direction on-the-fly as you try to strike a target in mid-air at just the right angle,” said Tommy Palm, founder and CEO, of Resolution Games in a statement. “That’s the Ultimechs experience. It’s about guiding rocket-powered fists to find that Superball sweet spot, knocking it out of your opponent’s reach and into the goal.

“With Ultimechs, we wanted to make something that was fast, fun, and always better with friends,” Palm continues. “Ultimechs is all about those moments that can only happen on a team, like setting up shots for your partner to rack up the points, or guarding the net while your teammate calculates their best offensive move. We’re looking forward to seeing some fierce competitions out there!”

Currently, Resolution Games has confirmed that Ultimechs will be a PC VR title as you can now wishlist it on Steam. The studio also mentions that the launch later in 2022 will be for “major VR platforms” which suggests Meta Quest 2 may also get support. For continued updates on Ultimechs keep reading gmw3.

April 28, 2022

Blaston’s Latest Update Begins Move Towards VR eSports

There are certain virtual reality (VR) titles that seem like an easy fit for pro esports events, with Resolution Games’ Blaston certainly being one of them. Today, the studio has announced the release of the Blaston: Reloaded adding new weapons, attachments and the videogame’s upcoming inclusion in the VR Master League.

Blaston: Reloaded gives you even more choice during combat by offering weapon customisation options prior to each match. Initially, there will be 30 unique modifications across 10 different weapons, providing the ability to speed up projectiles or curve them into your opponent. You’ll also want to make use of the new Luma Bow with its ‘Cyber Bow’ skin. The bow offers archer-like accuracy and spectacular damage at the cost of duel wielding while the skin is thanks to a collaboration with Fast Travel Games’ Apex Construct. More customisation options will arrive in future updates.

Then there’s the new seasonal game mode, Street Brawl. Rather than on elevated podiums, you’re now street level and further apart, armed only with a Cyber Bow and a modified Nova

“There’s always been a layer of strategy in Blaston specifically tied to the game’s weapon choices,” said Tommy Palm, founder and CEO of Resolution Games in a statement. “Being able to customize weapons is something our players have continually told us they’d like to see, letting them equip attachments that change the way they play. Today’s update answers that call while also positioning Blaston for professional esports competition, where weapon attachments will help to establish the unique play styles of Blaston‘s professional competitors, amping up the excitement for spectators.”

Lastly, there’s Blaston’s addition to the VR Master League. Resolution Games has partnered with the organisation to launch the first officially-sanctioned Blaston esports competition in May. If interested you can signup now with the season commencing on 16th May. The studio notes that “future updates will focus on ensuring fair and balanced play” to help grow Blaston’s new esports focus. To that end, a free Blaston Spectator app for PC will be available from 5th May.

For continued updates on all of Resolution Games’ VR titles, keep reading gmw3.

March 24, 2022

Demeo: PC Edition brings VR’s best-kept secret to the masses

Based on our hands-on time with it, Demeo: PC Edition flawlessly makes the jump from VR to PC.

January 12, 2022

Blaston To Raise Price To $20 Ahead Of 2022 Roadmap

Resolution Games is increasing the price of its multiplayer VR shooter, Blaston, ahead of its next big update.

The Quest and PC VR title will jump from $9.99 to $19.99 on January 17th, so you still have a few days to pick it up at the original price. In the video below, Resolution Games noted that the move was made to reflect the many updates Blaston has seen since launch in late 2020, including new modes, social VR features and user-made tournaments.

Blaston Updates Incoming

“We had the approach of launching something as early as we possibly could and developing it together with the community as much as possible,” Resolution CEO Tommy Palm told UploadVR in the interview below. “But at this point we feel it’s a full-fledged game with a lot of content, and it’s worth $19.99.”

He later added: “We always felt with Blaston had this potential to become something much bigger. You could really compete with other players and become quite good at it.”

In addition, there’s more Blaston to come. April will see the launch of the Blaston Reloaded update, which plans to revamp the core game with a weapon attachments system that will let players further customize their arsenal. There will also be new graphical enhancements for the PC VR version of the game and a new seasonal mode. Finally, there’s a new weapon set to be added in collaboration with another VR games studio.

Another update will follow in the summer.

Blaston joins a growing number of VR games that have increased their base price after months of free updates. Cloudhead Games started charging more for its rhythm-based shooter, Pistol Whip, in mid-2021 and Space Pirate Trainer also increased its base price after adding the fantastic local multiplayer mode in the DX update.

December 26, 2021

The VR Job Hub: Felix & Paul Studios, Resolution Games & Squanch Games

Every weekend VRFocus gathers together vacancies from across the virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) industry, in locations around the globe to help make finding that ideal job easier. Below is a selection of roles that are currently accepting applications across a number of disciplines, all within departments and companies that focus on immersive entertainment.

Location	Company	Role	Link
Stockholm, Sweden	Resolution Games	Gameplay Animator	Click Here to Apply
Linköping, Sweden	Resolution Tech	Programmer	Click Here to Apply
Stockholm, Sweden/Hybrid Remote	Resolution Games	UI Artist	Click Here to Apply
Stockholm, Sweden/Hybrid Remote	Resolution Games	Programmer	Click Here to Apply
Stockholm, Sweden	Resolution Games	VFX Artist	Click Here to Apply
Stockholm, Sweden/Hybrid Remote	Resolution Games	Senior Game Programmer	Click Here to Apply
Stockholm, Sweden	Resolution Games	Technical Artist – Shaders	Click Here to Apply
Stockholm, Sweden	Resolution Games	3D Artist	Click Here to Apply
Stockholm, Sweden/Hybrid Remote	Resolution Games	Monetization Specialist	Click Here to Apply
Stockholm, Sweden	Resolution Games	Sound Programmer	Click Here to Apply
Stockholm, Sweden	Resolution Games	Senior Programmer – AR	Click Here to Apply
Stockholm, Sweden	Resolution Games	Producer	Click Here to Apply
Stockholm, Sweden	Resolution Games	Producer – AR	Click Here to Apply
Stockholm, Sweden	Resolution Games	Concept Artist	Click Here to Apply
Stockholm, Sweden	Resolution Games	Technical Artist – Tools	Click Here to Apply
Stockholm, Sweden	Resolution Games	Programmer Manager	Click Here to Apply
Stockholm, Sweden	Resolution Games	Shared Tech Client Developer	Click Here to Apply
Stockholm, Sweden	Resolution Games	Shared Tech Backend Developer	Click Here to Apply
Stockholm, Sweden	Resolution Games	Programmer – VR	Click Here to Apply
Stockholm, Sweden	Resolution Games	IT Support Specialist	Click Here to Apply
Stockholm, Sweden	Resolution Games	Senior Game Designer – AR	Click Here to Apply
Stockholm, Sweden	Resolution Games	Art Director	Click Here to Apply
Montreal, QC, Canada	Felix & Paul Studios	Production Coordinator	Click Here to Apply
Montreal, QC, Canada	Felix & Paul Studios	Stereo VR Compositor (Contract)	Click Here to Apply
Montreal, QC, Canada	Felix & Paul Studios	Virtual Reality Composer (Contract)	Click Here to Apply
Montreal, QC, Canada	Felix & Paul Studios	Chief Financial Officer	Click Here to Apply
Montreal, QC, Canada	Felix & Paul Studios	Pipeline Developer	Click Here to Apply
Fully Remote	Squanch Games	Senior Concept Artist	Click Here to Apply
Fully Remote	Squanch Games	Concept Artist	Click Here to Apply
Fully Remote	Squanch Games	Visual Effects Artist	Click Here to Apply

Don’t forget, if there wasn’t anything that took your fancy this week there’s always last week’s listings on The VR Job Hub to check as well.

If you are an employer looking for someone to fill an immersive technology related role – regardless of the industry – don’t forget you can send us the lowdown on the position and we’ll be sure to feature it in that following week’s feature. Details should be sent to Peter Graham (pgraham@vrfocus.com).

We’ll see you next week on VRFocus at the usual time of 3PM (UK) for another selection of jobs from around the world.

December 17, 2021

Watch: Blaston Passthrough On Quest Turns Your Living Room Into An Arena

Using Quest’s passthrough feature with Resolution Games’ Blaston results in a pretty incredible experience.

Meta recently made the Passthrough API for Quest 2 available for everyone, moving away from an experimental build to a full release. Blaston is one of the first games to take full advantage of the technology and, in doing so, almost completely revolutionizes the game.

Blaston Passthrough Gameplay

In July, Meta added the experimental Passthrough API for developers to play around with, which we saw in action in a few titles like Cubism. However, more recently the API graduated from experimental to full release, allowing Oculus Store apps to add support whenever and however they pleased.

Just last week, Resolution Games updated Blaston, giving players the option to turn on a stylized version of passthrough as your play environment. Everything around you is bathed in a neon-like outline, with the podiums, scoreboard and opponent fixed on top of the overlay in an AR-like fashion. Of course, this isn’t ‘true’ AR — it’s a display showing a video feed, not a transparent display, and there’s certainly no occlusion or depth mapping either. However, for the Quest 2 it’s pretty cool.

At first, I was skeptical — it’s a feature that I was worried might look fun but feel somewhat redundant at launch. However, for games like Blaston, it comes close to completely revolutionizing the game in a way I didn’t think possible. By letting you play in a reconstructed version of your surroundings, Blaston has completely eliminated concerns about your guardian or nearby objects. In turn, this creates a way more freeing, natural experience and, more importantly, it actually makes the game much more enjoyable to play.

I tried Blaston around release and my biggest problem was that I couldn’t really properly immerse myself. It’s a game that requires lots of quick movement and dodging and, ideally, a pretty large play area. I have a small area in my lounge room that’s suitable for most VR experiences — there’s stuff around me, but I have a nice (if small) square of empty space to place a guardian down and move around in.

However, for games like Blaston, it still feels cramped. The reality was that I had plenty of room to play, but I still felt squashed and constantly worried I would get to into it and accidentally send my hand into a wall or worse… my nearby TV.

Playing Blaston in passthrough mode, these problems were completely eliminated. I could play stress free, knowing exactly where everything was and without worry of any accidents. Yes, this is solving a problem that some people won’t have — if you have a giant house with lots of empty, spare space, this would never have been a problem for you. However, the reality is that most people won’t have a huge amount real estate for VR, especially people who only play casually. For those players, passthrough mode makes Blaston feel integrated into your space, instead of taking you out of it, and that’s absolutely crucial. I’m playing in the same space, but it feels like I now have so much more.

Blaston is not the only game to add support (and it certainly won’t be the last) — one of my Quest 2 favorites, Unplugged, also recently added “Your Place” as a venue option. This lets you shred air guitar in a environment that is basically just a variation on the black and white Quest 2 passthrough video feed, overlaid with big colour tones that match the gig, music and game’s lighting. It’s a great option, but it doesn’t solve a problem in the same way that Blaston does. It will surely be useful, if not fantastic, to use when playing Unplugged with a group of people, but that’s not exactly improving anything about the way you play the game. It’s just adding a niche cool feature.

With Blaston, playing in my living room actually let me enjoy the game in a way I couldn’t before. It’s also opened my eyes to the possibilities of the technology, not just on Quest but in the future as well, as we move towards the larger promise of true AR headsets.

Passthrough support is available in Blaston now for Quest 2 users. You can read more here.

December 16, 2021

Demeo: Roots of Evil Expansion Now Available, PC Edition Arrives April 2022

Resolution Games’ table-top multiplayer Demeo arrived back in May for Meta Quest and PC VR headsets, to much acclaim. Since then, the studio has continued to expand the turn-based adventure with Realm of the Rat King and now Roots of Evil, available today for free. Additionally, Resolution Games has unveiled its 2022 roadmap including a PC version and a PvP mode.

The third adventure for Demeo fans, Roots of Evil moves away from the previous dungeon-crawling locations, heading to the surface and into the Drych Forest. Here you’ll find a commune of druids that have captured a being of absolute evil that can’t be controlled, and so it is up to you to liberate the forest of this dangerous force. To help in this quest Resolution Games has introduced a new character class; Molthas the Bard. Molthas comes equipped with a lute and dagger, playing songs that can buff party members, silence enemies, and summon destructive winds to defeat foes.

While that’s all available to download today, looking into 2022 Resolution Games has a feature-packed roadmap ahead. The biggest of the bunch is Demeo: PC Edition which is due for release on 7th April, offering cross-play functionality between PC and virtual reality (VR) players, allowing them to tailor parties that can be all PC, VR or a mixture. It’ll come complete with all the previously released expansions.

“Since Demeo launched, we have more than doubled the size of the team dedicated to its ongoing development,” said Tommy Palm, CEO and founder of Resolution Games in a statement. “The reception from players has been incredible — and with the PC Edition, we’re looking forward to bringing an authentic tabletop experience to even more players. This is the real deal for desktop gamers, as we’re completely rebuilding Demeo for a native PC experience — and we can’t wait to welcome you into the world of Demeo.”

Also on the list of updates is a PvP mode for later next year, creating fierce competitive battles with up to four players going head-to-head. Arriving much sooner on 24th February is the Players Hangout, a whole new environment where you can socialise and relax, customize your avatar, and play mini-games. The studio has also teased two new adventures that are set to arrive in 2022, bringing the tally to five.

“With Demeo, we set out to make a game that rekindles that feeling of gathering around a table with friends to fight monsters and find gold,” added Palm. “The game’s first year proved that we absolutely hit the mark. What really made those games fun in the long-term, though, was the promise of more content, more adventures and more ways to play. As we head into 2022, we recognize how beloved Demeo is and have made our most ambitious plans yet as a studio. This is a game we’ll all be playing for years to come — and with the launch of Demeo: PC Edition in 2022, even more friends will be able to join the adventure.”

Demeo is available for Quest and SteamVR headsets with the Roots of Evil expansion available as a free update. As further details on the 2022 roadmap are released, VRFocus will let you know.

December 9, 2021

‘Blaston’ Gets New Game Mode, Passthrough AR Support on Quest & More in ‘Arctic Blast’ Update

Blaston (2020) is getting an update today that will bring a few new things to the futuristic 1v1 dueling game from Resolution Games, including a new dueling mode, character, arena and a passthrough AR mode on Quest.

Called ‘Arctic Blast’, the free update launching today adds a new mode to the game that lets you compete using randomly assigned weapon loadouts. The twist? Loadouts are identical for each dueler, which eliminates any material advantage on either side and reduces gameplay to pure skill.

The artic-themed content drop doesn’t stop there though. Starting today you’ll be able to choose a new ‘Arctic Resort’ arena, and use a new ‘Tundra’ ice cannon weapon which interrupts an opponent’s attack and temporarily restricts their vision.

The update also brings a new legendary skin, called ‘FrostSpyke’, which is for FrostByte snowball.

A new character named ‘Shoxx’ is also available, the game’s first emotive character that changes facial expression during wins, losses, hits and more.

Additionally, now in the ‘Knockout!’ tournament room you’ll be able to host your own matches, which includes the ability to set up single elimination bracket tournaments of up to eight players.

Meta’s passthrough API lets developers update their games to include an augmented reality view, enabled by Quest’s tracking sensors. In the Artic Blast update, Blaston is getting passthrough AR.

Blaston requires you to physically move around within a set boundary as you shoot and avoid oncoming bullets, so the passthrough function makes a lot of sense since the action is primarily focused on your opponent.

Granted, Meta Quest has recently gotten an feature in software update v34 called Space Sense that alerts you when someone or something has come into your play area, but it’s still nice to have a fairly clear view of your surroundings so you can be sure you’re not dodging or ducking into unaware bystanders.

Blaston’s Arctic Blast update is available for free starting today to current owners on Meta Quest and SteamVR headsets.

The post ‘Blaston’ Gets New Game Mode, Passthrough AR Support on Quest & More in ‘Arctic Blast’ Update appeared first on Road to VR.