Category: Star Wars: Jedi Challenges

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How to Enjoy Star Wars day in VR

Vader Immortal

Love it or loathe it there’s no getting away from the sci-fi juggernaut that is Star Wars. Especially since the franchise highjacked May 4th thanks to its similarity with a famous phrase from the films. There are plenty of celebrations going on such as Steam’s limited-time deals but what about VR? Here VRFocus has complied how you can celebrate Star Wars Day using the latest immersive tech.

Star Wars - Porg

Gaming

  • Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series

If you own an Oculus Quest or Oculus Rift/Rift S then your first port of call should be Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series. Exclusive to the Oculus platform, the series isn’t a fully blown videogame, rather mixing interactive elements with cinematic scenes.

Nevertheless, the series is still treated as canon for those diehard Star Wars fans, with its storyline set between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. You get to wield the force, test your lightsaber skills out in a dojo and fight Darth Vader, what more could you want?

The series is set across three instalments each retailing for £7.99 GBP. Check out VRFocus’ review of Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series to see what we thought.

Just announced today, Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series will be coming to PlayStation VR summer 2020.

  • Star Wars: Droid Repair Bay

Released back in 2017 and created by ILMxLAB, Star Wars: Droid Repair Bay tasks you as an astromech technician for the rebels with repairing BB-8 and his droid friends.

With an official story linked to Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the videogame is all about getting these droids ready back into the fight against the First Order.

Completely free, Star Wars: Droid Repair Bay is available on Steam for Valve Index and HTC Vive, or if you have one laying around Samsung Gear VR.

  • Trials on Tatooine

Another freebie for HTC Vive and Valve Index owners, Star Wars: Trials on Tatooine is one of the earliest (if not the earliest) official titles for VR headsets.

Set on the desert world of Tatooine, you get to repair the iconic Millennium Falcon and defend droid hero R2-D2 from incoming stormtroopers using a lightsaber.

Star Wars: Droid Repair Bay screenshot
  • Star Wars: Project Porg

A title likely few will play due to its exclusivity to Magic Leap 1, Star Wars: Project Porg was a mixed reality (MR) experiment by ILMxLAB.

Centred around the fluffy little bird-like creatures called Porg which appeared in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, this is essentially a pet simulator where you have to keep the Porg’s healthy and entertained.

  • Star Wars: Jedi Challenges

Hailing back from 2017 when smartphones were still being used for VR purposes, Star Wars: Jedi Challenges was unusual in the fact that it was an augmented reality (AR) experience which required a headset specifically designed for the title, the Lenovo Mirage AR.

The original headset came with a replica lightsaber but you needed a compatible smartphone and a spare £250. The kit was relaunched last year with new controllers and MARVEL Dimension of Heroes but still tanked. No longer available on Lenovo’s website, the headset can still be found on Amazon’s US site for around $64 USD.

  • Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire

A location-based entertainment (LBE) experience from The VOID which certainly would’ve been packed today had it not been for COVID-19 lockdown measures, Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire is worth a visit when restrictions ease.

A multiplayer title for up to four people, Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire offers untethered VR gaming set on the molten planet of Mustafar. Providing what The VOID calls a ‘hyper-reality experience’ which involves heat, wind and other elements to increase immersion, you’re dressed as Stormtroopers infiltrating an Empire base. With puzzles to solve and blasters to shoot enemies, this is another title which is treated as canon, created in partnership with ILMxLAB.

Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire

Entertainment

Of course, you may want to spend today watching all the films, animation series and other Star Wars content. Unless you own any of it on DVD or BluRay then the only way to do this now is through streaming service Disney+.

Unlike Netflix which does have a VR app, Disney+ doesn’t, so you’ll need to use desktop mirroring services like Bigscreen Beta or Virtual Desktop. Disney+ currently offers a 7-day free trial, so sign-up online to start your week-long binge.

Either app makes it relatively easy to mirror your desktop into a VR headset like Oculus Rift, Valve Index or HTC Vive. VRFocus uses Bigscreen Beta in conjunction with Oculus Quest for example. While not as handy as a dedicated app, the method still offers a decent VR solution.

And that’s your lot. If VRFocus has missed any other content or ways of enjoying Star Wars in VR do let us know in the comments below.

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Lenovo Mirage AR Relaunched With MARVEL Dimension of Heroes

Remember the Lenovo Mirage AR headset from 2017 and the only videogame available for it, Star Wars: Jedi Challenges? If you didn’t drop £250 GBP on the device then possibly not, as it was a bit of a one-trick pony. However, Lenovo isn’t giving up on augmented reality (AR) launching a new Mirage AR device alongside a new smartphone experience MARVEL Dimension of Heroes.

Lenovo Mirage AR

To be clear the headset isn’t new just the AR videogame and the two 6 degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) Universal Controllers that comes in the kit. Going on sale in the US today for $249.99 USD via Amazon.com and Lenovo.com, the new bundle allows you to step into the shoes of six Marvel superheroes – Doctor Strange, Captain America, Thor, Black Panther, Captain Marvel and Star-Lord.

Using those new controllers you’ll be able to punch, slice and blast your way through an original Marvel story in Story Mode, in which the Dread Dormammu, Lord of the Dark Dimension, launches a surprise attack on Earth with his alliance of Super-Villains, including Loki, Ronan the Accuser, Ultron Prime and the Winter Soldier.

As well as Story Mode, MARVEL Dimension of Heroes also features a Survival Mode to fend off waves of enemies and Co-Op Mode, battling evil forces side-by-side with a friend in the same room, competing against each other for high scores.

Lenovo Mirage AR with MDOH_Gameplay Still_1

“Lenovo Mirage AR with MARVEL Dimension of Heroes is another milestone demonstrating Lenovo and Marvel’s shared passion for bringing rich, immersive consumer experiences to life through smarter technology. After years of close collaboration with Disney starting from Star Wars: Jedi Challenges, we’re excited to expand this incredibly fun and interactive experience for more gamers and especially Marvel fans to enjoy,” said Johnson Jia, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Consumer Business of Intelligent Devices Group, Lenovo in a statement.

The new Lenovo Mirage AR headset bundle is compatible with Star Wars: Jedi Challenges, with both titles freely available to download on iOS and Android devices.

And what if you own the previous Lenovo Mirage AR version with the lightsaber? Well, you might have guessed that due to that controller you won’t be able to play MARVEL Dimension of Heroes. Lenovo has said the Universal Controllers will be sold separately but as yet no pricing or availability has been mentioned.

As further details are released regarding the Lenovo Mirage AR headset, VRFocus will let you know.

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Hands-On With Marvel Dimension Of Heroes, Lenovo’s New AR Game

Marvel Dimension of Heroes is a brand-new AR experience from Lenovo that puts you in the shoes of six of the most iconic Marvel heroes as the AR follow up to Star Wars: Jedi Challenges.

A few weeks ago Lenovo invited me to an office space in San Francisco, CA to get a look at their latest AR product, which combines the headset they shipped with Star Wars: Jedi Challenges with two brand new Valve Index knuckles-like controllers alongside the Marvel IP. The end result is Marvel Dimension of Heroes, a brand-new AR experience that lets you play as six of the most iconic heroes from the Marvel universe (Captain Marvel, Dr. Strange, Black Panther, Star Lord, Thor, and Captain America) across three game modes.

Marvel Dimension of Heroes AR Trailer:

The three game modes included are Story Mode, Survival Mode, and Co-Op Mode. Predictably, the Story Mode is split into six parts, one for each of the heroes, that has you take control of them and their popular powers to fight off enemies. The plot revolves around the Dread Dormammu, Lord of the Dark Dimension, attacking earth. At the end of each hero’s collection of battles you’ll fight one of their most iconic villains such as Ronan the Accuser for Star Lord, Loki for Thor, and so on.

According to the developers the Story Mode is mostly a series of training scenarios for the Survival Mode which is where they expect most people to spend their time thanks to the leaderboards and replayable format. It’s basically a bunch of wave shooter levels. Finally there’s Co-Op, but it seems to be restricted to dedicated team-up pairs and you can’t just pick any two heroes that you want. It’s also local co-op only, but you both need the full Lenovo AR kit. They recommend standing side-by-side.

lenovo dimension of heroes star wars jedi challenges mirage ar headset and tracking beacon lenovo mirage ar universal controllers marketing photo marevel dimension of heroes lenovo pack shot image lenovo mirage ar universal controllers

To be clear: it certainly sounds a lot more ambitious than it really is in practice, from what I’ve seen. My demo was only a small slice of Star Lord’s campaign, which is promising from a breadth of content perspective, but it certainly feels like it’ll be a pretty shallow affair. I could shoot my guns, move around to dodge incoming attacks, punch enemies, and charge up my blasters for super attacks. As far as I could tell there weren’t any progression mechanics or ability to do anything during levels other than fight.

At the end of the day you’re still basically playing a wave shooter against translucent holograms via a smartphone-powered AR headset using mirrors to reflect the display in front of your eyes. There is a ceiling for quality with this sort of technology and I’m fairly certain we’ve just about reached it here.

In the case of Star Wars: Jedi Challenges, the fantasy of lightsaber combat married with the surprisingly hefty and high-quality lightsaber controller was a great combination of novelty meets functionality. Over time they rolled out new movie tie-in content as well to keep people engaged. In a post-Endgame era and with a lack of actual MCU-relation, Marvel Dimension of Heroes could be too little too late. That being said, I am basing a lot of this off of a brief demo and short 10-minute presentation from the development team.

david jagneaux lenovo mirage ar marvel dimension of heroes action shot
Look at that intensity.

The ‘Lenovo Mirage AR Device’ package will be available in the US starting tomorrow, September 6, 2019, for $249.99. That price includes the headset, tracking beacon you place on the floor, and two ‘Lenovo Mirage AR Universal Controllers.’ If this is your first foray into Lenovo Mirage AR, this new kit will play both Marvel Dimension of Heroes and the previously released Star Wars: Jedi Challenges experience, both of which are free apps available to download on Google Play and the iOS App Store. You can see a list of compatible smartphones here.

If you already own the original kit, which included the headset, tracking beacon, and a unique lightsaber-shaped controller, then you’ll be able to buy the two new controllers separately to upgrade since they’re required for the Marvel Dimension of Heroes experience.

For more details make sure and keep an eye on the official website!

The post Hands-On With Marvel Dimension Of Heroes, Lenovo’s New AR Game appeared first on UploadVR.

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Schell Games Reveal Next VR Project

The virtual reality (VR) market has developed a reputation for being kind to small and independent developers. A perfect example of this is Schell Games, who recently announced that its VR spy adventure I Expect You To Die had crossed the $3 million in revenue threshold. Schell Games are not content to stop there, however and are reportedly already hard at work on a new VR project.

Schell Games founder Jesse Schell has expressed the opinion that the growth of VR will be slow, but steady, and as such his team is working on its net major VR title, which will be a lightweight dungeon crawler featuring sword fighting.

I Expect You to Die New 1

Speaking to Variety, Schell said: “What we are seeing is that the growth of VR is slow and steady,” he said. “It’s giving us a lot of confidence about the future. Maybe it didn’t take off like a rocket like some expected, but my perception is that’s because of technology and price point and we’re seeing technology and price point improve.”

Schell said that multiple projects were ongoing at Schell Games, but the biggest one is the new sword-fighting title, which will be based on a brand new IP: “We’ve always felt that sword fighting in VR would be fun,” he said. “This is a game we’re exploring for high-end VR platforms that involves dual-wielding sword fighting as a sort of lightweight dungeon crawler.”

Some of the inspiration for the title comes from the work Schell Games did for Star Wars: Jedi Challenges, an augmented reality (AR) title on the Lenovo Mirage, but is also acting as a platform for the team to continue its work in making VR more comfortable.

“It’s crucial that there is as little motion discomfort as possible,” he said. “We also believe sword fighting is a good candidate for VR because, unlike with run and gun games, running while sword fighting doesn’t really make sense. It’s more about standing your ground and being excellent at swordsmanship.”

Star Wars: Jedi Challenges Lenovo Mirage

For future coverage on Schell Games and its VR projects, keep checking back with VRFocus.

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Jedi Challenges Introduces Kylo Ren and Ship Battles

Lenovo launched its Lenovo Mirage headset late last year, bringing with it an app which brought one of the most famous and successful film franchises of all time into augmented reality (AR) with Star Wars: Jedi Challenges. The app has seen a few updates since launch, and now players will get a chance to face off against iconic Star Wars characters and take command of a ship and fight in space battles.

The Lenovo Mirage was clearly a device aimed at the hard-core Star Wars fan, bundled as it was alongside Star Wars: Jedi Challenges alongside a lightsaber peripheral. Since then new content has been introduced, including an update that brought with it a host of material from Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Star Wars: Jedi Challenges Lenovo Mirage

The latest free update will allow players to test their skills against the likes Rey and Jedi Master Yoda while taking on the role of the black-cloaked antagonist, Kylo Ren. The new updates also includes a new real-time strategy-style game which allows players to take part in ship battles, taking control either a Rebel or Empire fleet to do battle against other players in the multiplayer section of the app.

For fans who are interested in going the extra mile, Lenovo are also releasing a limited edition Kylo Ren lightsaber peripheral, replicating the distinctive cross-hilted weapon wielded by Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.

Lenovo say the new lightsaber will be available at some point ‘This winter’ and is said to cost $100 (USD), though no price has been confirmed for other regions. This does suggest that it might make a great Christmas gift for a loved one who already owns a Lenovo Mirage.

The Lenovo Mirage AR headset is compatible with a range of smartphone devices, including iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6s, Samsung Galaxy S8, Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, Samsung Galaxy S7, Google Pixel XL, Google Pixel and Moto Z. The device can be found for around £199.99 (GBP).

For future news on new development in AR and VR, keep checking back with VRFocus.

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More Star Wars AR From Disney With New Patent?

By this point, only those who have been living under a rock will fail to appreciate just what a huge deal Star Wars is. The franchise has also been at the forefront of technology, with the original trilogy developing many special effects techniques. This tradition continues with the involvement of Star Wars with augmented reality (AR), such as what has been suggested by the discovery of a new patent application by Disney.

A patent filed by Disney Enterprises teases Star Wars fans with the possibility of some new additions to AR Star Wars experiences, such as an expansion of the already available Jedi Challenges game.

Star Wars: Jedi Challenges Lenovo Mirage

The patent is titled ‘Augmented Reality Interactive Experience’ and describes a system that uses a network application that runs on both a computer and a head-mounted display (HMD) as well as infrared-based peripherals. There is also mention of an ‘AR Venue’ in which the experience would occur.

Players would use IR peripherals such as a lightsaber-like sword or a blaster, complete with cameras capable of picking up the signals contained in the headset. The software that runs the experience keeps track of player position and the hits from the IR devices. On the surface, somewhat similar to a game of LaserQuest, only in AR with a Star Wars flavour.

The patent also describes how an implementation of this technology could use a smartphone as the computer hosting the experience, or a smartphone can be used as a display or IR detector, similar to AR shooter Father.IO.

Experts have speculated that the ‘AR venue’ could refer to a location-based AR experience, such as Disney’s Star Wars theme parks. Alternatively, it could be used as an expansion or sequel to Jedi Challenges, implementing technology such as ARKit or ARCore for surface tracking.

For further news on this technology and new AR projects, videogames and services, keep checking back with VRFocus.

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God of War And Star Wars Holochess Come To Life In Free AR Experiences

If you are looking for new and exciting augmented reality (AR) experience to try out on your mobile device then you will be happy to know that both Sony and Disney have some new

Star Wars: Jedi Challenges

Star Wars fans will be able to now play a round of Holochess on their mobile device thanks to the newly released gamemode. Previously requiring a Lenovo Mirage AR headset, lightsaber controller, and tracking beacon, Disney’s Star Wars: Jedi Challenges app has now been updates to support ARKit allowing mobile users to access the content without the need for the peripherals.

This new update is being celebrated by Disney releasing the full AR Holochess mode for free, allowing players a chance to live one of the most iconic parts of the Star Wars universe whenever they may be. Thanks the power of ARKit and the rendering power of iOS devices, the Holochess tables has photorealistic graphics and can be viewed from any angle. Each character on the board is a hologram that can be controlled and moved around the board. The Star Wars Holochess gamemode has 18 levels spread across six planets, plus eight unlockable creatures.

God of War Mimir's Vision 01

With the recent release of God of War on the PlayStation 4, God of War: Minir’s Vision is an AR app that allows users a change to explore the impressive world map and uncover lore for the title. Though there is no gameplay to be found within this title, the AR environment is impressive to explore and for those who are looking to play the new God of War release, uncovering some of the lore makes sense. The whole map of Midgard can be manipulated and moved around by moving your mobile device around and then tapping on points of interest to explore them in more depth.

God of War: Minir’s Vision is available on both iOS and Android devices thanks to ARKit and ARCore however the Star Wars: Jedi Challenges Holochess gamemode is currently an iOS exclusive. Each app is available to download and enjoy for free from their respective app stores.

For more stories like this in the future, keep reading VRFocus.

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Star Wars: Jedi Challenges Now Lets You Play AR Holochess Without The Headset

Star Wars: Jedi Challenges Now Lets You Play AR Holochess Without The Headset

Lenovo’s Mirage AR headset allows you to take lightsaber in hand and fight off Darth Vader and more with the Star Wars: Jedi Challenges app. If you don’t own the $199 headset, though, you can now access one of the app’s games without it.

Holochess, one of the most enduring Easter Eggs of A New Hope, can now be played on your iPhone thanks for support for Apple’s ARKit on iOS. It’s the same game that headset owners have been playing since last year, though there are reports that it hasn’t been fully optimized, with text appearing to be tiny on the phone’s screen.

Still, it’s pretty amazing to be able to play some form of Holochess (better known as Dejarik to hardcore fans) over 40 years on from when we first saw it. Though we couldn’t tell you the rules (other than to let the Wookie win), the game consists of tiny AR monsters beating each other up on a board. One day we’ll hopefully get the full table experience, but now for now this is good enough.

The Jedi Challenges app itself is free to download. Oddly, though, this support hasn’t yet arrived on the Android version of the app, despite that getting an update just a days ago too. Hopefully ARCore support isn’t too far out, then.

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Star Wars: Jedi Challenges Update Goes Live With new Duels and Assault Mode

When the Lenovo Mirage augmented reality (AR) headset launched last year with Star Wars: Jedi Challenges it did seem a bit of an expensive gimmick for £249.99 GBP. Certainly aimed more towards the Star Wars fan than casual players, Lenovo then announced just before Christmas that an update would greatly expand the content on offer. Today that has gone live, with a new planet and characters from Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Star Wars: Jedi Challenges Lenovo Mirage

This is the first content expansion for the headset available for free by downloading the update for the Star Wars: Jedi Challenges mobile app. The content includes:

  • New Lightsaber Duel – Players can duel two elite Praetorian Guards featured in The Last Jedi. This is the first time Jedi Challenges players will duel two characters at the same time.
  • New Planet for Strategic Combat – Three thrilling new levels of Strategic Combat set on Crait, a brand new planet that debuts in the film, will come with the update. Battle new enemies and vehicles including the formidable First Order AT-M6 walker.
  • New Content in Assault mode – All-new enemies and levels will be introduced, including the First Order Stormtrooper Executioner and Riot Control Stormtrooper.
  • Introduction of Porgs – Players will be rewarded with fan-favorite porgs in augmented reality.

Lenovo Star Wars 2

Star Wars: Jedi Challenges and the Lenovo Mirage AR headset comes supplied with a Lightsaber controller and Tracking Beacon that players use to hone their Jedi talents. Players are guided on this AR journey by the Archivist, who instructs players in the ways of the Force.

Currently Lenovo Mirage AR headset is compatible with a range of Android and iOS devices: iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6s, Samsung Galaxy S8, Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, Samsung Galaxy S7, Google Pixel XL, Google Pixel and Moto Z, with Lenovo stating more will be added.

While the kit originally retailed for £249.99, most stockists are now selling the kit for around £199.99, making that idea of a purchase that little bit easier. For the latest AR updates from around the world, keep reading VRFocus.

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‘Star Wars: Jedi Challenges’ for Lenovo Mirage AR Gets First Content Expansion Since Launch

If you haven’t touched your Lenovo Mirage AR headset since Christmas, now may be the time to jump back in for the latest content expansion to the lightsaber-intensive Star Wars: Jedi Challenges.

The content expansion, which is now available for free, is the first major update to the app since it was released back in November alongside the smartphone-driven AR headset.

New content includes:

  • New Lightsaber Duel – Players can duel two elite Praetorian Guards featured in The Last Jedi. This is the first time Jedi Challenges players will duel two characters at the same time.
  • New Planet for Strategic Combat – Three thrilling new levels of Strategic Combat set on Crait, a brand new planet that debuts in the film, will come with the update. Battle new enemies and vehicles including the formidable First Order AT-M6 walker.
  • New Content in Assault mode – All-new enemies and levels will be introduced, including the First Order Stormtrooper Executioner and Riot Control Stormtrooper.
  • Introduction of Porgs – Players will be rewarded with fan-favorite porgs in augmented reality.
image courtesy Lenovo

The Mirage AR ships with a lightsaber controller, which is localized with the help of the headset’s on-board cameras and a separate tracking beacon. Besides the obvious implication of lightsaber duels, Jedi Challenges offers a smattering of minigames, including HoloChess and an RTS game called Strategic Combat.

As far as we know, this is the only app currently available on the Mirage AR (not to be confused with Lenovo’s ‘Mirage Solo’ standalone VR headset), still making it an expensive gimmick at $200. Although if you’re a Star Wars superfan, that “collectible quality” lightsaber might be just enough to entice the credit card out of your wallet.

The post ‘Star Wars: Jedi Challenges’ for Lenovo Mirage AR Gets First Content Expansion Since Launch appeared first on Road to VR.