Steam Early Access – Page 4 – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

October 7, 2018

Unleash Powerful Magic In VR Online Multiplayer Title Draoi, Now In Early Access

Sometimes you need to escape the real-world and jump into a virtual battleground where you can cast spells with your bare hands. Thanks to the virtual reality (VR) title Draoi, players can do just this in the harsh land of An Domhan. With magic as your only defense against monster, demons, beasts and occasionally even your neighbor, Draoi is a online multiplayer title where you must fight to stay alive and become the best.

Draoi

Starting out in a small cottage, players will need to master their spells in order to be able to defend themselves. You’ll then visit the town of Baile An Dagda to meet other magic users to learn new spells and venture through the dangerous realm, you’ll see find yourself face-to-face with powerful enemies.

Thanks to the motion controllers, casting spells feel nature as you summon powerful magic from thin air with only your bare hands. Rain down destruction on your enemies with elemental force, heal your allies and protect what is yours. Of course, when the time calls for it there is nothing wrong with flying up in the air and unleashing a firestorm to clear the battlefield.

Draoi

Currently in Early Access, the title is planned to stay there for around three months time to allow the team at Avenal Investments Ltd to get valuable feedback on the title. This includes the feel of the title, the control system, range and power of spells and most of all if players find the title to be fun.

When the full version is released players will be able to move between more environments, battlegrounds and locations to further the game world and offer more to explore. New spells, items and regular updates are also planned for the full release and beyond this to keep the world of An Domhan alive and rich in playable content.

Draoi is available now on Steam Early Access for £15.49 (GBP) with support for the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift headsets. The price will increase when the title releases out of Early Access, so bare that in mind if you are interested in the title. For future updates on the title, make sure to keep reading VRFocus to stay up to date.

October 7, 2018

Unleash Powerful Magic In VR Online Multiplayer Title Draoi, Now In Early Access

Draoi

October 2, 2018

Score A Strike With Premium Bowling On Early Access

It was noted with the launch of the Nintendo Wii that bowling titles tend to work fairly well when combined with motion controllers. The advantage of virtual reality (VR) is that in addition to allowing users to play using tracked motion controllers users can also enjoy bowling in a re-creation of a bowling alley for a more immersive experience, as is the case with Premium Bowling.

Sadetta, the developer behind Premium Bowling, said the development team put the focus on creating a realistic and easy-to-play bowling simulator featuring accurate physics.

The title has been released on Steam Early Access, and this version contains both local and online multiplayer support as well as support for VR. Players will be able to play a game of ten-pin bowling while keeping track of both game high scores and series high scores.

Premium Bowling has a variety of bowling balls, which each have a different weight, hook, length and oil carry. There are many oil patterns available that will affect ball hook and reaction and wear out during game play, a realistic point that might be of interest to high-level players and professionals.

The development team have chosen to release the title into Early Access, with the intention of gathering player feedback in order to polish Premium Bowling based on player feedback. The team say the plan is to keep the title in Early Access for approximately two months.

More content will be added to Premium Bowling over its time in Early Access, such as more oil patterns and bowling ball types, other additions and improvements will be added based on player response. The developers have opened both a Discord server and a sub-Reddit for player feedback.

Premium Bowling is available now for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, priced at £18.49 (GBP). Further information can be found on the Steam Store page. For future coverage of new and upcoming VR titles, keep checking back with VRFocus.

September 23, 2018

New Update For FragmentVR Adds Persistent Corners

Back in August of this year an application for the HTC Vive called FragmentVR released in Steam Early Access. This virtual reality (VR) application allows users to create small windows to enable them to see outside of the virtual world and into the real-world, creating a mixed reality (MR) experience. Now, a new update has been released for the Early Access application that brings persistent corners into the feature set.

FragmentVR

With persistent corners, users will no longer need to create the same window ever time they open up FragmentVR. Once you have created a window that you like you’ll be able to press “Save Corners” in the dashboard menu to save it for later use along with also picking if you want to load the selected window on startup. This means that next time you open FragmentVR you’ll have everything you need ready and waiting for you allowing you to save time and get right into the experience you want quicker than before.

The application works by using a customised SteamVR overlay to allow users to create their windows into the real-world all thanks to leveraging the front camera of the HTC Vive. The use of the application can range from allowing you to see your controller while you immerse yourself in an experience or to allow you to see where you have placed an object, such as a bottle of water, in relation to your location. In fact, FragmentVR’s windows to the real-world can be used for almost any reason and really allow users to explore the options both in and out of VR.

The announcement for the new update also finished with a small tease of what is to come in the next update for FragmentVR. The short message states that multiple views are coming meaning that users can look forward to having more than one window to the real-world open within their VR experiences.

FragmentVR is currently available on Steam Early Access for £4.79 (GBP) and supports the HTC Vive with work ongoing to add in support for the HTC Vive Pro. VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest on the application in the future including further updates so stay tuned for more.

September 18, 2018

Sci-Fi VR Shooter Cyberdrifter Announces Beta

Independent developer UziGames released it virtual reality (VR) sci-fi shooter Cyberdrifter into Steam Early Access back in May 2017, but the development team are now planning on introducing some significant changes and upgrades and are searching for players to help test out the changes in a beta.

Cyberdrifter puts the player in the role of a computer specialist who has also received military training, who has been tasked to take down an army of corrupted AI in a neon-tinted cyberpunk future.

The currently available Early Access version has five levels and four boss-fights included, where users will need to master the use of a futuristic gun along with a bullet-defecting shield and a shield disruptor. Players will need to use the tilt function of the motion controllers to move around and run, dodge, strafe and shoot.

The upcoming 0.6 content update will enhance all the current visuals in all the currently available levels as well as adding new story missions and scenes. New weapons include the ‘grav-gun’ which gives players the ability to take control of enemies and use their firepower against other foes.

The update will introduce updates enemies along with other as yet undisclosed gameplay elements to give players a fresh experience.

The beta will include an updated tutorial along with new story scenes, a revised version of the opening level with a boss fight and access to the new grav-gun.

Steam users can opt in to the beta content by activating the beta branch on Steam VR. Oculus users are encouraged to contact UziGames at their email address and provide their Oculus linked email address in order to be added to the Oculus beta branch for Cyberdrifter.

The 0.6 update is planned to be released at the end of September 2018. Cyberdrifter is available on Steam Early Access for HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and Windows Mixed Reality, priced at £9.99 (GBP). Further information can be found on the Steam Store page.

For further news on updated and new VR content, keep checking back with VRFocus.

September 17, 2018

Vox Machinae Prepares for Battle With New Trailer

Riding around in a giant robot and fighting against other giant robots in virtual reality (VR) holds a certain appeal, something that independent developers Space Bullet Dynamics Corporation are trying to tap into with its upcoming release of giant robot battler Vox Machinae.

The robots depicted in Vox Machinae are described as being ‘seven times taller than a Tyrannosaurus Rex’ which certainly fits the bill for the ‘giant’ part of ‘giant robot battler’. Players take command of a GDR or ‘Grinder’ robot in order to take part in an escalating war between rival corporations.

Players can choose a GDR base frame and then customise it with their choice of weaponry, including lasers, missiles, cannons as well as more exotic weaponry. The experience is designed for ‘drop-in multiplayer’ battles, allowing the user to quickly engage with gameplay.

There are five GDR frames to choose from, each one having its own strengths and weaknesses, designed to appeal to different play styles. Vox Machinae was created with multiplayer in mind, and users can choose to play offline, on a local network or online with up to 16 players.

Full bot support is available across all game modes, so players can engage with bot opponents to hone their skills, or fill empty slots when playing with friends or online. The two modes planned to be available at launch are Salvage Mode, where the aim is to recover and protect a giant Decker machine, or Stockpile mode where players to try and control various factories scattered across the map.

The development team have aimed to create a tactical VR simulator that uses an immersive physics engine to rive both movement and combat. The player controls the GDR machine with motion controls, operating ‘grabbable’ controls located I the virtual cockpit. For example, to start up the robot, users need to turn the ignition key and tilt the control yoke to move it.

Vox Machine is set for Steam Early Access release in Autumn 2018, with a new trailer to advertise the upcoming launch. VRFocus will be sure to bring you further updates on Vox Machinae and other new VR titles.

September 15, 2018

VR Car Mechanic Simulator Wrench Is Coming To Steam Early Access This Fall

If you have been looking for a virtual reality (VR) title that wil allow you to practice your race car mechanic skills then you are in luck, as developer Missing Digit have you covered. There highly detailed simulation title was first mentioned on VRFocus back in October of last year, where the title was among September’s NVIDIA Edge Program winners. Now, the team are preparing to release the title into Steam Early Access soon.

Wrench

In Wrench, players step into the shoes of a mechanic who needs to keep their Motorsports prep shop running by completing a range of different jobs for their customers. What makes the title stand out from others is its focus on highly detailed models and numerous parts. This means that building an engine for a car is a long task that will return you to refer to the manual the first few times until you become more accustom to the process. Each part of the cars and components have been models meaning you really can take the whole thing apart and put it back together again.

Now the team at Missing Digit have revealed that the title will be entering Steam Early Access this fall with no specific launch date confirmed just yet. The team expect to stay in Early Access for around six to eight months with the initial release be used to help tune the user experience and expand on available content. The final release will include more content such as more sub systems of the car being serviceable along with a bigger library of aftermarket content being made available as well. The team hope to support the title further after it releases out of Early Access as well.

Wrench

Beyond the freedom to take apart and buy a whole car, other features of the title include; building relationships with persistent customers; the need to check logbooks and maintain customer cars around their race schedules; recommending and installing modifications based on the customer’s driving traits; build and modify your own persistent shop cars and growing your shop’s reputation to hire mechanics to help you take on more customers.

Wrench will be releasing into Steam Early Access with support Oculus Rift and HTC Vive at launch in the coming weeks. VRFocus will be sure to keep you up to date on all the latest and until a release date is announced, you can check out the latest trailer for the title below.

August 30, 2018

The Last Day Defense VR Opens Gates of The Frozen City

The Last Day Defense is a virtual reality (VR) tower-defence title which launched on Steam Early Access for HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and Windows Mixed Reality earlier this year. The developers at ARVI LLC have been hard at work on polishing the title, and how now announced a big update, which will include some new content, titled the Frozen City Update.

The developers say that the team is in the process of testing the update ready for release soon, which will introduce a new map, along with a new game environment, updated units and more.

The Last Day Defense VR

In order to try out the new content for the Frozen City update, users will need to switch to the Experimental Branch. This can be done by opening Game Properties menu in the Steam Library and gong to the Betas tab and selecting ‘Experimental’ from the drop down menu and clicking OK. As this is an experimental update, users may experience more bugs and glitches than usual.

The full list of new content included in the update is as follows:

A completely new game environment. The ship E.T.S. “Amadeus” is ready to take its commander on board.
A projection global map. Users will be able to see their progress, and the levels open one after another.
Updated units and towers. Improved rendering mechanism, which allows to display their damage in detail and even overheating from fire and laser weapons
Improved combustion mechanics. Each unit and tower have their critical temperature, and when it is exceeded, the damage caused by fire and laser weapons is significantly increased. When calculating overheating, even the temperature of the current location is taken into account.
Integration with Liv.tv.
4 huge, highly detailed levels. 2 of them are currently available, with the others held back for final release.

The Last Day Defense VR

Further information and updates can be found on the Steam Store page. For future coverage of The Last Day Defense VR and other upcoming VR titles, keep checking back with VRFocus.

August 6, 2018

Defeat Deadly Space Wasps in VR Shooter Hit the Hive

Wasps are one of those things that can ruin a peaceful Summer picnic or day out. Publisher and developer VOID VR is allowing players the chance to vicariously get revenge on those pesky insects by sending you into battle against evil robot insects from space in virtual reality (VR).

Hit The Hive is a procedurally generated title, where everything from the number and type of enemies to their speed and attack patterns can vary between waves, meaning each time you load up, the videogame you play will be completely different.

The developers say that each level is a unique experience, which varies between close-quarters combat to long-range battles where precision is everything. Players will face fast flying enemies in space, or can take on the queen of the Hive in a long fight that will test skill and endurance.

The visuals are retro-inspired, taking inspiration from arcade classics like Asteroids or Space Invaders, while still offering a high-quality graphical experience, showing strange alien landscapes or the vast reaches of space.

Those who are interested in Hit the hive can download a free demo to test the gameplay for themselves. The title is currently in Early Access on Steam, with four out of the planned five levels available. The development team is anticipating roughly five months of early access, to give the team change to finish and add the final level, do some general polishing and fix and bugs that are discovered.

VOID VR are encouraging the Steam community to get involved by comparing scores on the leaderboard and by submitting bug reports and requests for new features to the dev team. The development team are hoping to get plenty of feedback from the community in order to perfect the gameplay.

Hit The Hive is available on Steam in Early Access form for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, priced at £8.99 (GBP). Further information can be found on the Steam Store page. Future coverage of new and upcoming VR titles will continue to be here on VRFocus.

June 27, 2018

Preview: Wanted Killer VR

There’s a lot of discussion in virtual reality (VR) fan circles about movement and locomotion. Some users outright avoid teleport movement mechanics altogether, while others say they are necessary to include to reach a wide audience. Developer Playsnac have created a title that might make even die-hard teleport avoiders give the mechanic a try.

Wanted Killer VR is a tactical first-person shooter that mostly revolves around a ‘tactical teleportation’ mechanic. This mean that you can set up where you are going to teleport to, and then a pink line will appear and you will drop into slow motion, allowing you to take out enemy troops as you travel towards your destination point, where time will automatically resume its usual pace.

Wanted Killer VR screenshot

Normal instant teleport is also available, and there is an option for smooth locomotion as well, but using these does feel like you are effectively avoiding the main unique selling point of Wanted Killer VR. Smooth locomotion in particular almost feels like cheating with how much easier it becomes when using it.

You are automatically equipped with a pair of pistols, which can be replaced or upgraded as you progress. In practice, however, guns which you pinch from enemy troops tend to be more effective, especially when you can grab an assault rifle, use it until it runs out of ammo, then steal another one.

The graphics are good, the environments are nicely detailed for the most part and the assets fit well together. There are only about five maps in the current Early Access version, so expect to see the same locations fairly regularly. The enemies are apparently supposed to rag-doll on death, but the animation is very stiff and often makes them look like shop manikins. So that could probably use some tweaking.

The overall aesthetic feels quite 1980s, with pink neon all over the place and a graphical style reminiscent of Borderlands or an 80s anime. It works quite well for the most part and gives it a fairly unique feel.

Wanted Killer VR screenshot

The sound is fine, if not particularly standout. It works as background, and the sound effects and sounds balance work quite well for the most part. The spatial audio could use some tweaks, since at times the audio effects came from the wrong direction, which was a little off-putting.

The enemy AI could likewise use improvement, as they are not particularly clever and mostly seem to be cannon fodder. Some more challenging opponents might be interesting.

Though the 80s stylings and Steam store page suggest some sort of storyline, there is little actual story currently available in the Early Access version, and this is the sort of title that could only benefit from a suitably over-the-top action-adventure story to match its cartoon style.

There is clearly still plenty of work that needs to go into Wanted Killer VR, with the promise of more maps, characters and missions, though there is a definite solid basis for a brilliant VR videogame in here.

The development team need to play to the strengths of what they have in Wanted Killer VR and add the kind of content and polish that will raise Wanted Killer VR into something that could be exceptional.