Category: SXSW

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Resident Evil 4 Picks up Another “Best VR Game” Award, This Time From SXSW

One of the biggest virtual reality (VR) launches of 2021 came from Armature Studios and Oculus Studios in the form of Resident Evil 4, porting the Capcom classic into VR for the first time. Its been very well received by players and critics alike, with the SXSW Gaming Awards this week awarding the title its VR Game of the Year.

Resident Evil 4

Resident Evil 4 was against some stiff competition in the category which featured Resolution Games’ tabletop multiplayer Demeo, Vertigo Games’ action-packed multiplayer After the Fall; sci-fi adventure Lone Echo II from Ready at Dawn, and mystical survival experience Song in the Smoke by 17-BIT.

This is the third award Resident Evil 4 has picked up. The other two came from winning the Best VR Game at The Game Awards in December and Best AR/VR Game of the Year during the 11th Annual New York Game Awards.

If you’ve not managed to play one of the many editions of Resident Evil 4 – where have you been? – then the VR edition provides gameplay none of the rest can. Putting you in the shoes of Leon S. Kennedy who’s on a mission to rescue the U.S. President’s daughter from European cult Los Illuminados, Armature Studios has completely revamped the 20-year-old gameplay. You can play standing or seated, dual wield weapons, manually reload guns and much more, all in that bid for Resi immersion.

Resident Evil 4

You can always read gmw3‘s review of Resident Evil 4, which said: “Resident Evil 4 on Oculus Quest 2 is a testament to Armature’s VR skills whilst highlighting the difficulties in bringing an almost 20-year-old videogame into VR. With the immersion settings on full whack, running around monster-filled castles was thoroughly engrossing and genuinely tense at points.”

Undoubtedly, Resident Evil 4‘s VR port will continue to pick up awards as it’s a great version of the videogame. What fans really want to know now though is, when is The Mercenaries mode coming out? It was noticeably absent from the launch but Armature Studios has confirmed it is due to arrive at some point in 2022.

For further Resident Evil 4 updates, keep reading gmw3.

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Audi Cars to Gain holoride VR Entertainment This Summer

The idea of holoride’s in-car virtual reality (VR) entertainment system was always an interesting one, albeit one that seemed a little way off. Things have certainly stepped up a gear in 2022 with the company revealing a partnership with HTC Vive last month, and now confirmation that the first cars to be holoride compatible will be select Audi’s this summer.

holoride - Audi
Image credit: Audi

The rollout will begin in June 2022, coming to models featuring Audi’s third-generation modular infotainment toolkit (MIB 3) in Germany, the UK and the US initially. Those models will include the Audi A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, Audi Q5, Q7, Q8, Audi e-tron and Audi e-tron GT Quattro, expanding into further European, Canadian, Japanese and Chinese markets later on.

Holoride’s technology means that backseat passengers can put on a VR headset like the Vive Flow glasses and enjoy videogames, films and other interactive content. What makes the holoride experience slightly different from simply using any old VR headset in a car is its “elastic content”. This adapts to not only the movement of a car in real-time but also journey time and driving route. 

So imagine you’re on a VR rollercoaster or in a spaceship, as the car accelerates so too does the ship or as the car turns a corner the spaceship does likewise. In this fashion, holoride claims that motion sickness should be reduced to a minimum.

holoride - Audi
Image credit: Audi

And the system is completely wireless as well, with no cables running from the drivers’ console to the rear, all thanks to Bluetooth. The holoride system won’t support every Bluetooth-enabled VR headset, only those specifically enabled like Vive Flow.

No surprise really that Audi would be the first car manufacturer to feature this in-car entertainment experience, it was Audi that first envisioned the idea. Holoride was then spun out as a startup to further develop the technology for different manufacturers. The first example was an in-car Marvel VR experience during CES 2019.

The very latest version of holoride is being demoed at SXSW this week in Austin, Texas. For further updates on the latest innovative use cases for VR, keep reading gmw3.

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4 XR Projects From UK-Canadian Collaboration Debut at SXSW 2022

Way back in August 2020 gmw3 reported on the launch of a new initiative to bring together UK and Canadian creators with a focus on immersive storytelling. Called the UK-Canada Immersive Exchange in 2021 six projects were awarded funds – from a prize pool of £300,000 GBP – towards further development. With the annual SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, now underway, four of the projects make their public debut.

Acorn
Acorn. Image credit SXSW

Chosen as part of the SXSW XR Experience, the four “prototype projects,” which each received £25,000 were Acorn, Alone Together, Gloaming, and Radio Ghost. They each showcase the variety that can be achieved with XR storytelling. Acorn utilises augmented reality (AR) whereby players plant an acorn and experience the fullness of its life as it grows to an ancient oak. Alone Together also embraces AR, which has been “Inspired by the concept of family rental agencies that provide fake family members to lonely people seeking companionship.” Mixing theatrical storytelling with user interactions, players get to engage with virtual beings whilst navigating what’s real.

Gloaming, on the other hand, is virtual reality (VR) based. It’s a one-hour multi-site VR and live performance experience connecting two groups in different parts of the world. Each is in a multisensory art installation, with one group joining at dawn and the other at dusk.

The final prototype project to be selected for SXSW’s “XR Experience” category, Radio Ghost, is entirely spatial audio-based. Inspired by the Japanese concept of Tsukumogami, Radio Ghost is a ghost-hunt that uses binaural sound and multiplayer game design to transform shopping centres into immersive spaces.

Alone Together
Alone Together. Image credit SXSW

The other two projects that were part of the UK-Canada Immersive Exchange were The Galaxicle Implosions and Intravene. These were “audience-ready projects”, receiving £100,000 in funding. The Galaxicle Implosions is an episodic, animated sci-fi comedy series that’s performed live simultaneously in front of three separate audiences (VR, in-theatre and YouTube). While Intravene uses binaural 360 degree sound to create its two-episode immersive audio experience. 

The main SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, begins this Friday 11th March. The SXSW XR Exhibition is slightly shorter, running from 13th – 15th March 2022. If you’re attending the event the XR exhibition is open to all badge holders. For further updates on the latest XR experiences making their debuts at film festivals, keep reading gmw3.

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SXSW Gaming Awards: Half-Life: Alyx Wins, Zombieland VR Coming March 25

The winners of the SXSW Gaming Awards for 2020 were announced last weekend as part of SXSW Online, which also included some more details about upcoming VR title Zombieland VR: Headshot Fever.

There’s only one specific VR category in the SXSW Gaming Awards — VR Game of the Year — which went, somewhat unsurprisingly, to Half-Life: Alyx. It beat out some tough competition, including Down the Rabbit Hole, Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond, Star Wars: Squadrons and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners.

In other categories, some titles with optional VR support took home awards as well. Dreams won the Matthew Crump Culture Innovation Award, while Microsoft Flight Simulator won the Excellence in Technical Achievement category.

The awards also featured some more Zombieland VR: Headshot Fever news, an upcoming VR FPS announced earlier in the month. We knew the game was coming this Spring, but it’s even closer than we thought — the game will release later this week on March 25 for Quest. The release schedule for other platforms will be announced later.

Additionally, XR Games also announced a collaboration with VR esports organization VR Master League (VRML) to produce the “Zombieland VR: Headshot Fever Invitational.” The invitation was announced with a mini promotional tournament featuring VR YouTubers and influencers, as seen in the video above, hosted and casted by esports personality Alex “Goldenboy” Mendes. There are sign-ups already available on the Zombieland VR site.

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SXSW Online XR Takes Place in VRChat Next Week

SXSW Online XR

2020 saw the likes of the Venice Film Festival, Raindance, Cannes and more switch to online programming, embracing virtual reality (VR) tracks through platforms like the Museum of Other Realities and VRChat. SXSW Online 2021 – which begins next week – had to follow suit as well, with SXSW Online XR providing a showcase of immersive content and industry discussion.

SXSW Online XR

For SXSW Online XR the film festival has turned to VRChat to host its immersive programming, with the platform offering artist representations of Congress Avenue and the Red River Cultural District for users to explore. In these two locations, guests will find the Paramount Theatre, The Contemporary and other spots where live sessions, meetups, special events, 360° videos from the Virtual Cinema program, and 2D video feeds of SXSW Online 2021 programming will be available.

The main content selection will be held under the Virtual Cinema banner split down into three subcategories:

  • Virtual Cinema Special Events
    • Dream – A live, online performance by The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), in collaboration with Manchester International Festival (MIF), Marshmallow Laser Feast (MLF) and Philharmonia Orchestra.
    • Theon Cross – ‘We Go Again’ – Virtual avatar of Theon Cross performing ‘We Go Again.’
    • Welcome To The Other Side –  Jean-Michel Jarre and French VR startup VRrOOm host a concert in a virtual Notre-Dame.
    • Backstage Tours of Mount Olympus – Tour the stage of Finding Pandora X.
  • Virtual Cinema Competition
    • Biolum (World Premiere)
    • (Hi)story of a Painting (World Premiere)
    • Of Hybrids and Strings (World Premiere)
    • The Passengers: Her & Him (International Premiere)
    • Poison (World Premiere)
    • A Promise Kept (World Premiere)
    • Reeducated (World Premiere)
    • Samsara (World Premiere)
    • Space Explorers: The ISS Experience Episode 2: Advance (World Premiere)
  • Virtual Cinema Spotlight
    • 4 Feet High VR
    • Finding Pandora X
    • Meet Mortaza
    • Namoo
    • Odyssey 1.4.9
    • Once Upon a Sea
    • Paper Birds
    • Potato Dreams
    • Under the Skin
    • WebbVR: The James Webb Space Telescope Virtual Experience
SXSW Online XR

“SXSW really wanted to create a space in the virtual world that brought Austin to life in a spectacular way,” said Blake Kammerdiener, XR and Film Programmer in a statement. “So we came together with Louis Cacciuttolo and his company VRrOOm, whose recent work includes Welcome to The Other Side with Jean-Michel Jarre, and artist Vincent Masson to create this fantastical virtual space that honours Austin, and a few of the venues that we are gutted to not be using this year.”

The festival isn’t purely about films, it’ll play host to the SXSW Gaming Awards with a VR specific category featuring Half-Life: Alyx, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, Down the Rabbit Hole, Star Wars: Squadrons and  Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond.

Unlike some of the other online festivals, SXSW Online 2021 won’t be offering a free public area to get a taster of the event. You’ll have to go through the official registration which costs $325 USD giving you access to the entire festival. For further updates on SXSW Online 2021, keep reading VRFocus.

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Half-Life: Alyx & Star Wars: Squadrons Among SXSW Gaming Awards VR Nominees

Half-Life: Alyx

South by Southwest (SXSW) has announced it’ll be hosting its annual gaming awards in March, revealing 43 nominees across 12 different categories. That includes a virtual reality (VR) category with some of the most prominent titles of the last 12 months in the running like Valve’s Half-Life: Alyx and Motive Studios’ Star Wars: Squadrons.

Star Wars: Squadrons

This year’s VR category features five nominees with few surprises. Half-Life: Alyx has been nominated in almost every VR award going whilst cross-platform Star Wars: Squadrons was a big hit towards the end of 2020. Also on the list are The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners one of the best zombie survival videogames in VR, and Down the Rabbit Hole, a little gem of a puzzle title from Cortopia Studios.

Possibly the most controversial on the list is Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond by Respawn Entertainment. The highly anticipated WWII shooter offers a single-player campaign, multiplayer and interviews with veterans, yet suffered from pacing, high specification requirements and other issues.

The 2021 SXSW Gaming Awards has partnered with IGN to produce the event, presented by Discord on Saturday, 20th March at 7:00pm CT, broadcast live on SXSW Online, ign.com, and on Twitch. Public voting is open now across the board with the winners decided by a weighted total between staff, advisory board input and public voting.

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners

“Gaming is a key part of the creative ecosystem that makes up SXSW, and provides our community an opportunity to honour the achievements with the brightest minds in the field,” said Hugh Forrest, Chief Programming Officer for SXSW in a statement.

“We’ve learned so much from our communities on Discord over the last year. The power that games can have in bringing people together no matter where you are in the world inspires us.”said Tesa Aragones, Chief Marketing Officer at Discord. “Creating space for people to come together to share the things they love – music, games, and anything else that interests them – is core to our beliefs and we are proud to support the SXSW Gaming Awards as the presenting sponsor.”

The main SXSW Online event runs from 16th – 20th March 2020 featuring keynotes, conference sessions, Music Festival showcases, Film Festival screening and more. Don’t miss the Virtual Cinema area where you’ll be able to view works including 4 Feet High VR, Finding Pandora X, Namoo, and Paper Birds to name a few. For further updates, keep reading VRFocus.

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VR And AR Projects Releasing Online After SXSW 2020 Cancellation

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, several VR and AR projects that were set to be presented at this year’s SXSW Festival are being released online this month after the festival’s cancellation. The projects include several 360 video projects that will launch on Oculus TV, along with a new AR project called ‘Fragments’ that is available now  for Magic Leap 1 users.

SXSW announced that they would launch a new collaboration called the ‘SXSW 2020 Virtual Cinema on Oculus TV’. In lieu of a physical festival, SXSW will present seven 360 video projects which were all entered into the Virtual Cinema competition before the physical events were cancelled. All seven projects will be available to experience in Oculus TV from May 22-31, and you can read more details about each project on the SXSW site.

Additionally, a new augmented reality project from Atlas V and NSC Creative called ‘Fragments’ is available for the Magic Leap 1 from today. The project was set to have its world premiere at SXSW as part of the official selection before cancellation. The project is directed by Peabody Award winner Aaron Bradbury and is based on the true story of Lisa Elin and her husband Erik Craighead, who passed away six years after they met. Fragments will explore the themes of grief, death and ‘how we perceive and hold onto memories of a tragic event.’ The project’s release also coincides with the International Day of Light, chosen as a a ‘reminder of hope in these especially dark times’.

Will you be checking out any of these SXSW VR and AR projects when they go live? Let us know in the comments below.

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SXSW 2019: The Time Machine Takes Attendees To 1964 Tokyo

Shibuya VR The Time Machine

Have you ever wondered what Tokyo’s popular Shibuya district looked like in 1964? Thanks to NHK Enterprises, many SXSW (South by Southwest) attendees were able to experience a short demo showing them what Shibuya was like the last time the Olympics were in town. Although the demo itself was less than ten minutes long, seeing what is possible from stitching old photos together to create an immersive experience is quite remarkable.

To travel to the past, we used an HTC Vive Pro headset, two Vive controllers, and a backpack similar to ones worn at The VOID, or Dreamscape. We only used the controller to point; the touchpads were off limits. Completely set up with our equipment, the narrated demo began. The narrator gave us some backstory on Shibuya, explaining that we were going on a journey to see what it looked like in 1964. Our tour began with the Hachiko bronze statue near Shibuya Station. The narrator instructed us to walk up and touch the statue after hearing its backstory. I don’t recall seeing a statue while we were getting geared up, so that was a pleasant surprise.

The 3D environment was created by stitching together old photos. Photo provided by NHK Enterprises Inc.

From there, we flew to the top of a building, looking down on the Shibuya from the past. The facilitators of the demo warned before gearing up that the experience had quick forward and upward movement, but it was surprisingly smooth. Typically quick motions like that disorient me, but I had no issues with The Time Machine. Looking around Shibuya from above, the narrator encouraged us to walk to the edge, and look down. In addition to feeling like I was really looking over the edge, facilitators used fans to give us the sensation of real wind, making the experience that more immersive.

The end of the demo took us to modern day Shibuya Crossing. This portion of the experience was filmed using a 360 degree camera; if you looked down, you could see the person handling the camera. The comparison between Shibuya in the present day compared to what it once was really put things into perspective. As technology advances, we build taller buildings and continue to incorporate technology into our everyday lives.

A look at modern-day Shibuya Crossing. Photo: Alessandro Crugnola, Five Hundred Pixels, via Lonely Planet.

Keiko Tsuneki, of NHK Enterprises Inc., told me their goal was to have several location-based attractions around the globe. A huge target audience for the company is actually older people. Tsuneki talked about how eventually the company would like to be able to serve several people at a time, to take them back to the years they want to revisit.

“It’d be nice for older people to have their avatars and be able to go visit a cafe [or other landmark] they remember together,” she told me after the demo. Keiko also talked about how when demoing it to an older crowd, the reactions were very positive. A lot of people would see old businesses or buildings; “I knew I wasn’t crazy, I knew this was here!”

NHK gave each attendee a survey, which included asking where – and when – they’d like to travel to. The question after that asked if attendees had any old photos they’d like to share, or if they had any knowledge of where to get old photos for new experiences. It will be interesting to see how this type of technology can create increasingly more immersive experiences over time.

The featured image used for this post was provided by NHK Enterprises Inc.

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SXSW 2019: The Atomic Tree Tells A Riveting Deep-Rooted Story

The Atomic Tree

As the years go by, and virtual reality becomes more accessible, it also becomes more mainstream. While a lot of people look forward to VR gaming and other interactive experiences, others yearn for immersive experiences that aren’t as interactive. SXSW’s Virtual Cinema area showed off plenty of these experiences this year, and it brought in quite the crowd. Atomic Tree was one of the apps on show.

Directed by Adam Loften and Emmanuel Vaughn-Lee, the film tells the story of a 400 year old bonsai tree in the ancient cedar forests outside of Hiroshima. The tree grew on a property owned by the Yamaki family, who tended the tree for five generations. The U.S. armed forces detonated an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945. The blast wiped out a lot of the landscape and claimed innocent lives. Surrounded by the walls of the Yamaki family home, the bonsai tree miraculously survived.

Some of the trippy visuals as you dive into the tree’s rings. Photo provided by The 2050 Group Publicity.

Adapted from the book “The Song of Trees” by David Haskell, The Atomic Tree takes viewers on a journey of crazy Alice in Wonderland type visuals, and a riveting look inside the tree’s history. Fantastic visuals take the viewer on an almost disorientating journey through tree’s rings. Dizzying spirals did exactly what they were supposed to by giving the viewer a sense of intense movement without pushing them completely over the edge. This helped intensify the significance and importance of the tree’s history.

A relaxing, immersive VR cinema experience

What really added to the absorptive experience was the great sound design. Several scenes take you through the Yamaki family home, where you witnessed traditional Buddhist prayer ceremonies. As the sounds of the prayer chants came through the headphones, you could move in a full 360 degrees to see everything around you, and the sound would accurately follow. There was no skip in the audio as you moved, which made the experience that more compelling.

A look at the beautiful Yamaki household. Photo provided by The 2050 Group Publicity.

In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed the cinematic experience. It did a good job of putting me in a relaxing environment and making me forget about my hectic surroundings at Griffin Hall. However, there is a bit of a twist to the story for those who are unfamiliar with it, but I won’t spoil it for you. The Atomic Tree will be available this Friday, March 22nd, across all VR headsets via Within.

The Atomic Tree was demoed on an Oculus Go at SXSW’s Griffin Hall.

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