Ground Runner: Trials is a sci-fi virtual reality (VR) videogame that was showcased at Unite Europe. It combines first-person shooter with flight locomotion as you have to survive and scavenge for treasure across a barren world.
You start off as a rookie Ground Runner, where you have to prove yourself by going on missions to destroy drones, cargo ships and collect loot and scavenge treasures. The game takes advantage of the Oculus touch and Vive controllers and uses physical locomotion controls, which prove useful when going into combat and trying to shoot down enemies from the sky whilst simultaneously driving your plasma bike. Survive and build up your resources. With the help of your personal AI assistant Jay, the game has an element of Robin Hood as the world is controlled by a corporation that own everything.
The graphics and art style are inspired by various old science fiction films and books, so you’ll be finding old floppy discs and cartridges instead of lasers and pen drives. Chris Bolton, the CEO and Creative Director of Astrofish Games tells VRFocus that they really wanted nostalgia to play a huge role when it came to the art direction of Ground Runner: Trials. The plasma bike you drive uses a Honda 750 which converts crystals into electricity – it doesn’t get more nostalgic than that!
In the video below he explains which software they use to help build the game, and with the help of their investor Zmapping how they want to provide free content updates for people who buy the game. Each update would contain content from forty minutes up to an hour, so purchasing the game would be an investment in future content as well.
The game might be coming out around August for the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. You clearly need the controllers and touch controllers to play the game. Check out the video below to find out more.