unplugged – Page 3 – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

September 24, 2021

Air Guitar Rhythm Game ‘Unplugged’ Launches on Quest October 21st, on PC VR Later This Year

Unplugged is an upcoming VR rhythm game which makes use of full finger-tracking for a Rock Band-like experience, but with an ‘air guitar’ instead of a plastic peripheral. Today developer Anotherway announced the game’s release date for October 21st on Oculus Quest, and affirmed that a PC VR version will launch later this year.

As far as controllerless hand-tracking games on Quest go, the vast majority are using the tech for simple pinch and poke interactions (though we’ve seen some really cool ideas out there). Unplugged, on the other hand, is using hand-tracking in a creative way which promises to finally make your air guitar a reality.

The game definitely builds on the vibes of classic instrument-based rhythm games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero, but this time without the plastic guitar.

Today developer Anotherway announced that the Unplugged release date is set for October 21st on Quest.

Later this year the game will also come to PC VR, though it will only support hardware with full finger-tracking, which primarily means any headset using Index controllers (unfortunately Oculus hasn’t brought Quest’s hand-tracking to Rift S).

The studio seems to indicate that other finger-tracking hardware could be supported, but it isn’t entirely clear which they are be referring to. HTC Vive headsets technically support controllerless finger-tracking, though it’s rare to see it implemented. Many Pimax headsets include controllerless finger-tracking from Ultraleap, but it isn’t clear if they will be supported either. We’ve reached out to the studio for clarity.

'Unplugged' Screenshots

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The studio also announced a partial song list for Unplugged featuring some well known rock songs:

Bumblefoot – Overloaded
Freak Kitchen – My New Haircut
Louis and The Shakes – On One
Lynch Mob – Wicked Sensation
Ozzy Osbourne – Flying High Again
The Electric Alley – Searching For The Truth
The Offspring – The Kids Aren’t Alright
The YeahTones – Lightning
Weezer – Say It Ain’t So

More songs are expected to be announced prior to launch.

The studio has also recruited Steel Panther guitarist Russ “Satchel” Parrish to be the in-game mentor to guide players through the experience.

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You might be wondering to yourself, “why not just do the real Rock Band in VR?” Well, actually that already exists. Harmonix, the studio behind the series, was actually an early adopter of VR and released Rock Band VR back in 2017 on Rift; though you needed one of the series’ guitar controllers to play (and an adapter to connect your VR controller to the guitar to track it).

Unfortunately the game wasn’t exactly a hit, perhaps because of the hardware requirements and a lack of any kind of multiplayer functionality (which has been core to Rock Band’s DNA). Unplugged may not have multiplayer, but at least it doesn’t require any extra peripherals. With Quest’s pick-up-and-play nature, it’ll be interesting to see how well it fares on that headset.

Harmonix went on to find more success with Audica (2019), a more abstract VR rhythm game built around target shooting.

The post Air Guitar Rhythm Game ‘Unplugged’ Launches on Quest October 21st, on PC VR Later This Year appeared first on Road to VR.

September 23, 2021

Practice Your Best Metal Face for Unplugged’s Oculus Quest Launch in October

Anotherway and Vertigo Games have been developing one of the most interesting use cases for Oculus Quest’s hand tracking feature, an air guitar experience called Unplugged. Today, the teams have revealed that the launch isn’t too far away, with a date now stencilled in for next month.

Unplugged is all about taking that fantasy air guitar experience where you pretend you’re a rock god on stage at some crazy festival and making it that bit more real. Virtual guitar in hand, you’re taken under the wing of Steel Panther’s lead guitarist Satchel. He’ll show you the ropes before letting you loose on some classic tracks that celebrate over five decades of rock history.

Alongside confirming when Unplugged will launch, Anotherway and Vertigo Games have also listed the first set of songs you’ll be able to play.

Bumblefoot – Overloaded
Freak Kitchen – My New Haircut
Louis and The Shakes – On One
Lynch Mob – Wicked Sensation
Ozzy Osbourne – Flying High Again
The Electric Alley – Searching For The Truth
The Offspring – The Kids Aren’t Alright
The YeahTones – Lightning
Weezer – Say It Ain’t So

As mentioned, Unplugged is all about freeing you from those controllers to offer one of the most unique rhythm action games yet. Suitable for left or right-handed players, you’ll have to get the feel for strumming along and matching your fingers to the chords. In true air guitar style, there are even moments where you can unleash and freestyle.

Previewing Unplugged earlier this week VRFocus said: “Unplugged is going to be the greatest test of Oculus Quest’s hand tracking and likely very divisive as to whether it can really offer a viable alternative to those physical, guitar rhythm action games of old. There’s no doubt that it works with some flashes of brilliance but the learning curve is huge, especially trying to complete those higher levels.”

Unplugged is due for release on 21st October 2021 for Oculus Quest. The developer has confirmed a PC VR version is on the way later this year but it’ll only support hand tracking enabled hardware or the Valve Index controllers with their finger tracking. For continued updates, keep reading VRFocus.

September 23, 2021

Unplugged Launches In October On Oculus Quest, PC To Follow

Hand-tracked VR air guitar game, Unplugged, launches very soon on Oculus Quest.

The music title, developed by Anotherway and published by Vertigo Games, hits the standalone headset on October 21. While anyone with an Oculus Quest can play the game, there is a PC VR version coming later this year that is limited to the finger tracking on the Valve Index Controllers and VR headsets with hand-tracking capabilities, so don’t expect to play it on an Oculus Rift or a base HTC Vive.

Unplugged Release Date Confirmed

That’s because Unplugged offers a Guitar Hero-like experience without the need for plastic peripherals. Colored notes stream towards your virtual guitar and you’ll have to match them with the corresponding fingers in the correct position then strum to the beat. You’ll need to master your technique across the game’s career mode, which is mentored by Satchel from eccentric glam rock band, Steel Panther.

Earlier this week we confirmed that Weezer’s Say It Ain’t So and Ozzy Osbourne’s Flying High Again were coming to the game, joining the previously announced The Kids Aren’t Alright by The Offspring. Today, Anotherway and Vertigo also confirmed another six songs for the game. They are:

Bumblefoot – Overloaded
Freak Kitchen – My New Haircut
Louis and The Shakes – On One
Lynch Mob – Wicked Sensation
The Electric Alley – Searching For The Truth
The YeahTones – Lightning

There are still other tracks to be revealed, so make sure to check back next week as we confirm the entire tracklist.

We got our first chance to play Unplugged earlier this week. Though you might doubt that VR hand-tracking is capable of keeping up with an air guitar game we came away pleasantly surprised at how well it worked. The game isn’t a straight-up imitator to Guitar Hero, instead picking more rhythmic tunes that aren’t hugely technical to play along to, and there’s a smart use of bonus features and minigames to mix the experience up.

Unplugged has also been our Upload Access game of the month. We’ve been speaking to producer Marcus Henderson about the project and have more to come. Check out our full line-up below!

September 21, 2021

Preview: Unplugged – Rocking VR Air Guitar

Everyone has strummed out a little air guitar at some point in their lives – come on admit it – whether that’s in the shower or when you hear an awesome solo over the airwaves. But mimicking your wild arm flailing into a cohesive, hand tracked virtual reality (VR) videogame is another endeavour entirely. It’s a challenge indie team Anotherway decided to tackle, and with the help of Vertigo Games behind them, has begun to showcase what rock dreams are made of in Unplugged.

Unlike every other rhythm action guitar title where you had some sort of plastic controller with fret buttons and a whammy bar to hold, giving that pseudo sense of being an ace axe player, Unplugged’s use of hand tracking is bold. That’s because up until now hand tracking on Oculus Quest has revolved around slower, more methodical genres like puzzle videogames; Cubism’s recent implementation is testimony to that.

Without having a guitar to “feel” where your hands are on the neck going into Unplugged for the first time is like stepping into the unknown, as the expectation is that this level of complexity can’t work (or work well). And first impressions definitely are mixed when it comes to playing a hand tracked guitar in VR.

The demo of Unplugged VRFocus got to play offered the main gist of the experience, an introductory tutorial as well as four songs to try and master, each with three difficulty levels. It must be said that Unplugged looks extremely polished, from the tattoos on your virtual fingers to the inclusion of Satchel from Steel Panther as your rock guide, it is very well presented. Even the buttons to select the various menu options have a nice push to them, a small but important touch.

When it comes to actually playing the virtual guitar the neck is split into five sections with each of your fingers colour coded so you can play specific notes. That means you have to pay attention to where the notes are going to hit the neck as well as the appropriate finger combination. You also have to strum of course. However, from what’s been shown so far there are no epic individual finger solos like you used to get on Guitar Hero, most tend to be all four fingers, three and the occasional two-finger notes. And that’s certainly enough.

Even on easy Unplugged isn’t particularly straightforward. Without that physicality, playing tracks like Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Fortunate Son or The Offspring’s The Kids Aren’t Alright requires focusing all of your attention on the guitar neck so you know exactly where to place your hand whilst ensuring optimal tracking of your fingers. The downside to this was forgetting where that important strumming hand needed to be. Quite often notes were being missed not because of incorrect finger placement but that pick hand moving out of place during an awesome rock solo.

You can play Unplugged both seated and standing with the latter tending to be the easier option. There’s also the option to adjust where the guitar is placed in relation to you, moving it up/down, in/out depending on preference. While this does really help, strumming still seemed to be the main issue as it’s difficult keeping your hand in very near the same point mid-air for an entire song. Or maybe much, much more practice is required.

Thankfully, Unplugged doesn’t just have notes you need to strum. The Pull-Off notes are by far the easiest to play as you can move your hand up and down the neck for some true air guitar rocking! The same goes for the Virtuoso notes where you’re given a blank flaming box to wiggle those digits however you see fit. These are the moments where Unplugged comes alive, coordination and precision go out the window, allowing you to enjoy the song at its fullest.

At the end of each track, you can then pump up the crowd for more points and hopefully a top leaderboard position.

Unplugged is going to be the greatest test of Oculus Quest’s hand tracking and likely very divisive as to whether it can really offer a viable alternative to those physical, guitar rhythm action games of old. There’s no doubt that it works with some flashes of brilliance but the learning curve is huge, especially trying to complete those higher levels. With a launch planned for fall 2021, there isn’t long to wait to see if Unplugged is the hardest air guitar you’ve ever played.

September 21, 2021

Hands-On: Unplugged Works Better Than It Has Any Right To On Oculus Quest

I think we all probably had the same thought process the first time we saw what would become Unplugged in a Reddit post: “This is a great idea and there’s no way it will work well.”

As solid as a concept hand-tracked air guitar in VR may seem, it was tough to envision the current tech keeping up with your fast-firing digits. Well, for now at least, you’ll have to take my word for it: Unplugged works well. Better than it has any right to, in fact. Honest.

Unplugged Hands-On

Anotherway’s take on Guitar Hero knows its limits and fills those gaps with a smartly curated tracklist, some inspired ideas and a fantastic approach to presentation. But first, the feel. Remove the plastic instrument and Unplugged plays almost exactly like its inspirations. Colored notes stream towards your virtual guitar and you’ll need to meet them with the corresponding combination of fingers on one hand and strum with the other.

“Radical,” you might think, “so let’s bust out Through the Fire and the Flames and get the fretting hand warmed up.”

Well, not quite. Rather than focus on the frantically technical tracks that went on to define its kin, Unplugged wisely doubles down on riffs and chord shapes that give the game more of an approachable, rhythmic guitar angle. The crunchy undercurrent of The Offspring’s The Kids Aren’t Alright makes for a perfect example, feeling less like you’re “playing it” in the introduction but really settling into a tempo as you keep rhythm during the chorus.

This is not something you’re likely to ‘get’ on your first go. Unplugged is very detailed when it comes to making sure you have the optimal setup, and it’ll take a while for you to find the right position for your guitar, not to mention getting used to grabbing thin air. There’s an inherent strangeness to it that will only disappear with a bit of practice to get into the game’s groove.

Fortunately, that’s not too hard to do. In the demo at least, chord changes are quite simple, switching between all four fingers to raising one finger or just keeping two held down. It’s a measured, sensible approach to dealing with the hand-tracking that’s less concerned with you missing notes and more about empowering you. And, in its best moments, it really does the trick; the heavy thud of the chorus to Weezer’s Say It Ain’t So really drives it home even if the more complex fretting seen in the intro doesn’t quite have the same effect.

But the game finds other ways to make up for what it might lack in fiendish dexterity. Some notes don’t need to be strummed, for example, instead asking you to move your hand rapidly up and down the fretboard. My current favorite feature is solo notes which let you waggle your fingers to your heart’s content and sound brilliantly in step with the moments of scale-shredding mastery seen in some songs. It works wonders in Ozzy Osbourne’s Flying High Again, taking a song I didn’t really know and making it one of my favorite to play so far.

‘Cursed’ notes meanwhile have to be played with perfect timing or you’ll snap a string and require a quick retune while the song continues. Start to falter and disgruntled fans will throw items at you from the crowd. These are all pretty inspired ways of mixing up the gameplay and feel authentic to the rock experience and you’ll encounter more of these in the game’s hard mode, which really pushes the challenge in some songs.

What remains to be seen about Unplugged, and what I honestly couldn’t tell you right now, is if it will be embraced. Moments in songs really do deliver on the pure ecstasy of playing guitar, but there needs to be a breadth of challenge across a variety of songs that always feels accurate and fair. In my hour or two of play, I’ve managed to improve and return to complete songs on hard that I couldn’t top before, but without that tactile sense a controller provides, it’s tough to tell if a missed note is coming from an off-beat strum or an accidentally-raised finger. It’s not enough to really detract from the sensation of casual play, but the game’s going to live and die on if a hardcore community can embrace and overcome those intricacies.

But, to Anotherway’s credit, it’s gone above and beyond what you might have first expected of Unplugged when you first saw it. That even comes down to the frankly brilliant presentation, spearheaded by Satchel of the beloved (and, in many rocker’s eyes, immortal) Steel Panther, who serves as your poster-trapped mentor. Anyone that knows Steel Panther knows exactly what type of humor the band goes for and, surprisingly, Anotherway and publisher Vertigo Games don’t pull Satchel’s punches. And, while the full tracklist is yet to be revealed, the combination of Ozzy, Weezer and The Offspring should give you a good indication of how far and wide the game’s able to reach. If you’ve been put off by most VR music games’ focus on EDM, you’ll probably find something to like here.

All-in-all a pretty promising warm-up act, then. There’s still a lot to learn about Unplugged, including a full tracklist, before it releases later this year, and we haven’t tested out the PC VR version, which only works with compatible hand-tracking headsets and the Valve Index controllers. But, on Oculus Quest at least, Unplugged has already addressed that biggest of hang-ups; it really works. That’s surprising enough as it is.

September 21, 2021

Ozzy Osbourne, Weezer and Steel Panther’s Satchel Join Unplugged

Ozzy Osbourne and Weezer have been added to the roster for upcoming VR air guitar game, Unplugged, and Steel Panther’s Satchel is along for the ride too.

Satchel, who plays guitar in the eccentric glam rock band, will serve as your mentor in the game. He’ll teach you to play your first few tracks and guide you through some of Unplugged’s other features, like when a string breaks and you need to tune up mid-song. But don’t count on standard narration here. If you’re a Steel Panther fan or you’ve even just heard just a few of the band’s tracks you’ll probably know what to expect: profanities, innuendos and drug-fuelled anecdotes are the order of the day.

New Unplugged Songs Announced

The two new tracks, meanwhile, are Ozzy’s Flying High Again and Weezer’s immortal Blue Album hit, Say It Ain’t So. Both were featured in the preview build we got an exclusive look at today. Flying High Again lets you rip into solos while Say It Ain’t So demands some tougher chord changes. Both songs join the previously confirmed The Kids Aren’t Alright by The Offspring, with more tracks to come.

Still, this gives you a pretty good idea of the type of music and bands you can expect to see in Unplugged. The game uses hand-tracking to deliver a Guitar Hero-like experience without the need for a plastic guitar. It sounds ambitious but, based on what we’ve played so far, it works.

In fact, we’ll be revealing the full tracklist right here on Upload next week, and make sure to check back later this week when we announce the game’s release date too. Unplugged is coming to Oculus Quest and compatible PC VR headsets later in 2021.

September 16, 2021

Unplugged Dev Talks Finger-Tracked Air Guitar, Setlists And More

We sit down with Unplugged to talk bringing finger-tracked air guitar to VR.

Though he’s not a member of developer Anotherway or publisher Vertigo Games, Marcus Henderson has become a bit of a spokesperson for Unplugged, and it’s clear to see why. The producer, himself a former touring musician, helped kickstart the Guitar Hero franchise with rerecords of songs in the original games, before moving onto new roles with later entries in the series and other music games.

Unplugged Interview

In his own words, videogames and music are Henderson’s two passions, and he feels very lucky to be embracing both in his career. The latest stop on that tour is working on this finger-tracked VR music game.

In the video above, we talk to Henderson about what to expect from Unplugged. We chat about the differences between handling a physical peripheral in Guitar Hero and working with thin air in VR, and how that changes the design of a song. Though the team isn’t ready to talk specifics on the tracklist just yet, we also talk about picking and choosing tunes from different eras and keeping a wide variety of people happy.

Looking for more? Check out Henderson introducing the game earlier this month.

There’s plenty more Unplugged content coming up on Upload Access. Stick with us later this month for the reveal of the game’s release date and the full tracklist. We’ll also have Henderson joining us in our studio for a live Q&A during the VR Gamescast towards the end of the month.

September 9, 2021

Unplugged: Exclusive New Details And Gameplay In New Video

Anotherway’s Unplugged has a strange pitch. It’s essentially a Guitar Hero game… in VR… with no controllers.

How the heck does that work?

New Unplugged Gameplay And Details Revealed

Today’s exclusive Upload Access debut answers exactly that. Former Guitar Hero figurehead Marcus Henderson is on-hand to walk us through new gameplay for the upcoming music title, and reveal how Anotherway is utilizing finger-tracking technology to bring the art of the air guitar to life.

At first glance, Unplugged looks like any other music game. But you’re not holding plastic guitars or even VR controllers in your hands. Instead, headsets with finger-tracking technology follow where your hand is, allowing you to shred up and down the fretboard with one hand, lifting fingers up to play certain notes. But there’s more to Unplugged than that core foundation.

The video features plenty of gameplay clips and gives you a better sense of how the game progresses. When you start out, for example, you’ll be playing to smaller crowds that are tough to impress. But, as you keep playing, you’ll unlock new albums that provide access to better venues and crowds.

Plus there are minigames like tuning your guitar mid-song or grabbing power-ups that can slow the song down. We also get a look at some of the brands of guitars and amps you’ll use and exactly what happens if you maybe don’t play as well as a crowd is hoping.

Unplugged is coming to Oculus Quest and hand-tracking compatible PC VR headsets soon. Stick with Upload Access for a month of exclusive coverage of the game, including the reveal of the release date and the full tracklist, plus more from Henderson in the coming weeks! See what’s in-store below.

September 1, 2021

Unplugged Is Touring Upload Access In September!

Stretch those fingers, practice your scales and perm your hair – Unplugged is our Upload Access game for September!

Anotherway’s ambitious VR air guitar game is coming soon and we’ve got much more to share all throughout this month. Coming to Oculus Quest and compatible PC VR headsets, Unplugged uses hand-tracking to let you rock out to some of your favorite tracks. Think of it as Guitar Hero in VR, just without the guitar. In fact, Guitar Hero designer Marcus Henderson is even signed up to work on the project.

You might’ve already seen the game at the last Upload VR Showcase in June, where we revealed that ‘The Kids Aren’t Alright’ by The Offspring would feature in the game. If you’re a metal or rock fan that’s been waiting for a VR game the offers more than EDM, this is one to watch out for.

We’ll be showing off much more of the game this month with Henderson’s help, including an in-depth look at how it works, a full interview about designing the experience and some big headlines. Yep, we’ll be revealing the release date and a full tracklist as well as getting hands-on with the game (if that’s even possible). And, of course, we’ll be jumping into our VR studio with Henderson live so he can answer some of your questions too.

Check out the full schedule below and make sure to let us know what you’re hoping to see this month.

June 14, 2021

Vertigo Games Shares a Triple VR Update for E3 2021

This weekend was filled with virtual reality (VR) updates as part of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2021 this week, with the likes of A Township Tale coming to Oculus Quest and NERF getting its own VR shooter. Some studio had more than others to share with Vertigo Games making three announcements for After the Fall, Unplugged and Traffic Jams.

After the Fall is Vertigo Games’ next major in-house project, originally revealed back in 2019. A co-op first-person shooter (FPS) set in a frozen LA wasteland, for the E3 2021 announcement the studio released new gameplay footage combined with some of the videogames’ developers discussing the project.

One of the core features the team wanted to get right was the cross-platform gameplay, so it doesn’t matter if you’re on an Oculus Quest, PlayStation VR or PC VR headset, the gameplay remains the same even when the graphics have to be adjusted depending on the platform. Still no release date though, with a summer 2021 window still in place.

Next up is Unplugged by indie team Anotherway, which is being published by Vertigo Games. A rhythm action title which evokes those classic air guitar moves, Unplugged utilises the hand tracking on Oculus Quest and PC VR headsets. This weekend’s announcement saw the reveal of a new track “The Kids Aren’t Alright” by The Offspring as well as features like mini-games and crowd interactions. Unplugged is expected to launch Fall 2021.

Finally there’s some Traffic Jams news. The quirky VR title where you have to manage evermore insane amounts of vehicles, pedestrians and catastrophic events originally launched for Oculus Quest and PC VR headsets in April. Soon it’ll be the turn of PlayStation VR. Created by Little Chicken Game Company, Traffic Jams arrives for PlayStation VR on 26th August 2021, with its solo campaign as well as the asymmetrical multiplayer.

Check out all the new footage below and for further updates from Vertigo Games and E3 2021, keep reading VRFocus.