Dave & Buster’s has become one of the biggest purveyors of location-based virtual reality (VR) entertainment in North America thanks to 122 locations displaying VR experiences like Jurassic World VR Expedition. Today, thanks to a long-running partnership with VRstudios the pair have announced Star Trek: Dark Remnant.
Developed by Strange Reptile and VRstudios, Star Trek: Dark Remnant is a Dave & Buster’s exclusive. The multiplayer VR experience puts players in control of the U.S.S. Galileo, Starfleet’s most advanced research vessel.
The story synopsis explains that the U.S.S. Galileo is: “accompanying the U.S.S. Enterprise on a routine mission to evacuate a stellar observatory located in the middle of the Klingon Neutral Zone and learn more about the decaying neutron star it orbits. When the neutron star collapses prematurely it leaves the Enterprise incapacitated. It’s now up to YOU to protect her from stellar debris – and the unwelcome arrival of a Klingon ship out for vengeance.”
During the videogame players will be able to control the U.S.S. Galileo’s phasers, deflector shields, and sensors to create a unique VR experience. And to keep players coming back for more Star Trek: Dark Remnant has several different endings to unlock, subtle differences in gameplay, randomized player characters, and dialogue that responds in real-time.
“Players get a perspective of the Star Trek universe in a different way than they have experienced before – coming face-to-face with the Enterprise in all its beauty and splendour,” said Chanel Summers, VRstudios’ Vice President of Creative Development in a statement. “Working together with Strange Reptile on this title has enabled us both to use our complementary strengths to delight players with this unique Star Trek adventure. We have combined all the well-established frameworks of Star Trek with some all-new story elements and characters, while also delivering multiple different endings to keep players coming back for more!”
This is the third title which Dave & Buster’s has deployed using VRstudios’ VRcade Attraction Management Platform (AMP) since 2018, with AMP also being used in other locations across the country. VRFocus will continue its coverage of Dave & Buster’s and VRstudios, reporting back with any further collaborative announcements in the future.
Das Mocap-Unternehmen Vicon präsentierte die neue Motion-Capture-Lösung Origin, die zukünftig in diversen VR-Arcades Einzug hält. Das stabile wie einfach einzurichtende System wird erstmals auf der SIGGRAPH 2018 vorgestellt und könnte daraufhin in den VRcades von Bandai Namco sowie Dreamscape Interactive installiert werden.
Vicon – Motion-Capture-System Origin für VRcades
Die Mocap-Technologie von Vicon wurde bereits in zahlreichen Projekten eingesetzt. So findet man die Arbeit des Unternehmens im Hollywood-Blockbustern wie Blade Runner 2049 (2017) und Gravity (2013) sowie Videospielen, wie der kürzlich erschienenen VR-Version von Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice wieder.
Nun stellen die Entwickler/innen ein neues System für den expliziten Gebrauch für VR-Zwecke vor. Das Origin-System für Arcades setzt auf eine neuartige Kombination von Soft- und Hardware, um VR-Erfahrungen für mehrere Personen gleichzeitig anzubieten. Zu den Vorteilen der neuen Tracking-Lösung zählen eine stabile und störungsfreie Verbindung sowie eine simple Einrichtung vor Ort.
Dafür setzt Origin auf insgesamt drei verschiedene Komponenten, die mit den Namen Viper, Pulsar und Beacon getauft wurden. Ersteres steht für eine leichte Kamera, welche für die Erfassung von Bewegungstrackern zuständig ist und mit 2.2 Megapixeln, bis zu 240 FPS aufbringt. Die frei konfigurierbaren LED-Tracking-Markierungen Pulsar können sowohl am Körper wie auch an der entsprechenden VR-Ausrüstung befestigt werden.
Für die Kommunikation zwischen Viper-Kamera und Pulsar-Trackern ist das Beacon-Übertragungsgerät verantwortlich. Dieses ermöglicht eine synchronisierte Übertragung der Komponenten über WLAN. Zusätzlich sorgt die Software Evoke für eine stabile Verbindung, indem es das Tracking überwacht und nötige Kalibrationen automatisch durchführt. Entsprechend sollen auch Übergänge zwischen Spielrunden reibungslos fortgeführt werden.
Zum optimalen Einsatz benötigt man für eine Person ungefähr sechs bis acht Viper-Kameras. Bei einer Anzahl von mehr als 16 Personen innerhalb einer VR-Erfahrung müssten 36 bis 38 Kameras eingesetzt werden. Für das Ganzkörper-Tracking einer Person wären ebenso sechs Pulsar-Markierungen nötig. Wie viel die Komponenten letztlich kosten, wurde von offizieller Seite noch nicht veröffentlicht.
Dank einer Partnerschaft mit Dreamscape Immersive sowie Bandai Namco wäre eine Installation innerhalb der entsprechenden VRcades denkbar. Das neue System wird auf der SIGGRAPH 2018 vorgeführt.
What a difference a month makes! We enter June to a cacophony of announcements regarding major LB-VR projects and new hardware using powerful Intellectual Properties (IP), deployment aimed squarely at virtual reality (VR) and the digital out-of-home entertianment (DOE) scene. Industry specialist, Kevin Williams continues his retrospective of developments in this emerging market.
Anyone that tried to ignore or label the Out-of-Home application of VR as an unimportant niche, has had to concede their folly. Following an avalanche of news stories, and investment, regarding brand-new Location-Based VR development. We have followed many of these projects from their inception some years ago and seeing them reach fruition is a vindication of the investment that big IP are willing to bet on DOE VR implementation; all this, while the consumer VR scene seems to be at a major crossroad.
One of the largest social entertainment brands, caused a rash of mainstream media headlines with the announcement that they would be installing, what has been called the “World’s largest commercial multiplayer VR attraction, at over 110 Dave & Busters’ (D&B) locations. The attraction called Jurassic World: VR Expedition – has been developed in partnership with pioneering developer of turn-key large-scale, multiplayer, free-roaming commercial VR attraction systems, VRstudios. The four-player VR attraction incorporates a motion platform and uses HTC Vive headsets and controllers, to immerse players in the Jurassic World environment in a fast-paced virtual experience.
D&B had previously carried out several experiments with early VR technology, considering the best deployment that meets their exacting needs and audience demographics. The company having a history in incorporating VR into their mix, being one of the major supporters of the technology back in the last heyday of VR amusement in the 1990’s. This new VR attraction builds on lessons learned and incorporates what VRstudios has named their VRcade Attraction Management Platform (AMP) to operate and manage the new attraction across the D&B sites.
It was revealed that HTC is taking the new D&B project so seriously that they signed an agreement with the social entertainment venue that will see over 500 HTC Vive headsets deployed to D&B locations across the USA and Canada. This is one of the largest mass deployments of this VR headset into the Out-of-Home entertainment scene in the West; while HTC has already signed other large deployment partnerships – as we reported in our AAA’18 coverage, in affiliation with developer VR LEKE.
Beyond the motion platform approach to VR entertainment – we have seen an explosion of investment in VR free-roaming (Arena-Scale) experiences, also driven by major IP that have garnered many of the big headlines in recent weeks. One of the biggest was the announcement of Terminator Genisys – Time Machine – again based on a major cinematic universe. This Arena-Scale VR experience has been conceived by SPACES, a Californian based immersive entertainment developer, in partnership with IP holder Skydance Media.
It is important to understand that SPACES, a relatively new operation, comprises a strong talent pool of skilled specialist in the creating of immersive attractions – the company including ex-DreamWorks executives with film and attraction experience and is supported by a major investment chain that includes the likes of Songcheng Performance Development Co., Ltd, (one of the world’s biggest theme-park and performing arts companies), Comcast Ventures and GREE, to name a few.
The first of the corporation’s immersive VR attractions sees groups take part in elements taken from the cinematic universe of Terminator – but along with more familiar game elements, there is a team interaction and puzzle solving, as well the overall experience incorporating the personalization of the experience with scanning of the players, and a repeat visitation element. The company partnering their attraction with established location-based destinations (theme parks, tourist destinations, theaters and malls). All aspects driving the innovation of LB-VR into the mainstream.
Not all the major IP being deployed into the commercial entertainment scene comes from Hollywood – recently opened in Japan, we saw the first VR deployment of the popular consumer game brand Dragon Quest. The latest installation within BANDAI NAMCO’s VR ZONE at their Shinjuku facility, the specially developed Dragon Quest VR – that sees four players taking on the unique roles within a virtual representation of the Square Enix RPG.
This Arena-Scale experience supporting up to four players, utilizing unique interfaces such as swords, shields, and staffs, but also the ability for certain characters to cast spells with their wands. The game, concluding with a boss fight, where the party must learn to work as a team to succeed. BANDAI NAMCO have stated that they look towards leveraging more IP into their VR experiences, seeing this as a strong platform to create compelling experiences building on their amusement experience. We have already seen a previous free-roaming VR experience launched by the company based on the Ghost in The Shell anima series.
Free-roaming VR technology is not just driven from Asian and American developments – great strides in innovation have been seen in Europe, such as with Swiss based trueVRsystems announcing a few weeks ago their sixth arcade installation in Stockholm, Sweden. Installing a modular 2 x 150m² system that offers groups of players with VR backpacks the chance to explore virtual experiences. The system one of only a few that can support up to 10-players, using full bodying tracking and deploying interfaces such as the StriverVR weapon system.
Another company building on their cinematic universe, to create compelling VR attractions, recently opened the doors to their first test location. 20th Century Fox (FoxNext Destination group) partnering with iP2 and Pure Imagination Studios to develop and launched their ALIEN: DESCENT experience; opening for the first time at The Outlets, at Orange in Orange County, South California. A shopping mall retail unit converted into become a dedicated VR entertainment venue.
This themed VR experience, incorporates a 2,000-sq ft. free-roam space with groups of players navigating virtually rendered darkened corridors, and blasting Xenomorphs, in a full virtual experience. The platform has been in secret test for several months as the company’s perfected their vision of the best VR experience. Using the Samsung Gear VR as their immersive platform, married to a force feedback weapon – again using the StrikerVR gun.
It is great to see StrikerVR, one of the early developers in this latest phase of the VR landscape, making headway, though aspirations in the consumer sector have pivoted to a wholly commercial entertainment business model. Some of the new projects launching in recent months deploy the StrikerVR system – which has completed an arduous evaluation and testing phase to become a dominant brand in this sector.
One of the leading lights in the deployment of Arena-Scale virtual attractions, The VOID announced nine additional locations, bringing the company’s total footprint to 18 venues. This growth marks the progression of The VOID to establish their unique “Hyper Reality” experience that launched back in 2016 with their first location at Madame Tussauds in New York (partnered with Sony Pictures and Merlin Entertainment). The process of doubling its locations comes as the company closed a very successful Series A round of investment.
“Move along…”
Las Vegas recently saw the opening of the latest VOID location (now partnered with Walt Disney), placed within the Venetian Casino Resort – the latest installation of their VR backpack experience based around the cinematic universe of Star Wars. The VOID started with another of their games based around the Ghostbusters IP – and is looking to continue this path of innovation while emerging the guest in an interactive film like narrative.
This opening in Las Vegas last month coincided with several VR openings in this entertainment capital. Several major LV casino resorts incorporating a VR offering to appeal to the “Millennial audience”, looking for a new draw beyond the gaming floors of the casinos. One such example was seen at New York-New York casino resort, who have augmented their popular rollercoaster by added VR Coaster technology. Riders wearing Samsung Gear VR headsets that supply a sweeping VR ride experience to the twists and turns of the coaster.
Watch this space for the next and final part of this latest coverage into DOE, coming soon to The Virtual Arena and VRFocus.
There have been a slowly increasing number of large-scale, location-based virtual reality (VR) experiences based on popular entertainment franchises. Jurassic World is now joining that list thanks to the work of VRstudios and Dave & Buster’s.
VRStudios provide solutions for location-based multiplayer VR experiences, and will be using its VRcade platform to manage the new Dave & Buster’s Jurassic World VR experience.
The deployment of the VRcade Attraction Management Platform (AMP) is part of a wider collaboration between Dave & Buster’s and VRStudios, with the two companies working together to build all the key components of the new attraction, including the VR hardware and motion control software.
The VRcade AMP has been designed to offer easy deployment and control for local operators. The system has a central user interface which covers areas such as motion control, status monitoring, content management and even customer line management. All of this can be operated from a touchscreen tablet, with a specific profile for each employee.
“We are honored to be a trusted partner to Dave & Buster’s, the leading restaurant/entertainment complexes in North America,” said Kevin Vitale, VRstudios CEO. “Their new attraction is a breakthrough for extending commercial availability of true multi-player virtual reality to locations around the country. AMP enables the seamless integration of technology and content from best-in-class providers including Hewlett-Packard, HTC, Universal Studios and The Virtual Reality Company.”
“We’ve been very thoughtful and particular about how we introduce VR attractions to our stores, and it was critical that we engage with a trusted partner and technology leader in commercial VR systems,” said Kevin Bachus, SVP Entertainment & Games Strategy. “We have a longstanding relationship with VRstudios. They are a pioneer of multi-player VR attractions for location-based entertainment, and we’ve capitalized on that experience for both their enterprise technology and managing the large-scale integration of our unique attraction.”
The Jurassic World VR Expedition will be available at all Dave & Buster’s locations from 14th June, 2018. For future coverage of new and upcoming VR events and experiences, keep checking back with VRFocus.
VRstudios has made location-based entertainment virtual reality arcades for big commercial venues in the past, but now the company revealed the VRcade Atom, a more compact VR booth with a smaller footprint that doesn’t require an expensive facility.
The VRcade Atom is a commercial wireless VR system built for location-based entertainment (LBE) arcades, and it costs less compared to previous systems. It’s a turnkey system that includes everything a VR arcade business needs to add room-scale, free-roaming, multiplayer VR attractions.
Built on the VRcade Attraction Management Platform (AMP), the Atom is the first VR arcade solution integrating best-in-class computing power, head-mounted display technology, wireless transmission, and positional tracking from industry leaders including Hewlett-Packard, HTC, and TPCAST.
Utilizing AMP’s content management features, the Atom runs experiences from the company’s portfolio of VRcade wireless, multiplayer attractions expressly built for commercial arcade operations. This includes: VRcade’s classic Time Zombies, Barking Irons, planktOs and Drone Storm.
“Many of our customers are just beginning to consider competitively priced options that will allow them to easily install, with a smaller footprint, a commercial level attraction that can be expanded as LBE VR becomes more popular,” said Ron Davis, chief marketing officer at VRstudios, in an email. “The Atom has been designed to meet all of those objectives.”
Above: VRcade Atom is aimed at making VR into a social experience.
Image Credit: VRstudios
In addition, arcade companies can augment the VRcade commercial attractions with curated titles licensed from Valve Corporation’s Steam store, all centrally managed through AMP. Atoms can be easily installed as individual systems or in combination with other Atoms, VRcade Zones, or VRcade Arena systems. Utilizing AMP, multiple Atoms can be networked together to increase the virtual player count in attraction titles that support the feature.
The Atom is easy to set up, take down, relocate, or reconfigure. Installations can be done quickly with no special facility requirements or additional infrastructure, such as rigid truss systems. The standard configuration requires only a 10 foot x 10 foot footprint for a multiplayer system, making it an efficient use of floorspace and driving a very favorable return on investment over single-player, wired options.
“The VRcade Atom is another significant addition to our growing family of turnkey solutions built expressly for the LBE operators. It demonstrates our ongoing focus and strategy to integrate the latest and best technology available, utilizing our AMP platform to make it easy and efficient for LBEs to operate on a daily basis,” said Kevin Vitale, VRstudios’ CEO, in a statement. “Atom is a true commercial-grade, wireless free-roaming system, and its price point makes it compelling for LBEs to drop the wires and add VR attractions to their business.”
The VRcade Atom is available to demonstrate and order directly from VRstudios. VRstudios launched in 2014, and it has 55 VRcade installations in 14 countries. The company has 24 employees.
[Update] Die Business-Version des TPCast für die kabellose Anbindung von bis zu vier HTC Vive Headsets in einer Zone ist inzwischen auch offiziell im europäischen Raum (EMEA) erhältlich, wie der Hersteller mitteilt. Wer noch mehr Anwender verbinden will, lassen sich mit zusätzlichen Routern weitere Zone aufbauen und diese miteinander vernetzen. Somit können fünf oder mehr Spieler gemeinsam in die VR-Erfahrungen eintauchen. Bisher ist die TPCast Business Edition lediglich über die Webseite des Herstellers erhältlich, ein Vertrieb über zertifizierte Partner soll noch im 2. Quartal 2018 starten. TPCast ist allerdings nicht mit der neuen HCT Vive Pro kompatibel.
Mit dem Verkaufsstart der TPCast Business Edition können VRcades mit einer HTC Vive bald auf lästige Kabel beim Einstieg in die virtuelle Welt verzichten. Allerdings gibt es bei der finalen Form eine Änderung. So lässt sich der neue Transmitter nicht wie ursprünglich angekündigt mit sechs VR-Brillen verbinden, sondern bedient maximal vier Vive-Systeme innerhalb eines Spielbereichs gleichzeitig. Bei einer Auflösung von 2K werden die Daten in unter zwei Millisekunden kabellos übertragen, sodass keine Latenzprobleme auftreten. Mit der neuen HTCVive Pro ist der Adapter allerdings inkompatibel, da die höhere Auflösung eine latenzfreie Übertragung verhindert.
Neben der Reduzierung der vernetzbaren Anzahl an VR-Brillen bleibt die TPCast im Prinzip unverändert. So besteht ein Set aus den entsprechenden Sende- und Empfangsmodulen, den dazugehörigen Akkus sowie einem Business Class Router für die vier Vive-Systeme. Die erste Verkaufsversion des Adapters unterstützt nur die HTC Vive, später soll eine Version für die Oculus Rift folgen.
Die TPCast Business Edition ist aktuell nur auf der offiziellen Webseite des Unternehmens erhältlich, einen Preis nennt der Hersteller nicht. Interessierte müssen ein Formular ausfüllen und angeben, wozu sie die Lösung nutzen wollen. Ob es die Business Edition auch zu Partner-Händlern schafft, ist derzeit ungewiss und auch eher unwahrscheinlich. Letztlich ist die Zielgruppe noch kleiner als bei den herkömmlichen TPCast-Modellen. Diese sind für die HTC Vive und Oculus Rift beispielsweise auf Amazon erhältlich und kosten rund 350 respektive 390 Euro. Unseren Test der Version für die HTC Vive findest du hier.
VRstudios creates virtual reality arcades where a bunch of players can gather in a physical location and play in the same VR games. Now, the company is launching VRcade PowerPlay, an esport game built for location-based entertainment.
VRstudios has 55 VRcades in 14 countries, where players can line up in a pay-per-play experience, much like old video game arcades. The Bellevue, Washington-based company said, “VRcade PowerPlay is an intensely athletic team esport played in free-roaming, arena-scale virtual reality.”
It pits anywhere from two to eight players together in a 60 feet by 40 feet configurable VR battlefield. The competitive matches can be dynamically configured with millions of distinct combinations of multiplayer game modes, arm cannon presets, and battlefield configurations.
VRcade PowerPlay enables physical action across the arena, and it encourages the players to be smart and cooperate. And VRstudios tries to create a fun experience for spectators, who can watch the live action along with in-game broadcasts.
“Everyone recognizes that esports are increasingly popular, and we believe that the release of VRcade PowerPlay is literally a ‘game-changer.’ It’s the next generation of esports that adds true athletic activity over a large format playing field, and it can be deployed by any (arcade) operator,” said Kevin Vitale, VRstudios CEO, in a statement. “While complementary to our other systems and attractions, VRcade PowerPlay creates a whole new category of location-based VR entertainment for both players and spectators. It also opens the door to a number of new business models and branding options going forward for [arcade] operators and sponsors.”
VRcade PowerPlay is managed by VRcade Amp, the attraction management platform. It runs on the commercial VRcade Arena system which requires no additional physical infrastructure or props. The combination of VRcade PowerPlay, Amp, and Arenas create a full solution for VR arcades.
“First and foremost, we wanted to deliver an exciting, action-packed game that grew out of the vision from the original founding team over 5 years ago,” said Chanel Summers, VRstudios’ vice president of creative development, in a statement. “It combines a retro game aesthetic with a futuristic battlefield setting to showcase a truly physical sport in a nearly unlimited virtual arena. By design, the [players] quickly forget that they are in a virtual experience and move naturally in all the same ways that they would on a real-world playing field, including running, ducking, and jumping to beat the competition. The physical action, range of motion and dynamic competitive match formats definitely qualify VRcade PowerPlay as the sport of the future.”
VRstudios is focused on the future of location-based entertainment. Having alreadydeveloped customized VR experiences for the likes of Universal Orlando and Cedar Fair’s Knott’s Berry Farm, the company starts rolling out its own2,400 square foot free-roam multiplayer VRcade system to locationsin the United States, Canada and Latin America in early 2018.
Terminal 17 will be the first adventure that players will be able to get into at these locations. Check out the new trailer:
I had the opportunity to play Terminal 17, and learn more about how VRstudios is planning to expand VRcade locations and experiences, from CEO Kevin Vitale, and Vice President, Creative Development, Chanel Summers.
Inside Terminal 17
Terminal 17 is a slick, engaging sci-fi blaster adventure, split into two fifteen-minute episodes that can be experienced separately or sequentially by up to eight players at once. If less than eight players are in the experience, the content dynamically scales the alien enemies so that the challenge is still achievable.
Summers describes Terminal 17 as a form of “co-opetition” since players are challenged to work together to overcome obstacles, while also competing against each other for the highest score.
Episode 1 takes players through Terminal 17’s upper levels, as the Team is challenged to power-on the facility, while shooting away enemy bugs, exploring a maze, passing through a deadly obstacle course, using mechanics to activate the communications generator and more. Episode 2 takes players to Terminal 17’s lower levels where players must work together to rescue a character, crack a code, and fight off the boss alien bug from destroying the base. It’s no surprise that a third episode is “definitely an option”according to Vitale. Having more episodes allows consumers to spend more time in a certain environment when they visit VRcade-powered locations – they can have a 15, 30, and possibly soon a 45-minute experience with just the Terminal 17 world alone.
VRstudios aims to make content that is entertaining for a wide demographic, and Summers highlighted that they did extensive testing with Terminal 17 to ensure that the experiences were both fun, and easy to understand how to play. With amusement games, people want to be able to “get in, have a good time, and get out,” according to Summers. They did play testing and exit surveys with hundreds of people ranging in age from 13 to their early 80s, analyzing the commonalities in their feedback and tweaking the content accordingly. Vitale mentioned that the inputs from their testing offered both technical and narrative learnings.
Model for Expansion
I met Vitale and Summers at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expo in Orlando this November. It became apparent thatall types of attractionowners from around the world are increasingly awareof the value of integrating VR into their locations, given the relatively lower price than other amusement rides and games. VR also can offer many different experiences in the same setup and generates revenue regardless of weather.
While the VR industry searches for the ‘killer app’ to accelerate consumer adoption of VR, Vitale believes that the killer app is in fact turnkey LBE [location-based entertainment] VR. VRstudios’ standard model is to sell a full-package solution to venue operators, including commercial-grade hardware that brings their large-format free-roam VR concept to life. The revenue share model for VRcade Arena covers licensing content and the Attraction Management Platform, AMP. The idea is that expansion can happen rapidly as the upfront costs are covered by operator customers, and ongoing revenue is shared.
The VRcade cloud and server-based AMP is positioned to add value to the overall package for operators. Operators can easily launch players into the experience and track metrics including duration of play and individual scores. In the future, VRcade can add features to AMP allowing operators to change skill-levels and obstacles in future content, or talk directly to an individual player in the experience. It may also evolve to seamlessly facilitate live free-roam Vsports tournaments at multiple locations.
Player Zero is a feature of AMP that adds additional value outside of the VR experience. For spectators, it has both an automatic and manual mode for operators to showcase different cinematic angles and cool moments from in-game. For guests who want to takehome or share highlights from their experience, each play can be recorded or, in the future, streamed.
Operators can customize the location name should they choose, allowing for greater flexibility to integrate into venues that may not want another brand added into their pre-existing entertainment location, although VRstudios has ready-to-use branding for those that leverage its name.
New Experiences from VRstudios and Partners
VRstudios plans to release news around new content every 4-6 months, but its SDK can help bring additional experiences to market faster. Operators who own a VRcade system can also commission custom content for their specific location from VRstudios or select third-party developers. If that content is distributed to other locations the original operator can get a cut.
While VRstudios has experience integrating 4D effects into amusement park VR, this isn’t something that they are focusing on in their model for VRcade. As a result, they are able to keep system and operating costs down, while still maintaining a social experience that you can only get out-of-home. With that said, some guests of the Terminal 17 demo at IAAPA were fooled enough by the audio and visual tricks, that they were convinced they felt wind, and mistakenly thought that there was a real fan integrated into the setup.
Though virtual reality (VR) is still growing in popularity, high-end VR experiences remain out of reach for many, due to considerations such as cost and space requirements. Location-based VR centres have started to grow in popularity as a way to fill the void, and one such solution, the VRcade Arena from VRstudios will be showcased at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expo.
VRcade Arena is designed to be a arena-scale, multiplayer, free-roaming VR system that has been based on VRstudios existing Attraction Management Platform. It has been created to over a turnkey solution that can be installed in locations without needing a specialised location to be built.
The VRcade Arena system will be demonstrated at IAAPA Expo using the recently announced Terminal 17 VR experience, a multiplayer action-adventure title which allows squads of up to eight players to roam around the arena and communicate with each other to solve puzzles and defend the base.
Attendees at IAAPA will be able to see how the VRcade Arena system works in practice, allowing managers of VR arcade facilities the ability to manage hardware, software, user profiles and content as well as keep an eye on user data and other analytics.
“VRstudios will be demonstrating the capabilities of the VRcade Arena to IAAPA attendees interested in offering a large-scale, high-volume attraction that will fascinate and entertain their guests utilizing technology specifically designed for Location-Based Entertainment,” said Kevin Vitale, VRstudios’ CEO. “The VRcade Arena and custom-tailored attractions, such as Terminal 17, provide an unprecedented, fully immersive VR experience that offers an exciting VR attraction to complement LBE businesses.”
The IAAPA Attractions Expo is due to take place from 13th-17th November, at the Orange County Convention Centre in Orlando, Florida. Further information can be found at the official website.
VRFocus will continue to report on new developments in location-based VR.
VRStudios, the location-based virtual reality (VR) company, has today announced its latest partnership to improve its tech offerings to commercial outlets. The company has now partnered with Beijing-based TPCAST to use its wireless technology in a new VRcade product line.
The partnership with TPCAST will provide VRstudios with technology that will be utilised for a new product concept (to be announced soon) that will complement the company’s existing VRcade Zone and VRcade Arena systems.
“VRstudios was the first company in the world to provide totally wireless, full-motion capability to virtual reality,” said Kevin Vitale, VRstudios’ CEO in a statement. “By partnering with TPCAST we can provide an even more comprehensive product line of high performance attractions to address the requirements of LBE facilities around the globe. This exemplifies the benefits of our Attraction Management Platform(tm) that has been designed to allow easy integration of the best emerging technologies in the VR industry.”
“We are excited to partner with VRstudios, the leader in delivering immersive VR attractions to the commercial LBE market, and enable them to expand the LBE industry and create a pivotal change in the future of wireless, full-motion, arena-scale VR,” said Udi Yuhjtman, TPCAST’s North America GM. “TPCAST is committed to the VR market by supporting untethered high-end systems providing a fully immersive experience with enhanced video and audio quality.”
VRStudios announced the VRcade Arena and its Attraction Management Platform (AMP) software back in June, as a means of providing a warehouse-scale VR platform for up to eight simultaneous users, offering full-motion, immersive and competitive gaming experiences.
AMP as well as a half-sized VRcade Arena will be demonstrated for the first time publicly at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expo in Orlando, Florida, 14-17 November.
TPCAST is already available for HTC Vive and most recently the company announced work on a version for Oculus Rift. The company has said the Wireless Adapter will be available by the end of Q4 2017, supporting 2K video transmission at 90FPS with sub 2ms latency and a 5 hour battery life.
As further details are released VRFocus will keep you updated.
One of the largest social entertainment brands, caused a rash of mainstream media headlines with the announcement that they would be installing, what has been called the “World’s largest commercial multiplayer VR attraction, at over 110 Dave & Busters’ (D&B) locations. The attraction called 
