Schlagwort: Apex Construct

  • Embark on an adorable mystery with The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets

    Embark on an adorable mystery with The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets

    Reading Time: 7 minutes

    Fast Travel Games – the creators of the VDA winning sci-fi adventure Apex Construct – are back with an all-new all-ages experience that will challenge your brain and tug at your heart strings. The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets arrives tomorrow on Viveport, so we sat down with this talented crew of developers to find out what went into crafting this adorable tale.

    Interview by Nathan Allen Ortega, Viveport Staff

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrrXVDzW1FQ?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&w=730&h=411]

    Tell us a bit about yourself and the team at Fast Travel Games

    My name is James Hunt and I am a Sr. Animator by trade, and now taken the role as Creative Lead for The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets. Our team at Fast Travel Games is 17 people right now, most with background in traditional video game development. We are based in Stockholm Sweden, and we create VR games with a focus on story, characters and world building.

    How did the concept of The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets come to be?

    I came up with the idea for The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets in December last year and pitched it to our founders. They really liked it and asked me to lead the creation of the game. My vision was to make a game that would be accessible and could be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of age or gaming preferences. I really liked the idea of having small worlds in front of you that you could interact with, and believed that it would be wonderful to do so in VR.

    The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets is a pretty big departure from your previous title – the critically acclaimed sci-fi adventure Apex Construct. How did your experience developing that title shape the direction of The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets?

    We learnt a lot from making Apex Construct. It was our first game, and we had to do a lot of research into what preferences VR players had, how long their gaming sessions were, all kinds of things.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN1RsJkUvwk?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&w=730&h=411]

    Apex Construct is of course a first person action/adventure so it meant we had to cater for a lot of different locomotion styles – the game actually offers over 30 different options in the Settings menu. While that is a good thing for that kind of game, we really wanted to make something else with The Curious Tale. Besides from language and sound, there is literally no settings options in the game and people should be able to start playing just by using their intuition.

    What do you think are essential elements necessary to crafting an engaging piece of VR content that is accessible to everyone?

    Making it easy for players to start engaging with the game is key. We believe VR is all about immersion and being able to play by using your intuition. It does a lot to help players believe in the experience. It’s also a question about believability: If we want players to engage and immersive themselves in our games, they have to believe in the worlds we present, they have to be curious about it – so attention to details and a sense of wonder is also important.

    The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets tasks players with exploring vibrant 3D environments filled with things to interact with in order to recover the titular pilfered pets. Talk a bit about the design process of crafting satisfying and colorful puzzle boxes that are challenging but approachable for every player.

    The Curious Tale as an interactive tale, with a narrative that takes you back to the imaginative worlds from your childhood and the relationship between yourself, your sister and your grandfather. And in terms of puzzles, this is not a hardcore puzzle game – you can take your time without time limits or the risk of fail states. We really encourage the player to be curious and experiment with all the interactive details. There are of course some puzzles that will require some creative thinking though.

    Were there any ideas/puzzles/concepts that you wanted to work into the experience but found it difficult to work into the final build of the game?

    Not really. We still have many ideas for worlds, puzzles and mechanics that didn’t make it into this game but could show up in future Curious Tale games if that ever happened.

    What were your main artistic and design influences on The Curious Tale?

    Definitely claymation for the characters and their animations. We made them simple on purpose and animated on every other frame to give them a clay feeling. The overall look of the game is inspired by art and games we like such as Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.

    The Curious Tale has been shown off at events such as XRDC. Have you been surprised by any particular pieces of feedback from players so far?

    Maybe not surprised, but thoroughly happy that all kinds of people seem to enjoy the game a lot! From younger players with no VR experience, to the more core players, everyone has really been highly impressed with the game and many left smiling! Of course, winning the ‘best Immersive Game’ award at the Raindance Film Festival was unexpected, especially given the competition in our category, but shows we have really created something special with this game.

    How many people worked on The Curious Tale and how long was the development process?

    We started with 2 people and towards the end, 8 people were involved. It has been a small team with a lot of heart.

    What do you want players/viewers to take away from their time with The Curious Tale?

    I would love for them to get a sense of wonder from these detailed miniature worlds we have created, and hopefully feel that they want to return to them again and again!

    Given that Apex Construct and The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets reach pretty different audiences – is variety of the kinds of experiences you develop a priority for Fast Travel Games? 

    I think variety is important at this stage in this relatively early stage in the VR games industry, where many studios try things for the first time. There is no genre fatigue yet, although the wave shooters genre became somewhat crowded early on. For us, it’s important to experiment while staying true to our philosophy of focusing on story, characters and world buildings. Apex Construct, The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets and the upcoming Budget Cuts 2 are all examples of this.

    Your team is also working with Neat Corporation on Budget Cuts 2 – the follow up to the hilarious VR workplace experience. Talk a bit about how that collaboration came to be.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKWOUVljBgM?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&w=730&h=411]

    We actually used to share offices back in the early VR days! We have known and respected each other for a long time, bouncing ideas off each other like “wouldn’t this be cool in Budget Cuts” etc. One day we just started talking about making the sequel together, using the best of our combined ideas to make something spectacular. It has been exciting for us to work with the game, and we cannot wait to release it on December 12!

    What are your thoughts on the future of VR and AR and where do you hope to see the technology develop going forward?

    I think we will see VR becoming more accessible for a wider audience, which really excites me. Seeing more headsets becoming wireless, focusing on ease of access, will do a lot to invite new players to VR. Though I am also excited about the more high-end VR gaming experiences, and there is definitely a market for both!

    What’s next for Fast Travel Games?

    After releasing Budget Cuts 2: Mission Insolvency on December 12, we have something in the works that we are not ready to talk about yet. Without giving any details, we plan to use all the experience we have gathered from making Apex Construct, The Curious Tale & Budget Cuts 2, and put this into a game that we believe will be something truly spectacular. More about this in 2020!

    Exciting to hear! Thanks a bunch for taking the time to chat – we can’t wait to see what you have coming next. : )

    The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets arrives on Viveport November 14th – warm up your headset of choice and get to saving these adorable rascals!

    Website: LINK

  • Embark on an adorable mystery with The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets

    Embark on an adorable mystery with The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets

    Reading Time: 7 minutes

    Fast Travel Games – the creators of the VDA winning sci-fi adventure Apex Construct – are back with an all-new all-ages experience that will challenge your brain and tug at your heart strings. The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets arrives tomorrow on Viveport, so we sat down with this talented crew of developers to find out what went into crafting this adorable tale.

    Interview by Nathan Allen Ortega, Viveport Staff

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrrXVDzW1FQ?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&w=730&h=411]

    Tell us a bit about yourself and the team at Fast Travel Games

    My name is James Hunt and I am a Sr. Animator by trade, and now taken the role as Creative Lead for The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets. Our team at Fast Travel Games is 17 people right now, most with background in traditional video game development. We are based in Stockholm Sweden, and we create VR games with a focus on story, characters and world building.

    How did the concept of The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets come to be?

    I came up with the idea for The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets in December last year and pitched it to our founders. They really liked it and asked me to lead the creation of the game. My vision was to make a game that would be accessible and could be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of age or gaming preferences. I really liked the idea of having small worlds in front of you that you could interact with, and believed that it would be wonderful to do so in VR.

    The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets is a pretty big departure from your previous title – the critically acclaimed sci-fi adventure Apex Construct. How did your experience developing that title shape the direction of The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets?

    We learnt a lot from making Apex Construct. It was our first game, and we had to do a lot of research into what preferences VR players had, how long their gaming sessions were, all kinds of things.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN1RsJkUvwk?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&w=730&h=411]

    Apex Construct is of course a first person action/adventure so it meant we had to cater for a lot of different locomotion styles – the game actually offers over 30 different options in the Settings menu. While that is a good thing for that kind of game, we really wanted to make something else with The Curious Tale. Besides from language and sound, there is literally no settings options in the game and people should be able to start playing just by using their intuition.

    What do you think are essential elements necessary to crafting an engaging piece of VR content that is accessible to everyone?

    Making it easy for players to start engaging with the game is key. We believe VR is all about immersion and being able to play by using your intuition. It does a lot to help players believe in the experience. It’s also a question about believability: If we want players to engage and immersive themselves in our games, they have to believe in the worlds we present, they have to be curious about it – so attention to details and a sense of wonder is also important.

    The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets tasks players with exploring vibrant 3D environments filled with things to interact with in order to recover the titular pilfered pets. Talk a bit about the design process of crafting satisfying and colorful puzzle boxes that are challenging but approachable for every player.

    The Curious Tale as an interactive tale, with a narrative that takes you back to the imaginative worlds from your childhood and the relationship between yourself, your sister and your grandfather. And in terms of puzzles, this is not a hardcore puzzle game – you can take your time without time limits or the risk of fail states. We really encourage the player to be curious and experiment with all the interactive details. There are of course some puzzles that will require some creative thinking though.

    Were there any ideas/puzzles/concepts that you wanted to work into the experience but found it difficult to work into the final build of the game?

    Not really. We still have many ideas for worlds, puzzles and mechanics that didn’t make it into this game but could show up in future Curious Tale games if that ever happened.

    What were your main artistic and design influences on The Curious Tale?

    Definitely claymation for the characters and their animations. We made them simple on purpose and animated on every other frame to give them a clay feeling. The overall look of the game is inspired by art and games we like such as Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.

    The Curious Tale has been shown off at events such as XRDC. Have you been surprised by any particular pieces of feedback from players so far?

    Maybe not surprised, but thoroughly happy that all kinds of people seem to enjoy the game a lot! From younger players with no VR experience, to the more core players, everyone has really been highly impressed with the game and many left smiling! Of course, winning the ‘best Immersive Game’ award at the Raindance Film Festival was unexpected, especially given the competition in our category, but shows we have really created something special with this game.

    How many people worked on The Curious Tale and how long was the development process?

    We started with 2 people and towards the end, 8 people were involved. It has been a small team with a lot of heart.

    What do you want players/viewers to take away from their time with The Curious Tale?

    I would love for them to get a sense of wonder from these detailed miniature worlds we have created, and hopefully feel that they want to return to them again and again!

    Given that Apex Construct and The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets reach pretty different audiences – is variety of the kinds of experiences you develop a priority for Fast Travel Games? 

    I think variety is important at this stage in this relatively early stage in the VR games industry, where many studios try things for the first time. There is no genre fatigue yet, although the wave shooters genre became somewhat crowded early on. For us, it’s important to experiment while staying true to our philosophy of focusing on story, characters and world buildings. Apex Construct, The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets and the upcoming Budget Cuts 2 are all examples of this.

    Your team is also working with Neat Corporation on Budget Cuts 2 – the follow up to the hilarious VR workplace experience. Talk a bit about how that collaboration came to be.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKWOUVljBgM?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&w=730&h=411]

    We actually used to share offices back in the early VR days! We have known and respected each other for a long time, bouncing ideas off each other like “wouldn’t this be cool in Budget Cuts” etc. One day we just started talking about making the sequel together, using the best of our combined ideas to make something spectacular. It has been exciting for us to work with the game, and we cannot wait to release it on December 12!

    What are your thoughts on the future of VR and AR and where do you hope to see the technology develop going forward?

    I think we will see VR becoming more accessible for a wider audience, which really excites me. Seeing more headsets becoming wireless, focusing on ease of access, will do a lot to invite new players to VR. Though I am also excited about the more high-end VR gaming experiences, and there is definitely a market for both!

    What’s next for Fast Travel Games?

    After releasing Budget Cuts 2: Mission Insolvency on December 12, we have something in the works that we are not ready to talk about yet. Without giving any details, we plan to use all the experience we have gathered from making Apex Construct, The Curious Tale & Budget Cuts 2, and put this into a game that we believe will be something truly spectacular. More about this in 2020!

    Exciting to hear! Thanks a bunch for taking the time to chat – we can’t wait to see what you have coming next. : )

    The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets arrives on Viveport November 14th – warm up your headset of choice and get to saving these adorable rascals!

    Website: LINK

  • Apex Construct builds a whole new VR world

    Apex Construct builds a whole new VR world

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    Apex Construct takes VR players to a world that’s been torn apart and put back together, and where everything is not quite as it seems. With the debut of Apex Construct on Viveport, we tracked down Erik Odeldahl of Fast Travel Games to find out more.

    Hello! Tell us who you are, and your job on Apex Construct.

    Hi! My name is Erik Odeldahl. I’m the Creative Director and one of the co-founders of Fast Travel Games, a VR game developer in Stockholm, Sweden. As a Creative Director, my responsibility is to set the direction for gameplay, storytelling and mood in our games, of which Apex Construct is the first. Since we’re a relatively small studio, everybody has to do quite a lot. This means I’ve also been designing levels, writing the script and directing the actors, and even pitched in with some code. To learn more about the game and the studio, you can find us on Facebook and Twitter.

    Give us your pitch on Apex Construct. What kind of VR gamer do you think will enjoy it?

    Apex Construct is an action-adventure game built from the ground up for VR, where you get to wield an upgradable high tech bow and fire several types of arrows. It features a full narrative with twelve missions and combat that takes full advantage of the physical potential of a VR setup. We think everybody interested in exploring and solving puzzles in a strange future world, while combating its robot inhabitants will really like it. It’s designed to be around 50% exploration and puzzle solving and 50% combat.

    Apex Construct

    Tell us a bit more, without spoilers of course, about the two AI constructs ‘Fathr’ and ‘Mothr’?

    When the game starts, the player is taken from a dimensional void back to a future earth where almost all organic life seems to have vanished in the blink of an eye. The world has been torn apart by a strange event and then reassembled, but the pieces ended up all over the places. Buildings, furniture and strange machinery intersect the environment, creating a weird and compelling world to explore. The two AIs, Mothr and Fathr, were the two first “living” beings who returned to this strange new Earth. It is soon made clear to the player that these two beings existed before the apocalypse and that the conflict between them is old. Maybe they had something to do with why the world is the way it is?

    What games (or indeed, other media) inspired you when creating Apex Construct?

    I personally re-read a lot of older science fiction novels, looking for inspiration into how to create mysterious worlds. The Strugatsky brothers’ Roadside Picnic is one, Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C Clarke is another. Both are heavily recommended reads! From a games point of view, I think titles such as the Bioshock and Half-Life series have inspired us the most for Apex Construct.

    Apex Construct was built exclusively for VR. Was there anything specifically you felt that was only possible to achieve in VR?

    The bow and arrow mechanic we built is impossible to do outside VR! I also think the level of immersion you achieve in VR isn’t attainable on a standard 2d screen. When starting the development of the game, we worked from two angles: 1) The core bow and arrow mechanic and 2) the world we wanted the player to explore. Basically: We wanted the player to fully immerse themselves in a world we created and we wanted them to wield the most awesome bow and arrow ever in a VR title.

    Apex Construct

    Okay then, tell us about the bow/shield combination!

    The bow is a highly technological tool developed in the time before the apocalypse. It has the ability to fire arrows of different types and also to generate an energy shield that helps the player block incoming enemy projectiles. When the player returns to the world, their left hand has been mysteriously replaced with a mechanical one. This hand gives the player the ability to use a certain kind of energy, which we call Radiance, to upgrade their bow, shield and arrows. It is up to the player to choose how they want to spend these Radiance Points.

    You’ve included more than one movement method; did you have to make any adjustments to gameplay to make both modes work?

    The game was initially built to support teleportation movement. This was a choice we made because we wanted everybody to be able to play the game without risk of nausea. Free locomotion was something we planned to add post-release, but after feedback from VR players around the world we decided to implement it already at launch, selectable from the Settings menu. Supporting more than one mode of locomotion of course takes more effort, but we didn’t have to make any big changes to the gameplay.

    Apex Construct

    We’ve seen quite a lot of bow/shield combo games in VR. What do you feel makes Apex Construct unique?

    I think that when you play the game, you’ll find that the bow in Apex Construct is truly special. We’ve put a lot of work into and are really proud of how it came out, from the way it requires precision aiming using the motion controllers, to the way it gives feedback to the player using positional audio and finely tweaked rumble. It is worth noting too, that having a great bow doesn’t mean much if the surrounding gameplay and AI doesn’t support that mode of combat, so a lot of work has gone into balancing these features together.

    Finally, do you have future plans for Apex Construct? Will you be expanding it going forward?

    We love the world of Apex Construct and will definitely keep supporting it! First of all, we will listen closely to what players think and and want, and fix bugs that might pop up. Secondly, there might be new content coming out … I can’t say anything yet, but make sure to follow Fast Travel Games onFacebook or Twitter to get news when it’s available!

    Thanks for talking with us!

    Apex Construct is available on Viveport.

    Website: LINK