Schlagwort: htc vive

  • Computer-Aided Design, VR/XR Reality Solutions Shine at SOLIDWORKS World 2019

    Computer-Aided Design, VR/XR Reality Solutions Shine at SOLIDWORKS World 2019

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    The future of design, collaboration, visualization—business itself—is immersive.

    SOLIDWORKS World 2019 has come and gone, but the business world has only just begun to use the tools it revealed to the world. For the next generation of makers, doers, and innovators that want to create things and create them well, there has been incredible advancements in computer-aided design (CAD) and virtual/extended reality (VR/XR) solutions to bring their ideas to life.

    At SOLIDWORKS World 2019’s XR Zone, designers, engineers, entrepreneurs, and visualization professionals got to experience those advancements firsthand in augmented (AR) and virtual reality. Working in conjunction with VIVE Virtual Reality’s enterprise-class hardware and software, participants;

    • trained users in the assembly, interaction, and operation of products;
    • improved collaborative internal and external design reviews;
    • sold designs more effectively with immersive experiences.

    Those who attended the XR Partners Panel Discussion were treated to an even deeper XR dive with David Randle, Sr. Manager Strategy & Business Development at Dassault Systèmes and David Weinstein, Director of VR, NVIDIA and learned how to address the ideal use cases with the current scope of available technology and capitalize in the new era of business.

    Didn’t have a chance to attend? Don’t fret: SOLIDWORKS World returns again next year as 3D EXPERIENCE World.

    Feeling a little left out of all the XR action, SOLIDWORKers? Not to worry: we’ve compiled a summary of VIVE’s collaborations and partnerships with NVIDIA, Tsunami XR, and Silverdraft so you can stay up-to-date on the latest tools of your trade.

    NVIDIA

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHqzH2KBLpc?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&w=730&h=411]

    So, you have a detailed CAD model built in SOLIDWORKS, you created some beautiful renderings using SOLIDWORKS Visualize, and now, you need a fast way to review your model in VR with your colleagues. There’s no time to prep the CAD model in another application, and definitely no time to reduce down hundreds of surfaces so a VR app can display them without your boss getting motion sick. What do you do?

    At SOLIDWORKS World 2019, NVIDIA exhibited the CFH Telescope model—a 27-million-polygon model that went from SOLIDWORKS to SOLIDWORKS Visualize to NVIDIA’s Holodeck with the power of RTX6000. With “Export to Holodeck” in Visualize 2019, your model and materials export to Holodeck ready for VR viewing—no model editing or geometry reduction required. Even better, you can view your Visualize materials or reassign them with 1300 vMaterials in Holodeck. To share the efficient Holodeck workflow, users can collaborate, talk, record, and see their colleague’s avatars in the same experience whether in the same room or across the globe.

    For more information about Holodeck, please visit the official site.

    Tsunami XR

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ1xombHlYE]

    Tsunami XR is revolutionizing the way people communicate and collaborate in business. Launched in 2012, Tsunami XR Workspaces, a spatial computing platform offered by the company, enables customers to build immersive 3D environments such as virtual conference rooms, virtual workshops, and virtual classrooms. Multiple users can join the virtual environments from any location and interact through a variety of devices, including tablets, laptops, desktops, augmented reality devices, and virtual reality headsets. Tsunami XR Workspaces platform supports SOLIDWORKS as well as most of the other popular CAD formats.

    To further allow designers and engineers to share and engage around spatial content, Tsunami XR is also launching Meet.com, a new service that enables simple, drag-and-drop collaboration experiences to any device via a web browser. We’ll keep you posted on this exciting development that allows people to widely share their work and ideas, spanning all device types, whether desktop, mobile, virtual, or augmented reality.

    Here’s a taste of what was showcased at SOLIDWORKS World 2019:

    The SOLIDWORKS-provided model of the CFH Telescope through Tsunami XR on VIVE Pro.
    Visitors will be able to teleport around the full-scale model and play an animation. In addition, they’ll enjoy the full collaboration and annotation tools offered in Tsunami XR Workspaces.

    Simple Tsunami XR demo collaboration workspace on VIVE Pro and VIVE Focus Plus (all-in-one VR with six degrees of freedom.)
    A demo workspace that includes a 3D jet engine model, white board, .pdf board and two stream boards to demonstrate Tsunami XR Workspaces cross-device capabilities.

    Dell Gaming CES Virtual Experience on VIVE Pro.
    A complete digital twin of Dell Gaming and Alienware’s physical CES booth demonstrates the future of retail shopping in the virtual world. The experience showcases Tsunami XR Workspaces scripting and simulation capabilities.

    Ameren Training Experience on VIVE Pro.
    Virtual training has the ability to save lives and reduce costs. The Ameren Training Experience highlights the improved learning and retention of immersive education versus standard 2D methods. Visitors are transported deep inside a nuclear facility to troubleshoot potential threats and learn how to safely mitigate those risks.

    Silverdraft

    DemonVR, a first-of-its-kind supercomputer capable of hosting two VIVE Pro headsets simultaneously.

    Whether you’re in design, VFX, manufacturing, AEC, or simply looking for ways to leverage visualization to enhance your business, Silverdraft can help accelerate your adoption and speed up your ROI. They focus on the use of talented individuals and unique supercomputing architecture to address the significant computational and processing needs of high-end rendering, VR, and visual effects. The Silverdraft process always starts by identifying the bottlenecks in any given workflow to establish which solution is right for the job.

    Most relevant to those interested in extended reality solutions, and the one showcased at SOLIDWORKS World 2019 is the expert-assembled DemonVR, a first-of-its-kind multiuser VR workstation capable of hosting two VIVE Pro headsets simultaneously. Powered by two NVIDIA P6000s, one NVIDIA P2000 and backed up by a single 18-core Intel Extreme CPU and 64GB of high-speed RAM, DemonVR is designed to deliver smooth, collaborative user experiences.

    Website: LINK

  • Announcing VDA3 Nominees

    Announcing VDA3 Nominees

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    It’s that time of year again! We’re excited to share the nominees for the third annual Viveport Developer Awards. In total, there are 8 nominees across 4 categories for PC titles and 3 winners for Mobile titles. This year, we wanted to recognize the developers who are delivering exceptional experiences to our Viveport Subscribers and Viveport Arcade Operators. These 11 titles highlight some of the best titles in VR today. If you haven’t tried these nominees and winners, we highly recommend giving them a play and exploring them yourself.

    If you need a refresher on the prizing, check out our announcement blog of the awards. Final winners will be announced at our private developer mixer on Monday, March 18, the first day of GDC 2019. Good luck to the nominees and congratulations!

    Here are the nominees and winners in no particular order:

    Entertainment – PC

    Education – PC

    Arts & Culture – PC

    Arcade – PC

    Entertainment – Mobile

    • Bait! | Resolution Games

    Education – Mobile

    • Star Chart | Escapist Games Ltd.

    Arts & Culture – Mobile

    • PAINT VR | COSKAMI LLC

    Website: LINK

  • A Look at VR in Medical and Nursing Student Training

    A Look at VR in Medical and Nursing Student Training

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    AUTHOR: Steven Anbro

    Virtual reality has enormous potential for both current and future research applications in science and medicine. The social sciences in particular stand to benefit from using virtual reality technology to conduct more accurate research, better measure specific phenomena, and collect valid, reportable data—all common challenges in various disciplines in the field. We in the Behavior Analysis Program at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) put the technology to the test in a recent study. Read on for a look at our challenges, our simulation, and our findings.

    Effectively Tackling Medical Errors and Miscommunication

    In recent years, medical errors—primarily errors attributed to miscommunication among medical teams—have received increased attention. The call for specific research into them is ever-present. One proposed solution to communication errors among medical teams is to begin training medical and nursing students together, rather than separately.

    Through our graduate program’s ongoing partnership with the UNR School of Medicine and the Orvis School of Nursing, we are fortunate to have the opportunity to help orchestrate interprofessional trainings for these future medical providers. As psychologists, we are always asking ourselves, “Is this training/intervention/procedure/etc. effective?” By taking advantage of virtual reality technology in pre- and post-training assessments, we can begin to answer that question.

    The Simulation

    Using an Insta360 Pro camera, we filmed a short 360° video simulation where a simulated pregnant mother (a fully-functional “SimMom” birthing mannequin) is having an unexpected complication: a pre-eclamptic seizure. Her doctor and nurse then work together to address the complication, while also directly addressing the viewer.

    Figure 1. The simulation used in the current study.

    The students viewing this simulation played the role of a “recorder” – someone tasked with confirming and repeating back critical information (medications used; dosage). This simulation was filmed with a number of opportunities for recorders to respond, out loud, to what they saw and heard.

    Figure 2. A research assistant orients a medical student to what they are seeing in the VIVE headset.

    We had over 100 medical and nursing students view this simulation through VIVE prior to any training as a “pre-test”. We measured how often they responded to the simulation and whether their responses were correct, contained any errors or missing pieces of information, or if they simply did not respond at all. A subset of these students (20%) used VIVE headsets with built-in Tobii eye tracking sensors to track what they were looking at in the simulation, how quickly, how often, and for how long.

    Figure 3. Medical and nursing students gather for their interprofessional communication training.

    We then brought all 100+ students together for an interprofessional team communication training (TeamSTEPPS®), followed by another round in VIVE (their “post-test”) approximately one week later

    What Did We Find, and Where is This Going?
    After their training, students across the board increased the number of times they responded out loud to the simulation, with relatively few errors or missing pieces of information. Our initial analysis of those students using the eye tracking headsets shows some slight variation between pre-test and post-test.

    At this point we can’t conclude whether this variation is beneficial or detrimental—more research needs to be done in this area. For instance, we can assess how experts perform in these simulations and compare their performance to student performance. Do the experts look at everything relatively equally, or are there certain elements within a particular setting that are more important to focus on? Taking advantage of the simulation and measurement capabilities of virtual reality technology will allow many questions in this line of work to be answered and will undoubtedly reveal many future opportunities for research.

    Interesting in learning more about research at The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine? Please visit: https://med.unr.edu/odi/research

    Website: LINK

  • HTC VIVE Teams Up With Mozilla and AWS to Bring Dedicated Virtual Reality Web Browser to Market

    HTC VIVE Teams Up With Mozilla and AWS to Bring Dedicated Virtual Reality Web Browser to Market

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    HTC VIVE™, the leader in room-scale Virtual Reality (VR), today announced a first of its kind collaboration with Mozilla’s Firefox, AWS’s Amazon Sumerian, and Fidelity Investments that will enable consumers to bring VR into their everyday life by providing an immersive web browsing experience in VR. Firefox Reality will become Vive’s native VR browser, providing a safe and private experience for users.

    To easily bring web content into VR, HTC Vive is also working with Amazon Web Services (AWS), whose Amazon Sumerian provides developers and companies toolsets to easily create and launch VR experiences. At CES, the first company to demonstrate on the new platform will be Fidelity Investments, which will enable consumers to review their portfolio in VR through a custom environment built for the new browser.

    “We’ve set out this year to bring everyday computing tasks into VR for the first time,” said Michael Almeraris, Vice President of Partnerships and Content, HTC VIVE. “Through the collaboration with Mozilla and Amazon Web Services, we’re closing the gap in XR computing, empowering Vive users to get more content in their headset, while enabling developers and businesses to quickly create content for these consumers.”

    Mozilla Firefox

    Today, VR web browsing is cumbersome and difficult to navigate. HTC Vive turned to Mozilla’s Firefox to reimagine what a VR Web experience could be. This partnership enables a truly optimized browsing experience in VR for quick and easy searches, access to their favorite websites in VR for shopping, researching, surfing, watching videos and more. Firefox will be the default internet browser for Vive, Vive Pro and the upcoming VIVE Cosmos.

    “We’re excited to work with Amazon and HTC to ensure that the web is the best way to experience 3D content from the internet on the best VR devices in the market,” said Sean White, Chief R&D Officer, Mozilla. “We are bringing Firefox Reality to this platform to ensure that users have a safe, fast, and private experience on the next generation of hardware.” 

    Amazon Sumerian

    As part of this relationship, HTC Vive is teaming up with Amazon Sumerian to bring true web VR to the market. Through this collaboration, HTC Vive developers will be able to create highly immersive, VR-optimized websites, without requiring specialized programming experience. Using Sumerian, developers can quickly concept, test and publish VR-optimized websites that are immediately available to internal testers, authenticated users, or for public use. In addition to VR sites, AWS and HTC plan to seamlessly integrate Sumerian with Viveport for publishing any VR experience to the platform, making them available to end users faster than previously possible.

    “Many industries are adopting XR technologies for a wide range of uses, including training simulations, virtual concierge services, enhanced online shopping experiences, virtual tours, and more,” said Kyle Roche, General Manager, Amazon Sumerian, AWS. “Until now, creating realistic XR experiences required developers to have specialized programming skills and learn unique specifications and deployment procedures, adding complexity to the process. Together with HTC and Mozilla, we’re making it easier for developers to more quickly build and distribute VR applications using nothing more than a browser and a URL.”

     

    Fidelity Investments

    To showcase the full potential of these collaborations, HTC Vive will host Fidelity Investments at their CES VR Showcase at the Wynn Hotel. The Fidelity Investments VR website prototype allows financial customers to immerse themselves in their investments via new data visualization tools and will allow for collaboration between users, such as a family member or a trusted advisor.

    “At Fidelity, we’re committed to helping people live better financial lives, so we were excited to explore the capabilities of these new technologies,” said Adam Schouela, vice president of Product Management at Fidelity’s Center for Applied Technology.  “The ability for an investor to collaborate with a family member or trusted advisor in a virtual environment opens up new possibilities for how consumers may interact with their finances in the future.”

    For press images and assets for all Vive CES News, please use this LINK.

    Website: LINK

  • HTC VIVE Proud to Join VirtualLink Consortium to Define Future of VR Connectivity

    HTC VIVE Proud to Join VirtualLink Consortium to Define Future of VR Connectivity

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    Today, we are excited to announce that HTC VIVE has officially joined the VirtualLink™ Consortium and is contributing to the development of VirtualLink, a new open industry standard that enables next-generation VR headsets to connect more simply to PCs and other devices. This new specification uses a single, high-bandwidth USB Type-C™ connector cable developed to make connecting to current and future VR headsets more seamless.

    Most major tethered headsets require at least two or three cables to work; VirtualLink aims to reduce that to one. VirtualLink is a USB-C “Alternate Mode” connector that will help condense the various types of VR headset plugs used across multiple companies into a single, lightweight cord. This not only makes for an easy setup for your VIVE, but other headsets as well—next-generation headsets included—setting you up with all the power, display, and data you’ll need. The VirtualLink connector includes support for four lanes of HBR3 DisplayPort® for high-resolution displays, USB 3.1 Gen2 (SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps) for headset cameras, and sensors and up to 27W of power delivery.

    “At HTC, we strive to make the best VR experience with crisp resolution, audio, and ergonomics for our customers,” said Daniel O’Brien, HTC VIVE GM for the Americas. “Through our work with VirtualLink, we are working to define not only a connection standard for future VR products but are also undertaking important work to help to define the future of what VR can be.”

    Not only will this new open industry standard streamline cables, but it could help bring VR to an even broader audience—not just those with high-powered gaming PCs. In the future, with this new connector, VR could be used on a variety of USB-C supported devices, such as laptops, tablets, and notebooks.

    “We’re thrilled to welcome HTC VIVE to the consortium of leading companies committing to VirtualLink,” said Rambod Jacoby, Chairman of the VirtualLink Consortium and Principal Technologist at NVIDIA, one of the consortium’s founding members. “VirtualLink is not only streamlining the cords needed for a high-powered experience, but also helping make the next phase of VR more accessible to even more people.”

    More details are available at www.VirtualLink.org.

    VirtualLink is a trademark of the VirtualLink Consortium. USB Type-C and USB-C are trademarks of USB Implementers Forum. Other company and product nam

    Website: LINK

  • VIVE Arts’ ‘Up the River During Qingming VR’ Brings National Treasure to Life

    VIVE Arts’ ‘Up the River During Qingming VR’ Brings National Treasure to Life

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    Today HTC VIVE announced a next step in its partnership with Taiwan’s National Palace Museum, one of the major institutions dedicated to preserving human historical artefacts — in bringing the world renowned masterpiece – Up the River During Qingming to life in virtual reality. Starting October 15, A Journey Inside Paintings and Calligraphy: VR Art Exhibition, will showcase the innovative capabilities of the VIVE Pro headset in not only delivering a unique viewing experience, but to actually traverse the famed painting, offering unprecedented recreation and interaction.

    Up the River During Qingming VR, marking another major step for the VIVE Arts program, continues its mission to transform how art is experienced. VIVE Arts titles are now deployed at the most prestigious institutions across the world, such as the Royal College of Art, Tate Modern, the Muséum national d’histoire naturelle, the Newseum, the State Hermitage Museum, and the National Palace Museum. With Up the River During Qingming VR, VIVE Arts is again marrying cultural richness and state-of-the-art immersion/interaction.

    This partnership between Taiwan’s National Palace Museum and HTC Vive was established in 2015, when the two institutions had co-developed VR artwork projects including “The Spirit of Autobiography” (based on Tang dynasty Huaisu’s cursive script – Autobiography), and “Roaming through Fantasy Land” (based on Yuan dynasty painter Zhao Mengfu’s “Autumn Colors on the Qiao & Hua Mountains”). Seeking to redefine exhibition standards with the help of modern VR technology, the partnership also brings VR content to rural and remote townships.

    Running October 15 to December 15, 2018, the A Journey Inside Paintings and Calligraphy – VR ART exhibition, alongside the current exhibit Another Look at National Treasures: Select Masterpieces of Painting and Calligraphy in the Museum Collection, will be located at the Northern Branch Exhibition Area 210.

    ”Up the River During Qingming, especially this version by Qing dynasty court painters, is one of the most exquisite and beautifully rendered genre paintings,” said Lillian Lee, AVP of HTC Vive and Producer of the Up the River During Qingming VR project. “Through the VIVE, we make this content both educational and entertaining. While the viewers are having fun, they learn the historical heritage of the painting at the same time. We look forward to bringing this experience to the museums, galleries, and art exhibitions around the world through location-based business collaboration.”

    Up the River During Qingming VR is a dual experience including 8K High-Res artwork display and interactive sessions:

    Hidden details revealed through VR

    Scroll through the high-res painting at your own pace, zoom out for an overall view of each scene, and get close to appreciate every detail. Many “Scenic Spots” are located throughout the painting, and the Emperor Qianlong himself will provide related knowledge and anecdotes.

    A World Brought to Life

    Viewers walk into the lively worlds portrayed in the artwork, searching for characters, playing mini games throughout the ancient world.

    The Rainbow Bridge

    The iconic “Rainbow Bridge” scene consists of the hustle and bustle of a crowded market and passing cargo boats. Interact with the fascinating people and shops in a game, and take on a mission to assist a stranded boat to gain a better understanding of river transportation.  

    Outdoor Theater: “The Phoenix Pavilion”

    Portraying the ancient story from the “Romance of Three Kingdoms”, traditional Chinese opera is a favorite for all market goers as they bustle about to get a better view. Help dress up the actors for the show to commence.

    • Golden Orchid Restaurant

    The Golden Orchid Restaurant is situated at a prime location in front of the city entrance, offering a spectacular view of the river. Here, you can immerse in the house duties and learn about the origins of iconic Chinese dishes.

    This special exhibition includes:

    1. Up the River During Qingming VR: Rainbow Bridge
    2. Up the River During Qingming VR: Outdoor Theater
    3. Up the River During Qingming VR: Golden Orchid Restaurant
    4. “Roaming through Fantasy Land” & “The Spirit of Autobiography”

    About the National Palace Museum

    The incredible troves of historical artifacts in NPM’s collection are not only the important remains of Chinese civilization but are also of immeasurable value to mankind at large. NPM shoulders the great mission of preserving and educating people about traditional culture and hopes to continue to build upon historical foundations.

    Website: LINK

  • A Look at Sense Arena, VR’s First Pro-Level Hockey Training Tool

    A Look at Sense Arena, VR’s First Pro-Level Hockey Training Tool

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    We sat down with Bob Tetiva, founder and CEO of Sense Arena, a Czech startup  that seeks to bring the ice rink to hockey players’ homes, gyms, and training centers. Catch their virtual-reality-based training platform mid-October 2018.

    Where did the idea of using VR for athletic training come from?

    Well, for starters, my son plays ice hockey and I’m an amateur coach. (I’m just your typical hockey dad!) But one day, I was thinking about the length of your average training session, which is about 60 minutes. With 20 players on the ice, that means, statistically, each player is only in action for about 10 minutes. Then, the average player only handles the puck for about two! That’s no way to learn how to play.

    That’s when—with the help of my son—it hit me. What if we made hockey training virtual? The experience could focus on hard-to-learn, hard-to-train-for skills and drills while making it fun for the players.

    What can you tell us about the training and skills players will focus on in this experience?

    The player holds a standard hockey stick connected with a VIVE Tracker. They then see the 3D model of the stick in VR and perform all sorts of drills, just as they would on the ice. The player then gets to focus on agility, scoring, teamplay, and develop instincts on their own time.

    One of the most unbeatable advantages, when compared to being on the ice, is the ability to setup challenging conditions and situations that you can’t always replicate in real life. It’s the perfect tool for coaches who have been there.

    What equipment is needed to set up the Sense Arena training?

    It’s your standard hardware setup for the VIVE Pro, plus our special hockey stick with an attached VIVE Tracker and Sense Arena haptic feedback technology. A real breakthrough for us was the arrival of the VIVE Wireless Adapter. Our athletes perform workouts typically in a room that is 25 x 25 feet, skating sometimes on synthetic ice. They run all around the room, sweating it up like they would in a gym, all without a tether to hold them back.

    What can you tell about player feedback or any results you’ve seen?

    After only three months of Sense Arena use at Charles University in Prague, we found a 10-15% improvement in cognitive and physical abilities specific to hockey. Currently, there are five installations of Sense Arena in the U.S. and Europe. However, we expect to see more in the future. We received some good feedback at CES (The International Consumer Electronics Show) in January, albeit from a sport journalist and an ex-player: “This is the first useful application for VR I’ve seen so far.” Talk about high praise.

    To find out more about Sense Arena, visit https://www.sensearena.com.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8o90Jf_djM?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&w=730&h=411]

    Website: LINK

  • Bell Brings the Revolutionary FCX-001 to Market 10 Times Faster With HTC VIVE

    Bell Brings the Revolutionary FCX-001 to Market 10 Times Faster With HTC VIVE

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    Ultimately, the team decided to build their mock-ups in VR, and it had a profound effect on their entire design process. Bell worked with Sector 5 Digital (S5D), an innovative 3D design and production agency, to help design and sketch the initial model, then create the aircraft in 3D using Computer Aided Design (CAD) software. The model was then transferred into Unity (a real-time game engine) so the design could be experienced and modified in VR on HTC VIVE.

    Shots of interiors, design, mock up, and passengers at Dallas Convention Center

    Rather than having to start with a small-scale model for the initial prototyping, the VIVE enabled Bell’s engineers and test pilots to visualize a full-scale model right from the very beginning. The test pilots could then experience the aircraft as if they were inside an actual model, allowing them to provide faster and more specific feedback.

    Website: LINK

  • Wireless VR Starts Today

    Wireless VR Starts Today

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    The Vive Wireless Adapter launches today, freeing Vive owners from the tether back to the PC — experiencing the full potential of premium VR. Compatible with both the Vive and Vive Pro, customers in the US can now purchase the adapter on Vive.com and other retailers where Vive is sold.

    The Vive Wireless Adapter retails at $299 [USD] while the Vive Pro compatibility pack can be purchased for $60 [USD]. Every Vive Wireless Adapter purchase includes two months of Viveport Subscription, offering access to 500 titles.

    Wireless VR grants even deeper immersion into the virtual world as all restrictions fade away. Whether you’re bobbing and weaving in Knockout League, pulling off the perfect backhand in Virtual Sports or dodging enemy fire, the Vive Wireless Adapter will give you the freedom of movement to experience VR at its fullest. 

    The Vive Wireless Adapter meets the rigorous demands of performance, latency and image quality for premium VR. With hours of battery life, the Vive Wireless Adapter will power VR sessions for over two hours with the included battery.

    Still debating if you should go wireless? The Vive Wireless Adapter was shown at gaming and VR events this summer (including Gamescom where it won “Best Hardware”), check out what these early reviewers had to say:

    • “Being completely untethered, yet still getting the supreme experiences only PC VR can provide is a major breakthrough and we cannot wait to try out this seemingly essential accessory when it arrives in Pocket-lint’s testing labs.” – Pocket-lint
    • “It manages to stream a VR experience to a Vive Pro with seemingly no lag and perfect motion tracking, and that’s impressive for any wireless video stream.” – PCMag
    • “The Vive Wireless Adapter offers the single biggest improvement possible to your room-scale virtual reality experience. Wireless is the future of VR.” – Trusted Reviews

    Easy to install, you can start to experience the potential of wireless VR in just minutes after opening the box. Just install the PCI-e card and attach a sensor from the PC that broadcasts to and from the new wireless Vive headset up to 6 meters from the included sensor.

    Website: LINK

  • How to play Oculus Rift titles via Viveport

    How to play Oculus Rift titles via Viveport

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    If you’re an Oculus Rift user discovering Viveport for the first time, welcome! It’s easy to set up Viveport and start playing titles on your Rift – but if you need a quick start guide, follow the steps below.

    Without your Rift ready to go, we can’t start playing titles from Viveport, so make sure to:

    You’ll need to download the Viveport desktop app to access your Viveport library, download titles and play them. You can download the Viveport desktop app at vive.com/setup. If you already have a Vive or Vive Pro, you may already have Viveport installed (in which case, skip on down to Step Three).

    After downloading Viveport, locate the file and launch it. During installation, you will need to:

    • Sign in with your HTC | VIVE Account (or create a new one).

    • Install SteamVR. This will happen automatically, but you may be asked to sign in to Steam during the installation.

    • After installation, you’ll be able to launch Viveport from the desktop shortcut.

    You can browse Viveport either from within the desktop app or via Viveport.com. Here’s what to look out for:

    • Titles that are Oculus Rift compatible will have the icon displayed throughout the site
    • You can also filter for Oculus Rift compatible titles
    • After purchasing a title, it will be added to your Viveport Library, accessible from your desktop app or from Viveport.com while logged in
    • To play your purchased titles, download and install them via the Viveport desktop app
    • Launch your Viveport titles from within the Viveport Library

    As well as buying individual titles from Viveport, you can sign up for Viveport Subscription for FREE, letting you experience five titles per month for one low price. You can cancel any time, and to really save money, you’re able to pre-pay for your Viveport Subscription with our 3, 6 and 12 month plans.

    Want a few suggestions for some fantastic Oculus Rift compatible titles available to you in Viveport Subscription? Check out our blog on just that.

    Website: LINK

  • HTC VIVE & Immersive Factory Provide World Infrastructure Leader with Innovative Safety Solutions

    HTC VIVE & Immersive Factory Provide World Infrastructure Leader with Innovative Safety Solutions

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    Like most infrastructure companies, Colas Group is not necessarily a household name—though they should be. With 55,000 employees on five continents and an average of 80,000 road construction and maintenance projects every year, Colas’ work and presence are felt the world over. In 2017, their consolidated revenue totaled 11.7 billion euros—with international markets accounting for 48% of this figure.

    As a world leader in infrastructure, Colas are at the cutting edge of seemingly everything in their industry, be it recovering and recycling waste, reducing their carbon footprint, or limiting the impact of their production sites on the local environment and community.

    Colas is also at the cutting edge of the thing they value most: safety. More than 50% of their budget is dedicated to it. Believing that any company that runs on human capital has a duty to look out for its employees, they have invested significant time and resources in safety audits, site safety briefings, dedicated prevention courses, and first aid with over one-third of the company trained.

    “It is not acceptable for an employee to be injured in the course of his or her work. Our goal is zero accidents, and to achieve it we use a range of levers, including safety training. Our ambition is to bring about lasting change in people’s behavior,” said Philippe Simarik, Director of Prevention, Health, and Safety at Work at Colas.

    While both the frequency and severities of workplace injuries are steadily diminishing, Colas took their efforts a step further in order to hit their lofty, but noble zero accident goal.

    Their approach was two-fold. One: focus on new employees. Internal research showed that over the past several years, almost 60% of lost-time accidents at Colas involved people who have been on the job for less than two years. Two: employ the use of HTC VIVE’s professional-grade VR systems and Immersive Factory’s active-learning training programs in their safety training.

    “We met with four companies to develop virtual reality training courses,” said Simarik. “And it is Immersive Factory that we selected, for the quality of the graphics, the sensations experienced during the VR experience, and sheer ‘playability.’ It was also an opportunity to co-construct and co-finance the creation of this module on worksite crush hazards.”

    Immersive Factory, working in collaboration with Colas, developed a virtual model construction site based off a real one in Nantes, France as well as a virtual scenario based on the feedback of prevention staff, field workers, and even the regional director. After development was completed and approved, Colas was quickly able to test the course out at one of their training sites.

    The result was not only an innovative take on safety training, but a fun and engaging one, too. Immersive Factory’s program appealed to both journeyman and manager; a digital native new to their infrastructure career and the veteran hungry for a new educational experience. Finalized in early 2018, the program was integrated into the newcomer safety days at the Colas Centre-Ouest subsidiary.


    “With virtual reality, we can experience hazardous situations without danger, but keep them in memory,” says Simarik. “The feedback from every level of the company is excellent. Most of the trainees react after the course by saying things like ‘from now on, I’ll be careful about…’; it’s a sign that the message is getting across.”

    Though Colas co-constructed and co-financed this virtual worksite and software, they want Immersive Factory to be able to offer exercise to other infrastructure companies.

    “When it comes to safety,” says Simarik, “good practices must be shared.”

    While the Immersive Factory’s program can be used across a wide range of VR systems, co-founder Olivier Pierre recommends one in particular.

    “We recommended that Colas use the HTC VIVE Pro range of VR headsets for their comfort, ergonomics, and professional resolution. Aside from the reliability of their devices, we and the HTC VIVE teams share a common vision of innovation and of the quality our customers expect.”

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1NbZFxKoqI?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&w=730&h=411]

    Website: LINK

  • Pixel Ripped 1989 im Test: Kurze Hommage mit Höhen und Tiefen

    Pixel Ripped 1989 im Test: Kurze Hommage mit Höhen und Tiefen

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Pixel Ripped 1989 erscheint heute für Oculus Rift und HTC Vive. Auf die europäische Konsolenversion für PlayStation VR (PSVR) müssen wir uns zwar noch etwas länger gedulden, aber wir haben bereits einen Blick in die PC-Version des Spiels gewagt. Der VR-Titel entführt uns in das Jahr 1989, in welchem Videospiele noch keine hochauflösende Grafik hatten und stattdessen die Fantasie der Spieler/innen ansprach. Als Teenager Nicola dürft ihr per virtueller Konsole und Handheld dem 2D-Helden Dot im Kampf gegen den fiesen Cyblin Lord beistehen. Wir haben das erste Level erst kürzlich angespielt und waren davon äußerst angetan. Ob sich das Konzept über die gesamte Spielzeit trägt, erfahrt ihr jetzt.

    Pixel Ripped 1989 im Test

    Pixel Ripped 1

    Nachdem Start des Spiels, landet ihr zunächst in einem Klassenzimmer. Ihr seid bewaffnet mit Blasrohr und Papierkugeln, welche euch als praktisches Ablenkungsmanöver dienen. Eure Aufgabe ist zunächst mit euren Utensilien ordentlich Unruhe zu stiften, damit ihr nicht beim Zocken mit eurem Gear Kid erwischt werdet. Solange die Lehrerin abgelenkt ist, macht ihr euch mit Dot auf die Jagd nach dem Cyblin Lord, der die Grenzen der Videospielwelt überwinden und in die echte Welt gelangen kann. Dementsprechend gilt es, den Endgegner des Levels auch in der “realen” Welt zu besiegen. Das sieht nicht nur beeindruckend aus, sondern erzeugt eine tolle Immersion.

    Das Zocken auf dem virtuellen Gear Kid macht dabei so viel Spaß, dass man schnell glaubt, man schaue tatsächlich auf einen echten Handheld. Dadurch wirkt die Umgebung trotz simpler Grafik äußerst real und lädt zum Versinken in der Spielwelt ein. Im zweiten Level nutzt ihr die portable Konsole für eine Runde AR-Moorhuhn-Jagd auf dem Schulhof, während euch die dritte Runde bereits zurück ins Klassenzimmer führt. Der Alltag einer Schülerin ist manchmal eben nicht besonders spannend. Das letzte Level führt euch daraufhin direkt zum Endboss und nach dessen Bezwingung ist der Spaß auch schon vorbei. Mehr als zwei bis drei Stunden Spielzeit sind nicht drin, außer ihr stellt euch beim Spielen mit dem Handheld etwas ungeschickt an.

    Pixel Ripped 2

    Doch auch wenn die Spielzeit recht kurz ist, kann das Setting in seinen Grundzügen durchaus überzeugen. Überall findet man kleine Hinweise und Hommagen an die Videospiele der 90er Jahre, was besonders bei Kindern dieser Zeit die Herzen höher schlagen lässt. Wer in seinen eigenen Jugendtagen ähnliche Szenarien im Klassenzimmer erlebt hat und mit seiner Fantasie aus einem 2D-Spiel eine einzigartige Erfahrung zauberte, fühlt sich direkt wohl.

    Persönlich gefällt mir die Idee, dass der Spielende ständig auf seine Umwelt achten muss. Leider ist diese für meinen Geschmack nicht besonders schön gestaltet. Auch die Tatsache, dass es ohne Bonus-Level quasi nur drei unterschiedliche Szenen gibt, ist äußerst bedauerlich. Das Konzept ist großartig und die Entwickler/innen hätten mit mehr Budget sicherlich noch deutlich mehr herausholen können. Generell ist die Gestaltung des Gear Kids sowie der Neon-Szenen nämlich extrem gelungen.

    Pixel Ripped 3

    Bei der Steuerung habt ihr die Wahl zwischen Motion Controller und Gamepad. Da es keine trackbaren Controller für den PC gibt, sind eure Hände in diesem Fall an einem Punkt fixiert. Entsprechend fühlt sich das Zocken mit Motion Controllern auch deutlich besser an. Ob der DualShock-4-Controller getrackt wird, konnten wir noch nicht testen, wir gehen jedoch davon aus.

    Fazit

    Das erste Level des Games macht extrem viel Spaß, weshalb meine Erwartungen an die Vollversion vielleicht etwas zu hoch waren. Die Spielzeit ist für knapp 20 Euro doch recht kurz, besonders da sich das erste und dritte Level im Gameplay nicht sonderlich unterscheiden. Pixel Ripped 1989 ist eine solide Hommage an die frühen 90er Jahre und trifft generell genau meinen Geschmack. Zum Hit reicht es mich aber nicht.

    Stark

    • Tolle Hommage und viele Auszüge aus Klassikern
    • Spannendes Konzept
    Schwach

    • Spielzeit zu kurz
    • Zu wenig Abwechslung im Setting


     Website: LINK

  • VR-Therapie: Oxford-Studie zeigt erfolgreiche Behandlung von Höhenangst

    VR-Therapie: Oxford-Studie zeigt erfolgreiche Behandlung von Höhenangst

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Der Einsatz von Virtual Reality zu therapeutischen Zwecken ermöglicht eine Erweiterung der bisherigen Praxis und fügt dadurch eine digitale Komponente zur Behandlung von psychisch erkrankten Patienten hinzu. Die Möglichkeit sich seinen Ängsten in einem gefahrlosen Raum zu stellen, offenbart völlig neue Herangehensweisen in der gängigen Angsttherapie. Die Oxford University untersuchte in einer empirischen Studie, wie sinnvoll der Einsatz der VR-Therapie bei der Behandlung von Höhenangst wirklich ist.

    VR-Therapie zur Bewältigung von Höhenangst – Now I Can Do Heights mit der HTC Vive

    In einer kürzlich durchgeführten Studie der Universität Oxford unter der Leitung von Dr. Daniel Freeman, ausgebildeter Psychotherapeut, wurde die Wirksamkeit der VR-Technologie zur therapeutischen Behandlung von Patienten mit Höhenangst überprüft. Dabei wurde eine Stichprobe von insgesamt 100 freiwilligen Teilnehmern mit diagnostizierter Akrophobie gezogen. Die Betroffenen erzielten einen Score von über 29 Punkten in einem diagnostischen Fragebogen und wiesen mehr als 30 Jahre lang das Krankheitsbild auf.

    VR-Therapie-Fear-Of-Heights

    Von den insgesamt 100 Versuchspersonen wurden 49 Teilnehmer randomisiert ausgewählt, um in einem Zeitraum von vier Wochen über sechs Sitzungen verteilt, je 30 Minuten, Aufgaben zur Bewältigung der Höhenangst in einer virtuellen Umgebung auszuführen. Die Aufgaben bestanden beispielsweise aus der Rettung einer Katze von einem Baum oder dem Gang über eine Leiste über eine hohe Schlucht. Die VR-Erfahrung Now I Can Do Heights kam dabei mit einer HTC Vive zum Einsatz.

    Interessanterweise waren die Teilnehmer innerhalb der Sitzungen alleine und wurden lediglich von einem virtuellen Coach begleitet. Dieser übernahm die Aufgabe des Therapeuten und begleitete die Patienten bei ihren Erfahrungen. Währenddessen stellte er für die Expositionstherapie typische Fragen, wie beispielsweise eine Abfrage des derzeitigen Angst-Levels der Versuchsperson auf einer Skala von 1 – 10, um daraufhin Vorschläge zum weiteren Vorgehen bereitzustellen.

    VR-Therapie zur Bewältigung von Höhenangst – Oxford-Studie zeigt Erfolg

    Die Patienten wurden daraufhin in Form von Selbstfragebögen befragt. Diese sollten unter anderem Auskunft über das gefühlte Erleben von Angst, Disstress und Vermeidungsverhalten geben und damit Aufschluss über die Wirksamkeit aufzeigen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass vor allem ein großes Interesse an der Therapieform besteht, weshalb eine erhöhte Motivation bei den Teilnehmern aufzufinden war. Insgesamt konnten zahlreiche positive Effekte festgestellt werden. Bei Patienten mit schwer ausgeprägten Symptomen konnte nach Beendigung der VR-Therapie ein Abfall von bis zu 25 Punkten innerhalb des diagnostischen Scores festgestellt werden. Somit wurden diese Teilnehmer, daraufhin in eine moderat ausgeprägte Kategorie eingestuft.

    Der Versuchsleiter hebt in einem Interview die Effektivität der Therapieform hervor:

    “Das Schöne an den Simulationen ist, dass sie den Patienten erlauben Dinge auszuprobieren, bei denen sie im echten Leben argwöhnisch wären. […] Nach der Therapie konnten sie an Orte gehen, die für sie nie denkbar gewesen wären. So stiegen sie auf einen steilen Berg, liefen mit ihren Kindern über eine Seilbrücke oder nutzten den Aufzug in einem Einkaufszentrum ohne konstante Angst zu erleben.”

    Zwar wird die virtuelle Therapie keine echten Therapeuten ablösen, dennoch beweist sie sich als effektive Methode, um in Zukunft gängige Therapieformen zu unterstützen und gegebenenfalls sogar zu verbessern.

    (Quellen: The Lancet Oxford Study | VR Scout | Reuters)

    Website: LINK

  • VIVE AT GDC 2018: VIVE FOCUS Coming To International Markets Later This Year; VDA Winners Announced

    VIVE AT GDC 2018: VIVE FOCUS Coming To International Markets Later This Year; VDA Winners Announced

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Today at GDC 2018, HTC Vive announced that we are bringing Vive Focus to the global markets later this year.  Vive Focus is the first 6DOF stand-alone VR headset to be commercially available.  We also are making Vive Focus developer kits available to registered developers in most countries through our developer portal, starting today.   

    Built upon Vive Wave, our open VR platform and toolset that is unifying the development experience for standalone and mobile VR devices, along with Viveport as its content platform, Vive Focus is designed to appeal to a wider range of mass market audiences as well as commercial/enterprise users who want broad deployment and stunning VR experiences in a convenient and portable form factor. 

    In addition, developers who bring content to Viveport in China for either Vive Focus or PC-based Vive, will receive 100% rev-share from title sales and Viveport subscription in China between April and September 2018. Viveport continues to be the best platform for VR developers, and this rev-share opportunity is just another way in which we are empowering developers to create the best VR content, not matter what hardware device. 

    Viveport Developer Awards trophy mock-up

    Also, at GDC 2018, we hosted our 2nd annual Viveport Developer Awards (VDAs), where five first place winners were each awarded $50,000, and five second place winners were awarded $20,000. The categories and winners are listed below, all of which are currently available on Viveport. Come meet the VDA winners on Thursday during our panel at GDC: 

    Entertainment

     Education

     Arts & Culture

     Enterprise

     Arcade

    The winners for the VDAs in China are:

    Website: LINK

  • HTC Vive Announces Price of Vive Pro HMD at $799, Pre-orders Start Today; Price of Vive Reduced to $499

    HTC Vive Announces Price of Vive Pro HMD at $799, Pre-orders Start Today; Price of Vive Reduced to $499

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    HTC Vive PRO HMD will ship on April 5th and come with six-month Viveport Subscription 

    HTC Vive™ today announced that the HTC Vive Pro™ Head Mounted Display (HMD) will be available for $799 with global pre-orders starting now. The company also announced a $100 price reduction for the current Vive full kit, bringing it down to $499 across the globe. All Vive Pro HMDs purchased by June 3rd, which will begin shipping on April 5th, will come with a free six-month trial to Viveport Subscription, where consumers can choose up to 5 titles per month from the more than 400 titles available. 

    “With the Vive Pro we are delivering the best quality display and visual experience to the most discerning VR enthusiasts. Our goal has always been to offer the most premium VR platform available and to drive adoption for VR,” said Daniel O’Brien, HTC Vive General Manager, US. “By lowering the price of the current Vive, we are making VR more accessible while expanding the potential market for developers. Whether you’re a VR enthusiast or new to the platform, there’s never been a better time to join the most complete VR platform available.”

    Vive Pro HMD pre-orders begin today on Vive.com and other Vive retailers with units shipping globally on April 5th. Current Vive owners can upgrade their headset to Vive Pro for the best display, audio, and comfort in the industry. The Vive Pro comes with dual-OLED displays, making for a crisper image resolution of 2880 x 1600 combined, a 78% increase in resolution over the current Vive HMD. In addition to visuals, Vive Pro also features integrated, high-performance headphones with a built-in amplifier that creates a heightened sense of presence and sound through noise cancellation capabilities. These improved graphics and audio allow for users to experience VR with enhanced clarity, making it the most realistic and immersive VR experience on the market today.  

    In addition, the Vive Pro has been rebuilt to maximize comfort for the most demanding VR users. The Vive Pro features a redesigned head-strap that balances the weight of the headset more evenly and features easy simple adjustment buttons for Vive users with glasses.

    The Vive Pro works with both SteamVR Tracking 1.0 and 2.0, meaning existing Vive customers can upgrade the headset only and continue to use current generation controllers and base stations.

    With more than 3,000 titles available, Vive continues to be the platform of choice for developers and consumers alike. Operating in over 60 countries, HTC’s content platform Viveport brings premium experiences in entertainment, education, arcade, arts & culture, and enterprise to a global audience. In addition, Viveport Subscription allows consumers to choose from over 400 pieces of content from a highly-curated offering, giving consumers the opportunity to discover the best VR content available.  

    Vive Pro purchases made before June 3rd come with a free six-month trial of Viveport Subscription where owners will get the chance to play 30 titles with their new HMD. Pro purchases made after the first 60 days of orders will come with a free two-month trial. The price of Viveport Subscription will increase to $8.99 on March 22nd. Current Subscribers and those who sign up before the increase takes effect will be locked in at the $6.99 price point through at least the end of the year. 

    Website: LINK

  • Watch the HTC VIVE and VIVEPORT Keynotes from Mobile World Congress 2018

    Watch the HTC VIVE and VIVEPORT Keynotes from Mobile World Congress 2018

    Reading Time: < 1 minute

    Last week at Mobile World Congress 2018, HTC Chairwoman Cher Wang gave a keynote sharing her vision for HTC Vive and the VR industry. Watch the speech below to hear her thoughts on the on the convergence of major technologies like VR, AR, 5G and AI.

    Also at Mobile World Congress, Rikard Steiber, President of Viveport, gave a keynote on “The Dawn of VIVE REALITY” which can find below.

    Stay tuned to our blog and social channels, as we bring y

    Website: LINK

  • Tonight The Distracted Globe from Ready Player One Comes To Life On TheWaveVR

    Tonight The Distracted Globe from Ready Player One Comes To Life On TheWaveVR

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Tonight from 9:00pm CST, TheWaveVR will bring The Distracted Globe from Ready Player One to life, with a DJ set from the film’s Tye Sheridan, who will be mixing live in VR from Brazos Hall in Austin, Texas.

    Fans will be able to enter The Distracted Globe zero-gravity dance club & take in the experience with other guests. Guests will be able to interact with specifically designed avatars against a backdrop of 80’s visuals and music, all while flying in a zero-gravity environment.

    TheWaveVR activation will be live at the Ready Player One Experience with VIVE VR at SXSW on Friday, March 9th, 2018 at 9:00 pm CT. In addition, a host of participating VR arcades around the country will also be offering fans the chance to take in the experience:

    Spectrum Virtual Reality Arcade – Fort Wayne, IN

    Altered Realites VR Arcade – Indianapolis, IN

    Holotech – Slidell, LA

    Wormhole – Foley, AL

    All out Zone – Albuquerque, NM

    The Great Excape – Augustine, FL

    Hubneo – New York, NY

    Virtual Experience – Provo, UT

    Originator Studios – Austin, TX

    VR Junkies Jacksonville – Jacksonville, FL

    Anything Virtual LLC – Reno, NV

    Vegas VR – Las Vegas, NV

    The .VRXP.Rocks – Vinita, OK

    iSimuVR – https://isimuvr.com/

    Head Games VR – http://headgamesvr.net/

    Ekstasis – Washington DC

    Reality Check VR – Chandler, AZ

    Loft VR – Miami, FL

    VR Junkies Utah – Salt Lake City, UT

    Virtual Realtiy Arcade Inc. – St. Frances, MN

    Infinite Loop VR – La Vista, NE

    Rabbit Hole – Nashville, TN

    VR World NYC – New York, NY

    VR Junkies Orem – Orem, UT

    VR Junkies Chandler – Chandler, AZ

    Immersion House – Norman, OK

    Omniverse – Houston, TX

    VR Junkies Alberta – Medicine Hat, Alberta

    Level 8 VR – Bartlesville, OK

    Virtual World Arcade – San Jose, CA

    Rush Hour Gaming – Ellsworth, ME

    Portal Virtual Reality Arcade – Seattle, WA

    VR Junkies – Dallas, TX

    Stay tuned to our social channels as we bring you all the action from the Ready Player One experience from SXSW!

    HTC VIVE is excited to be the official VR partner of #ReadyPlayerOne – in theaters March 29.

    Website: LINK

  • The World Needs More Talented Women In Tech

    The World Needs More Talented Women In Tech

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Today, on International Women’s Day, HTC VIVE is supporting the 5th Women In Tech (WIT) conference in Stockholm with 1,300 WIT participants and several thousand on the waiting list. There is clearly an appetite for this as the +1,000 ticket sold out in 100 seconds!

    The mission of WIT is to inspire talented women to consider a future in media and technology by providing a network and experienced of successful women and men from the corporate and entrepreneurial worlds.

    We are also proud supporter of WIT GIRLS, which is a new program aimed to inspire young women aged 8-15 access to learn about coding, game design, web and Virtual Reality during their summer break at a weekend tech camp that goes on through-out the year. We will provide them with a unique first insight into the world of VR and AR and let their minds embrace the new mediums. We believe this will program help inspire the next generation of female talent in the years to come.

    At HTC VIVE we are all technology “geeks” and hope that the next generation will share our passion for technology. Most technology companies today are male dominated, and those men need to take active part of changing the status quo or there will be no growth of women in tech. However, HTC VIVE is an exception as it is managed by an amazing Woman In Tech – CEO and Chairwoman Cher Wang – who started the company more than 20 year ago. She has had a significant impact on the mobile and VR industries and continuous to promote WIT and the next generation of female tech talent.

    To take the next step for WIT Globally we need more leaders and visionaries, we need thinkers and doers.  We need women and men, we need you to take action today, we need you to make a difference, without you there will be no Women In Tech.

    Join us today on International Women’s Day in celebrating all women and support initiatives that will inspire them to join us in our exciting industry.

    Website: LINK

  • HTC Vive Debuts Lineup of Ready Player One VR Experiences

    HTC Vive Debuts Lineup of Ready Player One VR Experiences

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    On March 29th, virtual reality will further cement its place in pop culture with the theatrical release of Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One. Throughout this past year, Vive Studios has been collaborating with some of the top developers in virtual reality to create one-of-a-kind VR adaptations set in the film’s universe. Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the popular novel will show you the world of Wade Watts but these eight experiences will bring you into the Oasis personally.

    And we’re bringing them to you in multiple ways. First, we’re launching a national VR arcade program that will distribute this content across the U.S. Second, we’ll make these titles free to download on Viveport for home users later this month!

    Here’s what’s in store for Ready Player One fans!

    • Ready Player One: Avatar Creator 

    People come to the OASIS for all the things they can do, but they stay for all the things they can be. With millions of permutations, the Avatar Creator lets you create your own highly detailed OASIS persona. Share your custom Avatar with friends and fellow Gunters. Developer: Morph3D.

    • Battle for the OASIS

    Help to save the OASIS by defeating waves of IOI Sixers. Advance through the trenches of Planet Doom towards the snowy planes that surround Anorak’s Castle. With an arsenal only possible in the OASIS, you must stop IOI from gaining control. Developer: Steel Wool Studios

    • Rise of The Gunters

    Fight against a nearly invincible army of highly trained IOI Sixers. Proceed with caution as you defeat Sixers, collect their coins, find power ups and survive a merciless onslaught of hyper-explosive kinetic action for as long as it takes. The OASIS is yours. Take it back. Battle the IOI by yourself or with up to two fellow Gunters! Developer: Drifter Entertainment, Inc.

    Navigate through a seemingly endless dungeon while the undead seek to destroy you. Collecting Gold will improve your score and eating food will restore your health, but only your bow skills will ensure that you make it out alive. Developer: Directive Games

    Enhance your hand and eye coordination in this nod to OASIS creator James Halliday’s favorite `80s arcade games. Developer: 2 Bears Studio

    Heighten your spatial awareness and reflexes in this throwback to` 80s brick smasher games reimagined in VR. Developer: 2 Bears Studio

    • Aech’s Garage

    Walk into the extraordinary world of Aech’s Garage in VR as interpreted from the original ILM design for Steven Spielberg’s “Ready Player One.”  Inspired by the virtual universe of the OASIS in 2045, Aech’s Garage represents the culmination of VR as it exists in the year 2018. Developer: Sansar

    • The Distracted Globe Music Experience in TheWaveVR

    Step inside the fantastical space inspired by The Distracted Globe zero-gravity dance club scene from “Ready Player One.” TheWaveVR experience will let anyone immerse themselves in the dance club scene with specially designed avatars,`80s visuals and music, plus the ability to fly to the music in zero gravity. Available at SXSW, in participating VR arcades across the country, and on the TheWaveVR’s free app on Steam in the U.S. on March 9. Developer: TheWaveVR

    Many of these experiences will be shown at SXSW. If you’re attending, make sure to stop by Brazos Hall and check out Warner Bros. Picture’s Ready Player One activation for a hands-on demo.

    Check back for more information on Ready Player One and exclusive insights from the developers!

    Website: LINK

  • Marina Abramović and Anish Kapoor to Present Two Virtual Reality Artworks at Art Basel in Hong Kong

    Marina Abramović and Anish Kapoor to Present Two Virtual Reality Artworks at Art Basel in Hong Kong

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    HTC VIVE, Art Basel’s Official Virtual Reality Partner, is delighted to announce the first public presentation of two virtual reality artworks by Marina Abramović and Anish Kapoor from 29-31 March 2018 at Art Basel in Hong Kong.

    Rising by Marina Abramović and Into Yourself, Fall by Anish Kapoor are produced in collaboration with Acute Art and will be shown on VR’s most immersive products, Vive Pro and Vive Focus in the HTC Vive Lounge, Level 3 Concourse at the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre.

    Marina Abramović and Anish Kapoor are two of the most acclaimed contemporary artists working today, recognised for their iconic works that have continually challenged and inspired audiences worldwide. These works mark the first time either artist has realised an artwork using virtual reality technology.

    Vive’s partnership with Art Basel in Hong Kong will bring a one-of-a-kind integrated VR experience to the fair’s visitors in Hong Kong. A first for Vive, visitors will be able to explore both artists’ works at the fair as well as experience it at home through VIVEPORT, the leading VR app store. HTC has a long-standing commitment to the arts, and created a global program, Vive Arts, to advance the world’s appreciation and creation of the arts through the latest technology.

    Marina Abramović, Rising

    Marina Abramović’s Rising addresses the effects of climate change by transporting viewers to witness rising sea levels. Wearing an immersive headset, viewers enter an intimate virtual space, where they come face-to-face with the artist, who beckons from within a glass tank that is slowly filling with water from her waist to her neck.

    Users are invited to make contact with the virtual Abramović, and then find themselves surrounded by a dramatic scene of melting polar ice caps. Abramović urges viewers to reconsider their impact on the world around them, asking them to choose whether or not to save her from drowning by pledging to support the environment, which lowers the water in the tank.

    Abramović’s pioneering performance career has centered around time-based work, which uses both hers and the public’s body as a canvas. She has continually pushed the boundaries with durational work that has defined contemporary performance. With Rising, the artist’s presence is brought into another dimension.

    To produce the artwork, Acute Art developers captured the artist’s unique facial expressions to create a realistic looking avatar of Abramović. Embracing new technology in an endeavor to transmit the presence of the artist virtually, Rising allows users to directly interact with the artist virtually from anywhere in the world.

    Anish Kapoor, Into Yourself, Fall

    Anish Kapoor’s first virtual reality work, Into Yourself, Fall, takes users on a journey through the human body, experiencing the sensation of falling into yourself via the immersive headset. Kapoor’s work seeks to simulate vertigo as a descent inside the human body, depicting a labyrinth of the inner workings of the self.

    Starting the journey in a forest scene, in a clearing surrounded by trees, viewers encounter a large black void in the ground. Users then travel through a complex series of tunnels with walls that appear to be made of sinewy flesh and muscle. With this work, Kapoor invites users to experience a surreal sensation of exploring the unknown, with viewers losing themselves in another realm.

    Working with Acute Art to design this custom made virtual space, Kapoor’s work was developed around the idea of creating a physical experience via a virtual journey, testing the limits of what is possible to experience through the technology. Into Yourself, Fall plays with the experience of wearing the headset, creating a disorientating sensation of radical introspection that is experienced physically by the viewer.

    Kapoor’s use of this new technology enables him to explore materiality in a virtual realm, drawing on his highly influential sculptural practice to evoke both tactility and transcendence. With a soundtrack created by the artist’s son Ishan Kapoor, Into Yourself, Fall directly transports the viewer into the artist’s own visceral virtual reality.

    Marina Abramović said: “In this moment of my career, I have been wondering how to transfer energy from body to body through the use of modern technology. This VR artwork raises questions about technology’s impact on human empathy through the lens of a pressing issue facing our world: climate change. Changes to the global climate threaten existing ways of living. Rising will offer people the chance to empathise and respond to the needs of others affected by this crisis. I am particularly interested in how audiences’ consciousness and energy will be affected by a virtual experience of helping others”

    Anish Kapoor said: “Into Yourself, Fall, takes us on a journey through the human body, experiencing the sensation of falling into yourself via this immersive medium. The work seeks to simulate vertigo as a descent inside the human body, depicting a labyrinth of the inner workings of the self.”

    Victoria Chang, Director of Vive Arts, said: “The discourse surrounding virtual reality as a fine art medium started more than 20 years ago, but it is only recently that groundbreaking VR artworks, including Rising and Into Yourself, Fall, have become accessible to a global audience. We are thrilled to be at the forefront of this new development, encouraging more artists and cultural institutions to advance their visions using the latest technology to reach new audiences.”

    Jacob De Geer, CEO of Acute Art, said: “Acute Art collaborates with leading artists producing virtual reality art that push the limits of artistic practice and creates immersive experiences. Abramović and Kapoor are masters of their craft and two of the most visionary artists working today and it is extremely exciting to see them experimenting with new technology. Showing these innovative artworks through VR will allow viewers to experience a new side to the artists and their practice. Works produced by Acute Art are available through our VR Museum making these unique experiences accessible anywhere in the world.”

    Website: LINK

  • Tower Tag Tournament: Berlin Masters #2 im März in Berlin (In eigener Sache)

    Tower Tag Tournament: Berlin Masters #2 im März in Berlin (In eigener Sache)

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Nicht mehr ganz 3 Wochen und dann wird in Berlin wieder der neue Master in Tower Tag gesucht! Werde Teil der neuen Tower Tag League und baue eSportsVR gemeinsam mit uns und der VR Lounge in der Hauptstadt Berlin auf! Das  Tower Tag Tournament Berlin Masters #2 findet am  10. März 2018 von 12.00 – 19.00 Uhr in der VR Lounge statt!

    Tower Tag Tournament: Berlin Masters #2

    Damit ihr nicht nur vorbeikommt, um Spaß zu haben, unterstützt CaseKing das Turnier mit großartigen Sachpreisen im Wert von 1000 Euro  (2 Gehäuse, 2 Tastaturen, 2 Netzteile) und das Startgeld der Teams wird zu 100 Prozent ausgeschüttet. Damit euer virtuelles Leben nämlich auch reale Konsequenzen schafft, werden 20 Euro von jeder Person in den Topf geworfen.

    Hier könnt ihr euch für das Turnier anmelden:

    Tower was Tag?

    Falls ihr Tower Tag noch nicht kennt, könnt ihr euch auf der Webseite zum Spiel informieren. Auch die Rocket Beans haben bereits eine Installation besucht. Zudem hat Sega kürzlich unser VR-Arcade-Spiel in die Joypolis Arcade in Tokyo  aufgenommen.

    Für Tower-Tag-Spieler und -Spielerinnen bietet die VR Lounge in Berlin auch derzeit vergünstige Trainingszeiten für 10,- Euro pro halbe Stunde an. Die aktuellen Öffnungszeiten sind:

    – Montag – Freitag 10:00 – 14:00 Uhr
    – Montag – Donnerstag 19:00 – 21:00
    – Samstag 10:00 – 13:00 Uhr
    – Andere Zeiten: nach Vereinbarung

    Bitte meldet euch vorher an, damit das Team besser planen kann. Wir wünschen euch viel Spaß beim Turnier und ein erfolgreiches Training. Wir sehen uns am 10. März in Berlin!

    Website: LINK

  • Test: In Death – Pfeilschnell in den Tod mit PC-Brillen

    Test: In Death – Pfeilschnell in den Tod mit PC-Brillen

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Man könnte meinen, dass Bogenspiele mittlerweile keinen VR-Nerd mehr vom Hocker reißen können, doch In Death wagt sich an die etwas abgegriffene Kampfmechanik erneut heran und verlangt sogar von euch, dass ihr euch mit Pfeil und Bogen fortbewegt. Ob die Entwicklern der Sólfar Studios ins Schwarze treffen, erfahrt ihr in unserem Review.

    Hallo, ich bin gestorben!

    Es herrscht Unruhe im Himmelsreich und du bist gekommen, um wieder für Harmonie zu sorgen. Ausgerüstet mit Pfeil, Bogen und Schild geht es auf eine spannende Reise durch Wolkenschlösser und den Pit of Anguish. Die höllische Welt wurde erst kürzlich eingeführt und muss  derzeit ohne Achievements und Ausgänge auskommen.

    Das Hauptspiel, wenn man es so nennen darf, baut jedoch sehr stark auf Achievements auf. Während deines Weges durch die Ruinen in den Wolken sammelst du durch Kämpfe Erfahrung und Münzen. Die Erfahrung schlägt sich in Achievements nieder, die wiederum eure Spielfigur nachhaltig für zukünftige Runden verbessert. Und Runden ist auch das richtige Stichwort: Die Welt in In Death ist zufällig generiert und auch die Platzierung der Gegner ist zufällig. Somit ist jedes erneute Durchspielen spannend und die Verbesserungen, die man am Ende der Runde durch die Achievements erhält, stacheln sofort an, die nächste Runde zu starten. Doch wie kämpft und bewegt man sich in In Death?

    Teleportieren ging nie einfacher

    In Death Oculus Rift Bow

    Du hast im Spiel diverse Möglichkeiten zur Fortbewegung. Du kannst entweder einen Teleportationspfeil nutzen, eine Wurfscheibe oder (derzeit experimentell) auch frei mit dem Stick durch die Welt schreiten. Das Schöne an der Sache ist, dass alle drei Systeme gleichzeitig verwendbar sind und sich dadurch herrlich ergänzen. Im Spiel wird man also stets alle drei Varianten nutzen: Die Wurfscheibe für schnelle Sprünge aus dem Handgelenk, Pfeil und Bogen für weite Distanzen und die freie Bewegung per Stick für das Ausweichen im Kampf oder das Zurücklegen kleinerer Strecken.

    Das Schießen mit Pfeil und Bogen funktioniert super, aber diese Spiel-Mechanik hat sich in VR bereits bewährt. Eine Besonderheit erlaubt sich der Titel dennoch: Du musst nicht hinter den Rücken greifen, um einen Pfeil zu spawnen, und ein Knopfdruck auf den linken Controller reicht, um ein Schild zu verwenden. Diese Vereinfachung ist herrlich, denn sie erlaubt actionreiche Gefechte und überfordert den Spielenden nicht völlig.

    Suchtfaktor 1000%

    In Death Oculus Rift Arrows 3

    Jede Runde ist anders, in fast jeder Runde kann man tolle Pfeile wie Eispfeile und Feuerpfeile finden, neue Welten erschließen oder einfach extrem viele Punkte nach Hause bringen. Dadurch, dass ihr durch die Achievements immer stärker werdet beziehungsweise eure Spielfigur verbessert, gelangt ihr schnell in einen gefährlichen Kreislauf, denn die nächste Runde und der nächste Highscore ist nur einen Fingerzeig entfernt. Gleichzeitig verspottet einen die Online-Vergleichsliste ständig und man wird angestachelt, eine Punktzahl in ähnlichen Sphären wie die Top 10 zu erreichen. Besonders spannend sind die Runden auch, weil dein Held sich nicht selbst regeneriert und es auch selten Health im Spiel zu finden gibt oder sie zumindest teuer bezahlt werden muss. Dementsprechend kann man nicht stur mit dem Kopf durch die Wand rennen, sondern muss taktisch und langsam vorgehen, um nicht direkt ein „Leben“ aufs Spiel zu setzen.

    Early Access mit Humor

    In Death Oculus Rift

    Kleine Fehler machen ein Spiel doch manchmal erst sympathisch. So ist die freie Bewegung und Teleportation an jeden Punkt nett, doch der Spaß hört auf, wenn man zwischen zwei Gebäuden feststeckt oder mit dem Kopf im Berg eingeklemmt ist. Wenn ihr halbwegs geübt schießt, passiert euch dies zwar nicht, aber im Eifer der Flucht verliert man manchmal die Zeit für eine zielgerichtete Teleportation.

    Auch interessant sind die Gegnerklassen: Derzeit gibt es andere Bogenschützen mit verschiedenen Mänteln, Ritter, Zombies, Skelette und andere Kreaturen. Warum jedoch der Ritter, welcher einen Stahlhelm trägt, besonders viel Schaden bei Headshots nimmt, bleibt ein Rätsel. Ebenso rätselhaft wie die Frage, warum unser XBox One Controller auf dem Tisch vibriert, anstatt die Touch Controller, welche wir doch eigentlich in den Händen halten.  Auch die Nahkämpfe fühlen sich derzeitig noch nicht komplett überzeugend an. Zwar kann man mit dem Schild Gegner umschubsen und blocken, jedoch sind Pfeil und Bogen dennoch keine tollen Nahkampfwaffen.

    Generell fehlt dem Spiel noch etwas Feinschliff, aber das Grundkonzept funktioniert bereits hervorragend und der Titel spielt sich deutlich besser als so manche fertige Vollversion in den Virtual Reality Stores. Die Entwickler stecken sich auch keine konkreten Ziele für den Early Access, sondern versprechen kontinuierliche Verbesserungen.

    Fazit

    In Death Oculus Rift Bolt

    Zwar befindet sich In Death noch im Early Access, aber da es bereits jetzt extrem süchtig macht und gut funktioniert, möchten wir bereits heute eine Bewertung von 4 von 5 Freddys vergeben. Mit Luft nach oben, denn kleinere Bugs, das Aussehen der Zombies, zu einfache Animationen und die Logik der Gegner lassen uns derzeit noch einen Kopf abziehen. Das Spielkonzept ist aber bereits jetzt genial, In Death läuft rund und für 20 Euro bekommt man einige Stunden Spielspaß serviert. Hier findest du das Spiel auf Steam  für die HTC Vive, Oculus Rift und Windows MR. Außerdem erhält man In Death im Oculus Store für die Oculus Rift.

    Stark

    • Tolles und in VR funktionierendes Spielkonzept
    • Abwechslungsreiche Runden
    • Süchtigmachendes Erfolgssystem
    Schwach

    • Kleiner Bugs und Unstimmigkeiten
    • Keine Einstellungsmöglichkeiten für die Grafik


    Testsystem: GTX 1080 Ti, Intel i7 8700K, 16 GB DDR 4 RAM, Oculus Rift

    Website: LINK