Schlagwort: htc vive

  • Steam und Microsoft Store: VR-Hinderniskurs The Tower für alle PC-Brillen

    Steam und Microsoft Store: VR-Hinderniskurs The Tower für alle PC-Brillen

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Der VR-Indie-Titel The Tower vom deutschen Entwicklerstudio Headroom.one versetzt die Spieler auf einen virtuellen Hinderniskurs, der nur mit vollem Körpereinsatz zu bestehen ist. Das VR-Spiel erschien bereits im Sommer 2017 im Early Access für die Oculus Rift im Oculus Store. Nun dürfen sich auch Besitzer anderer PC-Brillen offiziell an die Geschicklichkeitsprüfung wagen. The Tower ist ab sofort via Steam sowie dem Microsoft Store erhältlich.

    The Tower – Virtueller Hinderniskurs für HTC Vive auf Steam erschienen

    Der VR-Hindernisparcour The Tower setzt auf ein innovatives Spielkonzept, das den physischen Einsatz des Spielers fordert: Mit Geschicklichkeit, Reaktionsvermögen und vollem Körpereinsatz müsst ihr die anspruchsvollen Level bewältigen und die Spitze des Turms erreichen. Dabei gilt es, zahlreichen Fallen wie fliegenden Speeren und Sägen auszuweichen und dabei Hindernissen zu überwinden. Das könnt ihr tun, indem er springt, euch duckt oder zur Seite lehnt. Im Arcade-Modus könnt ihr zudem Münzen einsammeln und Objekte zerschlagen.

    The-Tower-HTC-Vive-SteamVR

    Die Fortbewegung müsst ihr während dessen nicht selbst übernehmen, denn ihr werdet automatisch durch die Level geschoben und könnt euch vollständig auf das Ausweichen konzentrieren. Grafisch setzt der VR-Hinderniskurs auf einen schlichten Polygon-Stil und trotzdem wird ein immersives Spielgefühl erreicht. Aufgrund des herausfordernden Leveldesigns bleibt jedoch generell nur selten Zeit, um die Umgebung zu begutachten.

    The-Tower-HTC-Vive-SteamVR

    Nach der Veröffentlichung im Early Access im Oculus Store kündigten die Entwickler bereits damals eine Version für HTC Vive an. Seit dem 16. Februar ist der VR-Titel nun offiziell auf Steam erschienen und lädt zur Hüpfpartie ein.

    The Tower ist bis zum 23. Februar zum reduzierten Preis von 5,59 Euro für HTC Vive auf Steam erhältlich. Im Oculus Store steht der VR-Parcour für Oculus Rift für 6,99 Euro zum Download zur Verfügung. Besitzer einer Windows VR-Brille können das VR-Spiel zum selben Preis im Microsoft Store erwerben.

    (Quellen: VR Focus | Headroom One)

    Website: LINK

  • Wacom investiert in 3D-Software Gravity Sketch

    Wacom investiert in 3D-Software Gravity Sketch

    Reading Time: 1 minute

    Mittlerweile tummeln sich einige Anwendungen in den Virtual Reality Stores, die nicht nur zum kreativen Austoben einladen, sondern auch als professionelles Tool funktionieren. Gravity Sketch spielt seine Stärken besonders bei der Erstellung von Design-Konzepten aus. Nun scheint Wacom, der führende Hersteller für stiftähnliche Eingabegeräte, das Potential der Anwendung erkannt zu haben und investiert in das Virtual Reality Projekt.

    Wacom investiert in Gravity Sketch

    Neben Wacom beteiligten sich an der ersten Investitionsrunde der Entwickler auch Super Ventures, Forward Partners. Insgesamt kamen durch die Investoren 1,7 Millionen US-Dollar zusammen. Matthew Bradley von Forward Partners sagt, dass Gravity Sketch eine Lücke schließe, welche CAD Tools aktuell hinterließen. So sei es mit mit der 3D-Software möglich, schnell und einfach brauchbare Konzepte anzufertigen, ohne zu viel Zeit durch kleine Details und unnötige Arbeitsschritte zu vergeuden.

    Gravity Sketch steht aktuell im Apple-Store für das iPad und auf Steam für die Oculus Rift, die HTC Vive und für Windows Mixed Reality Headsets bereit. Bei Steam kostet die Software regulär knapp 28 Euro. Für diese Summe erhaltet ihr das Standard-Paket mit den Grundfunktionen. Wenn ihr eure Kreationen kommerziell verwenden wollt, benötigt, gibt ihr ein kostenpflichtiges Abo der Pro- oder Studio-Version. Diese erhöhen auch den Funktionsumfang und bieten beispielsweise mehr Import- und Exportoptionen. Alle Infos zu den Paketen könnt ihr der Beschreibung auf der Steam-Seite entnehmen.

    (Quelle: Road to VR, Gravity Sketch)

    Website: LINK

  • Step Inside the Unabomber Investigation with HTC Vive and Newseum

    Step Inside the Unabomber Investigation with HTC Vive and Newseum

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    This is a guest blog post by Lukasz Biernacki, Communications Associate at Immersion.

    If you’re one of the many that spent the Christmas break binging on Netflix then you may be familiar with Manhunt: Unabomber, the eight-part docudrama outlining the FBI investigation that led to the arrest of Ted Kaczynski. For those of you not familiar with the Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski was an active domestic terrorist between 1978 and 1995, during which time he murdered three people and injured a further 23 through a ruthless campaign of mail-delivery bombs, which he made and sent from his secluded cabin in the Montana woods. Kaczynski is currently incarcerated for life in a maximum security institution in Colorado following a lengthy FBI investigation into his crimes.

    There’s no doubting that the story of the Unabomber and his capture was and still is an international spectacle, which is why we teamed up with The Newseum and HTC’s Vive Studios to produce a VR experience that immerses users in the story of the Unabomber – from the FBI investigation to the capture of Kaczynski at his primitive cabin. In the Unabomber experience, visitors will not only get to enter the same cabin that officials found in 1996, but actively participate in the case and get a front row seat to the process that led to Kaczynski’s arrest. Insight from FBI agents Terry Turchie (Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the UNABOM investigation from 1994 to 1998) and Max Noel (FBI agent during the investigation) adds to the narrative experience that reflects in many ways the reality of the investigation, over 20 years later.

    The Unabomber experience marks a cornerstone in the use of VR technology to enhance visitor’s experiences in museums and similar environments. Interacting through activity-based and learning-enabled environments helps us create the memory anchors that cements what we learned.

    The launch also highlights the potential for VR technology in the criminal justice system, as it may become a tool in the courtroom in years to come. Paul Armstrong at Forbes, recently spoke to FBI Special Agent Terry Turchie about the sense of ‘presence’ that VR provides and its potential to be a ‘game changer’ in the practice of law. Turchie explains that he can see the benefits of using VR in the courtroom but is concerned about a couple of areas such as how will it impact conviction rates. Ultimately, as with any demonstrative evidence presented in a courtroom, the judge is the final gatekeeper for what is admissible and how it is used. As the technology refines, transforms and becomes more common, expect to see it to become a staple in the courtroom.

    The Unabomber experience marks the first in a series of similar educational experiences that we will develop with The Newseum and HTC’s Vive Studios, such as Nellie Bly’s trip around the world. All of the VR experiences will be selectively showcased to Newseum visitors in Washington and available for download on Viveport.

    Together with Vive Studios, we understand that educational experiences such as this add an additional story-telling platform to museums’ arsenal, and enable children all over the world to experience the most exciting exhibits as virtual models. For many children, currently deprived of the opportunity to travel, these kits will give them the chance to learn about human history directly, and interact with key artifacts and artwork from their selected period. In many ways, it’s about bringing children closer to history, and letting them learn about it through the very natural need to explore our surroundings.

    The Unabomber app is available now on Viveport and will be made available for Steam at a later time.

    Website: LINK

  • HTC VIVE and World Economic Forum Partner For The Future Of The “VR/AR For Impact” Initiative

    HTC VIVE and World Economic Forum Partner For The Future Of The “VR/AR For Impact” Initiative

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Today, HTC VIVE announced a partnership with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to drive the VR/AR for Impact initiative forward, and to showcase its latest content at the United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Impact Hub at the WEF 2018 in Davos.

    Originally launched by HTC at WEF in 2017, VR/AR For Impact is a more than $10 Million program to drive VR and AR content and technologies that will create positive impact and change in support of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.  In collaboration with a core group of VR/AR leaders and the UN, WEF will drive the “VR/AR for Impact” initiative going forward, and as a core member of the group, HTC Vive will continue to design and create experiences as part of their collaborative, ongoing commitment to foster and champion the use of Virtual and Augmented Reality to educate and empower humanity. 

    “The challenges our world faces today have never been greater, and humanity needs a clearer understanding and guidance to help solve global issues,” said Cher Wang, Chairwoman and CEO, HTC. “Unlike any other medium, Virtual Reality is able to immerse the global audience in literally any experience, and can help us learn, empathize and transform the world. VR/AR for Impact is a unique way of driving critical awareness toward problems and solutions facing mankind.” 

    “We see so much untapped potential with VR/AR to drive positive outcomes for society in areas such as health and education, and we are looking forward to working with leaders in this space to build up this initiative in the coming years,” says Lauren Joseph, leader of the Electronics Industry Program at World Economic Forum.

               

    VR/AR for Impact experiences shown this week at WEF 2018 include:

    • OrthoVR aims to increase the availability of well-fitting prosthetics in low-income countries by using Virtual Reality and 3D rapid prototyping tools to increase the capacity of clinical staff without reducing quality. VR allows current prosthetists and orthosists to leverage their hands-on and embodied skills within a digital environment.
    • The Extraordinary Honey Bee is designed to help deepen our understanding of the honey bee’s struggle and learn what is at stake for humanity due to the dying global population of the honey bee. Told from a bee’s perspective, The Extraordinary Honey Bee harnesses VR to inspire change in the next generation of honey bee conservationists.
    • The Blank Canvas: Hacking Nature is an episodic exploration of the frontiers of bioengineering as taught by the leading researchers within the field. Using advanced scientific visualization techniques, the Blank Canvas will demystify the cellular and molecular mechanisms that are being exploited to drive substantial leaps such as gene therapy.
    • LIFE (Life-saving Instruction For Emergencies) is a new mobile and VR platform developed by the University of Oxford that enables all types of health worker to manage medical emergencies. Through the use of personalized simulation training and advanced learning analytics, the LIFE platform offers the potential to dramatically extend access to life-saving knowledge in low-income countries.
    • Tree is a critically acclaimed virtual reality experience to immerse viewers in the tragic fate that befalls a rainforest tree. The experience brings to light the harrowing realities of deforestation, one of the largest contributors to global warming.
    • For the Amazonian Yawanawa, ‘medicine’ has the power to travel you in a vision to a place you have never been. Hushuhu, the first woman shaman of the Yawanawa, uses VR like medicine to open a portal to another way of knowing. AWAVENA is a collaboration between a community and an artist, melding technology and transcendent experience so that a vision can be shared, and a story told of a people ascending from the edge of extinction.

    These experiences will be made available for all attendees at the World Economic Forum at the UN’s Sustainable Impact Hub on January 23rd, 2018 on Promenade 72, Davos Platz in Switzerland. Awavena can be experienced in the main congress hall, Portals exhibition.

    For more information on VR for Impact visit: https://vrforimpact.com/.

    Website: LINK

  • Vive Demos and Hardware at CES 2018

    Vive Demos and Hardware at CES 2018

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    This week at CES, Vive is all around the show floor. From our expo at the Wynn’s Alsace Ballroom to Vive demos and hardware showcased by our amazing partners at their own booths, Vive is featured throughout CES. Read below for our partners featuring Vive at CES 2018:

    Intel              

    • CES Opening Keynote -The Intel CEO, Brian Krzanich, gave the opening keynote on Monday with the theme, “Intel powers the data that brings experiences to life.” Krzanich showed the VIVE Wireless solution on-stage and highlighted Vive in a virtual environment that features a setting from Ready Player One.
    • Intel is featuring several Vive bays where users can enter a virtual-version of the Intel booth that they’re standing in. Within this environment, they can visit the Ready Player One setting Aeche’s Garage, created by Sansar. Intel’s booth in the Venetian can be found on Level 4, Delfino and Zeno 4805/6.

    Nvidia is showcasing their Holodeck content with an automotive partner, powered by Vive Pro (TBC) in at booth #7019 in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The Vive Pro will also be used in Nvidia’s “Featured Demo Bay” and in their “VIP Demo Bays” which are by-appointment in the GeForce Gaming Zone.

    Alienware / Dell

    • Alienware is using Vive to power Knockout League, Duck Season, and Trinity VR Baseball at their booth in the Venetian, Lvl 2 – Sands Showroom.
    • Alienware is hosting a party at the Yardbird with Vive powering Duck Season mixed-reality featuring a Hyperkin blaster with the Vive tracker.

    Dassault Systèmes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, provides business and people with virtual universes to imagine sustainable innovations. At booth #8300 in the North Hall, CES visitors can discover how Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform is used with the Vive Pro to experience enhanced capabilities for industrial design that will create value and game-changing consumer experiences.

    HP is hosting a Truck Tour on Tuesday from 10am-6pm in the courtyard across from LVCC. HP has partnered with Intel to offer a VIVE + HP Omen prize package at Intel’s Amazon Treasure Truck outside of the LVCC. The truck will feature live demos of Sparc using the Vive.

    AMD is demoing Arizona Sunshine, Tilt Brush and Space Pirate Trainer on Vive to highlight their Vega GPU and Ryzen CPU at the Venetian, Lvl 2 – Titian 2303/4/5.

    Gigabyte is conducting Vive demos to showcase the GIGABYTE Brix VR mini PC in their lifestyle/battle station zone located the Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall 1 – 21345.

    MSI will be displaying Vive and VR-Capable MAXQ laptops at the Venetian Veronese Ballroom #2405.

    Razer is displaying the Vive and VR-Capable PC at their booth in the Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall 1 – 21000.

    CyberPower is displaying the Vive and Vive Ready PC in their suite.

    Zotac is using Vive to power their VR GO backpack PC in their private suite.

    Website: LINK

  • Vive Partners With the Best in VR at CES 2018

    Vive Partners With the Best in VR at CES 2018

    Reading Time: 8 minutes

    Yesterday at CES, Vive raised the bar for premium VR with the new Vive Pro upgrade and Wireless Vive adaptor while dramatically improving the way we discover and consume VR content with Viveport VR and Vive Video. Today, we’re proud to highlight the exceptional partners sharing our booth and those showing Vive out on the floor.

    Starting today, the following partners will be demoing their content at Vive’s expo at the Wynn’s Alsace Ballroom:

    • Evasion by Archiact–

     

    Developed by Archiact, Evasion is an intense VR shooter game, designed to immerse players in high-intensity co-op multiplayer combat. Experience the next generation in VR locomotion designed from the ground up for an authentic FPS action game. Choose a hero class and join up to three friends or go on alone in an extinction-level battle for survival. Evasion will deliver cinematic destructible environments and intense bullet hell action. Players will team up and fight their way through maelstroms of bullets while diving for cover. The ‘Swarm A.I’ enemy behavior system adds a new level of tension, making tactical movement and teamwork critical to your squad’s survival. Experience the charge of heroism as you and your team run and gun to complete vital objectives, rescue one another and overcome deadly ambushes.

    • Arizona Sunshine by Vertigo Games and Jaywalkers Interactive –

    Virtual reality meets the zombie apocalypse! Arizona Sunshine is a first-person shooter built exclusively for VR that immerses you in a post-apocalyptic southwestern America overrun by zombies. Developed from the ground up for HTC Vive and Oculus, Arizona Sunshine puts you in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. Handle weapons with real-life movements, freely explore a post-apocalyptic world, and put your survival skills to the test in VR – putting the undead back to rest is more thrilling than ever before.

    •  CXC Simulations –

    The CXC Simulations Motion Pro II was developed as a professional-level racing simulator capable of serving as a training tool for professional drivers. Designed by a team with a background in professional auto racing, the Motion Pro II is set apart by:

    • Proprietary full-motion and car control systems
    • A dedicated carbon fiber and steel chassis
    • Highly realistic software systems

    These systems which work together to accurately replicate the sensation of driving on the race track. The proof is in the number of Indy Car and sports car drivers who use the Motion Pro II to practice and train.

    Realistic driving starts with accurate data. However, an accurate simulation is not just an assembly of data. Thanks to a high-tech physics engine and tire modeling system, this data is transformed into feeling when you’re behind the wheel. The final piece of the puzzle is VR. By adding the HTC VIVE to the Motion Pro II, it completes the immersive feeling of actually being on the track.

    • Doom VFR by Bethesda Softworks® –

    Available for PlayStation VR and VIVE platforms, this DOOM adventure will bathe you in virtual carnage. Developed by id Software, the studio that pioneered the first-person shooter genre and modern VR, DOOM® VFR brings the fast-paced, brutal gameplay fans of the series love to virtual reality. Immerse yourself in the UAC facility on Mars and the depths of Hell, as your skills are put to the test through intense combat. Play as a cybernetic survivor who is activated by the UAC to fight the demon invasion, maintain order, and prevent catastrophic failure at the Mars facility. Lay waste to an army of demonic foes as you explore and interact with the outlandish world of DOOM from an entirely new perspective.

    • Fallout 4 VR by Bethesda Softworks® –

     

    Fallout 4, the legendary post-apocalyptic adventure from Bethesda Game Studios and winner of more than 200 ‘Best Of’ awards, including the DICE and BAFTA Game of the Year, finally comes in its entirety to VR. Fallout 4 VR includes the complete core game with all-new combat, crafting, and building systems fully reimagined for virtual reality. The freedom of exploring the wasteland comes alive like never before.

    • Front Defense: Heroes by Fantahorn Studio –

     

     

    Front Defense: Heroes, the latest installment to Fantahorn’s smash hit Front Defense, brings you the intensity and dangers of World War II. Front Defense: Heroes is a 5v5 online multiplayer VR game set during World War II. Front Defense: Heroes delivers the most immersive war experience, using classic World War II weapons in life-like battlefield atmospheres. The development team, Fantahorn Studio, has come up with the best VR war experience to-date. Between the detailed graphics and intuitive control experience, players can explore the battlefield freely, make strategic movements, and engage in realistic combat. The most immersive World War II military shooting game on HTC VIVE currently includes 2 different online multiplayer modes across 5 exciting maps: Team Deathmatch and Defense. Through the submillimeter tracking and room scale VR of HTC VIVE, experience the classic battles of World War II, experience the European climate during wartime in an immersive online multiplayer first-person shooter. Engage in this great war in VR and fight shoulder to shoulder with heroes and friends.

    • Microdose VR by Vision Agency –

    The Microdose VR platform is a fully customizable creative experience for gamers, artists, musicians, and dancers. Microdose VR puts the creative power in the player’s hands to do real time audio/visual performances, create custom content and build shareable worlds in which to host networked multiplayer collaborations and competitions.

    Microdose VR is designed from the ground up as a native VR app, based on a core mechanic which is only possible within virtual reality. Designed to viscerally engage gamers, artists, musicians and dancers of all ages, players can tune the experience to their preference, from an auto-tuned therapeutic experience to highly customized skill-based gameplay.

    With the complexity of engineering and development required to create VR software, it feels unattainable and out of reach to most digital artists and musicians, and there is currently no clear platform for artists and musicians to make their own truly unique creative splash into the VR space. Microdose VR paves the way for creatives to get involved and make their mark in Virtual Reality, and offers a social multiplayer gaming platform unlike anything that has come

    before.

    • Muse by Interaxon –

     

     

    Interaxon introduces Muse VR – the world’s first neuroadaptive interface for VR and mixed reality. Muse VR brings Interaxon’s robust brain sensing system and cardiac physiology sensors into the HTC Vive, creating new ways (like MicroDose VR) for users to interact with responsive virtual environments.

    • Raymond Forklift by Raymond –

    The Raymond Virtual Reality Simulator allows the user to enter a simulated warehousing environment utilizing an existing Raymond® forklift truck by plugging into the company’s patent-pending sPort, or Simulation Port. The Raymond Virtual Reality Simulator allows operators to become familiar and comfortable with the forklift and its controls prior to operating within the physical warehousing environment, thus building confidence. This platform affords operators the ability to learn within a controlled simulated environment, avoiding potential product and warehouse incidents.

    • Ready Player One by Sansar Studios –

    VR recreation of Aech’s Garage from Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One

    Interpreted by Sansar Studios from the original ILM design for Ready Player One from

    Warner Bros. Pictures, Amblin Entertainment and Village Roadshow

    Pictures, opening on March 30, 2018.

    Check out the Ready Player One Trailer here.

    • Rumii by Doghead Simulations –

    Currently, the only way for remote workers to communicate is through VoIP software that focuses on telephones and joining a pre-planned meeting online. By using rumii, teams distributed all over the world can communicate, participate, and interact with each other as though they are all in the same room.

    Collaborate without traveling and gain real-time visibility into your team’s dynamics with rumii for distributed business teams. Our solutions will help you optimize your entire business team, from agile planning, sprint Development, project management and scheduling – while shrinking total travel costs.

    rumii can be used across virtual reality headsets, desktops, browsers, tablets, and phones. Built-in audio means no more dial-in numbers and access codes. Do more than share presentations. Teams can manipulate objects for 3D product design and innovation.

    • SimforHealth –

    SimforHealth is a leading provider of innovative digital solutions for improving the training of healthcare professionals. The company works alongside faculties, medical schools, and training organizations to design immersive, interactive and collaborative solutions for medical education and medical training. Continuously monitoring new technologies, SimforHealth’s medical teams and simulation experts have already trained more than 30,000 healthcare professionals worldwide and are committed to the ethical principle of “Never the First Time with the Patient”.

    • Vive Video –

    Today HTC Creative Labs also rolled out an upgrade to its native VR video player, Vive Video. Vive Video solves the discovery and acquisition problem for VR video content by delivering a large catalog of high-quality streaming video directly to VR headsets. In addition to new features and UI upgrades, Vive Video has integrated content from Vimeo, the world’s largest ad-free open video platform, and home to millions of creators worldwide.

    • Viveport VR –

     

    Available today, Viveport VR is the biggest upgrade to the Viveport customer experience since launch. Viveport VR will change the way consumers browse and discover new content. Viveport VR is the biggest update to the Viveport customer experience since launch. Viveport VR is an all-new way to browse, discover and purchase VR content. Instead of being locked to a 2D plane on a PC or phone, consumers can browse and discover content in a deep and immersive experience that stays true to bringing VR content to life. VR Previews offer a new opportunity for developers to present their titles to potential customers and a new way for customers to try the content before downloading.

    In addition to showcasing this exciting content in our booth, read here for new Vive Demos and hardware all around the CES Floor.

    Website: LINK

  • HTC VIVE Raises The Bar For Premium VR With New VIVE PRO Upgrade And Wireless VIVE Adaptor

    HTC VIVE Raises The Bar For Premium VR With New VIVE PRO Upgrade And Wireless VIVE Adaptor

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    New Hardware Raises the Bar for High-End VR Market, While All-New Viveport VR and Vive Video Dramatically Improves the way You Browse, Discover and Acquire VR Content.

    Today in Las Vegas, HTC VIVE™, the leader in room-scale Virtual Reality (VR) announced new hardware upgrades that deliver premium VR experiences to consumers and enterprises with the introduction of Vive Pro and Vive Wireless Adaptor. In addition, the company debuted new improvements in how VR users discover, experience and acquire VR content through a radical redesign of Viveport VR and Vive Video. These advancements deliver on VR users’ desire for higher resolution, improved audio, greater comfort, wireless freedom and immersive content discovery.

    Vive Pro

    Vive Pro is a new HMD upgrade from Vive, built for VR enthusiasts and enterprise users who want the best display and audio for their VR experiences. Vive Pro includes dual-OLED displays for a crisp picture resolution of 2880 x 1600 combined, a 78% increase in resolution over the current Vive HMD.

    This premium resolution enhances immersion for VR enthusiasts, and the improved clarity means text, graphics and overall experience all come into sharper view. Vive Pro also features integrated, high-performance headphones with a built-in amplifier to offer a heightened sense of presence and an overall richer sound. Vive Pro’s new headstrap was built with enhanced ergonomics and comfort, including a sizing dial for a more balanced headset that decreases weight on the front of the headset. Additional improvements include dual microphones with active noise cancellation and dual front-facing cameras designed to empower developer creativity.

    “There’s a clear need in the VR market for a premium VR experience with high resolution display, integrated audio and the best components available today in a headset,” said Daniel O’Brien, GM U.S., VIVE. “Vive Pro offers an immediate upgrade for both VR enthusiasts and enterprises that want to utilize the best VR experience.”

    More details on Vive Pro availability and price will be made available soon.

    Vive Wireless Adaptor

    Also unveiled today, the Vive Wireless Adaptor will be the first to market with a truly wireless VR headset integration for both Vive and Vive Pro.

    The Vive Wireless Adaptor features Intel’s WiGig technology and offers a premium VR wireless experience that operates in the interference-free 60Ghz band, which means lower latency and better performance. The Vive Wireless Adaptor will ship in Q3 to customers worldwide. 

    “Wireless VR has been on nearly every VR user’s wishlist since the technology was unveiled,” said Frank Soqui, General Manager Virtual Reality Group at Intel Corporation. “By collaborating with HTC to commercialize Intel’s WiGig technology, we will guarantee that wireless VR meets the most discerning quality bar for home users and business VR customers.”

    Viveport VR

    In the largest upgrade to the Viveport customer experience since launch, Viveport VR redefines how users, discover, experience and acquire VR content. Instead of a traditional 2D catalog, Viveport VR content is delivered in fully immersive interactive previews. Viveport is embracing a VR first approach by including VR enabled “VR Previews,” which are interactive glimpses of content that give customers a room-scale preview of an experience and the opportunity to interact with content before purchasing or subscribing.

    “Viveport is moving to a VR first experience model, and with the all-new Viveport VR, we are changing the way consumers discover, experience and acquire VR content,” said Rikard Steiber, president, Viveport.  “Until now, there has not been a shopping and browsing experience that takes advantage of the full functionality of VR. Available in early access today, Viveport VR increases interaction with content and offers developers a preview that showcases the quality of their titles and experiences.”

    Earlier this year, Viveport launched the world’s first VR subscription service to provide a whole new way to access the best VR experiences for a great price. With more than 1,000 titles available on Viveport today, and more than 325 available for subscription, Vive is changing the way users browse and discover content through Viveport VR.

     Vive Video Includes Vimeo

    Today HTC Creative Labs also rolled out an upgrade to its native VR video player, Vive Video. Vive Video solves the discovery and acquisition problem for VR video content by delivering a large catalog of high quality streaming video directly to VR headsets. In addition to new features and UI upgrades, Vive Video has integrated content from Vimeo, the world’s largest ad-free open video platform home to millions of creators worldwide.

    In the new Vive Video experience, a curated selection of Vimeo content will be made available to browse and view in a highly optimized native VR experiences within Vive Video-compatible headsets.

    “Whether we’re building our own tools in-house or partnering with other innovative platforms, Vimeo is committed to the future of storytelling and finding new ways to support our creators,” said Christophe Gillet, GM of Vimeo’s Creator Platform. “Not only does the integration with Vive Video showcase some of Vimeo’s highest quality, human-curated content within the VR experience, but it also gives those creators an exciting new way to expose their work and engage with audiences.”

    Vive Video has consistently been one of the most-downloaded and highest-rated apps on the SteamVR platform, enabling users to view 180 and 360-degree video content. Vive Video is available today for both Vive and Google Daydream platforms, and will arrive on Vive Wave in the near future.

    Website: LINK

  • Zayden’s Wish: Making the Impossible Mission Possible – in VR

    Zayden’s Wish: Making the Impossible Mission Possible – in VR

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    **This is a guest post from the team at Trick3D

    The tarmac at Dobbins Air Force Base is clear – no jet engine roars – it’s calm enough to hear the American flag flapping in the breeze. And yet, the air’s electric with excitement. More than 50 airmen are aligned in formation. They are awaiting the arrival of a very special astronaut for a very special mission.

    Astronaut Zayden Wright was born with a rare heart condition. In his seven years of life, the young explorer endured 38 echocardiograms, six heart cauterizations and four open heart surgeries. Yet, none of these challenges have stopped his appetite for adventure. When Make-A-Wish Georgia asked Zayden Wright what he wished for in all of the world, Zayden wished to go to Saturn in a red rocket ship, so his mother, Shonda Wright, said “Let’s see what we can do!”

    From there, Zayden’s family, Make-A-Wish Georgia, immersive content studio TRICK 3D, and a squadron of local wish-granting volunteers banded together to make the seemingly impossible mission possible for the young airman. The group turned to the power of virtual reality to make the space expedition come to fruition.

    The creative vision for the virtual reality wish was set by Zayden himself. Zayden described what his space expedition would be like with his mom and, in vivid detail, he shared how his rocket ship will be red, how he’ll meet a little green alien, and how he’ll see countless stars along his journey.

    With Zayden’s creative brief in-hand, director and TRICK 3D founder, Chad Eikhoff, and his team set to work crafting the VR experience.

    “When Make-A-Wish Georgia shared the wish with me, I immediately said ‘yes! We are doing this!’ Virtual reality is a medium that’s inherently built for wishes and dreams, and this is a great example of VR making something possible that was previously unattainable,” said Eikhoff. “For us at TRICK 3D, building a world and experience for such a meaningful use at such a high level of production is 100 percent why we create, so saying ‘yes’ to Zayden was a no-brainer.”

    The ‘yes’ was easy. The task of crafting an experience that transported Zayden to the destination of his dreams was tricky – just the kind of challenge the artists of TRICK 3D love to tackle. Early on, the team turned to the HTC Vive headset, affectionately dubbed “astronaut goggles,” to achieve the most immersive virtual reality experience possible for Zayden.

    “It was imperative for this experience that we make Zayden feel as though he was really experiencing the Saturn of his dreams,” remarked TRICK 3D lead technical artist, Warren Drones. “To achieve this, our team iterated in the Vive constantly – taking the headset on and off repeatedly – checking and re-checking the experience in order to refine the virtual world we were creating in real-time. The result – Zayden’s reaction – made it all worth it and confirmed to us the power of the technology.”

    Zayden donned the HTC Vive (his astronaut goggles) and “blasted off” to Saturn on May 1st from Dobbins Air Force Base in Marietta, Ga. alongside NASA astronaut, LeRoy Chiao, to the fanfare of more than 50 airmen.

    “Zayden’s Wish” represented the first-ever VR wish granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the seven-year-old’s reaction showcases the potential virtual reality has to transport kids (and adults) to places and experiences that were previously impossible or unimaginable.

    “Zayden’s wish inspires us all to imagine what’s possible – he set a high bar for using VR to instill hope and joy,” said Eikhoff. “We’re excited by the innovative pathways this wish paved that will grant future wishes not yet imagined.”

    Most recently, the Make-A-Wish Foundation honored the Georgia chapter and “Zayden’s Wish” with the Most Innovative Wish of the Year award.

    “We have seen, time and again, that when we can make seemingly impossible wishes come true for these families, they experience an improved sense of overall hope and an improved outlook,” said David Williams, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. “Zayden’s Wish represents a remarkable achievement in harnessing creativity and technology to make that hope happen in a whole new way.”

    To learn more about Make-A-Wish America, visit Wish.org. For more on TRICK 3D, visit TRICK3D.com.

    Website: LINK

  • The Ochre Atelier Comes To Viveport

    The Ochre Atelier Comes To Viveport

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    The next stage of Vive’s partnership with Tate comes to life as Modigliani VR experience ‘The Ochre Atelier’ is now available to download at home

    In 1919 Amedeo Modigliani returned to Paris from the south of France. The war was over; his health had improved. His art dealer, Léopold Zborowski found a studio and living space for Modigliani and his partner, Jeanne Hébuterne, on the rue de la Grande Chaumière, near the cafés and meeting places of Montparnasse. Thanks to Vive’s VR technology, you can now be transported from the comfort of your own home to a recreation of the place where one of the greatest artists of the twentieth century lived and worked in the final months of his life.

    While the studio still exists, almost 100 years after the artist’s death, its appearance has changed significantly. There are no photographs of the studio from the 1910s.  Yet by using the actual space as a template, as well as study of first-hand accounts, historical research and new technical information about Modigliani’s paintings, the studio was reconstructed by teams at Tate and Preloaded to accurately reflect the artist’s living environment. Each object included in the experience was carefully researched, validated by art historians and authentically modelled.

    This incredible and unprecedented look into the life and work of one of the early 20th century’s most innovative artists is currently installed within Tate Modern’s exhibition Modigliani.

    Available now on Viveport, the experience has been expanded and will be more immersive than ever before by utilising the Vive controllers and Vive’s unique room-scale functionality to allow you to walk around Modigliani’s studio. You can check out the experience and how it was made by watching the video here:

    You can from today download the The Ochre Atelier on Viveport here for $2.99.

    This latest release sees Vive continue its work with the arts world, the partnership with Tate Modern being the latest project in the Vive Arts program. Vive has been previously centre stage at leading art venues and events around the world, including Tribeca Film Festival, The Venice Biennale and Somerset House.

    Stay tuned to the Vive blog for even more exciting art projects in 2018.

    Website: LINK

  • Super Puzzle Galaxy – Creating Levels

    Super Puzzle Galaxy – Creating Levels

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    This is a guest blog post by J. Epps and the 2Bears Team.

    A blank page can be intimidating. For me, a blank page feels like a vast ocean that I can’t see the edges of; however, there is a trick that those of us who create for a living use to get past this problem. Just get started. Yep, it’s actually that simple. Once you get started creating, different ideas will come to you and drive the process forward. When creating, there are no bad ideas or wasted efforts; even if you abandon something you created, it still taught you what didn’t work. As in my ocean analogy, imagine your initial idea is like pouring a 1m by 1m cement column you can stand on. Once you have a place to stand, you can see land to build toward.

    Let’s break this down some more:

    1. The Level Gameplay Theme – How to come up with a cool level idea

    a. There are really two options:

    i. Item Driven – The way I start all my S.P.G. levels is to pick two different objects and think about interesting ways to use them or have them interact. Frequently, as you start constructing your level, you will uncover new interactions between objects. If this happens, see if you can harness it and build around that as the main gameplay theme for the level.

    ii. Idea-Driven – Sometimes an idea for a cool interaction may just occur to you such as creating a level with no rock, only sand. In the case of an idea-driven level, you use objects to create the idea you are thinking of. The important part is the idea you are driving at, not the objects to get you there.

    2. Create a Level – Let’s walk through creating a level.

    a. Place the Level End First – I place the End Goal object first to understand where I need to arrive. I then build backwards in steps.b. Divide into Sections – Usually there are 3 major interactions in a level, so divide into 3 sections.c. Make it Real – Let’s add some concrete ideas to these sections:

    i. Section 1 – Use sand manipulation to navigate around a 90-degree turn.

    ii. Section 2 – Aim the Catapult in the correct direction.

    iii. Section 3 – Place the Bent Tunnel to throw ball up and into the rock mound protecting the End Goal. [The sand ramp in section one is not present because the player will create this ramp themselves.]

    d. Solved – Here is what the level would look like once it is solved.

    1. Rules – Here are the simple rules the bears at 2Bears_Central use to create S.P.G. levels:

    a. Galaxy Gems – Our general rule is that it doesn’t have to be hard to win a level; however, getting all the Galaxy Gems should be challenging.

    i. Easy to Get 1, Hard to Get 3 – It can and should be pretty easy to win the level. This will make it so that if a player gets tired of figuring out the level they can win and come back to tackle getting three gems later. Getting one gem should be more difficult than just getting the ball into the end goal while getting all three should be super challenging.

    ii. Gems Can Show the Path – A good way to give player’s a starting place in your level is to use a Gem or two to show the intended path of the ball. This would be similar to coins that show a jump arc in a Mario game.

    b. Too Many Objects – While not an iron-clad rule, it is more elegant and thoughtful to design with fewer objects. For example, a level with 8 moveable Portal Doors all connected to different fixed Portal Doors will drive a player insane as she tries to figure out—through guess and check—which movable Portal Door links to which fixed Portal Door. It is fine to have one of each object as long as the end product is still fun.

    1. Creation Suggestions –

    a. Momentum – S.P.G. is a physics puzzle game so the speed of the ball is integral. You can use accelerator ramps, catapults, portal doors and of course sand to cause the ball to accelerate or decelerate. Don’t forget to experiment with making the player control the speed of the ball using hills and ramps. Consider starting the ball off on a rock ramp and then make them slow the ball down or even start the ball on an accelerator ramp and make players use a pit to channel the ball.

    b. Fun – Don’t forget, you are creating fun. Sometimes a level idea is great in the abstract but just isn’t fun in the game, or you just can’t make the mechanic work the way you envisioned it. I suggest you don’t beat your head against a level idea that isn’t working out and just move onto a different idea.

    c. Start Over – Don’t be afraid to start over if you don’t like the direction of the level. While it is counterintuitive, the reality is that deciding what to make is the hard part. Actually recreating a level is fast once you know exactly what you are building. You don’t have to start over from scratch, but sometimes it helps to get rid of what isn’t working so you can come up with a fresh approach.

    –J. “jammy” Epps & The 2Bears Team

    Early Access of Super Puzzle Galaxy is available today on Steam for a promotional price of $9.99 while a Lite Edition of Super Puzzle Galaxy will be on Viveport for $3.99. Viveport’s Lite Edition will also be available for Viveport subscribers to select as one of their monthly titles starting today. The Lite Edition features all 48 levels but does not include the option to create or explore user-generated content.

    Website: LINK

  • Operation Apex and the Motivations Behind It

    Operation Apex and the Motivations Behind It

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    With the launch of Operation Apex today on the HTC VIVE, we asked the CEO of Curiscope, Ed Barton, to give us some in depth insight into the virtual experience surrounding one of the most expansive, diverse places on the planet: our ocean.

    It’s hard to imagine a world without plastics. For most of us, it’s only the world we’ve ever known. Plastic became a mainstream material in the 70s with invention of the plastic bag  and now, in less than 50 years, we’ve reached a stage where our oceans contain over 50 trillion microplastic particles, 500 times more than the stars in our Galaxy. If we continue at our current rate, by 2050 our oceans will contain more plastic than fish by mass.

    The underwater world makes up considerably more of the Earth than the areas we inhabit, yet to most of us the ocean is completely alien, scary even. It is an environment where still, countless species still exist that we’ve never even laid eyes on. The wonder of this world runs contrary to the impact we as a species are having on it. Our impact is something that’s out of sight and out of mind.

    So there’s a huge problem here but we wanted to try to tackle it a little differently. Virtual Reality is often so immersive that most experiences focused on a social mission leave you drained or overwhelmed and can often do more to disconnect you from the issue at hand. Learning about something doesn’t need to feel like a lecture.

    With Operation Apex we wanted to lead with the wonder of the ocean, creating a product that stands up on its own right. It’s not only a game that you’ll learn from but something that you’ll enjoy and want to go back into time and time again to interact with the creatures and to explore the things hidden around the levels.

    So, what was important to make that happen? We started the project with extensive communication with our contacts at Oceans Research, looking into what messages were important to communicate and how we could best represent the environment. The development team then scoured through research papers to learn as much as we could about the food chain and the way the animals move in this environment so that we’d be able to make it feel as realistic as possible. In particular, we spent months honing an algorithm for the sharks that represented them in a lifelike manner. This provided the user with an ability to interact with them, feed them, chase them and swim with them, all as though you were in their environment alongside them.


    This code-driven animation was something we were particularly keen to work on. Ben and myself started Curiscope at the start of 2016 with an animation, Great White Sharks 360, that went on to be watched by over 25m people. Most people watch it not even knowing that it’s animated and assume it to be filmed footage. Animation and CGI were the tools we chose at the time with the objective of reaching as many people as possible but we always built it with a view to it becoming something more.

    Operation Apex is the product that is something more, the spiritual sequel. We transitioned the company from CGI to real-time, code-driven animation, creating a fully interactive, explorable world where the inhabitants react to your presence. It’s maybe bigger than we ever envisioned it would be and we’re just getting started. One of the most exciting aspects about working in this new medium is world creation and the subsequent exploration and discovery this offers. The opportunity to create dynamic creatures that then live there and react to you is a sensation that’s unique to VR and that’s unparalleled by anything else.

    The food chain is the core point of progression in Operation Apex. As you progress through the game you work your way up, learning more and more about the different species and how pollutants, plastics and overfishing have an impact across them all. We’ve also introduced a couple of interesting game mechanics, the lure and the mimic. Together you can use these to control and interact with the creatures in your environment. As you progress through the game, you unlock more and more mimics (even a Whale Shark which is…interesting) and interact your way up to the predators at the top of the food chain.

    So it’s a bit of an experience, a game and a virtual world, all rolled into one. We designed it to be open ended so that, whilst there’s a narrative arc, you can go off script and explore the environment. We hate experiences that are on rails and think the most exciting part about an ocean environment is the freedom that it offers. It’s an interesting space in which to create; and we want to continue opening up possibilities as we develop it further.

    We’d hope that users spend as much time exploring the environment as they do progressing through the tasks. We’ve spent a lot of time crafting it to have its own character with deep crevices, caves, tunnels and the slowly wafting kelp, loosely modelled on one of our favorite places on the planet, Monterey. We’ve also hidden some pretty interesting discoveries around the levels, some hinting at future expansion ideas and others being creatures that are as elusive in the game as they are in real life.

    Ultimately we’d love to hear how you all get on. We’re a small team with around 6 members of staff working on Operation Apex over 2017. We’d love for this to be the start of development and of transforming the idea of what immersive learning really could be. And, of course, we’d love to hear how Operation Apex has impacted you and how, together, we can protect the most important ecosystem on our planet.

    • Ed Barton, CEO, Curiscope

    Website: LINK

  • Front Defense: Heroes introduces V-Move, a new form of VR locomotion

    Front Defense: Heroes introduces V-Move, a new form of VR locomotion

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Released today and developed by Vive Studios’ first-party developer Fantahorn Studio, Front Defense: Heroes is a highly-polished, online multiplayer shooter set in the final days of WW2. Playing as either the Axis or the Allies, players can challenge their friends to a 5 on 5 game of Team Deathmatch or Mission Mode across 5 multiplayer maps. To add to the mobility and strategy of the game, Fantahorn has developed their own unique and innovative locomotion called V-Move.

    Fantahorn found that the traditional method of teleporting reduces a player’s sense of immersion and can contribute to motion sickness – a major pain point of VR. With the goal of minimizing motion sickness and elevating strategy, Fantahorn sought to develop their own movement system totally unique to VR. With V-Move you control the movements of your avatar in the 3rd-person, determining their pathway before being teleported to your final destination. By guiding the avatar as it moves with your controller, players maintain the rhythm and continuity of the game while focusing on the battle at hand.

    Front Defense Heroes

    While V-Move may be reinventing teleportation for VR, players will take to the new form of movement with ease. Pressing up on your non-dominant trackpad starts your avatar’s run (in 3rd person perspective) while turning your controller left and right will easily change directions. Let go of the trackpad and your run ends, returning to the original 1st person perspective. Players can dodge enemy fire, jump and crawl their way to victory using V-Move.

    Front Defense: Heroes is now available on Steam and Viveport for a promotional price of $4.99. A new Front Defense and Front Defense: Heroes bundle is now available at a promotional price of $9.99. All existing owners of Front Defense on Viveport and Steam will receive a free copy of Front Defense: Heroes. In addition, Viveport subscribers can now select Front Defense: Heroes as one of their monthly titles.

    Website: LINK

  • Nobel Prize and HTC Vive Partner To Debut The First VR Experience For The 2017 Nobel Prize

    Nobel Prize and HTC Vive Partner To Debut The First VR Experience For The 2017 Nobel Prize

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Stockholm, Sweden– December 5, 2017 – During the Nobel Week when the Nobel Laureates come to Stockholm and Oslo, HTC VIVE™ and Nobel Media announced a partnership to create the first virtual reality experience for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The VR experience “The Circadian Rhythm” takes viewers on a journey into the cellular level of the human body, where they are able to learn about and interact with our biological clock to gain a greater understanding of its inner workings. This truly unique VR experience showcases the contributions of Nobel Laureates and explains how plants, animals and humans adapt their biological rhythm so that it is synchronized with the Earth’s revolutions.

    The Nobel Prize is based on recognizing great contributions to humanity, and the receivers of the Nobel Prize are among those who have advanced our knowledge of the universe and our bodies.    Nobel Media and HTC Vive are creating the virtual reality experience to visualize the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine awarded to Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young for their discoveries of molecular mechanisms controlling the circadian rhythm. The experience will be shown for the first time during the Nobel Week while the full free experience will be available globally on Viveport and at the Nobel Museum starting in 2018.

    “Together, with HTC Vive, we are creating unique VR experiences that showcase important moments and lessons that the world can benefit from,” said Mattias, Fyrenius, CEO Nobel Media.  “’The Circadian Rhythm’ is another great testament to how emerging technologies like VR can provide an unparalleled experience and moment of learning.”

    “We believe that the mysteries of our physiology and the world of physics can best be explored when you experience the breakthrough achievements of Nobel Prize Laurates in VR – imagine being in a cell and see the biological clock at work or at the beginning of time when the Big Bang happens,” said Rikard Steiber, President, Viveport.

    This initiative with Nobel Media is the latest in HTC Vive’s effort to expand the world’s understanding of the impact VR can have in educating and engaging the public on the world around us. Vive recently launched Vive Arts, an initiative set to change the way the world creates and engages with the arts. Vive’s partnership with Nobel Media further demonstrates the power VR has in shaping the way we educate and appreciate important concepts.

    Website: LINK

  • Winners of “HP Mars Home Planet” Conceptual Design Phase Announced

    Winners of “HP Mars Home Planet” Conceptual Design Phase Announced

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Life on Mars is one step closer to ‘virtual’ reality as nine winners have been announced at Autodesk University Las Vegas 2017, for the first phase of HP Mars Home Planet – a global project pairing co-creation on the Launch Forth platform with virtual reality (VR) to simulate a utopian civilization of one million people on Mars.

    From buildings, vehicles, farms and clothing, this co-creation project of professional architects, engineers, designers and artists from around the world explores how one million humans could thrive on the Red Planet given its climate and atmospheric challenges.

    HP Mars Home Planet runs on Launch Forth, a product design platform powered by a robust co-creation community of 120,000 designers, engineers and solvers. This community-powered platform allows people everywhere to collaborate on ideas, solve problems and create solutions for challenges, both big and small, using open innovation to accelerate the product development process.

    HP Mars Home Planet launched as a three-phase, yearlong project in August when HP Inc., NVIDIA®  and Launch Forth teamed up with Autodesk, Epic Unreal Engine, Fusion, HTC Vive, Microsoft and Technicolor.

    In the first phase of Mars Home Planet, participants submitted conceptual designs for the buildings, vehicles, smart cities, and transportation systems that will support one million humans in an area of Mars called ‘Mars Valley’. The challenge was so popular, it broke Launch Forth’s record of 34,000 participants and close to 500 entries in around two months.

    The winners, who, will be awarded $38,080 in total prizes, were determined by public voting and an illustrious panel of judges, including:

    • Dr. Robert Zubrin, President of Mars Society
    • Daniel Libeskind, Architect
    • Dr. Sanjay Vijendran, Mars Mission, European Space Agency
    • Andrew Anagnost, CEO of Autodesk
    • Chris deFaria, President of DreamWorks Animation Group
    • Ryan Church, Concept Artist and former Star Wars Art Director
    • Android Jones, Conceptual Artist
    • Stacy Wolf, VP of Industrial Design, HP
    • Jay Rogers, CEO of Local Motors

    The winners are:

    Infrastructure 1: Kenny Levick (United States), Mars-Genesis & Mawrth-Integra: Interplanetary Design

    Infrastructure 2: Kadek Wicaksana (Indonesia), Mars Colony 1.0

    Transportation 1: Xabier Albizu (Spain), MARS M. U. V (Multi Utility Vehicle)

    Transportation 2: Justin Carlo Punay (Philippines), Mars General Utility Vehicle 

    Innovation of Architecture: Jesús Velazco (Venezuela), Solar Powered Colony

    Innovation in Design: Jorge Moreno Fierro (Columbia), Bio System

    Innovation in Engineering: Yih Foo Looi (Malaysia), Living Environments from Hostile Wastes

    Innovation in Engineering– Special Acknowledgement: Jose Daniel Garcia Espinel (Spain), Metropolis First City on Mars

    Innovation in Science: Lake Matthew Team (United States), Artificial Geomagnetic Field to Protect a Crewed Mars Facility from Cosmic Rays

    Phase two of HP Mars Home Planet, the 3D Modeling Competition, opens for submissions today. Participants are being asked to use Autodesk software to create 3D models of buildings, city infrastructure, vehicles, sports stadiums, city parks, schools, furniture, and anything else that might be found in a utopian Martian human civilization of one million humans. Participants will be inspired by the phase one conceptual design winners, but they are free to use their imagination and create whatever they desire. Submissions close February 25, 2018.

    With creative and technical leadership from Technicolor, co-creators will bring the winning 3D models into the Unreal Engine to create a VR simulation of what life on Mars could be like for one million people. The environment will build on Mars Valley terrain from Fusion’s “Mars 2030” game, which is based on NASA Mars research and high resolution photography.

    The entire project looks to a time in the future where there are families and communities living a utopian lifestyle on Mars. The goal of the project is to engage creative thinkers to solve some of the challenges of urbanization on the Red Planet. Ultimately, through the VR experience, people here on Earth will be able to experience what life on Mars might be like.

    For more information about the winning concepts, and to join the 3D Modeling Challenge visit http://launchforth.io/hpmars.

    Website: LINK

  • VIVE Tracker Bundles Up In Time For The Holidays

    VIVE Tracker Bundles Up In Time For The Holidays

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    It’s been a great year for Vive Tracker and we’re consistently impressed by the way the developer community has integrated Tracker into their experiences, prototypes and arcades. From MarioKart VR, to full body tracking, to the first VR keyboard, Vive Tracker enables new types of VR projects quickly and affordably.

    But that’s just for developers and businesses. Starting today, we’ve got our first line of Tracker peripherals and accessories for Vive users at home.

    The first Vive Tracker accessory bundles are available for pre-order today with expected arrival dates of mid-December (just in time for the holidays).

    • Hyper Blaster with Duck Season
    • Racket Sports Set with Virtual Sports

    A third partner bundle featuring straps to enable full body tracking, is available for purchase today.

    • Rebuff Reality’s TrackStrap with Redfoot Bluefoot Dancing

    Note, the Rebuff bundle does not ship with a Vive Tracker so you’ll need to order directly from Vive.com 

    Hyper Blaster

    The Hyper Blaster brings a retro light gun to VR for the first time. When paired with Vive Tracker, the Hyper Blaster serves as both a gun and motion controller in integrated games such as Duck Season, Arizona Sunshine, The American Dream VR, Operation Warcade, TacticalAR, and Practisim VR. The Hyper Blaster will be sold exclusively through Amazon and includes Duck Season as a pack-in title, and one Vive Tracker, all for $149.99. Duck Season, by Stress Level Zero, is a throwback to the golden age of 1980’s gaming and movies with a hint of horror in a Spielburgian universe. Unique to Duck Season, the Blaster is virtually represented within the game world.

    In addition to the six titles integrated at launch, Vive is working with 10 additional developers to integrate the Blaster by Q1.

    Racket Sports Set

    Custom-molded and weighted to feel like real paddles and rackets, the Racket Sports Set is packaged for both Ping Pong and Tennis games.  Connected via a simple screw, the handles are integrated with five titles. The set will sell for $149.99 and includes both Ping Pong and Tennis handles, a Vive Tracker and a pack-in redemption code for Virtual Sports.  Pre-orders are available today via Amazon, Abt Electronics, BH Photo, Fry’s, Gamestop, Micro Center and NewEgg with additional retailers expected.

    In addition to Virtual Sports, the Racket Sports Set is integrated with four titles today and expect an additional six by end of year.

    TrackStrap

    The Vive Tracker takes SteamVR tracking to another level of accuracy, easily adding feet, wrist, hip or leg tracking movement to VR experiences.

    Rebuff Reality is selling TrackStrap, which easily attaches Vive Trackers to your feet and other body parts to enable full body tracking. A pair of TrackStraps is available now for $24.99 via rebuffreality.com and includes a pack-in redemption code for Redfoot Bluefoot Dancing on Steam, inspired by Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) and Audioshield.

    Dozens of developers have integrated body tracking into their experiences, including CloudGate Studios’ Island 359, which today launched a “Virtual Self” update that uses Vive Trackers for full body tracking and movement.

    Additional compatible titles include Climbey, Holodance, High Fidelity and more.

    Website: LINK

  • A Cornucopia of VIVE Black Friday Deals 

    A Cornucopia of VIVE Black Friday Deals 

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Before the year’s most delicious holiday takes place, we want to share our exciting Black Friday deals across VIVE and VIVEPORT.

    Customers who purchase a Vive between Friday, November 24th at 12:00am ET through Monday, November 27th at 11:59pm PT will receive a Deluxe Audio Strap with the purchase of their Vive in addition to the current Fallout 4 VR bundle. For $599 each customer will get the Vive headset and all the necessary hardware and software to set up room-scale VR as well as a Deluxe Audio Strap ($99.99 value), a copy of Google Tilt Brush, a free trial to Viveport Subscription, and a redemption code for Fallout 4 VR ($59.99 value) which launches on December 12, 2017.

    With its integrated headphones, plush padding, and easy adjustment dial, the Deluxe Audio Strap provides additional comfort and when using Vive. Once you’ve received your Deluxe Audio Strap you only need a couple of minutes to install it on your new Vive.

    This Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal will be available online and in all retail locations where Vive is sold. To find a location to purchase Vive near you, click here or head to vive.com.

    VIVEPORT

    Viveport will also be taking part in this year’s Black Friday deals, by offering discounted pre-paid subscription packages for Viveport Subscription and big discounts on titles from Vive Studios.  The Viveport deals will start on Wednesday Nov 22 and end on Monday Nov 27.

    This promotion offers the best time to become a Viveport Subscriber. Viveport subscription is the best way to experience virtual reality from a specially curated collection of apps and games, from $6.99 per month. With your Viveport Subscription, you can experience up to five apps or games every month. Simply download and play!

    Viveport Subscription will see huge savings on pre-purchased plans:  

    ·         3-month subscription – Select 15 Apps for just $12.99 (35% savings) 

    ·         6-month subscription – Select 30 Apps for just $19.99 (50% savings) 

    ·         12-month subscription – Select 60 Apps for just $29.99 (63% savings) 

    With up to 75% off, Vive studios titles will also see big discounts on a wide-range of VR content titles, such as Virtual Sports, Arcade Saga, Remembering Pearl Harbor, Front Defense, Jams Studio, Amazon Odyssey & True Scale. Head to Viveport.com to see the full list of discounted content titles. 

    Also, when you buy or subscribe on Viveport, we will give 100% of all profits back to our developers this holiday season.

    *$599 HTC VIVE + Deluxe Audio Strap + Fallout 4 bundle is for North American markets only. More details on the European markets will be announced shortly. Stay tuned to our blog for more details.

    Website: LINK

  • Vive Studios Announces Super Puzzle Galaxy and Front Defense: Heroes, Two New First-Party Titles for HTC Vive

    Vive Studios Announces Super Puzzle Galaxy and Front Defense: Heroes, Two New First-Party Titles for HTC Vive

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Fantahorn Studios and 2 Bears Studio develop their second titles for Vive Studios, emphasizing multiplayer and user-generated content

    Vive Studios today announced two new first-party titles coming to Vive in early December 2017. After releasing popular games this past year, 2 Bears Studio (Arcade Saga) and Fantahorn Studios (Front Defense) have developed their second titles for Vive Studios as the content development initiative approaches its one year anniversary. 2 Bears Studio’s Super Puzzle Galaxy, a physics-based puzzle game, and Fantahorn’s Front Defense: Heroes, a multiplayer WWII shooter, will be available for purchase in time for the holidays.

    “We are excited to showcase the best of room-scale VR gaming as we approach Vive Studios’ one year anniversary,” said Joel Breton, Vice President of Vive Studios. “Super Puzzle Galaxy unleashes mind-bending puzzles and empowers creativity with user-generated tools for creating and sharing your own puzzles. Front Defense: Heroes, builds on one of the most successful games from Vive Studios and delivers a compelling multiplayer experience. The team at Fantahorn has created an innovative VR movement system that we are calling “V-Move”.  We think that players are going to absolutely love this new movement method that allows for concise and compelling multiplayer gameplay in VR.”

    Super Puzzle Galaxy

    2 Bears Studio, the developer behind Vive Studio’s debut title Arcade Saga, is announcing their new title Super Puzzle Galaxy to be made available in mid-December. Set on an intergalactic planet, players manipulate the world’s terrain to solve physics-based puzzles. By pushing, pulling, and manipulating sand and other objects, players vie to create the fastest pathways and unlock new ball abilities. At launch, the game will feature leaderboards and 48 pre-built puzzles with more to follow post-launch. In addition, Super Puzzle Galaxy allows users to create their own puzzles with an in-game editor which they can then share with the community to play. Super Puzzle Galaxy will be available early December on Steam for $9.99 and for a limited time the new title will have a launch discount of 75% off.

    “Super Puzzle Galaxy was born out of a passion for creating compelling and engaging VR content for the whole family that challenges the player’s problem solving and creative abilities,” said David Sapienza, Executive Producer of 2 Bears Studio “Adding user-generated content was a core tenet of creating something that empowers the community, and Super Puzzle Galaxy delivers a unique room-scale VR experience.  We’re excited to see the levels and Rube Goldberg contraptions the community is able to come up with.”

    Front Defense: Heroes

    Fantahorn Studios is announcing their second title Front Defense: Heroes. The dynamic title features 5v5 multiplayer and builds upon Fantahorn’s success with Front Defense. Front Defense: Heroes offers a highly polished, room-scale multiplayer shooter. Whether playing as the Axis or Allies, players can access multiple maps, weapons, and game modes, including capture the flag, deathmatch, and defense mission mode to keep gameplay fresh and exciting. Fantahorn is also debuting a unique locomotion system called “V-Move” that adds to the strategy and drama of intense online battles. Front Defense: Heroes will be available in early December on Steam and Viveport for a promotional price of $4.99.

    “With Front Defense: Heroes we’ve built upon our experience with Front Defense to engage the community and offer new challenges with every match,” said River Ho, Front Defense producer. “As a dynamic multiplayer shooter, Front Defense: Heroes lends itself perfectly to the competitive ethos of VR e-sports, an important feature as VR gaming matures.”

    Stay tuned for more news on both titles as their launch dates approach in December!

    Website: LINK

  • Vive Announces Vive Wave Open Platform and Vive Focus, Its Standalone VR device For China

    Vive Announces Vive Wave Open Platform and Vive Focus, Its Standalone VR device For China

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Today, at our Vive Developers Conference (VDC) in Beijing, we announced the VIVE WAVE VR Open Platform.  With it, we are taking another huge step in driving the most vibrant ecosystem for VR forward. Vive Wave will open up the path to easy mobile VR content development and device optimization for third-party partners. So far, twelve hardware partners in China, including  360QIKU, Baofengmojing, Coocaa, EmdoorVR, Idealens, iQIYI, Juhaokan, Nubia, Pico, Pimax, Quanta and Thundercomm, announced their support for Vive Wave and integrating the VIVEPORT™ VR content platform into their future products.

    Vive Wave is a clear step forward in bringing together the highly fragmented mobile VR market that has cropped up in China the last several years. It enables developers to create content for a common platform and storefront across multiple hardware vendors. Over 35 Chinese and global content developers have already built VR content optimized for Vive Wave, with 14 showing live demos during VDC.

    We also announced VIVE FOCUS, our first standalone VR Headset for the China market.  Vive Focus is also based on the Vive Wave VR open platform.

    Vive Focus offers enhanced comfort for extended use, easy on-off capabilities, and is the first commercial standalone device to deliver inside-out 6-degree-of-freedom tracking (6DoF) which Vive calls “world-scale”. Without the need to be attached to a PC or a phone, Vive Focus provides unlimited freedom of mobility while reducing the total cost for users to own a premium VR device in China. Its high-resolution AMOLED screen delivers the best possible VR experience, with low latency and unmatched clarity. The Vive Focus is powered by the advanced features of the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 835 VR Platform and utilizes the Vive Wave VR open platform, including the rich library of VR content available on the Viveport.

    Also at VDC, Viveport also announced a global strategic partnership with Unity Technologies to enable the one-click publishing of VR content onto Viveport for PC VR, Standalone VR, and mobile VR developers. Unity will integrate Viveport into its content platform and provide a more intuitive way for developers to utilize the new Vive Wave VR SDK. Unity will also integrate Viveport’s in-app payment and VR advertisement functions into its development system, with an initial focus on the China market, opening up even more revenue opportunities for its VR developer community.  For the remainder of 2017, Viveport is giving back 100% of all profit earned on its platform back to the developer community.

    For more information on VDC, check out our press release here.

    Website: LINK

  • Volkswagen Launch The T-Roc Virtual Reality Experience

    Volkswagen Launch The T-Roc Virtual Reality Experience

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    To celebrate the world premiere of the T-Roc, Volkswagen prepared something special: A virtual reality exhibition right in the lobby of the Volkswagen Brand Tower. The historic brand tower is the administrative center of the Volkswagen group, and stands on the site of the Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg, Germany.

    This VR exhibit is now freely available to all visitors and extremely self-explanatory. The experience is realized with the use of the HTC Vive, functions without the need for any human resources and is designed with an intuitive user interface. Thus, visitors do not require any prior VR experience to know how to interact with the T-Roc exterior and interior configurations.

    With the help of Leap Motion hand tracking technology, visitors are able to see their own hands in Virtual Reality. This technique makes it possible to change vehicle configurations through simple hand motions and physical interactions with digital information. In the car’s interior, the visitor can playfully explore the design through our new intuitive 3D operating concept. The sunroof and glove compartment can be opened and closed, the horn can be honked and the radio can be turned on.

    For the realization of this huge project,Volkswagen carried out a complex 3D scan from the lobby of the Markenhochhaus. In order to avoid noise pollution through the exhibit, they used new ultrasound speakers. Ultrasound speakers make the sound only hearable for the visitor.

    The result is a one-of-a-kind VR experience, which does not require any external help or tutorials to use. Watch it in action below:

    Website: LINK

  • HTC VIVE Announces VIVE Arts Program

    HTC VIVE Announces VIVE Arts Program

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Today HTC VIVE announced VIVE Arts, a new multi-million dollar global VR program set to change the way the world creates and engages with the arts. Vive recognizes VR’s potential to share and engage with the world’s most valuable treasures in a new and exciting way, and the company’s latest investment will support the content, creators and institutions that embrace this new medium.

    Vive has been supporting and investing in the arts and culture space since its launch, creating ground-breaking partnerships with London’s Royal Academy of Arts, Taipei’s National Palace Museum, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (French National Museum of Natural History) in Paris, Washington D.C.’s Newseum, and St. Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum among others. Vive Arts’ next project will be in London for Tate Modern’s major upcoming exhibition, Modigliani, opening on November 23rd, where Vive will bring a one-of-a-kind integrated VR experience to gallery-goers. A first for both Vive and Tate, it will bring visitors to the exhibition closer into the artist’s world while also being available as an experience at home through VIVEPORT, the leading VR app store.

    The Vive Arts program will help cultural institutions fund and develop VR installations that furthers education of the arts across the globe, as well as content that will be made available on Viveport. Vive will work with museums and content developers to bring their works to life in a whole new way.

    “With the launch of Vive Arts, we are driving Virtual Reality’s influence in art and providing access to our world’s cultural heritage. We are empowering artists to create, and consumers to experience and interpret, art and culture in new ways,” said Joel Breton, vice president, VIVE Studios. “We are thrilled for the next Vive Arts’ project with Tate Modern, and support their mission to increase the public’s enjoyment and understanding of international modern and contemporary art.”

    London’s Tate Modern:

    ‘We are thrilled to be working with HTC VIVE to bring a new and exciting digital experience to our visitors,” said Frances Morris, Director, Tate Modern.  “We are always looking to push creative boundaries and we think this will be a fantastic opportunity to give the public a different and in-depth understanding of this much-loved artist through new technology.”

    Taipei’s National Palace Museum

    National Palace Museum has a priceless collection of artifacts, paintings, rare books, and other treasures. Jasper Jeng-Yi Lin, Director of the Museum, has made them even more accessible to everyone via new technologies like VR. A massive numbers of artifacts have been digitized for appreciation, research, and creative applications. Using virtual reality, the museum has created experiences for calligraphy, paintings, as well as the Tong-an Ships of 19th-century China, so that visitors can appreciate their beauty across time and space. The National Palace Museum invites friends from around the globe to enjoy its ancient treasures via VR.

    Washington D.C.’s Newseum:

    “At the Newseum, we’ve been working closely with Vive to bring amazing experiences to life in VR. Together, we’re greatly enhancing the educational opportunities in our museum,” said Mitch Gelman, Chief Technology Officer, Newseum.  “With our most recent experience, we’re able to transport you to communist East Berlin at the height of the Cold War, and immerse visitors in the moment like never before.”

    Paris’ Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (French National Museum of Natural History)

    The Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (French National Museum of Natural History), in partnership with Orange, will offer a unique immersive virtual reality experience to explore the tree of the living, iconic species and how they are related to each other. Experience the origin of life on earth as well as how human beings influences our own environment. By the end of the year, the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle will open a dedicated area within the “La Grande Galerie de l’Évolution” (Gallery of Evolution) for visitors to experience on site with HTC Vive VR headsets.  This content will also be available in home through Viveport by end of November.

    London’s Royal Academy of Arts

    “We are delighted to be collaborating with HTC VIVE on From Life, an experimental exhibition project that explores everything from artistic process to technological evolution and creative collaboration, said Tim Marlow, Artistic Director of the Royal Academy of Arts.  “It is an exciting opportunity for leading artists to explore the creative potential of Virtual Reality technology, and for our audiences to experience this technology first-hand, in the gallery and at home via Viveport.”

    More than a dozen pieces of Vive Arts content will be available on Viveport starting today. Interested museums and content creators can visit arts.vive.com for more information.

    Website: LINK

  • How Can We Support A Million Lives On Mars?

    How Can We Support A Million Lives On Mars?

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    HP Mars Home Planet challenges engineers, architects, designers, artists, and students to design an urban area for a million people on the red planet.

    Is there life on Mars? Imagine a future when one million people call the red planet home. Together with NVIDIA, HTC VIVE and other partners, HP has launched HP Mars Home Planet, an exciting call for global collaboration to solve the challenges of urbanization using virtual reality (VR).

    Establishing human civilization on Mars, which happens to be about 225 million km away, will be no small feat. And yet NASA has identified it as our best option to support human life on another planet. Designing the buildings, transportation networks, vehicles, and essential infrastructure requires leaps of imagination and ingenuity.

    Get ready for HP Mars Home Planet. The challenge will bring together creative thinkers across professional disciplines and elite educational institutions to simulate what life on Mars could be like. Engineers, architects, designers, artists, and students from around the world are invited to participate, either as individuals or in teams, and can design whatever inspires them, from robots to vehicles to skyscrapers to entire city plans.

    HP and NVIDIA teamed up with Technicolor, Autodesk, Unreal Engine, Fusion, Launch Forth and HTC VIVE to launch HP Mars Home Planet at this year’s SIGGRAPH, the world’s largest, most influential conference and exhibitions for computer graphics and interactive techniques.

    Three competitive phases: Concept, Model, Render

    During the first phase participants focused on sketching buildings, transportation, and infrastructure concepts for Mawrth Vallis—Welsh for Mars Valley—a potential landing site identified by NASA. The concepts have to reflect the conditions on Mars, such as its weaker gravity, lack of oxygen, and exposure to radiation.

    The concept phase wraps up in early November, and winners will receive HP ZBooks and HP Z Workstations. High-powered HP Z Workstations propel high- performance, complex work for game-changing, ground-breaking companies like Nike, Tesla, DreamWorks, and NASA—and like designing a sophisticated civilization on Mars.

    In the modeling phase, participants will create a 3D model focusing on any aspect of the future built environment on Mars, with the help of Autodesk software.

    In the rendering phase, participants will create a still, animated, real-time, or VR rendering depicting their invention for a smart city or region on Mars that supports life for a million humans.

    STEM on Mars

    Around the world, schools and universities can join in the challenge, too. HP Mars Home Planet Education League teams will participate to support learning in STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).

    To collaborate, participants will use Launch Forth, a crowd-powered SaaS (software-as-a-service) platform for product design and development. Launch Forth’s community members focus on solving problems, designing products, and learning from experts.

    Stay tuned to the HTC VIVE blog as we continue to update you on this fascinating project. If you would like to learn more, then head over to the Launch Forth platform to get involved.

    Website: LINK

  • Over 100 Interactive Songs Now Available For Jam Studio VR

    Over 100 Interactive Songs Now Available For Jam Studio VR

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Today – October 26, 2017 – Jam Studio VR, the interactive music app that allows anyone to unleash their inner musician and play music or DJ, regardless of their musical experience or abilities, has now released over 100 interactive songs for download on Steam and Viveport.

      

    In addition to the already-included 20 multi-genre interactive songs, numerous additional song bundles are available for download and purchase as follows: Disney Stars bundle (featuring superstar artists Miley Cyrus and The Jonas Brothers), Disney Camp Rock Bundle, Disney Phineas and Ferb Bundle, Grammy-nominated Guitarist Craig Chaquico’s “Fingerprints in the Sky” Bundle, legendary Megadeth Bassist David Ellefson’s “Metal Factory” Bundle, Acclaimed Jazz Saxophonist Euge Groove’s “Grove on This” Bundle, as well as many other Bundles. (See content overview video at https://youtu.be/WErQeblvf6Y).

      

    “This rich new content provides individuals and families with a wide variety of music and choices that can allow them to be fully immersed in Jam Studio VR for extended periods of time and experience music like never before!” said Charlie Mollo, Beamz Interactive’s CEO.

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    As a special launch promotion for this new content, through the end of November, a free bonus bundle will be offered to anyone that purchases Jam Studio VR. The promo bundle will include: one David Ellefson Song, one Craig Chaquico song, one Euge Groove song, and five EDM/DJ songs.

    Get Jam Studio VR from Viveport & all the information relating to Jam Studio VR from www.jamstudiovr.com.

    Website: LINK