Schlagwort: VR

  • Behind the mask: A chat with the developers of Maskmaker

    Behind the mask: A chat with the developers of Maskmaker

    Reading Time: 6 minutes

    Innerspace VR, the developers behind A Fisherman’s Tale, is busy working on another captivating VR experience, Maskmaker. As a maskmaker’s apprentice, you’ll learn the magic of crafting masks and the power of wearing them. Solving puzzle after puzzle, you’ll explore this diverse and stunning world on your quest to understand the identity of Prospero, the man behind the masks.

    We spoke with Balthazar Auxietre, Co-Founder and Creative Director of InnverspaceVR, to get an inside look at the development of the upcoming title.

    It’s great to catch up with you again after chatting with you previously about A Fisherman’s Tale! For our new readers, tell us a bit about yourself and the team at InnerspaceVR, and what’s changed since the last time we spoke!

    I’m the co-founder and creative director of Innerspace VR. Our studio was founded in 2014, during the very early stages of the rise of VR, when we were working on making content for the release on the Samsung Gear. These past few years we have worked on all kinds of VR projects, and have been recognized for our sense of innovation and our artistic approach. A Fisherman’s Tale was our first game, but besides games we still work on many other experiences such as VR art installations. We haven’t changed our goal much: explore the medium artistically, especially the storytelling potential through interaction, and try to make great VR, whatever that is!

    After releasing A Fisherman’s Tale, we started this new project Maskmaker and have since been heads down working on this with all the team.

    And also…  Well the pandemic, I guess, as for everyone! Working in this period has been quite a challenge. In the end, 70% of the game will have been completed remotely. Thankfully we have quite an effective workflow and a very dedicated team! On the other hand, we did not think our subject would become so predominant in the news, with everyone now wearing a mask!

    What can you tell us about your new game, Maskmaker, and what players can look forward to when it launches next year?

    Maskmaker is an adventure game based on the exploration of a magical world, the ‘Mask Realm.’

    Crafting magical masks and wearing them are the core gameplay of Maskmaker. Each mask has the property to transport you in a specific place, the different ‘biomes’ of the Mask Realm, but as you travel back-and-forth between the biomes and the Maskmaker’s workshop to craft more masks, you discover that you’re also embodying a different character in this world each time. By ‘traveling’ from character to character, you access different parts of each biome and progress throughout the game. Solving puzzles gives you access to new ingredients such as feathers, pearls, shells, animal hairs… helping you craft new masks. The ingredients are specifics to the cultural identity of each biome. We want to give the players the feeling of being a real craftsman in VR, which adds an interesting sandbox component to the game for players.

    I hope players will fully experience the magical atmosphere of the world and find a feeling of freedom and discovery in wearing those masks and traveling through them (two things made impossible these days in the real world!).

    A Fisherman’s Tale earned critical acclaim upon its release last year, which must have been so exciting for your team! What were some of the takeaways and lessons learned from that game’s development that you took into account for developing Maskmaker?

    It has been a real blessing for us that A Fisherman’s Tale is now recognized as one of the best VR narrative games.

    After working on the game, we felt there was a lot of room for improvement and ways for us to grow as a studio. With Maskmaker, we wanted to make a richer, more extensive adventure with a longer gameplay time (as length was one of the most common player frustrations from A Fisherman’s Tale), while still trying to push the boundaries in terms of visuals, storytelling and uniqueness of the creative approach. Clearly, It’s not an easy task, especially for a VR game!

    We love your approach to creating transformative, mind-bending experiences in VR, and Maskmaker looks to continue that trend. Tell us more about the story behind the masks and their importance in a player’s journey through this magical mask realm.

    In the game, the players are embodying the new apprentice of an old maskmaker long gone. They discover his abandoned workshop and following the hints of mysterious characters, called Elders, who found a magical realm of Masks and a way to travel through it. Through many challenges to prove they are worthy of being a maskmaker, players will have to seek the king of the realm, named Prospero, figure out who he really is, and uncover the mysteries of what happened to the old maskmaker and his previous apprentice.

    The worlds in Maskmaker are visually stunning, and it appears that there will be a variety of environments players will explore in the game. Can you tell us more about your inspiration behind the design? 

    I grew up surrounded by masks as my father is a collector of them. As a young boy, I used to spend a lot of time in his workshop where he stored them. This is the first magic of masks I experienced! It was when I later discovered VR and its capabilities that I fully realized the potential that masks could have in an interactive project.

    We carefully designed the masks and the environments in the game so that each would have a distinct identity to give the players a strong sense of being immersed in different cultures and being almost part of this world.

    How did you approach designing the puzzles in Maskmaker?

    In comparison to our previous work, Maskmaker is more of an adventure game than a “puzzle game” in the strictest sense. Puzzles are set in the players’ way across the different levels, the “biomes”, but they’re more a means to challenge the exploration of the users so they can reach for new crafting components, and learn the truth behind the story of Prospero and the magical mask realm.

    The puzzles have been designed inside the type of “natural” environment and background story of each biome, so in that sense, they are also more inherently connected to the level design than individual puzzle set pieces.

    Can you tell us anything about Prospero, the mysterious maskmaker players will encounter in the game?

    Well, we have to keep some mystery around that! Without spoiling too much, let’s say that Prospero is the King of the Mask Realm and that he will guide the player throughout different challenges to help them pass from an apprentice to a true maskmaker. For what purpose is he doing that? Where does he really come from? What led him to become this so-called King? These are the main questions the player will have to seek answers for throughout their journey.

    Anything else you want our readers to know about Maskmaker?

    We are looking forward to releasing the game soon and are eager that people don our magical masks!

    Stay tuned for more updates on Maskmaker coming to VIVEPORT as it gets ready to launch in Spring 2021.

    Website: LINK

  • Pick up Phasmophobia with Viveport’s Black Friday Deal

    Pick up Phasmophobia with Viveport’s Black Friday Deal

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    This year we are thankful for virtual reality’s ability to transport us to new realities and far off places. We are grateful for our passionate community of VR enthusiasts and subscribers as well as for our developer partners. To show our appreciation, we’re celebrating Black Friday a little early.

    Starting today, an annual subscription for Viveport Infinity, the unlimited VR subscription service, is on sale for $7.50/month (or local equivalent), a 15% savings. This special deal runs through November 30, 2020 and is available for all HTC VIVE, Oculus Rift and Oculus Quest+Link, Valve Index, and Windows Mixed Reality owners.

    To sweeten the deal even more, all annual Viveport Infinity subscribers can claim a copy of the online co-op psychological horror, Phasmophobia. Every new and existing annual Viveport Infinity subscriber can claim their free title by November 30th while supplies last. Just make sure to launch the title in Viveport Infinity before the promotion period is over to ensure it is yours to keep!

    For more details on Viveport’s Black Friday deal, head here: https://www.viveport.com/black-friday-2020

    Phasmophobia

    Recently released this Fall, Phasmophobia from Kinetic Games, has already become a fan favorite. Play solo or with up to four friends, you and your gang of ghostbusters will use the latest paranormal tracking technology to locate spirits in this co-op psychological horror game.

    With 10 different types of ghosts and a host of paranormal hunting equipment in your arsenal, each mission will present new challenges as you seek to collect evidence of hauntings. But be careful what you say about the spirits behind their back! With built-in full voice recognition, you can use your actual voice to interact with the Ghosts through Ouija Boards and EVP Sessions using a Spirit Box.

    Round up the best ghost hunters in your crew and start tracking down paranormal activity with our limited-time Black Friday offer on Phasmophobia.

    Top 10 Favorite Viveport Infinity Titles

    Viveport Infinity is your all-access pass to VR. With hundreds of titles available to explore, you can discover your favorite VR games, apps and videos with the best value in virtual reality. From indie gems to AAA hits, recent releases to classics, Viveport Infinity has content for every player.

    Check out the favorite titles we’ll be playing over this holiday break:

    Additional details on Viveport Infinity and Viveport’s Black Friday deal can be found here: https://www.viveport.com/black-friday-2020

    Website: LINK

  • The Million Dollar Developer Question: How Do I Get Funding?

    The Million Dollar Developer Question: How Do I Get Funding?

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Earlier this year, we shared key findings from our annual developer survey, covering a range of topics from the biggest changes the industry’s seen over the last year to the segments most primed for growth. Developers also shared their personal challenges creating and scaling new VR content, and while each story was unique, the single issue of funding was not.

    We asked HTC vice president, Pearly Chen, who oversees business development for VIVE X and content partnerships for Viveport, to share best practices and general tips from the more than 12 years she’s worked with both the VR developer and investing communities.

    What’s a common misstep you see developers take as they look to raise funds?

    One of the most common things we see is a developer’s inability to clearly articulate the vision for the project. It may sound simple but being able to communicate how the solution truly differentiates from what is currently on the market is critical when looking to raise funds. It is also important to provide a clear reason why funds are being requested and explain how those funds will be deployed.

    What are the top tips you give to developers looking for investors? 

    There are three key things I tell developers as they begin looking for funding. The first is to have a top-notch pitch deck that speaks to your attention to detail and uncompromising pursuit of quality work. Second is to have a playable demo, though it’s equally important to clearly communicate the stage of development it’s in and any known issues. The other piece of advice I often give is to put yourself in the investor’s shoes – think about it from their perspective and substantiate on your pedigree, track record, competitive landscape and potential ROI.

    VIVE X Demo Day 2019

    What are the top considerations investors are looking for when considering a VR project to fund?

    The dynamics of the team is a big piece for investors. They take into consideration the team’s pedigree, track record, relationships and past collaboration experiences as they’re making decisions on who to fund. Investors also look heavily at the competitive landscape and how your project stands out from other similar projects in your genre. Another big piece when evaluating VR projects to fund is how the investment will help them achieve their business goals of growing a user base and increasing engagement, brand value and the overall customer experience.

    How can companies better support VR developers financially? 

    There are many ways a company can support developers financially, beyond offering cash investments.  At VIVE, we provide access to HTC’s global resources, expertise and network. Developers should also have direct access to a company’s developer relations team, no matter the size of their studio or the amount of revenue they’ve generated. Looking specifically at Viveport, the team helps developers and creators with development funding, distribution and marketing/promotional support. It’s about supporting developers throughout their entire journey – from hardware to publishing guidance, to technical and SDK assistance.

    For more conversations like this, connect with us on our Developer Community Forums and stay up to date on the latest developer news through the Developer Portal.

    Website: LINK

  • Developers Get 100% Revenue Share on Viveport for the 2020 Holidays

    Developers Get 100% Revenue Share on Viveport for the 2020 Holidays

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Website: LINK

  • Coming Soon to Viveport Infinity in November

    Coming Soon to Viveport Infinity in November

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    Hello, Infinity subscribers!

    November’s guide to all things Viveport Infinity is stuffed with upcoming releases, recent launches, and special events.

    To start, we have six new titles already lined up to hit your library this upcoming month. Make sure to check out Jon Favreau’s Gnomes and Goblins when it comes to Infinity in November and the VIVE Art’s title, Curios Alice, which will be exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 2021 but is available to experience today with Infinity.

    On top of new Infinity content, Viveport is also hosting experiences from the Raindance Immersive film festival from October 28th– November 15th. The festival is partnering with Viveport and the social platform VRChat for this year’s special virtual edition of Raindance Immersive. Viveport is proud to host 20 VR games and experiences that are competing across 10 award categories.

    Let’s take a look at what is coming to Viveport Infinity in November:

    Gnomes and Goblins

    Gnomes & Goblins is an original indie production from Wevr with MWMi and Golem Creations that offers players a unique opportunity to explore an enchanted virtual world created by Jon Favreau (director of The Lion King, The Jungle Book, Chef, Iron Man) in collaboration with VR Director Jake Rowell (theBlu, Call of Duty, Superman Returns).

    Embark on a dream-like journey in this fantasy adventure VR simulation. Encounter goblin inhabitants, become part of their society and save them from their foe. Freely roam the enchanted forest to discover deeper layers of their mysterious ways and reap the rewards of this magical world.

    Ven VR Adventure

    Ven VR Adventure is a single-player VR platform game. You happen to meet Ven on his unknown planet, invaded by Bruce Nelson, who wants to destroy the magical world.

    Add to your wish list 

    Monster Reapers

    As a Reaper sent out to hunt down monsters who have invaded the land, visit haunted locations filled with bats, ghosts and all sorts of strange beings. Discover ancient treasures to enhance your abilities and try to make it as far as possible.

    Survival Denied

    Survival Denied is a casual zombie shooter, designed primarily with VR in mind. Made by gamers, for gamers! Wide choice of weapons, perks and power-ups make the game cool and re-playable. Dive in and try to survive as long as you can!

    Add to your wish list

    Stargaze

    Discover a magical galaxy inspired by Little Prince’s interstellar travels, stylized as hand-drawn book illustrations and experience a wonderful cosmic fable in virtual reality.

    Observe the life and events of the curious planets by physically manipulating your telescope. Find the proper angles and perspective to uncover their secrets. Take photos and note down your observations to complete your book of research and solve the ultimate cosmic mystery … or just sit down and chill-out stargazing.

    Add to your wish list

    Rags to Dishes

    Rags to Dishes is a single-player, virtual reality (VR) cooking game set in a medieval kingdom! You’ll play as the chef, striving to reach the dizzying heights of catering to the royal family themselves! You’ll need to please both the masses and the monarchs to keep your kitchen running until the final level where you’ll have the chance to prove yourself to the King and Queen!

    Add to your wish list

    Recent Infinity Releases:

    Check out some recent releases to the Viveport Infinity library you might have missed in October:

    Curious Alice

    Experience a mind-bending virtual trip into Wonderland…

    Curious Alice invites audiences to tumble down the rabbit hole and embark on a mind-bending trip into Wonderland through the playful dimension of virtual reality (VR). This new VR experience is the result of an innovative partnership between the Victoria and Albert Museum and HTC Vive Arts, featuring original artworks by Icelandic illustrator Kristjana S Williams. The experience presents a fully immersive, interactive re-imagining of Wonderland, celebrating one of the most iconic and inspiring stories of all time – the subject of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s major 2021 exhibition Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser.

    Play now

    Into Space – 1st & 2nd Step

    In two intriguing Virtual Reality films, viewers set off for fascinating VR expeditions into space. They explore unknown worlds by visiting settings of the extraordinary richness of detail and authenticity – perfectly reconstructed in 3D on basis of original data from NASA and ESA – that convey a realistic sensation of how it must feel to actually be out in the open cosmos.

    Play now! 

    DeMagnete VR

    DeMagnete VR is a puzzle adventure inspired by magnetism, built from the ground up for virtual reality. Use your magnetic-powered gloves to solve puzzles and make your way to the top of a mysterious underground cavern. DeMagnete VR presents a variety of original magnetism mechanics that evolve with every chamber, as you find out more about what happened around you.

    Play now!

    Superfly

    Superfly is an open-world action sandbox game where you play as a superhero who can switch between six different movement modes. Discover new forms of locomotion as you experiment with pairs of movement modes and explore the city any way you would like. Use each mode’s unique abilities to fight the army of robots invading the city.

    Play now!

    Swordsman

    Swordsman is a story-driven, physics-based medieval combat game designed for virtual reality. Experience combat where everything is physics-based, from weapons to bodies.

    In the world of Swordsman, the Jötunn travels to Earth in an attempt to enslave all of humanity. He has recruited captains from all over the world, giving them godly weapons with which to command powerful armies. He wields seemingly infinite power: Hellfire. The game features Knights, Vikings, Mongols, Samurai, epic boss fights and powerful boss weapons, player progression and customization, a Blacksmith, Armorer and Skill Master to help you build a character suited to your playstyle and lots of items to buy and unlock, all in effort to stop the Jötunn before it’s too late.

    Play now!

    Fly

    From a multiple award-winning VR team and Oscar-winning special effects team, Fly enables you to become a time-travelling pilot – from the earliest imaginings of Leonardo da Vinci and his ornithopter, to the Wright Brothers’ success on Kitty Hawk Beach and, ultimately, into one potential future of flight.

    Play now

    That’s it for this month’s Viveport Infinity guide! Follow @Viveport for updates on new releases and let us know your favorite new titles you’re playing.

    Website: LINK

  • HTC VIVE’s Halloween Treats

    HTC VIVE’s Halloween Treats

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    No medium does horror quite like virtual reality. Every creak of a floorboard, every passing shadow and every suspicion of a scare lurking around the corner is magnified as you’re immersed in your greatest nightmares.

    If you’re brave enough to spend Halloween in your headset this year, VIVE has all of your scares covered. With both hardware and content deals now live, this Halloween season will be your spookiest yet.

     

    VIVE Halloween Hardware Bundle

    From October 27th – November 1st, we’re bundling three classic horror titles with select VIVE headsets. With every purchase of a qualifying VIVE device in participating markets, you’ll receive a copy of Arizona Sunshine, Five Nights at Freddy’s VR: Help Wanted, and Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul.

    All participants will also receive two free months of VIVEPORT Infinity, the unlimited VR subscription service bringing you hundreds of top titles and indie gems. Viveport Infinity is your all-access pass to discover VR games, apps, and videos for just $8.99/month with an annual subscription.

    More details on which VIVE headsets qualify you for this deal in your country can be found here: vive.com/2020halloween

    Let’s take a closer look at the content that comes with your new VIVE headset this Halloween:

    Arizona Sunshine

    The built-for-VR zombie shooter Arizona Sunshine, developed by Vertigo Games, is a classic fixture of any VR enthusiast’s library. The first-person shooter has made a name for itself with its emphasis on free movement in its environments and real-world handling in its weapons. Survive solo in a single-player campaign playing out in bite-sized missions, allowing you to take the apocalypse one step at a time or in one fell swoop. You can also take on super-sized zombie hordes with a co-op buddy, although adding an ally does make the undead throngs just that much more aggressive. However you decide to play, this post-apocalyptic southwest is light on ammo and big on danger.


    Five Nights at Freddy’s VR: Help Wanted

    One of the world’s most recognized gaming IPs, Five Nights at Freddy’s finally came to VR and in a terrific (terrifying) collection. With scenes and levels from 5 of the classic titles as well as original mini-games with killer animatronics like Freddy and Foxy, there is an amazing amount of content to explore. Each mini-game in Five Nights at Freddy’s VR: Help Wanted will have you quaking with anticipation and fear.


    Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul

    Based on the hit PARANORMAL ACTIVITY film franchise, this terrifying immersive experience will have you shaking as you never know when you’ll scream next. Featuring a proprietary scare engine, you’ll encounter a different experience every time you dare to play. As you explore a house in a quiet neighborhood, you’ll soon find that you’re not alone as you discover clues and unravel the horrifying mystery of what’s gone on in the house and struggle to survive the terror that hunts you.

    VIVEPORT Infinity Halloween Deal – The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners

    If you already own a headset, we still have a great Halloween deal for you. Through November 3rd, all annual Viveport Infinity subscribers can claim a free copy of Skydance Interactive’s The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners while supplies last. This deal can be redeemed by all new and existing annual subscribers including those who upgrade from their monthly membership.

    Just make sure to launch the title in Viveport Infinity before the promotion period is over to ensure it is yours to keep! Additional details on how to claim your copy of The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners can be found here: https://www.viveport.com/halloween-2020

    One of the best VR games of 2019, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners takes you to a flooded New Orleans teeming with walkers and living enemies of warring factions. To survive, you’ll explore the nooks and crannies of the Big Easy to uncover secrets, scavenge artifacts and craft weapons all while you take on the hordes of walkers. As you unravel the mystery that surrounds NOLA, you’ll make grim choices with lasting consequences.

    Craving even more scary content? Check out our guide to the top 10 horror titles included with Viveport Infinity.

    Website: LINK

  • Viveport Infinity’s Top 10 Scary VR Titles for Halloween

    Viveport Infinity’s Top 10 Scary VR Titles for Halloween

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    What’s lurking behind your headset this Halloween season? A mystery, a curse, a zombie, or an unfriendly spirit? This Halloween, Viveport Infinity is bringing the scares to you with our guide to the top 10 spooky virtual reality experiences full of terror and sure to make you scream.

    To up the horror level, we’re bringing back our Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners promotion just in time for Halloween. Every new and existing annual Viveport Infinity member can claim their free title from October 22nd through November 3rd while supplies last. Just make sure to launch the title in Viveport Infinity before the promotion period is over to ensure it is yours to keep! For more details head here: https://www.viveport.com/halloween-2020

    Check below for the top 10 best scary titles in Viveport Infinity:

    Five Nights at Freddy’s VR: Help Wanted

    In this fan favorite, players will experience a collection of classic and original mini-games set in the Five Nights universe. Survive terrifying encounters with your favorite killer animatronics as you repair claustrophobic ventilation systems, troubleshoot broken animatronics that could activate at any moment, or spend your evenings cowering in the nighttime security guard office.

    Play now!

    Layers of Fear VR

    Layers of Fear VR is a psychedelic horror game that pulls you into the depths of insanity. Now the critically acclaimed terror brings its constantly changing Victorian mansion to a tangibly horrifying Virtual Reality. Delve deep into the mind of an insane painter and discover the secret of his madness. Uncover the visions, fears and horrors that entwine the painter and finish the masterpiece he has strived so long to create.

    Play today!

    Affected: The Manor

    Are you ready to experience the scariest haunted house in VR? Built from the ground up for VR, Affected: The Manor provides scares and screams around every corner as you make your way through the hallways of the haunted manor.

    Play now…if you dare.

    DreadHalls

    You are trapped deep inside a massive dungeon. Explore it, survive it and find a way to escape. Your only weapons will be stealth, your own courage, and a faint light. Dreadhalls is an intense and scary experience, not for the faint of heart. You have been warned!

    Start your escape today.

    Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul

    Based on the hit PARANORMAL ACTIVITY film franchise, this terrifying immersive experience will have you shaking as you never know when you’ll scream next. As you explore a house in a quiet neighborhood, you’ll soon find that you’re not alone as you discover clues and unravel the horrifying mystery of what’s gone on in the house and struggle to survive the terror that hunts you. Featuring a proprietary scare engine, you’ll encounter a different experience every time you dare to play.

    Get scared now.

    Wrest

    WREST is a sci-fi horror VR game that won’t just give you nightmares — it’ll throw you into them. You’re Andy Bishop, chief engineer of the spaceship Neptune. You should be enjoying a long, peaceful stasis nap, but you’ve just woken up from the worst dream imaginable, and now everyone on the ship is in terrible danger.

    Play now!

    The Room VR: A Dark Matter

    The British Institute of Archaeology, London, 1908: The disappearance of an esteemed Egyptologist prompts a Police investigation into the unknown. Explore cryptic locations, examine fantastic gadgets and uncover an otherworldly discovery that blurs the line between reality and illusion.

    Start your investigation.

    Nevrosa Escape

    An escape room experience with elements of action and horror, you’ll need to solve puzzles to find your way out of the laboratory. Will you stay sane as you try to solve the mystery surrounding you?

    Solve the mystery.

    Containment Initiative: Pumpkin Hunt

    Containment Initiative is a local co-op VR shooter that can be played by two people on the same PC. Kill zombies alone in VR or have a friend cover you by using the mouse and keyboard. Features include realistic weapon reloading as well as a variety of unlockable guns, upgrades, and loot to find.

    Find and destroy pumpkins throughout the month of October to unlock the Sawblade melee weapon in the Pumpkin Hunt update.

    Start hunting.

    Undead Development

    How long would you survive in this unrealistic representation of the zombie apocalypse? Scavenge for supplies, find a base, and construct your defenses. Break down furniture and board up your home. Set bear traps, nail your axe to a gun, or find your own ways to fight off the undead.

    Build your zombie-proof defense now.

    We hope you have a Halloween full of scares and screams. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook and let us know your favorite VR horror.

    Website: LINK

  • HTC Chairwoman Cher Wang Wins Accenture VR Lifetime Achievement Award

    HTC Chairwoman Cher Wang Wins Accenture VR Lifetime Achievement Award

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Today, we are proud to announce that Cher Wang, co-founder and Chairwoman/CEO of HTC has been awarded the ‘Accenture VR Lifetime Achievement Award’ by the Academy of International Extended Reality (AIXR).

    “Cher Wang has been a true pioneer in the VR industry – having vision, taking risks, and moving forward with courage well before consumer demand had taken hold,” said Vicki Dobbs Beck, ILMxLAB Executive in Charge and member of the steering committee. “This is the kind of leadership that helps turn possibilities into an inspired reality.”

    “We’re incredibly proud to name Cher as our ‘Accenture Lifetime Achievement’ award winner and hope that by showcasing her work, we can inspire the next generation of pioneers to do more, to break new barriers and continue to develop digital technology,” said Daniel Colaianni, AIXR CEO. “As always, we’re thankful to our partners Accenture for their support which enables us to recognise achievement and nurture a flourishing industry as it continues to grow.”

    “I am honoured to receive this award, and dedicate it to all of our teams and partners who dared to dream and are working hard to make the vision happen,” said Cher Wang, Chairwoman and CEO of HTC Corp.  “It’s an exciting time to be in the industry. We’re still in the Age of Exploration for VR, discovering new use cases every day, and it’s been fantastic to see so many people, companies, schools, museums, and more recognize the potential for VR, and utilize it for collaboration, training, education, healthcare, art and culture, and even global sustainability. VR truly holds the key to a better world.”

    Cher Wang was recognized for her vision for VR, understanding the game-changing ability of fully immersive VR and setting out to build a holistic VR ecosystem to drive adoption among both consumers and enterprise. A strategic partnership with Valve in 2015 brought the world’s first consumer-scale VR systems to market, boasting full room-scale movement and laser-accurate tracking, and HTC has continued to set the quality standard for the VR industry, with premium VR hardware that has extended the range of movement, improved visuals, controls, ergonomics, and eye-tracking for greater feedback accuracy.

    This has seen the proliferation of VR in many aspects of our lives, with VR adopted by companies for training, collaboration, marketing, and development work, but also by providers of mental and physical healthcare, education, art and culture, and much more.

    “VR has the remarkable ability to foster empathy, which can benefit society in new ways, increasing understanding between peoples, spurring a more positive impact on society through raised awareness of key sustainability challenges, and bringing people closer together,” Wang added. As a result, she has invested millions of dollars in the strategic initiatives of VIVE Arts, VIVE Originals, and VR for Impact to promote the benefits of VR in the fields of the arts and museums, movies, and global sustainability respectively.

    HTC launched a premium VR app store, VIVEPORT, in 2016 to make it easy for VIVE users to find VR content in many of the entertainment, education, cultural and exploration categories, which continues to grow subscriber numbers as VR proliferates. VIVE X is HTC’s $100 million accelerator program investing in early-stage startups in the XR space, which has invested in more than 100 companies globally since its founding in 2016 and continues to grow its portfolio today.

    If you’d like to know more about AIXR and the VR Awards, please visit: https://aixr.org/

    Website: LINK

  • HTC VIVE Cosmos Series Recognized Among Top Product Designs of 2020

    HTC VIVE Cosmos Series Recognized Among Top Product Designs of 2020

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Fast Company Announces “Innovation by Design” Award Honorees

    With precision-cut patterns in the faceplate and a metallic blue color, the HTC VIVE Cosmos headset is striking even at a glance. And it’s the function behind the form that makes it a worthy honoree in the Fast Company Innovation by Design Awards.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UDJ9RzC32w]

    We sat down with the team behind the design to get the scoop on all the ways the Cosmos Series is more than meets the eye.

    First of all, congrats! We know a lot of hard work went into designing the Cosmos Series and we’re eager to learn more about what went into it. Let’s start with the obvious – the filigree-like holes that cover the faceplate. What’s the story on those?

    Thank you! We’re honored to have been chosen. The precision-cut pattern in the front of the HMD actually functions as thermal venting to help maintain comfort while you’re in VR. It allows the heat to escape through the faceplate so you don’t get as hot as you would otherwise.

    What other design elements did you incorporate to address comfort? 

    The halo cradle architecture is a new solution the team took to improve comfort. This method relieves the concentrated pressure and force applied surrounding the nose, cheek, and eye area to a more distributed, broader surface on the forehead for enhanced comfort. The headset was thoughtfully designed to accommodate a wide range of face shapes and vision considerations–and even fits over glasses. The face gasket has carefully considered cuts to enhance the ergonomics for those who wear glasses. The team achieved this while maintaining a good light seal, which is critical to any face gasket design.

    What else makes the Cosmos Series unique in design?

    It’s the world’s first PC-VR system with a suite of modular option. Because we built it on a chassis system, the core headset can change functionalities through the swappable faceplates. For example, current faceplates include one for improved inside-out controller tracking with two additional cameras and the other enables precision lighthouse tracking for the headset. This lets customers upgrade their headsets at a lower cost and reduces potential e-waste and environmental impact.

     Are there other special design functions that aren’t obvious at first look?

    Yes, the integration of a flip-up display lets users quickly switch between reality and virtual reality, taking a break from immersive experiences without removing and readjusting the head strap. This feature is especially useful for developers and content creators who need to quickly switch between viewing VR and computer screens, or people who need to pop out of an experience to check on the clock or answer a phone call.

    To check out the Vive Cosmos and Cosmos Elite for yourself, go here: https://www.vive.com/us/product/vive-cosmos/

    Website: LINK

  • Coming Soon to Viveport Infinity in October

    Coming Soon to Viveport Infinity in October

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Sandwiched between Viveport’s 4th Anniversary and the upcoming Halloween season, this month’s Viveport Coming Soon Guide is packed with exciting new content. October brings you co-op party games, immersive art exhibits, adventure puzzles, and, of course, horror.

    If you are just discovering Infinity’s library of hundreds of top titles like the ones below, you’re in for a treat. To celebrate Viveport’s anniversary, all new and existing annual Viveport Infinity subscribers can claim their free copy of The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners by October 11th. More details on our birthday deal can be found here.

    Let’s take a look at what is coming to Infinity in October:

    Spaceteam VR

    A chaotic, cooperative party game! Shout technobabble at your friends until your spaceship inevitably explodes. Attempt to follow randomly generated, incorrectly assigned instructions. Work together… as a Spaceteam!

    RINLO

    Rinlo immerses its players into an action-packed adventure designed for VR. Join Agatha, in her quest to discover why her parents sent her away and what happened to the place she remembers so clearly. Explore a Steampunk dystopia through world exploration, puzzle-solving and combat.

    Curious Alice

    Coinciding with the V&A’s upcoming exhibition, Alice: Curiouser & Curiouser, this VR experience invites you to tumble down the rabbit hole and explore a fantastical world created with illustrator Kristjana S. Williams and immersive games studio PRELOADED. Follow your own personal White Rabbit companion to find missing objects, solve the caterpillar’s mind-bending riddles in a psychedelic mushroom field, visit the Queen of Hearts’ croquet garden and experience more classic moments from this legendary tale.

    Layers of Fear 

    Layers of Fear VR is a psychedelic horror game that pulls you into the depths of insanity. Now the critically acclaimed terror brings its constantly changing Victorian mansion to a tangibly horrifying Virtual Reality. Delve deep into the mind of an insane painter and discover the secret of his madness. Uncover the visions, fears and horrors that entwine the painter and finish the masterpiece he has strived so long to create.

    Play today!

     Wrest 

    WREST is a sci-fi horror VR game that won’t just give you nightmares — it’ll throw you into them. You’re Andy Bishop, chief engineer of the spaceship Neptune. You should be enjoying a long, peaceful stasis nap, but you’ve just woken up from the worst dream imaginable, and now everyone on the ship is in terrible danger.

    DreamBack VR 

    DreamBack VR is a virtual reality, first-person psychological horror game where you explore the eerie Rickfford Mansion, trying to unravel its mysteries and survive the experience with your sanity intact.

    Recent Infinity Launches

    The Viveport Infinity catalog is ever expanding and you might have missed some of the hits that were added last month. Explore some of our favorite recent releases below:

    Moss

    In Moss, players meet Quill, a young mouse with dreams of greatness beyond the confines of her settlement. While exploring the woods, she finds a mysterious Glass Relic and an ancient magic is awakened. With her uncle now in grave danger, Quill must embark on an epic journey—and she needs you there by her side.

    Stride

    STRIDE is a parkour action game in virtual reality. Experience the feeling of vertigo as you stream between rooftops and flow across balconies.

    Dreadhalls

    You are trapped deep inside a massive dungeon. Explore it, survive it and find a way to escape. Your only weapons will be stealth, your own courage, and a faint light. Dreadhalls is an intense and scary experience, not for the faint of heart. You have been warned!

    Starblazer 

    BUILD FLEETS. BATTLE FRIENDS. Enjoy the thrill and adrenaline rush that comes with controlling an entire fleet in virtual reality.

    Vertigo Remastered

    An immersive story-driven shooter incorporating the cutting edge of VR gameplay, Vertigo Remastered is a complete overhaul and occasional reimagining of the 2016 original.

    The Stranger VR 

    The Stranger is an intense VR combat game which sets in an incredibly detailed exotic world. Explore the rich sci fi universe and survive with your weapons and wrist blade. Welcome to the world of the Stranger!

    Follow Viveport on Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date on all Viveport Infinity releases and top news.

    Website: LINK

  • VIVEPORT Turns 4! Celebrate with The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners

    VIVEPORT Turns 4! Celebrate with The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    VIVEPORT turns four this week and we’re going all out on the birthday celebrations! For a limited time, new and existing annual Viveport Infinity subscribers can opt-in to receive a free copy of The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners while all subscribers can now explore the most recent additions to the Infinity library: Polyarc’s Moss and L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files from Rockstar Games.

    Starting today through October 11th, annual Viveport Infinity subscribers in select countries can redeem their copy of The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners while supplies last. Even monthly subscribers can get in on this limited-time deal! By converting to an annual membership, those who upgrade from their monthly Viveport Infinity membership can also redeem their copy of the hit title. This is the best time to explore an annual Viveport Infinity membership for as of today, the year-long commitment can be purchased for $107.88/year or now in $8.99/month installments.

    Infinity is the world’s first VR subscription service, with an ever-growing catalog of the best games, apps, and videos available in virtual reality. The service is compatible with most PC VR headsets and designed to give everyone – from gamers to creators or even film festival fanatics – the opportunity to discover the highlights and hidden gems of VR.

    Let’s unwrap these party favors and see what presents are in store for your Infinity account:

    The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners By Skydance Interactive

    One of the best VR games of 2019, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners takes you to a flooded New Orleans teeming with walkers and living enemies of warring factions. To survive, you’ll explore the nooks and crannies of the Big Easy to uncover secrets, scavenge artifacts and craft weapons all while you take on the herds of walkers. As you unravel the mystery that surrounds NOLA, you’ll make grim choices with lasting consequences.

    The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is now available to redeem for annual Viveport Infinity subscribers today through October 11, 2020 while supplies last: https://www.viveport.com/anniversary-2020

    Moss By Polyarc

    Moss is the popular single-player action-adventure puzzle game featuring the unlikely hero, Quill. Players first learn of the legend of Moss and its backstory through the narrated reading of a richly illustrated fantasy book. Summoned into the enchanting world, the player takes on the role of the Reader and quickly forms a winning partnership with Quill. Players must manipulate and interact with objects in the environment as they help guide Quill on her journey. By solving challenging puzzles and combating evil, the duo will find themselves delving into a deep and magical story.

    Moss is now part of your Viveport Infinity library, partner with this fearless mouse today!

    L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files By Rockstar Games

    Set against the seedy and violent underbelly of 1940’s Los Angeles, L.A. Noire is the story of decorated veteran and newly minted detective Cole Phelps as he investigates an escalating series of cases inspired by real-world crimes. Each successfully solved case brings Phelps greater success, but also brings him closer to the dark criminal heart of post-war L.A.

    Crack the case today on Viveport Infinity.

    Thanks for celebrating with us, we can’t wait to share more milestones and moments with you as Viveport and the VR community continues to evolve. Start celebrating with your copy of The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners today.

    Website: LINK

  • Celebrating the Emmy-Nominated Viveport Title, Awavena

    Celebrating the Emmy-Nominated Viveport Title, Awavena

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    You find yourself deep in the jungles of the Amazon, surrounded by lush vegetation and the sounds of the rainforest. As you spot a butterfly fluttering by, your ears are connected to a woman’s soothing voice in a native dialect; you suddenly drift into a comfortable connection with the ecosystem around you.

    This is Awavena, an experience brought to you by Emmy winning filmmaker, Lynette Wallworth, and in conjunction with the Amazonian Yawanawa people. The experience tells the story of Hushahu, the first female shaman in Brazil’s Yawanawa tribe, and Tata, the 100-year old shaman and Hushahu’s mentor, as well as tells the story of the entire Yawanana tribe’s existence in the Amazonian rainforest.

    Awavena is a truly unique experience, as it isn’t just a VR story. The documentary also leverages  AR, and 360-degree video to fully enwrap your senses.  The story puts you in the center of the village of the Yawanana people, but then reality gives way to more interactive elements, whisking your consciousness into a dreamlike atmosphere as the wise Hushahu weaves a narrative, connecting you to the foliage and wildlife that make up your surroundings.

    Awavena has recently been nominated for an Emmy Award in the Outstanding New Approaches to Documentary and is currently available on Viveport for VIVE, Oculus, Valve Index, Windows Mixed Reality, and other VR devices.

    Explore Awavena today with Viveport.

    About the Filmmaker:

    Lynette Wallworth is an Emmy award-winning artist/filmmaker who has consistently worked with emerging media technologies. Her immersive installations and films reflect connections between people and the natural world and explore fragile human states of grace. Wallworth’s work has shown at the World Economic Forum, Davos, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the American Museum of Natural History, New York, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, the Smithsonian, as well as film festivals including-Sundance Film Festival, London Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival, and the Adelaide Film Festival. She has been awarded an International Fellowship from Arts Council England, a New Media Arts Fellowship from the Australia Council for the Arts, the inaugural Australian Film, Television and Radio School Creative Fellowship and the Joan and Kim Williams Documentary Fellowship. Her works include the interactive video Evolution of Fearlessness; the full dome feature Coral, with accompanying augmented reality work; and VR narrative Collisions, which received a 2017 Emmy award for outstanding new approaches to documentary filmmaking. In 2014, Wallworth’s feature documentary Tender won the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award for best-televised documentary. In 2016, Wallworth was awarded a UNESCO City of Film Award, the Byron Kennedy Award for Innovation and Excellence and Foreign Policy magazine named her as one of the “100 Leading Global Thinkers’ of the year.

    Website: LINK

  • Coming soon to Viveport Infinity in September

    Coming soon to Viveport Infinity in September

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    As September arrives, we begin to close out on the humidity of summer and welcome the crisp air of autumn. It also means we finally get to share the incredible VR adventures that are heading your way next month in Viveport Infinity.

    From enchanting galaxies to archeological mysteries and arcade classics, five new titles are entering the Infinity library this September – but that’s not all! This upcoming month you will also find some special bonus content on the Viveport platform. Find out what’s new in September:

    Coming Soon to Infinity – 

    The Room VR: A Dark Matter

    The British Institute of Archaeology, London, 1908: The disappearance of an esteemed Egyptologist prompts a Police investigation into the unknown. Explore cryptic locations, examine fantastic gadgets and uncover an otherworldly discovery which blurs the line between reality and illusion.

    Add to your wish list today.

    Vertigo Remastered

    An immersive story-driven shooter incorporating the cutting edge of VR gameplay, Vertigo Remastered is a complete overhaul and occasional reimagining of the 2016 original.

    Star Shaman

    Star Shaman is VR rogue-lite where you cast spells like never before. Travel through enchanting, futuristic galaxies and regenerate the planets and moons destroyed by the evil Architects of Entropy.

    Add to your wish list today.

    Yupitergrad

    Brave dream of VR gaming. Grappling hooks, wacky humor, spatial stunts, motion sickness countermeasures, Dieselpunk adventure, space acrobatics, and out-of-the-box puzzles. Yupitergrad has it ALL.

    Add to your wish list today.

    Pangman

    Pangman takes you inside a VR classic arcade game experience, where your goal is to burst spheres by using a pair of guns that transform into hooks when you throw them. Complete 140 story mode levels in individual or cooperative campaign, and enjoy frantic multiplayer games with up to 8 players.

    Play now.

    Recent Infinity Launches and Updates –  

    Did you catch all that entered your Infinity library in August? With so many great new titles you might have missed a few, take a look back at the August releases below:

    Venice VR Expanded –

    In addition to these new additions to Viveport Infinity, Viveport will be partnering with the Venice Film Festival this month to host some of the best VR experiences from this year’s selection. From September 2 – 12, all Viveport users will be able to experience 25 virtual reality experiences and games on Viveport and nine 360° films on Viveport Video from the Venice VR Expanded selection. For more information on these limited-time experiences, check out our blog post on the 77th Venice Film Festival.

    Remember to follow Viveport on Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date on all Infinity releases and updates.

    Website: LINK

  • Venice Film Festival’s VR Selection to Release on Viveport

    Venice Film Festival’s VR Selection to Release on Viveport

    Reading Time: 12 minutes

    Since film festival attendees can’t experience “la dolce vita” in person this year, the 77th Venice International Film Festival’s VR selection will be held entirely virtual in 2020. HTC Vive is partnering with La Biennale di Venezia to bring Venice VR Expanded, the official Virtual Reality selection of the festival, to the Viveport platform.

    From September 2 – 12, VR fans will be able to experience 25 virtual reality experiences and games on Viveport and nine 360° films on Viveport Video from the Venice VR Expanded selection. In addition to this, Venice Film Festival will be hosting the networking element of the festival in the custom-built world inside VRChat, also available through Viveport.

    Highlights from the Venice VR Expanded include ‘Gnomes and Goblins’ directed by John Favreau (WEVR), The Room VR: A Dark Matter’ (Fireproof Studios), ’Down the Rabbit Hole’ (Cortopia), ‘The Metamovie presents: Alien Rescue,’ a live virtual performance directed by Jason Moore, hosted by NEOS platform and ‘Il Dubbio’ (Reframe VR co-produced with VIVE Arts).

    Below you’ll find the entire lineup of the Venice VR Expanded experiences found on the Viveport platform. Note your favorites, pour a glass of vino and prepare to be transported, in VR, to the city of water:

    4 FEET HIGH by MARIA BELEN PONCIO, ROSARIO PERAZOLO MASJOAN, DAMIAN TURKIEH – Argentina / France – Detona Cultura / Red Corner / ARTE France / Realidad 360

    Seventeen-year-old Juana, who is stuck on a wheelchair, is willing to explore sexuality but is ashamed of her own body. In the process of trying to fit in at her new school, she is to face failure, friendship and fear before learning to accept herself.

    AFRICAN SPACE MAKERS by THE NRB BUS COLLECTIVE – Kenya / Germany – The Nrb Bus Collective

    This VR series depicts a new generation of emerging creatives. The journey begins in Nairobi, Kenya, one of the liveliest metropolises in sub-Saharan Africa.

    AGENCE by PIETRO GAGLIANO – Canada – Transitional Forms / National Film Board of Canada

    In this animated and interactive experience, the fate of artificially intelligent creatures known as Agents is in the viewer’s hands. In this algorithmic universe, Agents live on small planets according to a preordained plan until they slowly build a sense of self-awareness. Should the viewer decide to let them live in social harmony, or disrupt this balance?

    AJAX ALL POWERFUL by ETHAN SHAFTEL – USA / China – VeeR / easyAction

    Henry Winkler is a genie addicted to the human souls he collects in exchange for granting wishes to gullible humans. However, something is different about the seemingly naive little girl who has rubbed his lamp this time. For one thing, she has hired a strait-laced lawyer (Chris Parnell) to negotiate her wishes.

    AU PAYS DU CANCRE MOU (IN THE LAND OF FLABBY SCHNOOK) by FRANCIS GELINAS – Canada – couleur.tv

    with Catherine Cyr, Saule Gélinas, Francis Gélinas, Lileyna Joy, Monique Thomas, Daniel Judson

    In this animated experience, a young boy asks his elder sister how she managed to stop being afraid of the dark. She shows him a number of dreamlike drawings that come alive little by little and help him conquer his fears.

    BEAT by KEISUKE ITO – Japan – WOWOW Inc. / CinemaLeap Inc.

    Beat is a story literally born out of viewers’ heart since their heartbeat is faithfully reproduced in animation. Viewers also meet a rusty and heartless robot they can give their heart to by placing it in his metallic body. The happy robot stands up and starts moving around. After meeting new robots, though, he does not know how to communicate with them. His “heart” is key to the story’s progress and, through the robot’s personal growth, of viewers’ awareness of their own heart.

    DREAMIN’ ZONE by FABIENNE GIEZENDANNER – France / Sweden / Germany / South Korea – Zéro de Conduite Productions / CINÉ-LITTÉ PRODUCTIONS / FAUVEA Studio / STUDIO YOG

    with Yolanda Creighton, Béatrice Bastiani, Amy Bull

    Yuri, an old South Korean woman, thinks back of the day she turned ten, when she disobeyed her mother, ran away and crossed the border between the two Koreas in hope to meet her father, a soldier violinist who went to war and disappeared somewhere in North Korea. She travels through an animistic and dreamlike version of the demilitarized zone among strange-looking birds, mysterious ghosts and the scars the war left behind. Will she get to meet her dad?

     GNOMES AND GOBLINS by JON FAVREAU, JAKE ROWELL – USA – Wevr / MWM Interactive

    This animated, story-driven game is set in an enchanted world of gnomes and goblins. The viewer, as the protagonist, will encounter inhabitants of a fantasy land, build a relationship with them, become part of their society, and save them from their foe.

    GREAT HOAX: THE MOON LANDING by JOHN HSU, MARCO LOCOCO – Taiwan / Argentina – Serendipity / 3DAR

    In 1969, Apollo 11 lands on the moon. Despite those conspiracy theorists that called the moon landing a hoax, the Unites States proudly showed the world what a powerful nation could accomplish. Fifty years later, the Taiwanese people are fighting against identity crises and financial instability and waiting for something or someone to step up and make them rise again.

    HAVFOLKET KALDER MØRKNET VAND (HUSH)  by VIBEKE BRYLD – Denmark – Final Cut for Real

    A sensory VR experience and installation turning viewers into the subject of a Northern myth and taking them into a mythological underwater land born out of the harsh seas and plains of Thy, a rural region in the North of Denmark where superstition abounds and the powers of nature rule.

    HERE by LYSANDER ASHTON –USA / UK – Intel Studios / 59 Productions

    with Joe Roger Davies, Sarah Mina Son

    Based on Richard McGuire’s graphic novel, Here is a grand biopic on a specific corner of a room. We join the myriad characters that have called this particular room home throughout time. The narrative flow allows viewers to live an immersive experience in a unique place through time, connecting with those who have come before, as well as those yet to come. 

    KINSHASA NOW by MARC-HENRI WAJNBERG – Belgium / Congo – Wajnbrosse Productions / RG Créatifs Associés

    35,000 kids abandoned by their families following witchcraft allegations are doing their best to survive on the streets of Kinshasa, Congo. One night, fourteen-year-old Mika must suddenly come to terms with this terrible situation and learn the rules of the street to survive, find food and shelter, and, even most importantly, fit in.

    MINIMUM MASS by RAQI SYED, AREITO ECHEVARRIA – New Zealand / France / USA – Floréal Films / Like Amber

    The viewer is taken into the surreal cinematic story of a family living through a series of miscarriages. Set in contemporary Rotorua, New Zealand, their story is one of love, loss and black holes.

    MIRROR: THE SIGNAL by PIERRE ZANDROWICZ – France – Atlas V / Versus Production / Albyon Studio

    Sent to an unknown planet, young exo-biologist Claris violently crashes on a mysterious land. As she tries to find the other members of her team, she witnesses the first “signal” generated by the planet itself.

    OM DEVI: SHEROES REVOLUTION by CLAUDIO CASALE – Italy / India – Sibilla Film

    with Anjali Rani, Devya Arya, Shabnam, Ikra

    In contemporary India, we follow three women engaged in a day-to-day fight for gender equality. Anjali is a doctor who works non-stop to lower the high death rate. Shabnam is a civil rights activist and acid-attack survivor taking care of her daughter Ikra. Devy Arya studies at a Hindu school to become a priestess. Their diverse stories take us right to the heart of India’s changing society.

    ONCE UPON A SEA by ADI LAVY – Israel / Canada – Bilmey Intuitive Pictures

    Users are transported to the Dead Sea and taken on a tour of one of the wonders of the world, which has been inaccessible for 35 years. A place famous for its long history and therapeutic powers, the Dead Sea can now be virtually experienced by viewers thanks to photo-realistic environments.

    PENGGANTIAN (REPLACEMENTS) by JONATHAN HAGARD – Japan / Germany / Indonesia – Kampung Ayu / Ossa Film / Suwe Ora Jamu

    with John Navid, Tri Yuliantini, Rido Purwanto, Hartini Sarimo, Galih Budi Oetomo, Septatiana Effendi

    Inspired by people and places that truly exist, the film depicts a Javanese family living in a fictional neighborhood in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. Here, they witness the city’s political transformation and rise of Islamic fundamentalism causing the overall decay of the surrounding urban environment.

    RECODING ENTROPIA by FRANÇOIS VAUTIER – France – Da Prod

    In the midst of a spatial void, an imposing geometric form wanders in the horizon of infinite space presenting itself to the viewer’s eyes. It is a huge and pure eternity-evoking tetrahedron. As it stays still, it breaks apart scattering its million pieces in empty space as ghosts in the heart of infinity. Soon enough, this imposing entity is shattered into a cloud of particles dancing in nothingness.

    SHA SI DA MING XING (KILLING A SUPERSTAR) by FAN FAN – China, Beijing iQIYI Science & Technology co.

    with Luyao Zhang, Zi Dou, Ziqiao Song, Haorong Deng, Ding Yue, Songming Chen

    Lisa is an actress who has been recently caught in a scandal and even received death threats. Her agent invites a well-known TV host to Lisa’s secret villa for a live interview. Unexpectedly, at the beginning of the live show a dead person is found at the scene. Was it an accident or murder? Killing a Superstar is an immersive VR video: viewers can solve the case directly at the crime scene through interactive functions.

    SILTOJEN ALTA TULEVAISUUDEN IHMISELLE (MAN UNDER BRIDGE) by HANNA VÄSTINSALO – Finland – Thinkseed

    Johan K. Harju was a self-taught writer and historian, as well as an alcohol-addicted homeless person. His unique talent resided in his ability to document his friends’ lives as well as his own through his personal voice that made listeners see the world through his eyes. This virtual-reality experience combines animation with photos and Harju’s voice recordings from the Helsinki City Museum archives, placing users in a historical tram featuring animation inspired by Harju’s drawings.

    SMAGEN AF SULT (A TASTE OF HUNGER) by CHRISTOFFER BOE, DAVID ADLER – Denmark / Sweden / France – MAKROPOL / Zentropa / Atlas V / Zentropa Sweden

    with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Katrine Greis-Rosenthal

    A fully immersive VR experience placing the viewer at the center of a love affair’s classic triangle connecting attraction, conflict and reconciliation. The virtual space is divided into 20 moments linked with these three key situations, highlighting lovers’ unity and divergence.

    THE HANGMAN AT HOME – AN IMMERSIVE SINGLE USER EXPERIENCE by MICHELLE KRANOT, URI KRANOT – Denmark / France / Canada – Floréal Films / Late Love Production / Miyu Productions

    What does the hangman think about when he goes home at night from work? Based on Carl Sandburg’s poem, The Hangman at Home explores the possible answers to this question through five interwoven stories: five characters in one apartment, in five different moments. An immersive, animated and interactive experience allowing viewers to become aware of their influence on the events ¾ until they are required to make a decision and act upon them.

    WO SHENG MING ZHONG DE 60 MIAO (ONE MORE MINUTE) by WAN DAMING – China – Veer / MeDoc

    A documentary film on people’s lives during the COVID-19 outbreak in China. The viewer experiences the power and beauty of life, and the heartbreaking real events that took place at 10 a.m. on February 20, 2020.

    1ST STEP – FROM EARTH TO THE MOON  by JÖRG COURTIAL, MARIA COURTIAL – Germany – Faber Courtial

    with Christian Jacob, Alexander Waigel, Holger Winter

    A legendary space-travel experience following in the steps of the Apollo mission from launch to the astronauts’ journey back home: a magic story of how dreams came true as mankind took their first step on the moon.

    BLIND SPOT by HU ZHANGYANG – China – Unlimited Fly Inc

    As the main character of this videogame experience, the viewer wakes up in a storage room. The house the viewer has always lived in with his father and sister does not look like it used to. A weird phone message complicates things further.

     DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE by RYAN BEDNAR – Sweden – Cortopia Studios AB

    with Katie Gaskin, Sean Chiplock, Jean-Michel George, Michael Edwards, Bob Feeser, Jill Rolls

    In this prequel of Lewis Carroll’s celebrated Alice in Wonderland, viewers play the role of a girl that is accidentally transported to Wonderland; as such, they are free to control her fate and make decisions along the way.

    GRAVIDADE VR (GRAVITY VR) by FABITO RYCHTER, AMIR ADMONI – Brazil / Peru – Delirium Xr

    The story unfolds in a surreal world where all existing things are perpetually falling down, as are players themselves. In this world with no walls or horizon, no bottom or top, there is no fear of heights: rather, viewers find themselves floating in a gravity-free environment.

    JIOU JIA (HOME) by HSU CHIH YEN – Taiwan – Kaohsiung Film Archive / Hsu Chih Yen Director Studios / Funique VR Studio

    with Chia-Lin Hsu, Tsui-You Hung, Jia-Dong Shea, Ruey-Huey Kuo, Kun-Chuan Chen, Ying-Ting Li

    Based on the director’s real-life experience. A family gathers in their old house on a summer day to spend time with their grandmother who can now barely move, hear or react to any external input. Many people visit the house as the day goes by. The viewer also takes part in this family gathering in a very peculiar role: old grandma’s.

    SOUND SELF: A TECHNODELIC by ROBIN ARNOTT – USA – Andromeda Entertainment

    An inward-looking journey of meditation: through the use of their own voice, viewers experience a state of complete relaxation and altered awareness.

    THE BOOK OF DISTANCE by RANDALL OKITA – Canada – National Film Board of Canada

    Hiroshima, 1935. Yonezo Okita left his home in Japan for Canada. Then war and racism changed everything. Three generations later his grandson Randall Okita leads us on an interactive pilgrimage through an emotional geography of immigration and family to recover what was lost.

    THE ROOM VR: A DARK MATTER by MARK HAMILTON – UK – Fireproof Studios

    London, British Institute of Archaeology, 1908. The disappearance of an esteemed Egyptologist prompts a police investigation into the unknown. The viewer is called to explore cryptic locations, examine fantastic gadgets and solve puzzles in an otherworldly space that blurs the line between reality and illusion.

    IL DUBBIO – EPISODIO 1 by MATTEO LONARDI, producer: FRANCESCO LONARDI – Italy

    Nowadays, we tend to see doubts as weaknesses in our struggle to succeed no matter what. We would rather show off our accomplishments, confidence and productivity, especially in the creative process. Il dubbio is an interactive documentary VR experience challenging these assumptions and exploring doubt as a driver of creation. The journey begins in Leonardo Da Vinci’s studio, where users can experience a lesser-known side of the celebrated Renaissance master.

    MEET MORTAZA VR by JOSÉPHINE DEROBE, producer: ORIANE HURARD – France / Belgium

    An immersive VR experience taking viewers into the private life of a man driven into exile. Ten years ago, Mortaza was forced to leave Afghanistan when a fatwa was pronounced against him. After spending three dangerous months as an illegal alien on the run, he eventually reaches the country where he wants to seek asylum, France. However, the government proves to be another obstacle in his journey to freedom.

    QUEERSKINS: ARK by ILLYA SZKILAK, CYRIL TSIBOULSKI, producers: SARAH VICK, DIEGO PRILUSKY – USA

    Reading her son’s diary after she lost him to AIDS, a Catholic mother living in rural Missouri finds a way to overcome her pain by picturing him alive and in love. Viewers are helped to create the story by moving around and playing with their own body.

    VAJONT by IOLANDA DI BONAVENTURA, producer: SAVERIO TRAPASSO – Italy

    This interactive first-person VR experience is set in the Vajont valley, Italy, a few hours before the disaster. The story is centered on a dialogue between a husband and his wife: the woman senses the danger and wants to leave; her husband dismisses the idea that there is any danger at all. What stops us from leaving the places we feel we belong? Can we accept the idea of having to protect ourselves from something that is part of our own identity – the place we grew up in?

    Website: LINK

  • Surf the Web and Manage Crowds Now With VIVE Sync

    Surf the Web and Manage Crowds Now With VIVE Sync

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Website: LINK

  • SnapshotVR’s Viveport Open Tournament Starts Saturday

    SnapshotVR’s Viveport Open Tournament Starts Saturday

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Website: LINK

  • Protecting Gorillas Through the Power of VR

    Protecting Gorillas Through the Power of VR

    Reading Time: 6 minutes

    The Ellen Fund Presents: Gorillas in VR is a beautifully ambient experience with spatial audio allowing people to spend a few intimate moments with wild critically-endangered mountain gorillas in the volcanic jungles of northern Rwanda.

    Produced by award-winning immersive studio Habitat XR, the experience was a collaboration between famed talk show host and comedienne, Ellen DeGeneres’ Ellen Fund, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and the Rwandan Development Board.

    We chat with Habitat XR Founder & CEO, Ulrico Grech-Cumbo, to learn more about why this experience was created:

    HOW DID A SOUTH AFRICAN XR STUDIO LAND UP WORKING WITH A HOLLYWOOD CELEBRITY’S CONSERVATION NON-PROFIT?

    I’d spent about a year trying to convince the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund to bring us in to produce a premium 360 film about their amazing work with mountain gorillas. Many will know Dian Fossey’s work through the famous film, Gorillas in the Mist. Largely due to their efforts, the population of gorillas in the Virunga region generally is healthier than for many decades. But the budget was hard to find.

    One day, just as I started thinking about giving up on the idea, I got a call from Tara, the President of Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund: “Our partners at the Ellen Fund are putting together a fundraiser in Los Angeles and they want a VR experience for it. We’re recommending you guys!” The Rwandan Development Board came on as a crucial partner, granting us extended access to the park and gorillas, and the rest is history!

    WHAT WAS IT LIKE FILMING GORILLAS?

    Kind of indescribable, really. We got to spend time with gorillas that only researchers ever get to see. The way it worked was, we followed trackers who got a few hours head start on us to try to locate a group, known as “the Pablo group”. We rendezvous with them, but before we get within visibility of the gorillas, the guides proceed to teach us how to speak gorilla – seriously! We are taught how to create low guttural rumbling noises to indicate that we come in peace. We “ask permission” to approach the group by making the noises and are told to wait for a response from the gorillas – which, astonishingly, we appear to receive!

    We move in slowly through the thick vegetation, and as I look up, there is a blackback (juvenile) calmly looking right at me. Making eye contact with a gorilla is like hearing a lion roar for the first time – something primal rushes through your whole body and this crazy connection is fostered. Having never seen gorillas in person before, it was easy to mistake them as animatronic puppets. They seem too otherworldly to be real somehow; yet, at the same time, so eerily familiar to us.

    HOW DID THEY REACT TO YOUR CAMERAS?

    We have filmed a LOT of wildlife in 360, and have learned there are usually two types of animals: those that avoid our rig as if it were an alien; and those that are callous and knock the cameras down or even steal it (as lions have often done!). We weren’t sure what we’d get with gorillas. But we learned that they sit somewhere in between these two stereotypes; they are very curious about the camera but incredibly gentle for such powerful animals. They would saunter up to the cameras, pretend to not be interested. Then give in to their curiosity and inspect them, touching softly and smelling their fingers. 

    WHAT WAS THE ENVIRONMENT LIKE? ANY CRAZY SHOOT STORIES?

    It was nothing short of hostile. Firstly, most of the near-impenetrable vegetation is peppered with stinging nettle. Jumanji edition stinging nettle. The stuff pierces through leather and canvas. And there are no nice tourist paths – you have to hack your way through with pangas. The hills of the volcanoes are crazy steep, and the ground was pure mud making progress exceptionally slow and embarrassing. You’re hiking at 12,000 or 13,000 ft up so you feel extra unfit just hiking, and we’re trying to haul gear up (thank goodness for help from porters!). And on top of it all, the weather was typical for a rainforest: one minute it’s searing hot and we’re shedding all but the most essential clothing, the next, we’re being pelted by marble-sized hail, followed by torrential rain so cold that even under 3 layers of clothing and raincoats we couldn’t help shivering and lost all feeling of toes. That was day 1, and we had 2 more days of this to go.

     

    FAST FORWARD TO THE EDIT – HOW DID IT COME TOGETHER?

     We didn’t have much time before the fundraiser so we went straight into post-production. Fortunately, there was no script or narration required so we could spend our time trying to get complex 3D stitching done, as well as spatial audio.

    DID YOU GET TO GO TO THE FUNDRAISER WITH THE PIECE?

    Initially, the plan was that we’d just film & produce the experience; a team with VR headsets in Los Angeles was going to handle the screening there. I casually threw in the fact that we had 50 headsets we’d be willing to donate if they covered our travel costs to Los Angeles. About 5 days before the event, I got a call from Casey, the head of the Ellen Fund, taking us up on the offer – such an awesome moment.

    ANY CELEBRITIES WATCH THE EXPERIENCE?

    The screening was manic – aside from Ellen and her wife Portia DeRossi, I personally saw watching included Leonardo di Caprio, Julia Roberts, Kris & Kendall Jenner, James Corden and Sofia Vergara!

    LET’S TALK IMPACT THOUGH. WHAT HAS THE EXPERIENCE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE?

     

    Excellent question, impact is why we do what we do. For one, that night, the Ellen Fund raised over $5 million for gorilla conservation. While the VR experience alone wasn’t the only reason, one of the wealthy donors came up to me at the end of the night and said “I strongly believe that figure had a lot to do with the VR experience, so I wanted to tell you that”. We know from previous fundraising work with the likes of Conservation International and WWF that context builds empathy; feeling like you’d spent 5 minutes alone with gorillas in the wild helped each one of those people truly understand what it is that Ellen is fighting so hard to protect.

    A few months later, Covid19 hit and we decided with The Ellen Fund & Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund that we’d release the experience to the public across all major VR platforms. In the first 5 days after launching it, the same number of people had experienced being in the company of Rwandan mountain gorillas as would have taken 234 days in real life based on ecological tourist limitations in the park. And it’s likely that these few thousand people may never even get to see the real thing given that permits cost $1,500 per person. We believe it helps take all those people a big step forward in appreciating nature and its reliance on us as a species to help other species thrive.

    You can watch the experience yourself on Viveport Video today.

    Website: LINK

  • VR Developers Share Their Biggest Challenges and How They’ve Overcome Them

    VR Developers Share Their Biggest Challenges and How They’ve Overcome Them

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    Key Challenges and Solutions – HTC VIVE 2020 Developer Survey Takeaways

     To be the best advocate for the VR developer community, we know we have to listen to the triumphs as well as the setbacks developers face. In part one of this series, we covered the key trends and opportunities available to VR developers. In part two, we asked respondents to share the biggest challenges they’ve encountered when building their VR projects and how they’ve overcome these hurdles. 

    Hardware Hardships

    When asked what the main hardware challenge impacting the market today is, 4 in 10 developers shared that their biggest concern was the cost of hardware to end-users.

    As the market matures, HTC VIVE is exploring ways to make VR accessible to more audiences. From the modular design of the VIVE Cosmos to the standalone VIVE Focus Plus, which does not require a PC to run, we’re continuing to address this challenge for both consumers and developers.

    The second hardware-related challenge picked by developers was tethering. Surprisingly, developers for stand-alone devices cited this as a challenge the most, suggesting that the next generation of headsets presents new challenges for developers to tackle.

    Drawbacks of Developer Tools

    When asked to share the biggest drawback they’ve noticed in current developer tools, 29% of respondents lamented that the server-side (multiplayer/social) tools are not robust enough.

     “Separate IDC research has shown that multiplayer games are less common in VR than on PC, console and mobile gaming platforms generally, so it may be these two findings relate,” said Lewis Ward, Research director, Gaming & VR/AR at IDC. “Enterprise VR developers were the most concerned with this challenge, although it probably has more to do with customer server integration broadly than with challenges related to social interactions among VR users specifically.”

    The second leading dev tool drawback, at slightly more than a quarter of respondents (26%), was the limits of commercial game engines. Consumer-focused developers and those in North America were the most concerned with today’s game engine limitations. A close third was UI tools with 24% selecting that, “the available user interface options aren’t great”.

    Hurdles to Monetization

    When asked what the biggest challenge developers face when building and commercializing VR-based apps, limited audience adoption (27%) was the leading answer among those surveyed.

    However, this challenge was not equally felt among all respondents. A gap emerged between consumer and enterprise-focused developers with those building for consumers citing low adoption more frequently than those who developed for the enterprise. It was also apparent that developers of tethered headsets seemed more concerned with low audience adoption than those developing for standalone HMDs.

    “This gap may be a product of enterprise VR developers believing that they have more of a built-in audience or that they find that enterprise projects are more readily funded compared with those on the consumer side,” said Ward.

    Nine points above the next deterrent, low audience adoption was on the minds of the majority of respondents. The second most cited important issue for developers was that investors/project funders were concerned about the industry’s prospects (18%) followed by user experience challenges (14%).

    Overcoming Obstacles

    When asked if developers had ever run into a similar challenge before, over 52% shared that they had. Of those who had faced a comparable obstacle in the past, 17% stated that were able to find a solution to their problem. We’ve rounded up some of their best tips.

    When it came to solving technical problems, the developer community proved to be self-sufficient and inclined towards action. This isn’t surprising. Asked what was the most exciting about developing VR-based apps, 41% stated they enjoyed being involved in creating something that has never been done before. With that pioneering spirit, VR developers are ready to tackle problems that may not have been dealt with before. Below are a few common examples shared by respondents on how they overcame technical issues:

    • “Mostly trial and error, changing in engine or adding code to fix things.” 
    • “Building our own tools, or in the case of lack of documentation/examples, trial and error.” 
    • “Overcoming a complicated end-user experience in a previously shipped app by paying constant attention to feedback and being agile about correcting it.”

    With the majority of developers concerned about low audience adoption and convincing investors of the ROI potential of their project, finding the right path to funding is a crucial step in the development process. Respondents in both the enterprise and consumer markets shared how they were successful in securing support:

    • “We worked out a firm investment and ROI plan that is achievable and economical. The efforts were mainly targeted towards product development and innovation to convince [the] investor to put his money in the project.”
    • “By beginning to embed the technology within the business to improve communication and reduce travel requirements, winning people over with the simplicity and power of the technology.”

     

    • “Finding the right person within the organization to help sell it in.”
    • “Spending more time learning about the potential customer/client and taking the time to expose them…to relevant content to get them to understand the potential.”

    Some found that the best way to convince potential investors, partners and customers was to show, not tell. When asked how they overcame their biggest challenge, a number of developers shared that they used the immersive power of VR to highlight the merits of their work:

    • “Delivering demos and creating prototypes for free.”
    • “Integrating the right partners with access to the technology required. Running a workable demo for the financiers.”

    When developers were unable to secure outside funding, they again called upon their pioneering spirit to go it alone:

    • “We could not find anyone to fund our project so we created our own company and worked in our spare time to get it done over the course of a year.”

     

    • “So far we have self-funded the operation and have been able to develop a robust, enterprise-level VR platform with strong analytics and performance data capture.”

    At VIVE, we know that regularly connecting with the developer community is essential to building a healthy ecosystem with the best end-user experience. We’re proud of their innovative spirit and their ability to tackle new challenges each day. From our early-stage investment fund, VIVE X, to our VIVEPORT partnerships, we’re constantly looking to support the developer community to help bring the best enterprise and consumer VR experiences to market and ensure their success.

    While we can’t physically meet up with our developer partners at our favorite events this year, we encourage developers to connect with us on our Developer Community Forums and stay up to date on the latest developer news through the Developer Portal.

    Website: LINK

  • Coming soon to Viveport Infinity in August

    Coming soon to Viveport Infinity in August

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    With so many hits added to our Infinity library in July, we still haven’t been able to play all of the new titles in our queue yet. From critically acclaimed hits like Paper Beast to Early Access exclusives like Snapshot VR, this past month has been nonstop gaming for Infinity members.

    But the summer fun doesn’t stop in July. August is shaping up to be a banner month for Infinity members with new hits arriving each week. Escape rooms, murder mysteries, racing games, and sweet immersive love stories are ready to be discovered by you.

    Want to see what’s coming next? Check out the upcoming releases for August below:

    Coming Soon to Infinity –

    Mini Motor Racing X by The Binary Mill

    Welcome to the world of Mini Motor Racing X! Strap yourself in, or strap on your VR headset, and jump into a nitro-fueled world where little cars mean BIG fun! Spanning across reclaimed ruins and scorched outbacks through to rain-soaked docks and sun-kissed tropical islands – Mini Motor Racing X will take you on a micro driving journey across the globe like no other. 

    Add Mini Motor Racing X to your wish list to get updates.

    Scraper: Gauntlet by Labrodex Studio 

    Scraper: Gauntlet is a VR RPG wave shooter featuring heavy weapon customization, unique missions and substantial enemy modifiers. You’re an elite HRF Operative tasked with retrieving a highly classified weapon blueprint from a secret AI facility to fight back against the Humechs.

    The Line by ARVORE Immersive Experiences

    “The Line” is a 15-20 minute interactive story about love and fear of change. Pedro and Rosa are miniature dolls perfect for each other but reluctant to live out their love. Narrated by Rodrigo Santoro, the piece is great for first-time VR users and “Best VR Experience” at 76th Venice Film Festival.

    Tokyo Chronos by MyDearest Inc.

    TOKYO CHRONOS is a VR Mystery Visual Novel told in an immersive 360° world. You awaken in the deserted city of Shibuya, Tokyo with eight of your childhood friends and a strange message: “I am dead. Who killed me?”. With multiple routes and endings, you can spend hours exploring this murder mystery made for VR.

    Last Labyrinth by AMATA K.K.

    In Last Labyrinth you’ll meet Katia, a girl who speaks a language you cannot understand, and together you’ll work to escape a mansion with hidden dangers. With over 10 hours of escape-adventure puzzle-solving and multiple endings, you’ll keep coming back for more.

    Recently Joined Infinity – 

    July truly was a major month for Viveport Infinity members with 10 new releases. If you don’t remember all that launched, let us jog your memory:

    Recent Game Updates 

    In addition to the 10 new titles available in your Infinity library in July, some of our all-time Viveport Infinity favorites got major updates:

    Remember to follow Viveport on Twitter and Facebook to get the latest news on Infinity releases and insights from your favorite developers.

    Website: LINK

  • HTC Vive and ARVI VR Partner to Expand Global VR Arcade Presence

    HTC Vive and ARVI VR Partner to Expand Global VR Arcade Presence

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    Exclusive VR escape–room content to be deployed across hundreds of location-based entertainment (LBE) sites. 

    HTC VIVE®, the leader in premium virtual reality (VR) and arcade solutions, today announced a collaboration with ARVI VR to extend their presence to a greater number of location-based entertainment (LBE) VR sites across the globe. The first wave will open this year in China, India, Taiwan, and Gulf Cooperation Council countries, allowing a greater number of customers to experience interactive VR content. Through this partnership, HTC Vive and ARVI VR are planning to deploy arcade content and escape room games to hundreds of sites over the next three years.  

    Currently, ARVI VR’s highly-rated escape room content such as Sanctum, Christmas, Mission Sigma, Cyberpunk, Prison are the most popular games at VIVELAND™, HTC’s flagship VR park. With this partnership, HTC Vive and ARVI will work to deploy ARVI’s escape room content across more than 300 LBE venues worldwide over the next several years, allowing customers to take advantage of innovative VR technologies and exclusive content provided by the two companies. After the first wave of openings, the deployment will extend at a later time to Egypt, Hong-Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, Vietnam, and Kuwait.  

    “Since 2019, HTC Vive has worked closely with ARVI VR to implement their popular escape room content for our customers at Viveland,” said Plutarch Lee, Associate Vice President, VR Enterprise Solutions at HTC Vive. “We’re excited to leverage their escape room content in even more arcades globally and look forward to adding more great multiplayer content later this year”. 

    HTC Vive works with LBE venues around the globe to leverage Vive’s VR technology for opportunities to showcase immersive experiences and gain new revenue streams. By partnering with ARVI VR to offer escape room content tailored specifically for VR, arcades, and LBEs can showcase new and innovative games to customers that would be impossible to create in a real-life escape room.  

    “We’re thrilled to work with HTC VIVE to bring our exciting and adventurous content to new audiences around the world,” said Michael Dementii, CEO of ARVI VR. “At present, we view our this as a long-term and fruitful partnership with the possibility of broadening cooperation opportunities in the LBE industry”. 

    ARVI VR’s escape room content features various game-based experiences where multiple players must work together to find their way out by solving diverse puzzles and unraveling versatile mysteries. Escape room content in VR goes beyond typical live escape rooms as the technology allows players to fully immerse in unique and exciting atmospheres that they otherwise would not experience, such as the abandoned monasteries of Sanctum or futuristic data stacks of Cyberpunk. 

    Website: LINK

  • VR Developers Share Their Unique Market Insights

    VR Developers Share Their Unique Market Insights

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Key Opportunities and Trends – HTC VIVE 2020 Developer Survey Takeaways

    Each year we survey our VIVE developers to gain a better understanding of the community. From who they are to what motivates them, what projects they’re tackling and the challenges they face, listening is how we learn to be the best advocate and partner for the VR developer community.

    In January 2020, HTC VIVE teamed up with the market intelligence group, IDC, for our annual VR developer survey. With over 350 respondents from across the globe, we got an insider’s look into the current state of VR as the developer community shared their insights, wins, hurdles, and projections for the industry.

    We’re sharing all of the insights from those findings in this two-part blog series – from the key opportunities and trends that emerged to most cited challenges, and finally, how developers overcame the most common obstacles they came across. To start, we rounded up the key opportunities and top trends for VR developers in 2020:

    Increased Corporate Adoption

    When asked how the industry has changed the most in the past year, over half (53%) of respondents noted the increase in corporate adoption. Developers are finding that more companies are incorporating VR into their processes and shifting their priorities accordingly.

    Though this survey was conducted before the widespread effects of COVID-19 impacted the market, the past few months have only ramped up interest in enterprise and commercial VR. Businesses are now looking for innovative and impactful solutions to communicate and collaborate with their employees and customers and even to remotely train their workforce. Many are now turning to software like VIVE Sync to set themselves apart from the competition.

    “Partly driven by this increase in commercial and enterprise adoption, IDC projects VR headset shipments will top 5.7 million worldwide in 2020”, said Lewis Ward, Research director, Gaming & VR/AR at IDC.

    The next three most cited changes in the past year showcase positive signs for the industry as well. Better development tools and documentation (43%), wider end-user adoption (42%) and more developers entering the space (41%) are all signs the market is maturing and that developers are getting the resources necessary to build quality experiences.

    A Shift in Focus

    With this increase in commercial VR use, it’s not surprising that more developers than ever are focused on enterprise audiences. In fact, more developers are now building enterprise applications (46%) than consumer experiences (42%) according to survey results. Compared to last year’s findings, developers focused on creating business solutions jumped 14% this year.

    We’re seeing this shift in the market as well. VIVE X, HTC’s early-stage investment program, recently shared that 17 portfolio companies raised additional rounds of funding in the past year with the majority of capital going to enterprise solutions in healthcare and employee training. Investors are increasingly bullish when it comes to enterprise VR tools and software.

    But Gaming is Still King

    Despite the traction enterprise applications are making, developers still believe that gaming (69%) is best primed for growth this year, followed closely by training and simulation (63%), and then education (41%). This order did not change over the last year, reaffirming developer confidence in these areas for growth.

    With the recent release of the AAA blockbuster, Half Life: Alyx, and games like SUPERHOT reaching double platinum status, developers are finally finding mainstream success with consumers. As VR usage and awareness continues to rise during worldwide stay-at-home and social distancing orders, more gamers are turning to VR for entertainment.

    Workforce training and simulations are also becoming increasingly popular across industries due to their effectiveness and cost-savings nature. From safety and hazard training solutions like VIVE’s ElevateXR or training applications that focus on soft skills such as those from VIVE X companies Talespin or Bodyswaps, developers are finding training solutions for the workplace to be a worthwhile niche.

    Multiplatform Strategy

    As the market matures, multiplatform development continues to be the norm. Three-quarters of those surveyed shared that they were developing their next project for more than one VR platform. Developers working on projects for both tethered and stand-alone HMDs believe that being platform and hardware agnostic will enable greater success.

    HTC VIVE has always encouraged developers to pursue a multiplatform business strategy, whether it be expanding hardware compatibility or publishing titles on other platforms in addition to VIVEPORT, to provide the most avenues for monetization and choices for consumers.

    Stay tuned for part two of this series as we look at the developer community’s largest obstacles and how to work around them, posting to the VIVE blog on August 5th. In the meantime, connect with us on our Developer Community Forums and stay up to date on the latest developer news through the Developer Portal.

    Website: LINK

  • VR For Impact: Accused #2 Walter Sisulu

    VR For Impact: Accused #2 Walter Sisulu

    Reading Time: 6 minutes

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries?list=PL1JC6N9u4ERhTB72N0hXAEXua0sEBCPU_&w=730&h=411]

    Below, the creative team from La Générale de Production talks about the making of this powerful experience…

    What was the inspiration for tackling this subject in such a way?

    Jeremy Pouilloux: There are no images of the trial. At the time, the trial was carefully recorded on Dictabelts, a now-obsolete audio recording format. In 2012, NARSSA approached the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) and the French National Audiovisual Institute (INA) to start a process of digitization and restoration of the entire Rivonia Trial sound archive.

    Nicolas Champeaux had the chance to have access to this work and when he came to la Générale de Production, we were convinced that we should try to immerse the audience deeply in the sounds of the trial, and to create a proximity with those great historical figures.

    People always remember this trial as the Mandela Trial and we wanted to bring the other accused into light. We quickly decided to highlight Walter Sisulu, without whom Mandela always said he wouldn’t do anything.

    Oerd’s art imposed itself as obvious as we thought that his style and universe would match with the original sounds, and with the atmosphere we wanted for the film.

    Talk about the research and design process of crafting Accused #2 – seamlessly marrying 2D illustrations and animation in an immersive 3D space is no easy task. 

    Jeremy Pouilloux: At la Générale de Production, we believe creating for 3D space can be explored in many ways. And sometimes, 3D animation can seem a bit too “clean”, too “childish”. For Accused#2, we wanted to keep the charcoal touch of Oerd art direction. But such things said, It was quite a hard job to keep the artistic approach while working in a 3D environment and with a real-time engine. It has been made possible thanks to work of Novelab, a French development studio we have been working with. We worked hand-in-hand to reach the quality level we wanted and design an optimized immersive experience for the audience.

    Many know this story due to famed activist Nelson Mandela being among those on trial – but Accused #2 focuses on the oft-omitted Walter Sisulu, Mandela’s mentor. What about his story did you feel made it important to shed light on as part of the greater narrative of this pivotal moment in history?

    Jeremy Pouilloux: The complete name of the trial is “The State against Mandela and the others”. People usually know about Mandela but rarely about “the others”, especially outside South Africa. It seemed essential to us to give back their place to the members of the collective, starting with accused number 2, Walter Sisulu. Sisulu was the grey eminence of the ANC. He knew the history of the movement by heart and was very close to the inhabitants of the townships. Mandela was put forward by the collective and by Sisulu himself because he was brilliant, formidable speaker and one of the few blacks to have become a lawyer. Sisulu had only his certificate of study. But the ANC was really a collective movement and it is in the name of the collective that they choose Mandela so that a man can incarnate their struggle in the eyes of the whole world. Nevertheless, Mandela said he wouldn’t make any decision without consulting Sisulu.

    Were there any unique challenges you encountered during the development of Accused #2? Bringing hundreds of hours of audio recordings from half a century ago and making them feel immersive and powerful in a 3D space must have been difficult. 

    Jeremy Pouilloux: Yes, the audio part was a big challenge. The audio recordings have been recorded on vinyl material and have this very specific and authentic-sounding textures. But in 3D space, you need to be able to spatialize the sounds and to do so, it is always easier to work on very clean material. To keep the authenticity of the voices and spatialize the sounds, we worked with the research division of Radio France (French national radio) to create the most immersive sound environment possible. 

    Accused #2 has received multiple accolades as a result of being shown at art and film festivals, including Tribeca and New Media Film Festival. What has been the feedback when showing viewers this experience in that setting? Have you been surprised by viewers’ response?

    Jeremy Pouilloux: Globally, people appreciate the film very much. We received tremendous positive feedback during festivals, and when we have been invited to speak about the project during these events, it was always a great pleasure to share this adventure with the audience. But what has been the most emotional moment for us was without a doubt was when we came to South Africa showing the film for the first time, and realizing how important it could be for them to hear this moment of their own history. It was a real reward to see young audiences realizing how much those great figures had fought for equality and justice.

    What are your thoughts on how the role of emerging technology like XR play in the future of art and education? What would you like to see from the tech going forward in order to further empower you and your team to reach new people and expand their hearts/minds? 

    Jeremy Pouilloux: For us, this emerging technology is part of a great history of immersion, from the very first storytellers or drawers to our times. At each step, the audience is moved in new ways made possible by new innovations. Nowadays, we are not moved by movies (even in theaters) in the same way as we could be in the earlier ages of film. AR and VR are contemporary ways to break the so called “4th wall” and emphasis the emotions of the audience and bring them closer to the different themes and issues.

    How long did Accused #2 take to develop, and how many people helped bring it to life? 

    Jeremy Pouilloux: It took us two years to develop the project from the idea to the distribution. The production process brought us to work with various professionals and companies. We had a core team around Nicolas Champeaux and Gilles Porte as directors, Oerd the drawer and artistic director, Michael Bolufer the artistic and tech director and Aurélien Godderis-Chouzenoux the music composer. We also had the chance to work with the digital department at ARTE, Marianne Levy-Leblond and Heideline Blumers, the research team at Radio France, especially Hervé Déjardin and Fabien Mezzafonte, and the team at Novelab studio, Grégoire Parain and Clément Chériot.

    What ultimately do you want viewers to take away from this powerful experience?

    Jeremy Pouilloux: I hope that they take away some kind of empathy with Walter Sisulu’s fight for freedom and emancipation, but I also hope it can help people today to remain vigilant about injustice, and empower them to resist any form of abuse. 

    What is next for your team – are you considering further explorations in the realm of VR art/documentary experiences? 

    Jeremy Pouilloux: We definitely have a few VR documentaries in development, and hope we will soon be able to share these different works with the audience. If you are interested, please do not hesitate to follow our work on the social networks.

    Website: LINK