It’s been a good day for PlayStation VR owners. Earlier saw Pixel Ripped 1995 release dates announced and now it’s the turn of brutal arena brawler Gorn.
After developer Free Lives said back in September 2019 that gladiator sim would see a launch that winter, the team has now confirmed a launch date, putting Gorn a couple of weeks away.
Gorn made a name for itself thanks to the videogame’s over-the-top violence, pitting players against waves of enemies who can be smashed to pieces. An assortment of weapons are at their disposal from knives and axes through to maces, bows and much more. All helping them easily decapitate, dismember and slice opponents to survive.
All the weapons have been designed to have their own feel and weight. “To create the sensation of weight, we added wobbliness to the weapons so that players can see the impact of gravity and various other forces on their shapes,” said Adone Kitching, Producer, Free Lives via PlayStation Blog. “Wobbly weapons have become a signature GORN aesthetic, and we’re pretty happy about that.”
The gameplay is designed so players can adapt on the fly, picking up dropped weapons, using bodies as shields or a severed arm to attack. If players are really quick, they can even catch arrows mid-air. Plus there are environmental obstacles which can be employed.
Brought to PlayStation VR thanks to a partnership between Free Lives, Devolver Digital and 24Bit Games, all the blood and gore can be turned down thanks to Gorn’s Pinata Mode. Gladiators are turned into paper mâché with their heads exploding with candy.
Reviewing Gorn for PC VR, VRFocus said: “It is stupid, and over the top on almost every level yet it’ll still put a smile of most players faces. Additionally, GORN will help you lose two things, time and calories. You’ll find that one fight will turn into ten, and you’ll be a sweaty mess from all that arm swinging. If you want something deep and thought-provoking go read a book, for everyone else there’s GORN.”
Gorn is now slated to arrive for PlayStation VR on 19th May 2020. For further updates to the experience, keep readng VRFocus.
By: Peter Graham Title: Gorn Will Soon Arrive for PlayStation VR Sourced From: www.vrfocus.com/2020/05/gorn-will-soon-arrive-for-playstation-vr/ Published Date: Tue, 05 May 2020 14:56:35 +0000
Ever since Oculus released hand tracking for Oculus Quest in December 2019, developers have been experimenting with the feature but its yet to appear for titles on the Oculus Store. That could be about to change thanks to Fast Travel Games.
— Fast Travel Games (@fasttravelgames) May 5, 2020
In a teasing tweet today, the studio revealed plans to bring hand tracking to its puzzle title The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets, with no further details other than it was coming soon.
Due to the nature of its simple puzzle-based gameplay, The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets should be a good testbed for hand tracking as the videogame doesn’t require swift, complicated actions. Players can be methodical when exploring the spinnable 3D worlds, picking them apart to locate the pets, finding secrets and playing with the other interactive elements.
A delightful VR experience set around a heart-warming tale narrated by the players’ grandfather, The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets is one of those titles that isn’t overly long but easily suits players of any age. They can grip, push, drop and spin the numerous elements in each world to unlock clues, with some puzzles requiring multiple elements to complete. Others just need a keen eye.
When reviewing Fast Travel Games’ latest, VRFocus noted: “The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets is a perfectly pleasant VR experience which features all the polish you’d expect from Fast Travel Games.” The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets arrived last year for Oculus Quest, PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Windows Mixed Reality headsets.
Not all the videogames for Oculus Quest will suit hand tracking as it does have plenty of limitations, plus the feature is still in beta. So it may be some time until more content on Oculus Store goes more hands-on. Another developer which detailed its experiments earlier this year was Aldin Dynamics and Waltz of the Wizard.
Or for hand tracking examples you can actually play with, head on over to SideQuest where you’ll find the likes of Tea for God and Interdimensional Matter. For further Oculus Quest hand tracking updates, keep reading VRFocus.
By: Peter Graham Title: Oculus Quest Hand Tracking Teased for The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets Sourced From: www.vrfocus.com/2020/05/oculus-quest-hand-tracking-teased-for-the-curious-tale-of-the-stolen-pets/ Published Date: Tue, 05 May 2020 14:11:22 +0000
After a long wait, the PSVR version of Gorn is finally coming in two weeks’ time.
Developer Free Lives announced the news on the PlayStation Blog today. Gorn sets down on Sony’s headset on May 19th. It’s been a long wait for Gorn on PSVR; we were initially hoping to be playing the game by the end of 2019. But multiple delays, most recently brought on by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, have seen the game slip.
Gorn is a physics-driven, slapstick gladiator battle game where you beat your opponents senseless using an array of ancient weaponry. You might consider it an early precursor to games like Boneworks and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners; enemies are designed to be toyed with and weapons to be used pretty much however you see fit.
That’s not to say Gorn doesn’t have any structure to it, though. The game comes with a campaign in which you move through progressively tougher arenas using specific weapons. As you play, you’ll unlock more items for a sandbox mode, too. On PC, there’s also a local multiplayer mode where one player takes control of an enemy on the screen.
We’re big fans of Gorn here at Upload, and we’re looking forward to seeing how the PSVR version pans out. It’s no secret that the PS4 is less powerful than a PC required to run Gorn and the headset’s tracking is limited too, but developers have in the past done a great job porting their games to the hardware. Let’s hope that’s the case here.
Excited to play Gorn on PSVR? Let us know in the comments below!
The post Gorn Finally Arrives On PSVR In Two Weeks appeared first on UploadVR.
By: Jamie Feltham Title: Gorn Finally Arrives On PSVR In Two Weeks Sourced From: uploadvr.com/gorn-finally-arrives-on-psvr-in-two-weeks/ Published Date: Tue, 05 May 2020 14:04:36 +0000
Virtual reality (VR) studio Sinn Studio has released three titles up to now, the most recent being 2018’s Warzone, a cross-platform multiplayer shooter. This week the studio has teased the first details of its next project, a medieval combat experience called Swordsman VR.
The first image released from Swordsman VR. Image credit: Sinn Studio
From the details released so far, Swordsman VR is going to be a story-driven, arena-based brawler focused on physical combat for PC VR headsets and PlayStation VR.
Over on Reddit, the studio mentions that: “The game features 6 combat environments, 5 boss fights, 4 different cultures (Knights, Vikings, Mongols and Samurai, plus a final boss), dozens of unique interactive weapons, shields and bonus boss items, and a progression system with player stats and abilities to let you customize your character builds for a unique experience based on your fighting style.”
Further details are expected to arrive next week alongside the opening of applications for a closed beta. Interested players can apply for the beta on Friday, 15th May – purely PC only – by heading to Sinn Studio’s Discord Channel. A commencement date for the beta has yet to be confirmed but the team has said it won’t be long after applications go live. The beta is expected to last a couple of weeks.
Warzone
As for an actual launch date for Swordsman VR, Sinn Studio aims for a multiplatform release this summer, noting on Discord: “We want to release on all platforms simultaneously and Sony is going to be the bottleneck.”
VRFocus will continue its coverage of Sinn Studio and Swordsman VR, reporting back with further updates.
By: Peter Graham Title: Warzone Developer Unveils Next Project Swordsman VR Sourced From: www.vrfocus.com/2020/05/warzone-developer-unveils-next-project-swordsman-vr/ Published Date: Tue, 05 May 2020 13:04:19 +0000
Facebook is developing a smaller, lighter version of Oculus Quest with a higher refresh rate, according to a new report from Bloomberg.
Bloomberg reported the existence and price of Oculus Go months before it was announced, giving credence to the outlet having sources within Facebook’s VR division.
The report claims the new headset was originally intended to launch late this year, but the global pandemic may delay this to 2021. Whether this is the same ‘Del Mar’ headset leaked in March is currently unclear.
Featured image on this post is the current Oculus Quest.
Smaller, Lighter, More Comfortable
The most common complaint we see when someone tries an Oculus Quest is the discomfort caused by the front heaviness. Unlike PC VR headsets, Quest has the computing hardware and battery built into it.
The current Quest weighs around 1.25 lbs (571g). The report claims the new headset could be 20% lighter at 1 lbs (around 450g), as well as being physically 15% smaller.
At OC6, Facebook showed off research on making VR headsets smaller and lighter.
At Oculus Connect 6, Facebook’s chief VR researcher showed off new lenses that achieved a 20% wider field of view than Quest despite being physically smaller. Some kind of breakthrough like this could be the source of the weight reduction. Alternatively, it could just be mundane incremental improvements in materials and design.
Higher Refresh Rate
The current Oculus Quest uses OLED panels with a refresh rate of 72 Hz, lower than the PC VR standard of 90 Hz. Valve’s premium Index HMD offers up to 144 Hz.
A higher refresh rate in VR makes the world feel more solid and object motion look more real.
According to Bloomberg, Facebook is testing screens up to 120 Hz for this new headset, but may cap it to 90Hz for battery life reasons.
Rendering that higher refresh rate would almost certainly require a more powerful system-on-chip (SoC). The current Quest uses the Snapdragon 835, which was Qualcomm’s flagship in 2017. Three years later, chips with roughly twice the computing power are available. The report doesn’t say anything about a new chip, however.
New Touch Controllers
According to the report, Facebook is also working on new Touch controllers. This could be the ‘Jedi’ controllers found in the Oculus Quest firmware.
We analyzed the driver for the Jedi controllers and found that it keeps the same input scheme, but may improve tracking, haptics and the fidelity of finger sensing.
According to Bloomberg’s sources, the new Touch controllers will be compatible with the existing Oculus Quest, enabling users to upgrade.
The report also claims these controllers fix a design flaw of the current Touch, where the battery cover can slide off during play.
Cheaper Materials, New Strap
The current Oculus Quest features a fabric covering giving it a somewhat premium feel. However, this is probably expensive to manufacture at scale.
According to Bloomberg, Facebook is testing removing this fabric and replacing it with plastic. This is likely for cost control reasons, but could also increase production rate.
The report claims Facebook is also considering changing the side straps from velcro to an elastic system. That sounds like how the Valve Index strap works, but there’s not enough detail yet to say for sure.
The post Report: Facebook Developing More Comfortable Oculus Quest With Higher Refresh Rate appeared first on UploadVR.
By: David Heaney Title: Report: Facebook Developing More Comfortable Oculus Quest With Higher Refresh Rate Sourced From: uploadvr.com/bloomberg-quest-refresh-report/ Published Date: Tue, 05 May 2020 12:53:41 +0000
Carbon Studio’s original sorcery title The Wizards offered engaging gameplay thanks to its gesture-based gameplay. Today, the developer has announced that followup The Wizards – Dark Times is nearing completion, ready for a launch in June.
Debuting for the first time at Gamescom 2019, The Wizards – Dark Times continues the franchises flair for gesture-based magic, where players have to learn and master 11 individually designed spells which can only be cast with their hands.
These allow players to control the elements, freezing foes where they stand or setting them on fire. While other spells will allow players to cast defensive shields and other useful additions to aid in battle.
While The Wizards – Dark Times was initially developed to be a standalone expansion Carbon Studio then decided to make it a fully-fledged sequel instead. The team also wanted to expand the adventure element for a greater RPG feel, doing away with the magical barriers from the original that forced you into defeating every enemy before moving on.
“Since Gamescom 2019, where the Dark Times’ press demo received overwhelming praise, we decided to extend the scale of the project. We made sure our spellcasting adventure will keep everyone slinging fireballs and roleplaying as the Emperor for hours, without any pesky magical barriers that slow your progress,” said Jakub Pander, Carbon Studio’s producer in a statement.
VRFocus said in its preview at the time: “From what’s been shown so far The Wizards – Dark Times is definitely on track to offer an even more engaging experience than before. The spell casting works well, the environments look great, and the monsters put up a fight. So hopefully things are only going to get better, just so long as there’s a hefty campaign to back it all up.”
Supporting Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Valve Index, The Wizards – Dark Times will be available on Oculus Store and Steam from 4th June, retailing for $24.99 USD.
After the launch, Carbon Studio has confirmed that it’ll release a series of content updates to expand upon the gameplay experience. As further details on The Wizards – Dark Times are released VRFocus will let you know.
By: Peter Graham Title: The Wizards – Dark Times to Conjure a PC VR Launch in June Sourced From: www.vrfocus.com/2020/05/the-wizards-dark-times-to-conjure-a-pc-vr-launch-in-june/ Published Date: Tue, 05 May 2020 11:29:54 +0000
A tease from Fast Travel Games may suggest Facebook will soon let developers officially integrate hand-tracking into their Oculus Quest titles.
Fast Travel just teased support for hand-tracking in its charming puzzler, The Curious Tale Of The Stolen Pets. The GIF in the below tweet shows a player interacting with the game’s diorama-sized world, using their finger to push a dog on a swing. It works just like it did with the controller, except now you don’t need to hold anything in your hands.
— Fast Travel Games (@fasttravelgames) May 5, 2020
The tweet simply says ‘Coming Soon’, with no other details. As far as we’re aware, this is the first time a developer has shown official integration of hand-tracking in a game available on the Oculus Store.
Quest hand-tracking was launched as an experimental feature late last year. Officially, you can only use it in Quest’s menu and on the Oculus web browser, but developers have integrated the feature into their sideloaded projects, too. Over the past few months, Facebook has improved the stability of the tracking with multiple updates. Fast Travel’s tease suggests Oculus may be preparing to let developers officially integrate the feature into their titles on the Oculus Store.
We’ve asked Facebook if official integration for Quest hand-tracking is nearing.
That said, don’t expect every Quest game to get hand-tracking support. Curious Tale — which we’re very fond of — seems like an especially good fit considering it’s a stationary puzzle game, but titles with lots of locomotion and fast-paced mechanics might not suit it.
What other Oculus Quest games would you like to get hand-tracking support? Let us know in the comments below!
The post Watch: Curious Tale Quest Hand-Tracking Tease Suggests Official Integration Nears appeared first on UploadVR.
By: Jamie Feltham Title: Watch: Curious Tale Quest Hand-Tracking Tease Suggests Official Integration Nears Sourced From: uploadvr.com/curious-tale-quest-hand-tracking/ Published Date: Tue, 05 May 2020 11:08:52 +0000
Carbon Studio, the Poland-based team behind The Wizards (2018), today announced that their upcoming sequel to the spellcaster series, The Wizards – Dark Times, is slated to arrive on PC VR headsets June 4th.
Carbon initially planned for Dark Times to be a standalone expansion when we first saw it at Gamescom 2019, however now the studio says it will be a full sequel “similar in scope to its predecessor.”
When we got our first 10-minute demo of the game at Gamescom 2019, we were treated to a new spellcasting system, which focuses on taking the game’s elemental spells and making the resultant damage more in line with standard RPGs, i.e. an ice attack can freeze an enemy in its path so you can transition to a more powerful spell to deal more damage.
Carbon says there are 11 individually designed spells which you can mix and match in combat on their way through the story-driven game (read: not arcade-style arena play like the first).
Furthermore, the studio says the game will receive a series of free post-launch content updates following its release in June.
“Since Gamescom 2019, where the Dark Times’ press demo received overwhelming praise, we decided to extend the scale of the project. We made sure our spellcasting adventure will keep everyone slinging fireballs and roleplaying as the Emperor for hours, without any pesky magical barriers that slow your progress,” says Jakub Pander, Carbon Studio’s producer.
The Wizards – Dark Times is headed to SteamVR headsets via Steam and Viveport, and to Rift on the Oculus Store on June 4th, priced at $25.
The post Spellcasting Sequel ‘The Wizards – Dark Times’ to Launch on PC VR Headsets in June appeared first on Road to VR.
By: Scott Hayden Title: Spellcasting Sequel ‘The Wizards – Dark Times’ to Launch on PC VR Headsets in June Sourced From: www.roadtovr.com/wizards-dark-times-launch-date/ Published Date: Tue, 05 May 2020 10:33:54 +0000
Last month Brazilian developer ARVORE released Pixel Ripped 1995 for PC VR headsets and Oculus Quest, bringing back some retro 90s gaming goodness. Today, the developer has announced that the PlayStation VR version isn’t too far away, with two launches taking place over the next couple of weeks.
Europe and the Americas are getting separate release dates, starting with the latter. The Americas will see Pixel Ripped 1995 arrive via respective PlayStation Stores on 12th May followed by a European release on 19th May.
Just like its predecessor Pixel Ripped 1989, the sequel is essentially a love letter to old-school gaming from its own particular era. The mid-90s were a golden era for videogames when they were moving from 16-bit sprites into 32-bit 3D titles. Pixel Ripped 1995 plays on this aspect at every turn, with all six levels containing nods to 1990s action RPGs, brawlers, platformers, space shooters, and racing games such as Streets of Rage, Mortal Kombat, Road Rash, Star Fox, Sonic the Hedgehog, Castlevania and many more.
In Pixel Ripped 1995 digital heroine Dot returns to help save both real and digital worlds from an evil goblin, the Cyblin Lord with the help of a 9-year-old videogame fan called David. He has to deal with nagging parents, bullies and more, switching between playing on his new console and dealing with outside distractions.
VRFocus was suitably impressed with Pixel Ripped 1995 in its review: “ARVORE has certainly learnt from Pixel Ripped 1989, both in terms of scope and gameplay, Pixel Ripped 1995 is a premium retro experience from start to finish.”
As mentioned this months launch is a split digital release. The Pixel Ripped Twitter account previously confirmed ARVORE has been working with Perp Games on physical versions of Pixel Ripped 1989 and Pixel Ripped 1995 but there’s been no update yet regarding when that may occur.
ARVORE has said fans can also look forward to new features and extra content in free updates in the months to come as it looks to add more fun and replayability to the title. VRFocus will continue its coverage of Pixel Ripped 1995, reporting back with all the latest announcements and updates.
By: Peter Graham Title: Pixel Ripped 1995’s Retro Homage Hits PlayStation VR This Month Sourced From: www.vrfocus.com/2020/05/pixel-ripped-1995s-retro-homage-hits-playstation-vr-this-month/ Published Date: Tue, 05 May 2020 10:08:35 +0000
Pixel Ripped 1995’s PSVR launch isn’t too far behind its PC VR and Quest release.
The nostalgia-fuelled VR adventure is arriving on the US PlayStation Store on May 12th for $19.99. It will come to Europe the following week on May 19th. The game initially arrived on other headsets in late April.
Pixel Ripped 1995 is the second in developer ARVORE’s series of love letters to retro gaming. You’ll revisit classic scenes from the past, playing Super Nintendo-era games in your bedroom and video rental stores. The game lets you actually play tributes to past titles whilst also balancing real-world objectives like not getting caught playing past your bedtime.
We thought 1995 was great; it’s a bigger experience than the original with more variety.
“Pixel Ripped 1995 is a bigger, bolder, and even more nostalgic walk down memory lane that shifts the focus from the late 80s to the early 90s — perhaps the most iconic and formative decade of the video game industry to date,” we said in our review. “By mixing together riffs off of popular games such as Castlevania, The Legend of Zelda, Streets of Rage, Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario, and more, Pixel Ripped is a sleek and powerful blast of nostalgia that brings back potent memories of hunching over CRT TVs in the dead of night playing games.”
Elsewhere, the game is also getting a localization update that will add support for French, German, Latin American Spanish, Korean and Japanese languages.
Are you going to be picking up Pixel Ripped 1995 on PSVR? Let us know in the comments below!
The post Pixel Ripped 1995 Hits US PSVR Next Week, EU Week After appeared first on UploadVR.
By: Jamie Feltham Title: Pixel Ripped 1995 Hits US PSVR Next Week, EU Week After Sourced From: uploadvr.com/pixel-ripped-1995-psvr-release/ Published Date: Tue, 05 May 2020 09:39:37 +0000
The long-awaited PSVR version of The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is now available. At least, in the EU it is.
The game is now appearing on the EU PlayStation Store as a Standard Edition for £28.99. The Tourist Edition, which comes with a bit more stuff, is available for £44.99. We’ve checked the US PlayStation Store but can’t find the game listed there. We’ve reached out to Skydance to see if there’s comment on the game launching and if it will come to the US today or this week too.
It’s possible the game has launched this early by mistake but, last week, Skydance’s own Peter Akemann said the launch wasn’t far away. Either way, now that people are buying it, it will be hard to get the genie back in the bottle.
We’ll be excited to check out the PSVR version of the game. When it launched on PC VR in January, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners impressed us with its physics-driven gameplay, in which players had to put real effort into swinging melee weapons and keeping zombies at bay. Not only that but the game offers a full, meaty campaign to sink your teeth into with survival elements and side-quests.
It could be exactly what PSVR fans have been pining for, then, but we haven’t actually played this version of the game for ourselves yet. We’ll need to get our hands on it and see how it holds up before giving this one our recommendation too. Are you going to check out The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners on PSVR today? Let us know in the comments below!
The post The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners Surprise Launches On EU PSVR Store appeared first on UploadVR.
By: Jamie Feltham Title: The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners Surprise Launches On EU PSVR Store Sourced From: uploadvr.com/walking-dead-eu-psvr-launch/ Published Date: Tue, 05 May 2020 09:24:17 +0000
Rebuff Reality has taken its latest VR accessory, VR Ears, to Kickstarter with the hopes of bringing an enhanced audio solution to all major headsets, including those with sub-par or no integrated audio like PSVR, Quest, and Rift S. With just over two weeks left the project is well passed its goal, now at $150,000.
Update (May 5th, 2020): The VR Ears Kickstarter has reached $155,000, or 518% of its $30,000 goal. Though the project is well funded, the next stretch goal (a 30% discount voucher for a carrying case) is still a fair distance away at $250,000. With 16 days left though, it’s not out of the question that the campaign gets there.
Update (April 27th, 2020): The VR Ears Kickstarter has more than quadrupled its $30,000 goal, now with just over $125,000 pledged by backers of the project, with more than three weeks remaining in the campaign.
The campaign met its first stretch goal at $100,000, unlocking a 30% discount voucher for VR Ears headstrap (which allows the accessory to be used like a regular pair of headphones without a VR headset). The headstrap will cost $30 before discount.
Update (April 22nd, 2020): The VR Ears Kickstarter has more than doubled its $30,000 funding goal right out of the gate. With 28 days remaining of a 30 day campaign, the project is 247% funded with $75,000 pledged and rapidly approaching its first stretch goal at $100,000 (see below update listing all stretch goals).
757 backers have bought into the project so far. The $80 ‘Super Early Bird’ tier has sold out all 500 units. The $90 ‘Early Bird’ tier has sold 218 of 2,000 units. If that tier sells out, this will leave only the uncapped $100 ‘Kickstarter Special’ tier (and above).
See the original article below for more background on VR Ears and the Kickstarter project.
Update (April 21st, 2020): The VR Ears Kickstarter launched today, aiming to bring an ‘off-ear’ headphone accessory to many major VR headsets. The company behind the project, Rebuff Reality, is aiming to raise $30,000. The company has confirmed that the off-ear headphones will support Rift CV1, Rift S, Quest, original Vive (only with DAS), Vive Pro, Vive Cosmos, PSVR, Valve Index, and Pimax headsets which use the rigid head-mount.
Prices for the clip-on audio accessory start at $80 for the first 500 backers, $90 for the next 3,000, and $100 thereafter. Rebuff Reality says that after the Kickstarter the headphones will retail for $150. The company expects the $80 batch to ship starting in November and the $90 and $100 batches expected in December.
The VR Ears headstrap, which allows the headphones to double as a normal pair of headphones without attaching to a VR headset, looks to be available after the Kickstarter as an additional accessory.
Just a few hours after the campaign launched, the VR Ears Kickstarter has already reached 70% of its goal. With 29 days remaining in the campaign, it seems certain to succeed. Rebuff Reality seems confident too, as it has already outlined stretch goals far exceeding the initial $30,000 goal:
$100,000 – 30% discount voucher for VR Ears headstrap accessory
$250,000 – 30% discount voucher for VR Ears carrying case
$500,000 – 30% discount voucher for 5ft charging cable
$750,000 – 30% discount voucher for VR Ear boom mic accessory
$1,000,000 – All of the above accessories included for free with any Kickstarter purchase of VR Ears
The original article, which explores the audio landscape of VR headsets and the ‘off-ear’ approach to headset audio, continues below.
Original Article (April 17th, 2020): Since the consumer VR industry kicked off in 2016, more and more headsets are heading toward integrated audio solutions. While the original Vive and PSVR launched without any on-board audio (expecting the user to plug in included earbuds, or their own headphones), both have since made moves to rectify that. HTC launched the Vive Deluxe Audio Strap (AKA DAS) which improved the fit of the headset and added on-board audio, while an updated version of PSVR eventually added more convenient earbuds.
The latest headsets from Oculus—the Go, Quest, and Rift S—all have speakers hidden inside their headstraps. While this is convenient because there’s no headphones to get in the way when putting the headset on, all three leave us wishing for better quality and positional audio accuracy, both of which bring big boosts to immersion.
Valve’s Index headset seems to have found an ideal solution; its ‘off-ear’ audio design means the headphones aren’t in the way when putting the headset on, but at the same time they offer excellent audio quality with high volume and great positional accuracy.
SEE ALSO
Index's 'Off-ear' Headphones Are Its Most Surprising Innovation
VR Ears is a third-party audio accessory aiming to emulate the Index off-ear audio design and bring it to pretty much any VR headset out there thanks to a clip-on approach. The company hasn’t said exactly which headsets it will support, but it has teased compatibility with PSVR, Vive DAS, Rift S, Quest, Pimax, and it can even be used as a standard pair of headphones without a VR headset.
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Image courtesy Rebuff Reality
Image courtesy Rebuff Reality
Image courtesy Rebuff Reality
Image courtesy Rebuff Reality
Rebuff Reality, the company behind several other VR accessories, is bringing VR Ears to Kickstarter on April 21st, starting at 10AM PT (you local time here). The company hasn’t yet announced how much they hope to raise for the product, or the expected shipping timeline, but that will be made clear when the Kickstarter launches next week.
Despite emulating the off-ear audio design of Index, there’s no telling what kind of quality VR Ears will bring to the table. Valve invested substantial time into developing the headphones for Index—including the use of some novel drivers that VR Ears are unlikely using—so we’ll be interested to see what the final product ends up sounding like.
Either way, VR Ears has the potential to substantially improve both volume and positional audio accuracy over the likes of Go, Quest, and Rift S, thanks to the use of much larger drivers and the ability to position the speakers directly adjacent to the ear.
The post VR Ears Kickstarter Passes $150K for Enhanced Audio on Quest, Rift S, PSVR & More appeared first on Road to VR.
By: Ben Lang Title: VR Ears Kickstarter Passes $150K for Enhanced Audio on Quest, Rift S, PSVR & More Sourced From: www.roadtovr.com/vr-ears-kickstarter-rebuff-reality-vr-headphones-quest-rift-s-psvr/ Published Date: Tue, 05 May 2020 08:17:03 +0000
The Force is strong with these Lucasfilm-based immersive experiences.
Today is May 4th, otherwise known as Star Wars Day, an annual commemoration of George Lucas’ legendary franchise celebrated across the globe. Since the introduction of the Skywalker Saga, the grassroots celebration has exploded in popularity. What began as a simple pun has since evolved into an international spectacle celebrated by die-hard fans, industry professionals, even Disney themselves.
With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forcing the closure of most if not all public events, event organizer ReedPop is currently hosting a two-day virtual event for Star Wars fans featuring live-tweeting “movies and episodes of both Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels, as well as Q&A sessions and discussions with writers and voice actors associated with the franchise.”
For those looking for even more Star Wars action, may we recommend escaping to a galaxy far, far away in one of the following Star Wars-inspired VR games. For the sake of simplicity we’ve only included Star Wars virtual reality titles available to play at home, meaning no location-based experiences or AR content.
VADER IMMORTAL: A STAR WARS VR SERIES
Let’s get the most obvious one out of the way. ILMxLAB’s three-part cinematic experience is without doubt the best Star Wars content you can access on a VR headset at the moment. Taking on the role of a Force-sensitive smuggler, players travel to Darth Vader’s elaborate Mustafarean compound where they’ll embark on a dangerous journey to save the galaxy from am mysterious weapon capable of untold destruction.
Fantastic visuals and AAA voice acting come together to create a cinematic journey worthy of the legendary franchise. Add in the endlessly entertaining Lightsaber Dojo and you have one of the most satisfying sci-fi VR experiences available at the moment; albeit brief.
Vader Immortal Episodes 1 – 3 are available now for $9.99 each on Oculus Quest and Oculus Rift/Rift S. ILMxLAB today announced all three episodes will be heading to PlayStation VR this summer.
TRIALS ON TATOOINE
Before Vader Immortal there was Trials on Tatooine. Another Star Wars-based experience from ILMxLAB, Trials on Tatooine offered one of the first real bits of interactive Star Wars VR content. Set after the events of Return of the Jedi, players find themselves stranded on the desert planet of Tatooine where they are tasked with defending R2-D2 from waves of Stormtroopers while it repairs a damaged Millennium Falcon.
It’s a relatively straightforward experience, but despite its age and simplicity it remains one of the more polished Star Wars VR experiences currently available. Blocking incoming fire and redirecting it back at Imperial soldiers feels incredibly satisfying. Just being able to stand at the foot of the Falcon is fun in and of itself, let alone being able to protect your homie R2 from a flurry of lasers.
The best part is its free on SteamVR.
STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT “ROGUE ONE: VR MISSION”
Another short freebie, Star Wars Battlefront Rogue One: VR Mission has you hopping into the pilot seat of an X-Wing craft and assisting a resistance squadron on a daring rescue mission. There’s chaotic dogfights, a jaw-dropping hyperspace jump, and a slew of other exciting moments sure to put a smile on the face of any Lucas hound.
The X-Wing VR Mission is available exclusively on PSVR as a free mission for all Star Wars Battlefront owners. Despite being a free add-on designed to help market the release of Rogue One, VR Mission remains one of the more visually-impressive titles on the list.
STAR WARS: DROID REPAIR BAY
While the Star Wars universe is ripe with danger and conflict, not every hero carries a blaster or blade. Star Wars Droid Repair Bay offers a rare look at the less violent side of the Star Wars universe. Players take on the role of a standard astro-mechanic tasked with repairing BB-8 and other damaged Resistance droids amid a chaotic space battle.
This usually involves completing a series of puzzles and sequences using a select tool set. As the battle outside your ship grows closer, however, you’ll need to work quickly to get each droid back in fighting shape.
Star Wars: Droid Repair Bay is available free on SteamVR headsets.
BLADE & SORCERY: STAR WARS MOD
Okay, so not an officially sanctioned Star Wars game per say, but the VR fantasy sword-fighting game Blade and Sorcery is chock full of different Star Wars-themed modifications that will keep you entertained for hours.
By visiting a popular mod hosting site like Nexusmods, you can download a variety of weapons, enemy skins, and environments borrowed straight from the Star Wars universe. Take on old-school gladiators using an Imperial Blaster. Battle Kylo Ren with a two-sided spinning lightsaber. One modder even went so far as to develop an original Star Wars campaign set aboard an Imperial Cruiser.
To get started you’ll need to pick up a copy of Blade and Sorcery, available for $19.99 via Oculus Rift and SteamVR. Then, head to the aforementioned website and download any of the compatible Star Wars mods available for Blade and Sorcery.
Image Credit: ILMxLAB
The post Five VR Games Perfect For Celebrating Star Wars Day appeared first on VRScout.
By: Kyle Melnick Title: Five VR Games Perfect For Celebrating Star Wars Day Sourced From: vrscout.com/news/five-vr-games-celebrate-star-wars-day/ Published Date: Mon, 04 May 2020 21:36:18 +0000
Between high demand and manufacturing interruptions due to the Coronavirus, Oculus Quest and Rift S have been in extremely short supply, often commanding a 150% price premiums (or more) in aftermarket sales. Those looking to pick up an Oculus headset may not have to wait too much longer; a global stock check by Road to VR appears to indicate that stock for Oculus headsets is slowly returning.
Updated – May 1st, 2020
We checked stock availability for direct purchases from Oculus.com for Quest (64GB), Quest (128GB), and Rift S across all regions where the headsets are sold. The latest shows that Quest (128GB) continues to be the most available headset, now shipping in 18 of 23 regions (within one week for all but one region).
After being available in nearly all regions just last week, Quest (64GB) is struggling to stay in stock, but it’s presently available in 4 of 23 regions.
Meanwhile, Rift S is nearly as hard to find as Quest (64GB), only currently available in 6 of 23 regions. Compared to both Quest models which were available in almost all regions early last week, not nearly as much new Rift S stock has shown up.
See chart for: 5/1/20 | 4/30/20 | 4/29/20 | 4/28/20
The reason for the disparity between the availability of Quest and Rift S isn’t clear at this time, but we’d guess that it’s related to the fact that Quest is manufactured by Oculus while Rift S is manufactured by Lenovo. It may also have to do with Facebook prioritizing Quest production given especially strong demand for the headset.
SEE ALSO
Oculus Explains Rift S Design & Manufacturing Partnership with Lenovo
Until recently, Italy had a special note advising the potential for additional shipping delays due to the Coronavirus; that note has been removed, but it isn’t clear if this was due to a site update, or done purposefully.
Stock for direct purchases from Oculus seems to be returning more quickly than at retailers. In the US, Quest and Rift S remain sold out at all official retailers (though some like Amazon are offering the headsets from sellers charging considerably more than the MSRP).
Whether or not the latest availability represents just a small batch of headsets and a mere ‘blip’ in the overall picture, or a broader trend of availability going forward, isn’t yet clear.
Since Facebook announced back in early February that it expected the Coronavirus to impact the availability of its headsets, the company hasn’t provided any update on the situation, but we’ve reached out for comment. Shortages prompted the company to begin selling refurbished versions of the original Oculus Rift headset which it had discontinued the year prior.
Update (April 28th, 2020 – 7:50PM PT): An Oculus spokesperson shared the following regarding the availability of its headsets:
“We continue to make products available in all channels as quickly as possible for people to buy. As you’ve noted, Quest and Rift S have been intermittently in stock in some channels and regions. No specific estimate to share on future stock expectations, as the situation remains dynamic.”
The spokesperson said that in regions where headsets are out of stock, customers can use the ‘Notify Me’ option on the buy page for each headset to sign up to be alerted to new stock. Notifications will go out in order of sign-up.
According to the New York Times, China—where Oculus headsets are manufactured—has been steadily reopening its factories. “By some measures, China’s economy is getting back on track. By the end of February, most of its factories and mines had reopened, according to a variety of data, cranking out everything from steel to cellphones at a blistering pace through March. Industrial output rebounded to a near-record level,” reports Keith Bradsher, the publication’s Shanghai bureau chief.
Availability of Valve’s Index headset has also been substantially impacted by the Coronavirus, with new orders backordered by eight weeks or more across the board.
Thanks to Daniel for the tip on new headset stock!
The post Quest & Rift S Stock Check – Quest 128GB Available in 18 of 23 Regions appeared first on Road to VR.
By: Ben Lang Title: Quest & Rift S Stock Check – Quest 128GB Available in 18 of 23 Regions Sourced From: www.roadtovr.com/oculus-quest-rift-s-stock-check-headset-availability-shipping-countries/ Published Date: Mon, 04 May 2020 20:42:31 +0000
Because Pokémon Go wasn’t dangerous enough already.
The amount of money I’d pay for a peek inside the mind of Elon Musk is embarrassing. But can you blame me? The billionaire entrepreneur and CEO of SpaceX and Tesla is easily one of the most interesting—not to mention provocative public figures of our time.
Over the past few weeks Musk has doubled-down on his unpredictable behavior. In a series of slightly-unhinged tweets the billionaire philanthropist playboy claimed he was selling all his physical possessions in preparation for life on Mars, declared Tesla stock prices were “too high“, and compared himself to Deus Ex Machina protagonist, JC Denton; which, by the way, isn’t going so well. More importantly he’s also been downplaying the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic, all the while supplying custom ventilators to hospitals free-of-charge. Confusing? Yes. Boring? Definitely not.
Yesterday, Musk’s tweets took a lighter turn when the Tesla CEO reached out to the community in search of a potential AR game for his line of self-driving vehicles:
“Anyone think they can get a good multiplayer Minecraft working on Teslas? Or maybe create a game that interacts virtually with reality like Pokémon Go while driving safely? Like a complex version of Pac-man or Mario Kart?”
What’s most interesting about this request is that Musk appears to be suggesting an AR experience that can be played while the vehicle is in motion, most likely in conjunction with Tesla’s self-driving capabilities. Many Twitter users were quick to point out the obvious risks that come from taking the drivers attention away from the road, even with autopilot activated.
Anyone think they can get a good multiplayer Minecraft working on Teslas? Or maybe create a game that interacts virtually with reality like Pokémon Go while driving safely? Like a complex version of Pac-man or Mario Kart?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 3, 2020
Others were more skeptical of the request altogether, believing it to be a thinly-veiled attempt at buying back some good after his Tesla tweet caused stock prices to plummet.
Whatever the case, it’ll be interesting to see how the community responds to his request. Musk’s tweet has already attracted the attention of various industry professionals, including Nils Wollny, CEO and founder of in-car VR entertainment company Holoride, as well as Minecraft developer Nathan Adams aka “Dinnerbone”.
Image Credit: PinkJava/ TechAU
The post Elon Musk Asks For Tesla AR Game As Bizarre Tweets Continue appeared first on VRScout.
By: Kyle Melnick Title: Elon Musk Asks For Tesla AR Game As Bizarre Tweets Continue Sourced From: vrscout.com/news/elon-musk-tesla-ar-driving-game/ Published Date: Mon, 04 May 2020 19:25:01 +0000
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See chart for: 5/1/20 | 4/30/20 | 4/29/20 | 4/28/20