When you pit an optical mouse versus a laser mouse, you might not know the differences right away. Which one comes out on top, and why? What's the difference between them? We clear the air and explain the major distinction between these two base designs.
The post Optical vs. laser mouse appeared first on Digital Trends.
In a case that was ridiculous from the beginning but has stretched on for years, a New York court has ruled against actress Lindsay Lohan, who contended that GTA V used her likeness for a minor fringe character.
The post 4 years into lawsuit, appeals court rules that ‘GTA V’ character is not Lindsay Lohan appeared first on Digital Trends.
The Pokemon Go Fest in Chicago's Grant Park turned out to be a bit of a disaster for many attendees. Now, Niantic has agreed to reimburse attendee's the costs of travel and lodging accrued during the event.
The post Niantic agrees to settle Pokémon GO Fest lawsuit appeared first on Digital Trends.
Victory celebrations are easily one of the most popular aspects of the multiplayer free-for-all blaster Fortnite: Battle Royale, and Epic Games wants to add a new player-created dance move to the repertoire.
The post Everybody dance now! If you can boogie down, ‘Fortnite’ wants your best moves appeared first on Digital Trends.
Developer Animate Objects have announced a new augmented reality (AR), free-to-play mobile videogame in the form of MechFightAR. The title makes use of location-based AR and a novel reward and token system to engage players in this robot themed title.
MechFightAR takes the AR location-based genre and adds a twist to it by allowing players the chance to explore real-world locations with more exciting gameplay including ways to capture, develop and defend locations. Players will pick one of four factions to be a part of as they travel around defending the Earth against massive alien bosses that roam around real locations which, when they are encountered, put the player into intense twin-stick shooter action. It is in these moments that players must use all their available weapons and skills to overcome the enemy and claim victory and the loot that will drop from them.
By using a number of different resources MechFightAR allows players different ways to manage and grow both their mech and their home base. With each outpost that a player captures and holds they will be rewarded with periodic drops including ore, oil or CREBITZ. These CREBITZ coins are a form of cryptocurrency that MechFightAR players can spend on upgrades and in-title purchases with the option to use them for real world trading and bartering in the near future.
“MechFightAR is one of the most ambitious AR games to hit the market,” said Chance Roth, CEO of Animate Objects. “The game has many levels of engagement including arcade style action, strategy components, and rewarding upgrades and customization.”
AR location-based titles are popular at the moment but developer Animate Object is hoping that the additional gameplay elements and detailed map rendering with be strong engagements for players. With the option to override the GPS with an onscreen D-Pad players are able to explore future than where they are currently located, offering a greater sense of freedom as they capture and defend outposts. The inclusion of CREBITZ will also be a driving faction in the success of MechFightAR and once the token system expands into real-world trading, the audience is sure to grow as well.
“The use of real satellite imagery and actual terrain elevation rendering are a few more of MFAR’s biggest additions to the genre,” Roth continues. “When players are at the Grand Canyon they get a sense of the actual topology in the game as well.”
MechFightAR will be available to the public soon on both Android and iOS devices.
For more on MechFightAR in the future, keep reading VRFocus.
Have loads of treasure on your ship only to lose it to the sprouting tentacles from the depths of the ocean? Here's everything you need to know for you and your crew to survive an encounter with the deadly Kraken in Sea of Thieves.
The post Here’s how to defeat the Kraken in ‘Sea of Thieves’ appeared first on Digital Trends.
Thanks to virtual reality (VR) and haptic feedback, Touching Masterpieces is allowing those with visual impairment to get close to famous works of art like never before and feel their beauty.
Developed by Geometry Prague and NeuroDigital in collaboration with the Leontinka Foundation, the newest exhibit at Prague’s National Gallery in Holesovice, provides a unique VR experience unlike anything. A number of famous artworks were taking and scanned with laser scans to create highly detailed 3D models that are one-to-one copies of their original counterparts. The high level of detail has also been possible thanks to developing unique UV unwraps of the models along with adjusting the topology and adding necessary extra levels of texture to create a realistic tactile experience.
The work on display in the exhibit include Michelangelo’s David, the Venus de Milo or the bust of Nefertiti. Each have been recreated to the highest level of detail ensuring that as a user moves the haptic gloves around the virtual space they respond according to the impact of the artwork. This means that for the first time blind people will be able to ‘see’ the artwork as they feel around it, able to experience every detail within this stunning works of art. With ever vibration offer a sense of texture and depth the freedom to explore the artworks up close and personal is an immersive encounter.
As visual impairment impacts a large number of the worlds population and with this new exhibit those who suffer and able to witness art unlike before. Descriptive audio has been a solution up until now but thanks to the haptic VR experience that has been made for Touching Masterpieces, the future of accessible art exhibitions is looking good.
Furthermore for those who are unable to attend the exhibition in person and want to experience it at home then it is possible to do so as the 3D images are available to download. You will need to have the necessary VR equipment in order to get the same experience, but they are there should you wish to try it.
For more on immersive media and stories like this in the future, keep reading VRFocus.
A new virtual reality (VR) exhibition at Yorkshire Museum in the UK has opened allowing visitors to feed dinosaurs. As part of the unveiling broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough attended the exhibition.
The ‘Jurassic World’ exhibition at the Yorkshire Museum invited visitors to travel back through 150 million years of Yorkshire history to discover lost giants and the changing worlds they inhabited. Taking visitors from the depths of the deepest part of the ocean to the ancient coasts and tropical shallows, visitors will be able to meet dinosaurs and sea monster that once roamed the landscape. Thanks to the latest technology and research, the exhibition aims to bring visitors closer then ever before to the history of the dinosaurs including a chance to feed one.
Created by Immotions Manchester Studio, the educational VR content takes a user back to the late Cretaceous Period where they will be up close with a fully scaled Argentinosaurus. Here, using a HTC Vive, they will be able to reach out and feed the stunning creature as it goes about its life only a few feet from the user. As part of the unveiling event for the exhibition Sir David Attenborough attended and was even able to feed said dinosaur himself, experiencing the immersive wounder that is VR.
Martin Higginson, Executive Chairman of Immotion Group, said: “We are delighted to work with The Yorkshire Museum and put our immersive VR experience at the centre of this new and exciting Jurassic World exhibition. We were also very happy to see Sir David Attenborough, who is nothing short of a national treasure, open the exhibition. We hope that this unique and interactive display inspires a new generation of palaeontologists and natural historians.”
This is not the first time Sir David Attenborough has been embracing the latest in VR technology as he in involved in a VR experience titled Hold The World where users can get one-on-one time with him and explore a number of rare fossils.
The ‘Jurassic World’ exhibition is now open at the Yorkshire Museum and is a long term exhibition and will be open for at least the next two years.
For more stories like this in the future, keep reading VRFocus.
MAGIX Software have announced their first virtual reality (VR) software in the form of Photostory Premium VR, allowing users to create impressive virtual worlds in just a few steps with conventional photos and videos.
The release of Photostory Premium VR complements MAGIX’s successful Photostory product family and brings a new, innovative way of editing photos and videos to users. With various options to create interactive VR presentations, 360-degree photos and videos can be assembled to form professional virtual tours.
Users can bring additional content such as regular photos and video or even text into their creations with just a few clicks. Photostory Premium VR also allows for users to achieve real surround sound by adding audio files to their presentations. For those who do not have a collection of 360-degree or 3D content, conventional photos and videos are also supported within the 3D world allowing for a new immersive way to experience your holiday photos.
“Virtual reality is currently one of the most exciting technological developments of our age”, says Stefan Renz, Photostory Premium VR‘s product owner. “We have over 20 years of experience in developing photo and video editing software and are using this knowledge to help shape VR innovation. We truly believe that Photostory Premium VR will greatly expand the circle of users who can take part in this exciting new technology.”
Photostory Premium VR does not require any additional hardware to run meaning even an ordinary PC or laptop can use the full potential of the software and build impressive VR worlds. Photostory Premium VR lets users take advantage of technology that is rapidly becoming more available and build stunning creations that can then be shared with the world. Thanks to the free MAGIX VR-X Player app, users will be able to watch their creations on a PC or laptop, VR glasses or with a VR headset for smartphones.
Photostory Premium VR is available to purchase via a one of fee of $129.99 (USD) or as a monthly subscription of $9.99 (USD) a month. Photostory Premium VR 365, the monthly subscription option, gives users the same powerful tools but on a more affordable, low monthly fee.
VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest from MAGIX in the future so stay tuned for more.
With the Easter weekend in full swing it is time to say goodbye to March as April is almost here so to see the month off VRFocus is here to bring you another edition of This Week in VR Sport. With a number of sports related virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) stories, this week has a number of topics that you are sure to find interesting. From boxers fighting themselves in VR to tabletop soccer getting the VR treatment, this week is packed with plenty to discover.
Ahead of the fight between Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker in a world heavyweight fight in Cardiff, Sky Sports have shown off Anthony Joshua fighting himself thanks to VR. Thanks to 360 volumetric capturing Anthony Joshua has been fully recreated in the digital world and motion capture technology has allowed for users to put on a headset and go up against the fighter. Of course, that also meant that Anthony Joshua himself had to have a go. By using a green screen and a camera, viewers that then see what the user sees on a larger screen offering an insight into the fight of the year as Anthony Joshua goes up against Anthony Joshua.
Sky Sports VR has been continuing to develop new VR solutions as a way to engage their audience and bring the sports they love closer to them. Back in 2016 the company released a dedicated Sky VR app which gives uses access to immersive, 360-degree videos and VR experiences right in the palm of their hand. For now, those who want to go up against Anthony Joshua will have to wait a bit longer for the product to (hopefully) be made available for home use. Elsewhere, Sky Sports Box Office will exclusively show the Anthony Joshua v Joseph Parker unification fight on 31st March with repeats running on 1st April. Tickets for the fight are able from the Sky Box Office website here.
Gatorade Using ‘Beat The Blitz’ VR Title To Educate About Dehydration
The Gatorade Company, one of America’s leading manufacturer of sport-themed beverage and food products, is taking to VR to help tackle the issue of dehydration in sports players. Using the Gatorade brand and a new VR videogame title called ‘Beat The Blitz’ the company is hoping to tackle and educate players on this issue. The title challenges players to throw footballs at targets, avoiding would-be tacklers and even score the odd trick shot now and again. All of this is delivered by former NFL All-Pro and Super Bowl champion, Peyton Manning. Thanks to the real-time tracking that is delivered by the VR solution players get to experience an authentic simulation of throwing a football.
On a more education side of things, ‘Beat The Blitz’ also includes a number of simulations that take the user inside the human body as show what happens to an athlete once dehydration sets in. This is shown in the title by having a players vision become impaired along with other symptoms of dehydration manifested through VR. Designed for HTC Vive and Microsoft Mixed Reality headsets, ‘Beat The Blitz’ debuted at South by South West (SXSW) and the NFL Combine in Indianapolis and is now available on Steam. You can see it in action for yourself below.
If you enjoy playing tabletop soccer with your friends then you will be happy to her that Switzerland based developer Kynoa is working on a VR tabletop soccer experience. The fully-integrated solution is designed for an out of home VR experience that mixed the nostalgia of the arcade with the thrill of the latest technology. The spectacular VR competitive tabletop arcade title puts players up against each other in the usual tabletop soccer way only this time it is brought to life thanks to the head-mounted displays (HMDs) that each player is wearing, opening a window into a futuristic game of soccer where robots rule the pitch.
Players will still make use of the traditional arcade design by pulling the controls that most will be familiar with as they try to score against their opponent. Pull and push the bar to position your players and snip it to block, shoot and hopefully score. Kynoa hope to see Koliseum Soccer VR installed in out-of-home locations such as entertainment venues, shopping mails, cruise ships and more with the goal of bringing the arcade into a new era. You can check out a video of Koliseum Soccer VR in action below.
That is all for this week in the world of VR Sports. For more on immersive sport news keep reading VRFocus and remember to check back next week for another This Week In VR Sport.
The yearly UK-based conference Develop:Brighton, aimed at videogame developers is back once again and tickets for the event have gone on sale with Super Early Bird tickets available to purchase.
The annual conference brings together the European videogame developer community from across the continent and further afield has been going since 2006. It features a range of different pathways for visitors to explore along with talks for attendees to learn from and share with their peers, to an expo that is open to all. Develop:Brighton 2018 is set to be the biggest year for the conference yet.
As part of the conference lineup for 2018 there are a number of speakers that will be offering a wide range of talks from how to run a studio to improving workflow and even just sharing their own experiences. From micro indies to large AAA companies, videogame developer legends, experts and even newcomers, all are sharing their insights. Some highlights include Bradley Crooks from BBC Studios delivering the talk ‘Developing New Story Telling Formats‘ where he will be exploring new technology channels, including virtual reality (VR), and how they open up opportunities for content creators.
Elsewhere on the VR front will be Matt Daly from Wargaming with his talk ‘World of Tanks: Mixed Reality for R&D, Marketing & PR‘ which will explore how Wargaming have used VR and augmented reality (AR) technology to expand their product lineup and build memorable experiences. Recently the company released their World of Tanks AR Experience app during the Game Developer Conference (GDC) 2018.
In total there will be over 100 sessions, over 120 speakers and over 950 companies attending. Develop:Brighton is running from 10th to 12th July 2018 with tickets available to purchase now. Super Early Bird tickets offer the biggest discount but can only be picked up before the 25th April with an Early Bird offer available until 6th June. From the 7th June onward it will be only standard tickets on sale so if you want to save get in there early.
VRFocus will bring you all the latest on Develop:Brighton 2018 so be sure to stay tuned for future updates.
In recent months on VRFocus we, and a number of our guest writers from other companies, have often discussed how immersive technology – be that virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) or mixed reality (MR) – can be used in conjunction with the world of business. Either as an organisational tool or as a means to transform their product or service, reducing costs or increasing what can be offered.
It’s being seen and felt across all manner of and sectors of industry. From retail to manufacturing and from the design of buildings to cars. With this in mind, our friends at VR Intelligence are hosting a webinar where representatives from three companies will be discussing how they themselves adopted VR and the changes it has brought their various internal processes.
This coming Thursday, April 5th 2018, VR Intelligence plays will be welcoming representatives from Ford, CDM Smith and from Schneider Electric, all of whom are immersive tech specialists. They’ll be discussing at length how companies from any industry can learn how to use both VR and AR in order to to improve their productivity and the performance of their business.
The discussion will be moderated by Amy Peck, the Founder & CEO of EndeavorVR and will feature Ford’s VR & Advanced Visualization Tech Specialist Elizabeth Baron. As well as Scott Aldridge, Innovation & Disruptive Technology Leader of CDM Smith and Michael Fallon, Director, Digital Business Design, Schneider Electric.
Key discussion points are:
Interested parties can register here for the webinar which will take place at 2PM EDT, registration will also allow access to receive the recordings of the webinar at a later date. For more information on this webinar, or the upcoming VRX events can contact Pete Carkeek at pcarkeek@vr-intelligence.com.
VRFocus is a media partner of VRX Europe 2018, you can find more about it – and get a discount on passes as a VRFocus reader – here.
Logitech’s G560 gaming speakers are outfitted with RGB light arrays illuminate the room in a rainbow of colors, and even react to the games you’re playing. We took them for a spin to see how their unique design plays out for live gaming.
The post Logitech G560 review appeared first on Digital Trends.
As promised, Apple introduced support for external graphics cards in MacOS, but not all Macs have the hardware to handle this feature. Recent MacBook Pros, iMacs, and the new iMac Pro made the company's compatible list.
The post Support for external graphics on MacOS finally arrives, but on select devices appeared first on Digital Trends.
At GTC this week, NVIDIA focuses its GPU development for AI, machine learning, workstations and gaming, downplaying the importance of cryptocurrency mining. However, the CEO did make some interesting statements on the Bitcoin and Ethereum.
The post Nvidia CEO maintains that cryptocurrency mining “is not their business” appeared first on Digital Trends.
The Tribeca Film Festival has announced a number of new additions to the 2018 line up to expand on the already exciting number of films, talks, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) showings.
Tribeca Immersive will be adding the world premiere of Jack: Part One, from the Emmy Award-winning creators of INVASIONS!, ASTEROIDS! and Rainbow Crow comes this new VR film that invites viewers into the world of Jack, based on the classic fairytale. This immersive film will combine both VR technology and immersive theater in a show that must be seen to be believed.
One of the announcements is that Tribeca has teamed up with Time’s Up to host an inaugural New York event during the Tribeca Film Festival. This event will feature a number of conversations with activists, filmmakers, storytellers, lawyers and many more including early Time’s Up supporters such as Ashley Judd and Julianne Moore. The day will explore how events have lead up to today, the women who came before to make all this possible and what is next for the Time’s Up movement.
Elsewhere Tribeca have revealed not one but three new world premieres for a number of different films. Steven Sebring’s documentary film capturing the final performance of Patti Smith’s iconic “Horses” will be premiering. Titled Horses: Patti Smith and her Band, it will be debuting at a special screening in the Beacon Theatre, where Smith and her band will perform a number of songs. Tickets will be available to purchase for this from Monday, 2nd April.
Finally is the world premiere of Enhanced, an EPSN docuseries from the Executive Producers Alex Gibney and Brad Hebert. This expands the Tribeca TV program, exploring the frontiers of sports training, technology and recovery, as boundary-pushing innovations propel human athletic achievement to its limits.
The 2018 Tribeca Film Festival is set to take place between 18th-29th April, 2018. Tickets are available to be purchased online now and as previously covered, the Virtual Arcade, Cinema360 screenings and Storyscapes tickets will also be available from the site as well, offering attendees more content to experience. Tickets for Time’s Up, Enhanced and Jack: Part One are available to purchase from the website now as well.
VRFocus will continue to bring you the latest on the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival
For those that want to do more in virtual reality (VR) than just playing videogames there are plenty of apps available that can give you wider access to your PC. One of the most well known is Bigscreen Beta, a social virtual desktop app for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Recently developers 3DEA and SpaceSys Inc. released their version SpaceSys, allowing users to run their PC in a fully immersive environment.
SpaceSys isn’t exactly new, VRFocus reported on a very early version of the app way back in 2015 which was compatible with both the Oculus Rift DK1 and DK2. This new version has come to Steam Early Access supporting HTC Vive, featuring a full 3D 360-degree interface where a user can spatially organise their work space.
In its current beta form SpaceSys only supports Windows 7 SP1, with various graphical environments to choose from and customise; a complete OS 2D interface implemented in full 3D, including icons, folders, menus and windows; file/object manipulation; 2D application windows available as proper 3D objects and much more.
With the team planning on keeping SpaceSys in Early Access for around 9-12 months the next main goal is to add Windows 10 support. As for the full version, features such as Oculus Rift/Windows Mixed Reality support, additional environments, a VR office and a multiuser option allowing users to share and interact within a shared virtual space are all planned.
“VR gives us an opportunity to literally break walls and work in new ways over the 2D display world we’ve been confined to for more than 40 years. Taking full advantage of that paradigm shift means we can’t accept the norms and practices we’ve developed working in 2D, though. We believe we have the right solution and working hard to make it happen,” said Armando Matijevic, CEO of SpaceSys Inc.
Being able to access all your PC features whilst still in VR offers much more freedom than having to take the headset off every time you want to do something hence why Oculus and Steam have further developed their VR online stores to make the user interface even more fluid.
SpaceSys is available now for HTC Vive retailing at £8.29 if you want to give it a go. For any further updates on the software, keep reading VRFocus.
This is a bit of a slow week for PC VR. If you have a Vive then the biggest release of the week is something you’ve probably been playing for months now, but it’s a big one for Rift owners. A VR space shooter is of note as well, making its Steam debut finally. The other games are solid, but not super noteworthy.
If you missed last week’s releases they’re here. And don’t forget that UploadVR has a Steam community group, complete with a curated list of recommendations so that you don’t have to waste any money finding out what’s good in the world of VR. We also have a top list of the absolute best Oculus Rift and HTC Vive games at the corresponding links.
Price: $29.99 (Rift release, Vive version released last year)
LA Noire VR was our Vive Game of the Year in 2017, so it’s a big deal that it’s already making its way over to the Rift officially on Oculus Home. You take on the role of Cole Phelps, a detective in 1940s Los Angeles, CA and have free reign to drive around and explore the entire city.
Here’s our full review of the Vive version, but it does seem like the Rift release is having some bugs.
Price: $19.99 (Currently Discounted)
End Space is the VR space shooter for everyone. I say that not only because it’s an accessible and fun game, but also because if you own a VR headset of any kind then you can probably play it. After hitting Gear VR it’s since released on PSVR, Rift, and now Vive and Windows VR via Steam. It’s not overly complex, but if you miss the days of straight up singleplayer space shooters, then grab this one for sure.
Read our full review here.
Price: $19.99
NeverBound is an Early Access release, but it has some real potential. It’s a gravity-defying shooter with high-flying combat and some really challenging puzzles sprinkled throughout. Future update plans include co-op, non-VR support, and PvP. This is definitely one to watch.
Tagged with: new releases, oculus store, rift, steam, Vive
Virtual reality (VR) fans will be firmly focused on Ready Player One this week, whether that’s the actual film itself or the myriad of VR experiences on Viveport for HTC Vive owners. A lot of major blockbusters have been getting some sort of VR treatment and 2017’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi was no different, with The VOID’s Star Wars: Secrets of The Empire VR Experience one of the most notable. Now Star Wars have another treat instore – and this one’s free – being able to go behind-the-scenes with John Williams in Scoring The Last Jedi: A 360 VR Experience.
Today, Disney and Lucasfilm have provided a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the production and musical scoring of Star Wars: The Last Jedi in Scoring The Last Jedi: A 360 VR Experience, built by Pasadena, California-based creative studio SunnyBoy Entertainment.
The 360-degree experience takes viewers on an immersive tour of the The Last Jedi’s production and sound stages, dropping them face-to-face with Academy Award-winning film composer John Williams and film director Rian Johnson. During the video the duo provide insight on the musical approach and creation of the film’s 183-minute soundtrack as well as Williams conducting a 100+ piece orchestra, trumpeting the triumphant and elegant film tracks, including “The Last Jedi” and “Peace and Purpose.” As viewers are taken through various production stages, they’ll be able to see Stormtroopers and other beloved Star Wars characters as they prepare for an upcoming scene.
You can check out Scoring The Last Jedi: A 360 VR Experience below as a normal 360 video. For the best experience use a headset like Google Cardboard or Daydream alongside the YouTube app. For the latest 360 content keep reading VRFocus.
This week doesn’t have a ton of new releases, but that’s okay. You know why? Because perhaps the very best VR racing game thus far just got released and it’s an exclusive. Every PSVR owner needs to experience this one.
If you missed last week’s releases, you can see those here. UploadVR also launched the ‘UploadVR PSVR Community’ on PlayStation 4! Join up, find other gamers to play with, and engage in discussions with them. Also, don’t forget to check out our list of the 9 Best PlayStation VR Games if you need any extra inspiration.
Price: $39.99 (VR Support is a free update)
I shouldn’t have to sell you on this. It’s WipEout, the legendary sci-fi racing series from Sony, but in VR. Since it’s the WipEout Omega Collection has a ton of tracks, lots of ships, and plenty of content. Online multiplayer. Cross-play between VR and non-VR. If you have a PSVR then you should be playing this game.
Read our full review for more.
Price: $19.99
Preta: Vendetta Rising is a third-person VR “MMO” in which you control fantasy characters and lead them against an army of bad guys. VR support doesn’t add much to this type of game, but it’s at least a unique experience for PSVR. It’s a port of a PC VR title from last year.
Price: Free
This VR experience puts viewers in the center of an immersive representation of one of Khalid’s iconic tracks. Through it all you’ll explore “cityscapes, the far reaches of the cosmos and high school football fields” like never before. It’s free, but only recommended for existing fans.
Tagged with: new releases, PSN Store, PSVR, wipeout
Snap Inc, the parent company of Snapchat has reportedly acquired British software startup PlayCanvas, providers of 3D and virtual reality (VR) applications on mobile browsers and social media services.
Founded in 2011, PlayCanvas has built an open-sourced videogame engine that powers casual videogames on the likes of Facebook and runs in a number of browsers. The software gives developers the chance to developer and deploy products to a number of platforms along with taking advantage of VR capabilities. A number of companies have leveraged PlayCanvas’ solution including the likes of Disney, Nickelodeon and even the casual videogame developer King. As the engine is based on HTML5 and WebGL, it is a flexible engine that is ideal for developers looking to target mobile and web based platforms.
The news that PlayCanvas has been acquired by Snap Inc comes from the UK financial filings showing the transfer of PlayCanvas shares to Snap Inc which was confirmed last year. Since then a trademark for the PlayCanvas name by Snap Inc has been submitted as well. There is no note of how much Snap Inc paid for the shares.
Snap Inc have been picking up additional companies since last year with the acquisition of French mapping service Zenly for which it paid $213 million (USD) and the Swiss team behind Strong.Codes, which helps to block copycats from replicating code. Now with PlayCanvas, the company has an extra set of tools which they can leverage to fit their needs though, as of now, it is unclear what that could be.
Chinese web giant Tencent took a stake in Snap Inc last November as well to allow for the took companies to work together on mobile gaming. This, alongside the other acquisition, could be the sign of the company looking to introduce gaming into the Snapchat app. That they are looking to make use of the app and provide addition means of augmented reality (AR) experiences. Until Snap Inc make an official statement all we can do is guess but the combination of companies along with the large install of users would make a good starting point for AR products.
VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest on this stories as it develops so stay tuned for more.
Twitch streamer Prod1gyX became the first player to reach Pirate Legend status in Rare's Sea of Thieves, and he was able to check out the secret Tavern of Legends, filled with new quests.
The post Twitch streamer reaches ‘Pirate Legend’ status in ‘Sea of Thieves’ appeared first on Digital Trends.
If you have been waiting for a virtual reality (VR) videogame that is all about cats along with casual kart racing management then the upcoming Cat ‘S’ Trophy for Samsung Gear VR will be for you.
Developed by Visible Realms, a studio founded in 2017 by two entertainment and videogame industry veterans Eliza and Teemu Jäppinen, they have a collective experience that is sure to impress anyone. Having worked on the cutscenes for Trials of the Blood Dragon with Eliza also having being the creator behind the band Studio Killers. Now the two are taking their experience and bring it to VR with a cat themed videogame.
Though Cat ‘S’ Trophy pulls a heavy amount of influence from internet culture the title will have an accessible set of gameplay mechanics, allowing for anyone who wishes to play to be ale to jump right in. No past experience of using a VR head-mounted display (HMD) or title is required as Cat ‘S’ Trophy will ease players into the new way of playing. For example, the title allows users to build their own race tracks within Cat ‘S’ Trophy which helps to minimize the impact of motion sickness while playing.
It is worth noting as well that Cat ‘S’ Trophy is not just about cats driving around in racing karts as the cats themselves actually turn into the karts. With so many internet culture cats to reference as well, Cat ‘S’ Trophy has a number of lovable characters all of who are nods to popular cats such as Ceiling Cat. To add finish off the internet culture inspiration is the inclusion of cheeseburgers in the form of golden cheeseburgers.
Offering a fun and accessible gameplay mechanics, Cat ‘S’ Trophy is hoping to give players an experience that will make them not only have fun but also laugh out loud at the references and nods to internet culture. For those new to VR and those who have experience, Cat ‘S’ Trophy looks to be a title that anyone can pick up and enjoy.
Cat ‘S’ Trophy is set to release on Samsung Gear VR very soon, so those looking to experience some cat kart racing with a side of internet culture and references should not have to wait to long. You can see a trailer for the title below.
VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest on Cat ‘S’ Trophy in the future so stay tuned for more.
Ever since Onward burst onto the VR shooter scene we’ve seen an influx of modern-themed shooters that do their best to replicate what it must be like to fire a gun at other humans in a war setting. Games like Rainbox Six, Ghost Recon, and SOCOM are often cited as heavy inspirations. Pavlov is perhaps the best other VR example with dozens of others popping up on Steam all the while and the likes of Firewall: Zero Hour coming soon to PSVR.
In League, an upcoming VR shooter by Ryan Schattner, takes a bit of a different inspiration. The Last of Us is most well-known for its gripping, emotional singleplayer narrative, but it also features an inventive multiplayer mode. Teams face off against one another as they scavenge for gear and supplies and must deplete the other side’s shared pool of respawn lives. It’s not wholly original, but the setting, premise, and game mechanics create an especially frantic and tense atmosphere.
Rather than once again emulating classic military shooters, In League aims to replicate that sense of post-apocalyptic survivor mentality in a VR shooter. The game already sports a wealth of “husk” character models, various guns, and several attachments.
In the demonstration video above, Schattner explains you can enter and explore all of the buildings in the city as he walks around exploring. At one point, you can see him jogging in place to make his character sprint as well.
We still don’t know a whole lot about In League, but it’s at least looking to do something a bit different in the VR shooter space. Let us know what you think down in the comments below!
Tagged with: In League, Ryan Schattner, The Last of Us
Following the success of Final Approach comes another light-hearted-yet-chaotic affair from Phaser Lock Interactive, with Final Assault set to deploy to virtual reality (VR) head-mounted displays (HMDs) later this year. While Final Approach looked towards a fairly modern genre for inspiration – using the mobile template of Flight Path as its inspiration – Final Assault is definitely digging further back in videogames’ history with a view to adapting the real-time strategy (RTS) genre for VR.
Designed for two-player competitive action, Final Assault takes its cues from the RTS genre in the deployment of troops and their various abilities. A complex take on a rock, paper, scissors formula, players start with basic tanks and scout vehicles as they attempt to push towards the enemy base. The ultimate goal is of course to destroy said base, and the resources available to do so are evenly balanced between players.
Each player’s bank balance builds at an even pace. There is no resource gathering and no base building to be had; instead Final Assault is founded upon the idea that the skill involved is once of clever use of resources rather than an understanding of the economy used in the gathering of them. There are multiple tiers of units, each not only more expensive than the last but also requiring financial investment to unlock, so the decision between numbers and firepower is not necessarily an easy one to make.
Taking further inspiration from the MOBA genre, each player’s base will continuously spawn a number of foot troops which automatically follow one of two ‘lanes’ direct to the enemy base, engaging any opposing units they meet upon the way. While moving automatically, other units can have courses plot for them or set to directly attack specific targets in a similar fashion to Final Approach. The basic foot troops are of course very weak and are best used as a distraction or delaying tactic for larger units you may have on the way; planning a strategy around these basic troops is an ill advised tactic.
That in itself however is the crux of Final Assault; in even less than a single play session two members of VRFocus were able to establish opposing strategies making use of different unit types to take the upper hand. The ‘lead’ was taken back-and-forth multiple times, with the victor not determined by brute force or experience with the RTS genre, but rather through the pacing and diligent use of the resources available.
Phaser Lock Interactive has designed Final Assault to walk a fine line between deeply tactical RTS and newcomers to both the genre and VR. However, in doing so the team has to be careful not to alienate the existing VR audience; it’s no secret that early adopters of VR are core gamers, and as such eliminating key aspects of the genre in favour of more instant gratification may be seen as too great a turn towards a more casual style of play. Final Assault looks set to be a hugely engrossing VR strategy experience, but convincing audiences that this isn’t simply a case of ‘dumbing down’ will be the hardest task Phaser Lock Interactive have ahead of them.
'Sea of Thieves' is a beautiful world, and it's also full of secrets! Here are our favorite Easter Eggs and secrets that we've found so far. Many of these were made by the developers in tribute to players and community members.
The post Hidden booty: Our favorite ‘Sea of Thieves’ Easter eggs and secrets appeared first on Digital Trends.
More than four years into its lifespan, Microsoft's latest console is finally coming into its own. From 'Cuphead' to 'Middle-Earth: Shadow of War,' the best Xbox One games offer something for everyone.
The post The 20 best Xbox One games you can play right now appeared first on Digital Trends.
After hearing swirlings that the IBM Watson-powered voice recognition features for Star Trek: Bridge Crew would be deactivated, we reached out to Ubisoft for confirmation. As a result, it looks like that isn’t the case after all.
“Star Trek has always been about pushing technology forward, so in that spirit we are happy to be continuing our partnership with IBM Watson,” said David Votypka, Sr. Creative Director at Red Storm Entertainment, the Ubisoft studio that developed of Bridge Crew, in a prepared statement. “Watson is standing by to await players’ orders in Star Trek: Bridge Crew and will be usable in upcoming content that is currently in development.”
Ubisoft and IBM also explained that the support is planned to continue through 2018 for both existing and upcoming content.
“We are excited to continue IBM Watson voice recognition in Star Trek: Bridge Crew throughout 2018,” said Joel Horwitz, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships & Offerings, IBM Digital Business Group in a prepared statement. “We look forward to our ongoing partnership with Ubisoft and to keeping our communities apprised of updates.”
The IBM Watson voice functionality has never been an integral feature of the game for most players, but it is a crucial facet for those that prefer to play as a solo captain. If you’ve got a full squad of friends on the bridge then you can rely on them for support, but being able to issue orders vocally to the AI is a huge boon when playing alone. Using only menus is frankly a bit cumbersome in a complex game like this. While this news is far from definitive on the future of the program’s support, it at least ensures another eight or so months.
Another great example of voice recognition in VR is with PSVR-exclusive psychological thriller, The Inpatient, in which you speak to NPCs using your real voice. Ideally, this type of support will become commonplace in VR over time instead of an ancillary bullet point feature.
Have you tried the voice recognition features in Star Trek: Bridge Crew yet? Fore more on the game, read our full review. Let us know down in the comments below!
Tagged with: bridge crew, IBM Watson, red storm, star trek, ubisoft
Why is the future never wonderful in videogames? It’s always a disaster. Even if it appears to be a pristine utopia you soon learn that it is in fact the thin veneer of idealism pasted over the corrupt, decadent, rotting carcass of a once shining dream where everyone is either hiding from imminent death as civilization eats itself alive. Of course, ‘everything is actually okay’ doesn’t exactly play well as a plot, so perhaps we should be grateful that the doom and dystopia comes along all so frequently.
Fast Travel Games’ Apex Construct takes place in “a shattered future” – this time it’s due to a proverbial rise of the robots, who have taken over the world and effectively eradicated mankind after it experimented with artificial intelligence once too often and as a result the robots decided they all wanted to get their ‘kill all humans’ scouting badge. You play a survivor – potentially the survivor – of humanity, and armed with a bow, a shield, a robotic arm and plenty of questions. Ones only two warring A.I.’s (Mothr and Fathr) will be able to answer.
It’s a full and intriguing story, one that helped secure a 5/5 rating in VRFocus‘ Apex Construct review: “Apex Construct does not go easy on your at any point. You are given a path to follow, but for the most part you are left to your own devices on how to proceed. If you take this opportunity to explore, there are a number of rewards to be found for doing so. At the end of each stage you return to the safe house to upgrade your gear and also unlock areas that were previously inaccessible, making backtracking rewarding.”
We’ve got five codes for the title to give away. To enter the draw you need to do so via the Gleam widget below and interact with our social media accounts in some way. You’ll receive a draw entry for being a follower of us on Twitter, being a subscriber to us on YouTube, or by visiting our Facebook page. As a new addition if you visit our Instagram account – and why not follow us there too while you’re there? – you’ll gain not one but two entries for the draw.
The competition is open for approximately a week. Starting today, March 30th, 2018, and will end at midnight UK time, the beginning of April 7th. Winners will be drawn and contacted after that period. Best of luck to everyone who enters!
Competition: Win A Trip Into A Robot Dominated Future With 5 Apex Construct Codes
Developer Overkill Software have released update 175 for PAYDAY 2 and its virtual reality (VR) addition PAYDAY 2 VR, which brings will it a number of changes to improve the experience.
The main thing to note is that Overkill Software have made a change to “how the VR DLC is activated”. From now on the PAYDAY 2 VR DLC will be activated or deactivated automatically depending on if SteamVR is installed or not when running the title. Should you run PAYDAY 2 are not having a VR headset, the title will deactivate the VR side of things meaning the lunch option pop-up will not show until you have SteamVR installed and a VR headset present.
Elsewhere update 175 brings a number of small changes to streamline the experience. Bugs have been fixed throughout including subtitles for VR players, along with some animation and models changes to select weapons. This includes the visual for the Pistol Crossbow in the non-VR version of the title. Bows and crossbows are coming to PAYDAY 2 VR, as mentioned in a recent livestream with the developers, although no word on when this meant happen.
The full patch notes for update 175 can be seen below. Update 175 is 70.2 MB is total size, so a small one for now.
General
VR
For more on PAYDAY 2 VR in the future, keep reading VRFocus.
Other than pretty much every plot point and story beat, the book and movie for Ready Player One are mostly the same…sort of. That isn’t to say that one is inherently better than the other, but they do differ in such dramatic ways that it’s better to think of them as two separate adventures that reference the same source material and characters.
So, it should be needless to say at this point, but just in case you don’t get the point of this article there are a lot of spoilers for both the book and the movie versions of Ready Player One to follow. As in, the entirety of the rest of this article is specifically focused on discussing spoilers. If you want a spoiler-free review of the movie, you can read and watch that here.
From the opening moments of the Ready Player One film, things are very different. In the book, Wade lives in the stacks on the outskirts of Oklahoma City. The center of the VR universe is Columbus, Ohio, and he dreams of living there, near the serves for The Oasis, one day but it’s a far off fantasy. In the movie, the stacks are already in Columbus. Everything left of humanity feels like it exists within a few miles.
Furthermore, after IOI blows up his home, killing his only family that’s left in the real world, in the book Wade flees to Columbus using the vast funds he has amassed via endorsement deals from his newfound celebrity status inside The Oasis. In doing so he changes his name and gets a new identity to hide himself. In the film, he ends up getting abducted by one of Artemis’ henchmen and joins “The Resistance” with her after his real name is revealed. He never changes his name, never gets a swanky futuristic apartment, and never really alters much about his life other than buying a nice haptic suit with some spare cash.
That’s a pretty major change.
Speaking of, yeah, he meets Artemis in the movie very quickly. In fact, I’d wager about a third of the film takes place outside of The Oasis and includes scenes of the two of them talking on balconies, scheming at desks, and kissing in the backseat of vans. A huge plot point of the book was the fact that they never met until the very final pages, but they’re introduced physically very quickly in the movie.
Additionally, their entire relationship is very different. In the book, she is a pseudo-famous guide writer and streamer in The Oasis that everyone knows. A lot of that backstory existed prior to the film beginning, but it’s character development we miss out on.
Once they do start talking more in The Oasis and becoming friends, he falls in love and gets a little…creepy. Eventually she blocks him to focus on the egg hunt and he gets depressed, barrages her incessantly with messages and emails, and becomes a bit like a cyber stalker. Then they magically come back together and are in love once again. The movie mostly erases this entire subplot and collapses the timeline significantly.
In the book, Wade hangs out with his best friend Aech in his virtual basement that includes all of their favorite games and movies. It’s a bit like an exclusive club that only top-performing players and close friends get access to. In the movie, this takes the form of a modder’s garage instead. This means that Wade, Artemis, Aech, Daito, and Sho never meet up to discuss things and never agree to remain friendly rivals.
In the book, they’re competition is a driving force. They don’t really share hints and clues much and typically prefer to stay as competitive as possible. In the film, they’re working together like a merry band of best friends as soon as they all meet in person.
Speaking of, in the book, Daito and Sho are not real-life brothers like they are in the movie. In fact, the two have never met each other and near the end, Daito is actually murdered in the real world by IOI. The movie’s ending is far less morbid and actually includes all five of them gaining control of The Oasis together as they live happily ever after.
All of those other details are easy to gloss over and look past since the core of the characters remain the same in the rest of the film, but it’s hard to ignore just how dramatically different the content of the movie is from the content of the book. Literally every single challenge is completely different.
There is no epic King Kong plus T-Rex laden car chase racing sequence in the book. Instead of searching through the inner workings of The Shining, like in the movie, they must do the same with War Games and Monty Python and the Holy Grail in the book.
Many of the relatively obscure (for Western audiences) anime references are gone from the film as well, such as Ultraman, and replaced with more well-known IP like The Iron Giant. He makes a big impact in the final battle, as does a Gundam and (thankfully) Mecha Godzilla, but there are still a ton of differences.
In the book, Halliday is very specifically obsessed with the 80s, but in the movie nerd culture from the 70s all the way up through the 90s and 2000s is referenced liberally. An entire army of Halo spartans rushing into battle is definitely not a scene from the 80s and neither is Tracer from Overwatch.
And at the very end they decide that The Oasis will be closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays because people need to spend more time in the real world — completely ignoring that maybe lopping off ~28% of the world’s economy isn’t a great idea.
In the book when a player finds one of the keys they must then find the gate that will give them a clue to the next key, for the next gate, and so on. Three keys, three gates. In the movie, the keys open gates immediately which present clues for the next pair of keys and gates. Essentially, this compresses the entire plot and cuts the events in half, give or take.
And at the very end of the book three different people are required to present one copy of each key to open the final gate for the final challenge, which only one person can complete. That idea is gone completely from the film.
This is far from an exhaustive list, but instead was intended to touch on the major plot points that changed. Let us know some of the big differences you notice down in the comments below!
Tagged with: Ernest Cline, ready player one, Steven Spielberg
If you’ve ever signed up for an Asian PlayStation account to peruse some of the offerings that differ from the PlayStation Store in the west, you may have come across Animal Force, a bizarre tower-defense game. If not then don’t worry, because it’s coming to these lands very soon.
Developer ISVR this week announced that its cartoonish adventure will be coming exclusively to PlayStation VR (PSVR) very soon. In the game, you must save earth from an alien invasion by utilizing super powered animals. This means picking up cute little critters like pandas and rhinos and placing them in a 3D space with your PlayStation Move controller so that they can shoot down approaching enemies.
You can even grab your allies and swing them into enemies to take part in the action yourself. The trailer above shows what that looks like; it all seems a little manic, but the developer assures it requires a lot of skill and strategy.
On top of the standard campaign, there’s also a four player party mode with an assortment of minigames that look to offer Playroom VR-style fun. This one could offer a lot of laughs.
Tagged with: Animal Force
Who says virtual reality (VR) hardware can’t be fashionable? HTC Vive put that to the test recently by partnering with GQ for Shanghai Fashion Week, with its first runway show featuring fashion designed in VR.
As part of menswear brand PRONOUNCE’s launch event the label showcased clothes that were designed using the HTC Vive Pro head-mounted display (HMD) and which were paired with the Vive Focus standalone for the catwalk finale, with Alvin Wang Graylin, China Regional President of Vive taking to the catwalk.
Featured designers used the HTC Vive Pro create concepts in Google Tilt Brush vs. drafting on paper. Graylin walked the runway as a guest model in the VR designed tailor-made clothing while wearing the Vive Focus standalone device, taking the headset off at the end of the runway.
“Vive has always strived to enrich the VR ecosystem,” said Graylin in a statement. “We’re very excited to present Shanghai Fashion Week’s first show this year together with GQ, another exciting partnership that once again underscores VR’s unlimited potential across multiple industries. As with any breakthrough technology, social acceptability and fashion acceptability are key to VR’s mass adoption. Events like this show the public that VR is not just a technology for geeks and gamers – it will represent a new chic lifestyle that will enrich all parts of our lives.”
In addition to appearing on the catwalk HTC Vive also collaborated with Whaley VR to capture the show’s moments through a 360° video. To see the content go to Whaley VR on Viveport or its smartphone app and watch the video from early next month.
The Vive Focus standalone headset launched in China in January, with the company confirming last week that it would see an international release later this year. As for the HTC Vive Pro, that’ll arrive next month retailing for £799 GBP/$799 USD, with pre-orders now live. For normal HTC Vive users, Viveport has release several Ready Player One experiences to mark the launch of the Hollywood blockbuster. VRFocus will continue its coverage of HTC Vive and its new headsets, reporting back with any further updates.