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December 27, 2018 ,

Last year Steam announced its ‘Best of’ lists and for the very first time included a virtual reality (VR) category. Today, the videogame retail platform has done the same again, with several new additions while other firm favourites return.

Beat Saber Arcade Machine - Screenshot

Just like last year, Steam has listed the VR titles under Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze sections. There were over 1,000 new experiences appearing on Steam with VR support – and over 900 of them were VR-only experiences – states Valve. For a year’s worth of sales, there wasn’t as much movement as you’d expect, with new additions like Beat Saber and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR making a top spot appearance. While titles like Job Simulator: The 2050 Archives, Arizona Sunshine, and Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades are still holding strong.

Steam’s Top Selling VR Titles of 2018

Platinum

DOOM VFR screenshotGold

Silver

Of course, you can take a look at VRFocus’ ‘The Best Oculus Rift Games of 2018‘ and ‘The Best HTC Vive Games of 2018‘, to see our recommendations from the past 12 months. And don’t forget that Steam is currently in the midst of its Winter Sale, with plenty of discounts available on some of those Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze category videogames. This also includes the “Extremely Cozy Cottage of Surprises” Steam calendar with emoticons, wallpapers and/or in-game items from community favourite Steam games to grab.

VRFocus will continue its coverage of SteamVR, reporting back with the latest VR updates and announcements from the retail platform.



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December 27, 2018 ,
flyinside vr flight simulator

After almost two years of development, FlyInside Flight Simulator has launched in Early Access on Steam. FlyInside is a made for VR flight sim which supports Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Windows MR heasdsets.

Virtual reality is well suited for cockpit sims, providing a sense of depth and scale monitors simply can’t match. Even from a practical perspective, looking around a cockpit naturally with your head is far easier than using a hat switch or D-pad. TrackIR is a useful middle ground, but is awkward for large movements since it isn’t 1:1 and the monitor is still stationary.

FlyInside originally began in 2015 as a Kickstarter for a mod for Flight Simulator X (FSX). The project raised more than double its $13,500 goal, unlocking Leap Motion support as a stretch goal, as well as support for Prepar3D, a newer flight simulator based on the FSX codebase.

Why A New Sim?

Through either mods or official updates, all major PC flight simulators today have some form of VR support. However, the fact that VR was an afterthought in these sims is often all too obvious. Performance is sub par, the menus are difficult to operate, and a lot of functionality is almost impossible while essentially blindfolded, requiring complex keyboard mappings. FlyInside standalone is tackling these issues by building from the ground up for VR.

Performance has been a key focus for the team’s custom engine. In VR low framerate feels sickening, so must be a priority. In our brief testing we found performance to be adequate on a GTX 970 with only a few hitches- noticeably better than the mod for Flight Simulator X.

The sim lets you decide which input device you want to use. You can use your VR controllers as virtual hands, Leap Motion to use your fingers directly, or the traditional option of a HOTAS (joystick).

Using Touch controllers in the mod for FSX felt tacked on and glitchy, but in the standalone it now feels native. Flicking switches, adjusting levers and even controlling the stick can all be done with your hands.

Aircraft

While all flight sims come with default aircraft, most enthusiasts use 3rd party solutions from studios who develop highly detailed models for multiple sims. For FlyInside, the studio has included 10 aircraft from studios MilViz and TFDi Design:

Light Aircraft

  • Baron B55 [MilViz]
  • Cessna 310R [MilViz]

Airliners

  • Boeing 737-200 [MilViz]
  • Boeing 717 [TFDi Design]

Legacy

  • T-50 Bobcat [MilViz]
  • DHC-3 Otter [MilVIz]

Military

  • T-38 Jet Trainer [MilViz]

Helicopters

  • Bell 407 [MilViz]
  • MD 530 [MilViz]
  • CH-47 Chinook [MilViz]

Future Plans

According to the early access listing on Steam, FlyInside plans to add:

  • Improved scenery
  • World-wide scenery coverage
  • Live road and air traffic
  • ATC functionality
  • Improved flight model physics
  • Additional aircraft and missions

The team intends to be in early access for 6 to 12 months. The sim will be at a higher price when it launches, with the price increasing when new features are added.

We’re certainly impressed with the initial early access build. VR flight simulation was once thought to be a simple addon for existing sims, but it’s now clear that a deeper appreciation of the challenge is needed. VR represents a unique interaction paradigm in which the user is essentially blindfolded. Rather than relying on old keyboard shortcut workflows, flight sims need to take radical new design decisions to streamline flying. The FlyInside team are one of the first to appreciate this and start the hard work.

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The post Made-For-VR ‘FlyInside’ Is What VR Flight Simulation Needs appeared first on UploadVR.



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December 27, 2018 ,

When it comes to virtual reality (VR) tech it can be easy to jump straight to headsets like Oculus Rift or PlayStation VR as the best way to enjoy immersive entertainment. But they can be expensive so models such as Oculus Go or Samsung Gear VR are a more cost-effective way of entering the market. They’re not the cheapest, however, with Google wrapping that corner of the market up a while ago with its Cardboard headset. There’s all manner of Cardboard iterations, some free, some retailing for a few quid. So long as you have a compatible Android device then it’s a great way introduction to VR, so here are VRFocus’ favourite videogames from 2018.

The Best Google Cardboard Games of 2018

Zombie Donuts – Virtro Entertainment

If you’re after an inoffensive, sweet little first-person shooter (FPS) then Virtro Entertainment’s Zombie Donuts is a fun adventure. Zombie Donuts sees you fighting off waves of the undead sugary hordes with your trusty marshmallow blaster. You’ll face the evil doughnuts in waves over 3 different levels. In each level, zombie doughnuts will sneak up on you from every angle, in this immersive 360 experience. Manage your ammo and aim carefully to score extra points with long, bounce and trick shots.

Deadbotz 3 VR Mute Winter – Anjin Games

Another FPS, Deadbotz 3 VR Mute Winter puts you in the role of Space Marine John MacClure as he journeys through the galaxy attempting to wipe out the dangerous and destructive Cyborg Botz Clan. One of its biggest features is the server-based multiplayer, allowing players from all over the world to fight it out.

VR Diving – Deep Sea Discovery – Virtual Amigos

When it comes to apps and games for Google Cardboard, it’s the educational genre that the headset is most well known for. For those that love the oceans and what lurks beneath the waves, there’s Virtual Amigos’ VR Diving – Deep Sea Discovery. Dispense with the need for diving school and explore the deepest recesses of the sea, learning about some of the exotic wildlife that lives there.

D-GLES – Kokak

Ok, ok, yes it’s another shooter but it’s Doom, DOOM, everyone. There’ is the other small cravat that D-GLES isn’t VR compatible right out the box, you have to buy the title (£1.89 GBP) then buy the VR support in-game (under £1). In our book, that’s still cheap and you can then play VR Doom anywhere, which is no bad thing.

Alien Dunes VR

Alien Dunes VR – A Whispering Eons Prequel – MiCk Software

Whispering Eons #0 launched a couple of years ago as cyberpunk space-opera adventure. This month MiCk Software has now added to the story with prequel Alien Dunes VR. Although shorter than the sibling Alien Dunes VR gives a good glimpse of Whispering Eons Episode #1 by allowing you to wander around the New Gaea Equatorial desert dunes. Plus it’s not another VR shooter.

The Turning Forest 2

The Turning Forest – BBC

Not so much a videogame and more a VR fairy tale, The Turning Forest is a surreal immersive story, set in a magical forest with a fantastical creature. In it a young child stares into the eyes of the creature, together, they begin a journey transporting audiences into a realm of folk laws and childlike imagination.

The Island VR

The Island VR – DormRoom

“The Island VR is a VR experience where you get to explore a beautiful lush green tropical Island,” states the studio. Featuring real-time shadows, realistic lighting and a day-night cycle, The Island VR is one of the titles where you can just get away from the world and releax in tranquil surroundings, without going through the stress of having to physically seek somewhere like this out.

Flutter VR – Runaway

Another relaxing experience, this time VRFocus heads to the rainforest to chase butterflies in Flutter VR. “Over five days, see the environment change from day to night and rain to sunshine as you meet and discover new creatures. Unlock journal entries by documenting species and uncovering hidden secrets! Photograph each new find and immerse yourself in the wondrous world of the rainforest!”

VR Racer – Highway Traffic 360 – Rabbit Mountain

After all that relaxing you might need something to kick in some adrenaline, and what better way than some high-octane racing. Simply jump behind the wheel during rush hour and race the highway traffic at high speed. VR Racer – Highway Traffic 360 features real car physics, night and rain levels, and multiple cars with upgrades.

VR Thrills Bubble Shooter

VR Thrills: Bubble Shooter – softappteam

And to finish things off, how about a nice addictive little puzzle experience called VR Thrills: Bubble Shooter. Free to download, the aim is to pop as many bubbles as possible within the time frame. To do this you need to colour match the reticule with the corresponding colour, simple but effective gameplay.



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December 27, 2018 ,
blood and truth psvr

It was clear, by the end of 2018, that something was shifting in the VR landscape. A litany of identically-themed editorials about how PSVR had actually had an impressive year (including our own) offered a rare ray of sunshine from mainstream outlets. Against all odds and its own track record with peripherals, Sony proved that VR is a viable gaming platform.

But how does it keep that momentum going next year?

Competition Is Heating Up

2019 will see PSVR at an interesting crossroads. While Sony may have maintained the lead in software thus far, hardware is a different story. PSVR’s camera-based tracking system has always been a distant third to SteamVR and Oculus tracking and that gap’s only going to grow in the new year. Valve is pushing on with the next iteration of its VR offerings and Oculus is honing in on inside-out solutions. PC and mobile headset resolutions are also still improving whereas PSVR’s display remains the same as it was in 2016.

Playing Superhot VR or Beat Saber tether-free with a full range of movement on Oculus Quest could mean that PSVR starts to show its age next year. But, with 2019 increasingly looking like it may be the PS4’s swansong, the chances of any refreshed VR hardware are increasingly diminished. We’d love to see an inside-out tracked headset that enabled 360-degree movement in existing PSVR games but we seriously doubt we’ll see such an update until the true follow-up for the next console.

Sony arguably doesn’t need to pay this too much attention in 2019, though. Technical superiority seemingly hasn’t earned the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive better sales than PSVR’s, which now total over three million. But the threat of more accessible and more capable headsets is one that Sony can’t ignore for long.

Game On

The smartest path may be to simply brute force it on the content side. Astro Bot, Firewall and Wipeout are just three examples of games that made clever use of PSVR to overcome its hardware limitations in 2018. And these games weren’t just ‘good for PSVR’; they were arguably better than anything you’d find on Rift or Vive too.

There’s some promising stuff on the way. We remain cautiously optimistic about Blood and Truth and a few others. That said, Astro Bot wasn’t announced until early 2018 and released later in the year, so we’re confident that Sony has bigger things on the way. We still haven’t seen what’s Sony’s new UK-based VR studio is working on, either.

Pricing Perfection

Another price cut could also be in order. Sony did a great job incentivizing PSVR’s current price point with bundles in 2018, but the further away it can get from Quest’s $399.99 price tag the better. Is it possible that PS4 and PSVR could reach a lower all-in price than Quest in 2019? We hope so.

2019 may be the last year that PSVR can justify technical shortcomings. But, if this is to be a victory lap, let’s hope Sony makes it a killer one. I’m betting it can.

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