ARCore, Google’s developer platform for building augmented reality experiences, is getting an update today that aims to make shared AR experiences quicker and more reliable. Additionally, Google is also rolling out support for Augmented Faces on iOS, the company’s 3D face filter API.
Adam Savage’s Tested showcases an awesome mix of gadgets, emergent technology, and of course, the man himself building loads of costumes, props, and all sorts of geeky paraphernalia during his signature ‘One Day Builds’. Now, Oculus Quest and Go headset owners can take a virtual trip through a number of workspaces to find out just how the industry pros do what they do behind-the-scenes.
HTC’s latest VR headset, Vive Cosmos, is just around the corner. This week Road to VR got a preview of the headset ahead of its October 3rd launch.
HTC announced today that its new Vive Cosmos headset will be priced at $700 with a release date of October 3rd. Pre-orders for the headset are open starting today.
Alongside opening pre-orders for the headset, HTC today revealed that Vive Cosmos will support SteamVR Tracking with an optional faceplate ‘Mod’, one of several which the company says will expand the headset’s functionality.
Lightbound Studios, a Los Angeles-based indie studio, may not have succeeded last year to fund their VR game Titan Arena through Kickstarter, but all is not lost. The studio has continued work on the titanic-sized boss battler in the meantime, and now calls it Rise of the Titan.
Ramen VR, a new indie studio, launched a Kickstarter recently to help fund an ambitious new MMO called Zenith, a game currently being built for both VR and desktop users.
Apple may not have shown off any AR tech at the company’s grand iPhone 11 unveiling yesterday, however thanks to some newly discovered code in a recent built of iOS 13, it appears Apple is testing its own AR headset internally.
HTC Vive Cosmos, the company’s upcoming PC VR headset, is officially going into pre-order starting September 12th.
Germany-based startup Vality is developing a VR headset that aims to offer near-retina resolution in a compact form-factor. This week, Road to VR got an exclusive hands-on with an early prototype of the Vality headset.
Battlewake is a pirate ship combat game that seems to have it all; not only does it boast a campaign for both solo and two-player co-op, but also online PvP and a co-op ‘ongoing missions’ mode—certainly nothing to sneeze at in terms of a VR game. All of this ultimately gives it a more secure footing where multiplayer-only titles may have faltered in the past, but some might still walk away from this mostly well-polished arena battler craving something just a bit deeper.
WaveOptics, a designer and manufacturer of waveguide optics for AR displays, announced it’s raised a total of $39 million (£30m) in Series C funding, something the company says will help scale its business operations in the UK, US and Asia, and build a high volume manufacturing capability.
In development by NetEase Games, NOSTOS is an online RPG due to launch later this year on PC with optional VR support. The game recently had a closed-beta period which gives a good look at how things are shaping up with less than four months before launch. While Zelda: Breath of the Wild inspiration is clear from the outset, the bolted-on VR gameplay speaks to a broader issue of ‘VR-optional’ game design.
Virtual reality drumming app Paradiddle recently accepted submissions for VR drummers to show off their skills. One drummer, who says they’ve never played drums in the real world, submitted a killer cover of ‘Assassin’ by MUSE.
When it comes to game development, Valve is probably one of the most notorious of black boxes; there’s still no telling what the studio has in store for its promised three ‘full-length’ VR titles, let alone the one planned to launch later this year. Developer Kerry Davis however will be holding a guest lecture soon at his alma mater, DigiPen, to talk about his 15 years’ experience shipping games at Valve as well as his most recent work on the studio’s upcoming VR title.
