‘Siegecraft Commander’ Review

Trebuchet, or not to trebuchet? There really is no question when it comes to Siegecraft Commander, a tabletop strategy game that combines traditional real-time strategy (RTS) elements with a unique base-building mechanic that’s designed to significantly change the way you create structures and attack enemies. By making you physically fling—as in, put in a slingshot and shoot out—everything from explosive barrels to defensive buildings like outposts and armories, Siegecraft successfully gameifies the most banal part of traditional RTSs and summarily smothers what might otherwise be a dynamic and interesting game.

Apple AR/VR Product to Debut in 2017, Predicts Sony’s Head of Worldwide Studios

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Shuei Yoshisa unveiling Project Morpheus (PSVR) at GDC 2014

sony-project-morpheus-ps4-vr-headset-reveal-captionTo many, the question of an Apple AR or VR headset has become a “when” rather than an “if”. The President of Sony’s Worldwide Studios thinks 2017 is the year that Apple introduces its first immersive device.

Hands-on: Huawei VR is the First Third-party Daydream Headset

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Frank He goes hands-on with Huawei’s first Google Daydream compatible headset at CES 2017, one which takes cues from both the Samsung and Oculus engineered Gear VR and its closest stable mate, the Daydream View headset.

VR Interface Design Contest with $10,000 in Cash Prizes Launched by Purple Pill

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Photo courtesy Purple Pill

Immersive content agency Purple Pill has announced a VR interface design competition and is offering $10,000 in cash prizes to those who create the best virtual reality interfaces.

‘Sansar’ Will Open to All in First Half of 2017 with a New Approach to Virtual Worlds

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Sansar, a virtual world platform from the creators of Second Life, will open its doors to everyone in the first half of 2017. Developer Linden Lab explains their new approach to virtual worlds, and the many ways they plan to enable creators to make money with compelling virtual experiences.

Hands-on: PiMAX’s 8K Headset Proves that High FOV VR is Coming

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Frank He goes hands on with PiMAX’s ludicrously high-spec 8k, 200 degree FOV prototype at CES and find the company has some innovative solutions to some of the substantial challenges driving a headset like this poses.

VR as the Most Powerful Surveillance Technology or Last Bastion of Privacy? It’s up to Us.

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Based on a photo courtesy Facebook

sarah-downeyVirtual reality has the potential to enable so many amazing utopian futures, but it also has the potential to become one of the most intimate surveillance technologies that could create a Big Brother dystopia of political and economic control. But if privacy considerations are built into virtual reality technologies from the beginning, then Accomplice investor Sarah Downey argues that the metaverse could actually be one of the last bastions of privacy that we have in our lives.

Qualcomm’s New Mobile Tech Unlocks Impressive Inside-Out Tracking

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At CES 2017 Qualcomm unveiled its Snapdragon 835 processor and along with it a solid focus on the mobile VR market. We got a chance to test that new focus by going hands on with Qualcomm’s latest reference hardware and find impressive inside-out tracking using just the phone’s onboard sensors.

Get Free Courtside VR Seats to Spurs vs. Timberwolves NBA Game This Tuesday

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Own Gear VR or Daydream View? Then you’ve got access to free courtside seats to this Tuesday’s forthcoming Timberwolves vs. Spurs NBA game live… in VR of course.

Hands-on: Panasonic’s 220 Degree VR Headset Uses Crazy Fused Lenses and 4 Screens

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At CES 2017 Panasonic showed off a new VR headset prototype with a 220 degree FOV derived from four displays and a rather unique set of lenses. I was able to try the headset myself, and while it seemed that there’s certainly still work to be done, there might be some merit to their method.

DiRT Rally VR is Coming Soon to PSVR

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After a successful jump to virtual reality last year on Oculus Rift, developer Codemasters is bringing the VR experience to the PS4 version of DiRT Rally. It will be available as a standalone retail game or via DLC for existing owners.

Eonite Claims to Have Solved Inside-out Positional Tracking for VR and AR

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Lots of companies have made this claim actually, but Eonite specifically says they have the “world’s most accurate, lowest latency, lowest power consuming software to democratize inside-out positional tracking for VR and AR.”

Up Close With Sennheiser’s $1,700 VR Microphone

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Here’s a close look at Sennheiser’s new AMBEO VR microphone in all its glory as demonstrated at last week’s CES 2017 in Las Vegas. It’s the company’s first step into VR audio and it’s just received wide release for a cool $1700.

‘Freedom Locomotion System’ is a Comprehensive Package for VR Movement

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Moving around comfortably and immersively in VR remains a hurdle for VR game developers. VR studio Huge Robot has created the Freedom Locomotion System which brings together a number of VR movement systems into a comprehensive and functional package which allows for comfortable walking, running, and climbing in VR.

This Oculus Ready PC Costs $500 When Bundled with Rift

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Looking to lower the barrier of entry for VR, CyberPower Inc., a custom PC manufacturer, recently announced a new Oculus Ready gaming system that could just convince you to take the plunge into virtual reality. Dubbed the ‘Gamer Ultra VR Desktop’, the custom PC was created in partnership with AMD and Oculus, and being bundled with the Oculus Rift for a total of $1,099.98 from Amazon (link available soon) and BestBuy’s online shop.

Subtracting the price of the Rift headset ($599), that makes CyberPower’s new Oculus ready PC one of the most affordable options at $499.

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