Johanna Latt was at IEEE VR talking about the impact of avatar anthropomorphism on the Virtual Body Ownership Illusion effect. She found that there was some uncanny effects when the avatar looked more like a human than a more stylized robot or block humanoid.
Having been involved with Oculus from early on, Epic Games, the company behind the popular Unreal Engine, continues to expand its scope and interest in the burgeoning VR industry. Today the company has revealed the first episode in what they’re calling a “documentary series,” exploring the disruption that VR is creating in the gaming industry.
Jaunt, the company who has blazed an early trail in the capture and distribution of cinematic 360 videos, has announced yet another injection of funds, this a $65M round lead by entertainment giant Disney.
Elite: Dangerous is getting support for Valve’s flagship VR headset the HTC Vive later this year. What’s more, if you’re in the UK and heading to this week’s EGX 2015 show, you’ll have a chance to try it out.
The reasons behind the success of the ‘beach volleyball’ franchise, spawned from the hugely successful beat-em-up Dead or Alive, may always have been somewhat dubious, but Dead or Alive Xtreme is a big deal, at least in its home country of Japan. Now comes word that the latest iteration of the title will incorporate support for Sony’s forthcoming virtual reality platform, PlayStation VR – formerly Project Morpheus.
This impressive virtual reality recreation of Mad Max: Fury Road is extrapolated entirely from frames on a Blu-Ray disc, opening up the possibility for a new sub genre of homebrew VR experiences.
The HTC Vive, despite its levels of public exposure in recent months, still has an air of mystery surrounding it and in particular certain demo’s used to impress those who’ve tried it. 2 of the most anticipated (and least seen outside the demo booths) are the DOTA 2 Secret Shop and ‘Aperture Science’ Robot Repair. Developers NODE, behind the forthcoming VR title Hover Junkers, have no released the most detailed gameplay videos yet of both experiences in action, filmed using their HTC Vive developer kit.
In this, the latest in the semi-regular feature, Kevin Williams explores the wider aspect of the re-emergence of virtual reality development. In this article, he explores a resilient segment of the VR industry, Visuals and Simulations.
Stacks is a prototype VR experience in the works by the creators of Convrge. Still in its basic early stages, but somehow mesmerizing, Stacks allow you to craft a tiny Lego-like creation out of cubes as a gigantic mirror version appears in the sky around you, after the push of a button, it all comes tumbling down with convincing physics. The latest version brings a host of new features including multiplayer and new blocks for more advanced construction.
Project Morpheus has been re-christened PlayStation VR, and represents a bold move by the console platform to establish new paradigm in home gaming. But how much can you expect to pay for that new paradigm? Sony Entertainment’s CEO Andrew House seems has some hints.
We reported recently that the creator of the smash hit animated series Adventure Time, Pendleton Ward, had seemingly gone a little crazy over virtual reality. Well, it looks like that craziness has taken shape, in the form of a new Gear VR title called Adventure Time: Magic Man’s Head Games.
Looking for something fun to play in VR? We’ve got the top 10 downloads from the last week on the WEARVR app marketplace, a cross-platform repository of virtual reality experiences.
Platforms: Oculus Rift DK1, DK2 (Windows)
Platforms: Oculus Rift DK2 (Windows)
In collaboration with Wesley Louis and THE LINE, Super Turbo Atomic Ninja Rabbit – The Virtual Reality Experience is the first VR demo from NO GHOST. A collective of artists and programmers, working to build worlds in virtual reality.
Platforms: Oculus Rift DK2 (Windows)
See Also: ‘Super Turbo Atomic Ninja Rabbit’ 80s Cartoon Experience Loves Me and I Totally Love it Back
Platforms: Oculus Rift DK2 (Windows)
In EDEN you crash-land on an unknown planet, you don’t know where you are, you don’t know who you are. Explore this new world through the eyes of 3 playable characters; a human, a drone and D.O.G – each with different powers and skills.
Platforms: Oculus Rift DK2 (Windows)
Now available on Samsung Gear VR!
Platforms: Samsung Gear VR
Platforms: Oculus Rift DK2 (Windows)
Platforms: Oculus Rift DK2 (Windows)
Platforms: Oculus Rift DK2 (Windows)
Platforms: Oculus Rift DK2 (Windows)
Indira Thouvenin teaches Virtual Reality at the University of Technology Compiegne. Her research focuses on informed interaction in virtual environments, and how knowledge representation and sensory motor knowledge are linked within these environments and can be used for training, designing, and collaboration within virtual worlds.
POLLEN is an upcoming first-person sci-fi puzzle exploration game produced by Finland based Mindfield Games. Taking you to the far-off research station on the surface of Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, you follow an ominous quest to explore a mysterious time-bending phenomenon that has taken hold of the space station. This exclusive new gameplay footage gives a short glimpse into the type of gameplay and atmosphere you can expect from the game when it arrives next year for virtual reality headsets.
