Survios, formerly Project Holodeck, is emerging from stealth proper at VRLA on Saturday as it prepares to unleash its new ‘Active’ VR first person shooter build for ‘free roaming’ co-op ‘Raw Data’, a launch title for the forthcoming HTC Vive.

Project Holodeck was one of the first VR projects covered on this website, and it remains one of the most ambitious. The project aimed to offer players an untethered, free-roaming VR experience with technology that pre-dates the Oculus Rift Kickstarter. In fact, the project shared the same labs at the University of Southern California with Palmer Luckey, founder of Oculus.

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See Also: Exclusive: Project Holodeck Hands-on Demo and Interview with Director Nathan Burba

Now, after years in stealth mode, the team are preparing to launch their first virtual reality title, built for the HTC Vive, a co-op first person shooter called Raw Data. What’s more, the team intend to share the game with the world in what they claim is a first of a kind, a live-streamed VR gaming event, taking place just after the VRLA winter expo this Saturday.

In Raw Data, you and a friend get to choose from a variety of weaponry, wielded using the Vive’s SteamVR controllers, with “deployable weapons” helping you to fend off waves of killer androids from all angles. Each player defends their corner, moving within their own physical play-spaces yet within the same virtual world.

Survios ‘Raw Data’ VR Live Stream

“We’re making VR video games that let you play how you always wanted to play: by RDPoster1actually being part of the action. Swinging a sword, deflecting bullets, holstering a gun, drawing a bow–to us, these little yet super fun motions are the essence of Active VR,” remarked James Iliff, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Survios. “At VRLA this weekend, we’re stoked to finally showcase many of the reasons why Active VR is so exciting: full in-game embodiment, multiplayer sessions and the self-expression and spectatorship that come with live-streaming in virtual reality.”

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Survios seem to really be going to town on the live-stream, treating it as a ‘curated’ event, with views from within the virtual world augmented, from both the player’s point of view and using real world ‘cameras’ to move around the physical and virtual play-spaces at the same time. The event will be hosted by Malik Forte of Nerdist Industries and will provide commentary and interviews giving viewers an insight into just what Survios has been up to all this time.

The event will be streamed via Twitch and kicks off at Saturday night starting at 8:15pm PT. Check out the stream here.

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Based in the UK, Paul has been immersed in interactive entertainment for the best part of 27 years and has followed advances in gaming with a passionate fervour. His obsession with graphical fidelity over the years has had him branded a ‘graphics whore’ (which he views as the highest compliment) more than once and he holds a particular candle for the dream of the ultimate immersive gaming experience. Having followed and been disappointed by the original VR explosion of the 90s, he then founded RiftVR.com to follow the new and exciting prospect of the rebirth of VR in products like the Oculus Rift. Paul joined forces with Ben to help build the new Road to VR in preparation for what he sees as VR’s coming of age over the next few years.
  • John Malkovich

    The guys from Survios should partner with the Virtuix Omni, I think they would be a great match.

    • Joey G

      I tried both at VRLA. Not sure if the Virtuix would work well with “Raw Data.” The Omni treadmill lets you walk without bounds. Raw Data is designed to work in Room Scale, so being bound within that control panel area works fine. Also, I found ducking behind cover to be an important aspect to gameplay in Raw Data, which is something you can’t do in the Virtuix Omni.

      • John Malkovich

        That’s a very good point.
        I’m starting to think that the best locomotion device would be just to hang a rope from the ceiling, tie it around your waist and walk or run in place with 360 degree freedom of movement, as well as the ability to crouch, jump, go prone or duck… imagine if after all the money invested in Virtuix Omni, Cyberith Virtualizer, Kat Walk and Virtusphere,
        it turns out that a simple rope is the best locomotion device for VR. :D