Thursday 1 June 2017

AR/VR Weekly: Buying stuff in VR without facing … reality

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If free-to-play games are ever going to take root in virtual reality, they’re going to need a way for people to pay for sparkly outfits, extra energy, and other in-app purchases while still in VR. Looks like someone is working on that.

Worldpay is demoing a system to make payments in VR work. This could be a crucial step in not just helping games gain a stronger footing in VR but also enabling so much of its commercial potential as a virtual showroom. Imagine picking up a book in a digital bookstore, flipping through its VR pages, and then buying a copy for your e-reader of choice … or a good old-fashioned hardcover.

Or ordering red seats when buying a car in a VR showroom. Or seeing just how cool that electric nimbus will look on your character’s bow in an online VR game.

But none of this can happen without a way to pay for it. With a VR brouhaha brewing on mobile and more folks getting into VR broadcasting, it’s important that we find an easy way to make purchases without having to take the Rift off our head and face … a reality.

For AR/VR coverage, send news tips to Dean Takahashi and Jeff Grubb (for those that cross over into PC gaming). Please send guest post submissions to Rowan Kaiser. Please be sure to visit our AR/VR Channel.

—Jason Wilson, GamesBeat managing editor

P.S. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story screenwriter Gary Whitta has thoughts on VR that have nothing to do with a galaxy far, far away.

From GamesBeat

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Why iteration is the key to great WebVR games

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The factions of the mobile AR war

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Beyond GamesBeat

Super Mario On HoloLens Is The New Coolest Thing In Mixed Reality

Another week, another legendary gaming IP brought into the real world with mixed reality. This time it’s from arguably the most recognisable videogame IP on the planet; Super Mario running on Microsoft’s HoloLens. VR and MR engineer Niu recently posted a look at this experimental project, which is of course entirely unofficial, on Twitter. A short clip shows Mario as he first appeared in Super Mario Bros on the NES in 1985. Instead of parading through the Mushroom Kingdom, though, the Italian plumber is now in our world. (via UploadVR)

Star Trek: Bridge Crew Review – The Final Frontier of VR

In front of me to my left sits Tal Blevins, Editor-in-Chief of UploadVR. But in this moment he isn’t my boss; he’s my subordinate. Currently he’s my acting Helmsman aboard the U.S.S. Aegis and is in charge of steering our ship through deep, dark space. Then I’ve got Ian Hamilton, Senior Editor, taking over duties as the ship’s Tactical Officer to the right — he’s in charge of phasers and torpedoes. Off to the far right at the Engineer’s station is Joe Durbin, Staff Writer at UploadVR, allotting power to various systems, repairing damaged sectors, and handling transports. I’m perched atop the Captain’s chair, barking orders and mashing the Red Alert button anytime someone oversteps their bounds. It’s a thankless job, but someone’s got to do it and that’s what Star Trek: Bridge Crew is really all about. (via UploadVR)

AR Menus Are Changing The Way We Order Food

Have you ever ordered something off a menu thinking you’d love it, only to receive your meal and discover it’s nothing like you imagined? For me, it’s an Earth-shattering experience I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy. Thankfully one group of heroes are finally stepping in to solve this longtime annoyance by bringing high quality augmented reality menus to restaurants and online food services everywhere. (via VR Scout)

The Vive Deluxe Audio Strap is a must-have for Vive owners

For a long time now I’ve said the best VR headset would be some combination of the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive. The Vive has better room-scale tracking and its integration with Steam and the Workshop is much nicer than the Oculus store’s closed ecosystem. Meanwhile the Rift is a superiorly designed headset, and significantly easier to use, setup, and adjust, making it my go to headset when introducing people to VR. But the new Vive Deluxe Audio Strap takes cues from the Rift’s greatest strengths to give the Vive the best of both worlds. (via PC Gamer)

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