Blog V Reality: November 2019

Saturday 30 November 2019

Europe’s XR Community Came Out In A Big Way For The Fifth Annual VRDays Conference

https://ift.tt/2OBP0tc

The Dutch conference hit a major milestone in November, let’s take a look back.

Set at numerous locations throughout Amsterdam, including of course canal boats, this year’s three-day VR Days conference brought together international creators, curators, and companies bent on making their mark in the EU.

Given its growth and development in the past half-decade, 2019 measured up as a reflective milestone for the XR franchise sponsored by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union and Laval Virtual, among other partners. With a start as a casual meet-up for the Dutch XR enthusiast, conference founders Benjamin de Wit and Daan “Kip” Doornink quickly realized what an incredible treasure trove of talent they were organizing in their own city. That being said, both are thrilled by VRDays’ fast-paced expansion as the multi-day, multi-venue, multi-staff operation that it is now.

This year’s programming boasted of over 100 exhibitors and almost 200 speakers scattered across panels, demos, and novelty networking opportunities (think: outdoor yurt). The conference was action-packed with stimulating sessions and break-aways for the duration. Attractions like the Halo Awards, the Church of VR, a Vision and Impact day-conference, and private pitching sessions directly to a select group of international investors in for the occasion set the tone of a high-brow industry experience here to stay.

The abundance of attendees understandably represented Holland’s mixed-reality industry with local professionals happy to tour collegial foreigners around their capital. Faces representing the world over sprinkled the audience, but most guests hailed from neighboring nations. That being said, conversations about EU funding flowed freely both during scheduled talks and conversationally in the main halls. With a push to increase Europe’s role in XR development, many regional creators discussed the trials and tribulations of seeking support to the benefit of all guests.

Talk topics ranged greatly, but as goes XR conferences and professional community events, many were either enterprise orientated or titled for virality and current trends. In comparison to other industry conferences, programming blocks at VRDays were surprisingly structured under one theme for a great length of time; multiple discussions happened back-to-back as not to break focus. The founders acknowledged trying to bridge gaps between the business, arts, and academic sides of immersive tech by programming their best against VRDays’ reigning slogan, “Unite the XR community, inspire creative minds, and drive business forward.”

As an impressive lustrum ends, VRDays as an industry institution looks ahead to another five productive and innovative years. Interested parties may even start reserving tickets now for 2020. VRScout will soon be publishing an interview with de Wit and Doornink about their impressions of advancing and cultivating their signature event thus far, and personal hopes for the future of our budding field.

Feature Image Credit: Studiotweemaal.com

The post Europe’s XR Community Came Out In A Big Way For The Fifth Annual VRDays Conference appeared first on VRScout.

from VRScout https://ift.tt/2sq17Ro
via IFTTT

Save hundreds with these PlayStation VR and PS4 console Black Friday deals

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

You can currently buy a PlayStation VR Mega Pack bundle for just $200, giving you the headset, camera, and five of the best games available on the headset. Paired with a $200 PS4, it's an absolute steal.

from Virtual Reality | Digital Trends https://ift.tt/2R5arVd
via IFTTT

A Better Social Media World Is Waiting for Us

By Annalee Newitz from NYT Opinion https://ift.tt/34D5sip
via IFTTT

Starting in 2020, China will require videos created using AI or VR to be clearly marked

https://ift.tt/2yW3QDX

Chinese regulators have announced new rules governing video and audio content online, including a ban on "fake news” created with AI and VR.Read More

from VentureBeat https://ift.tt/33Gnf7i
via IFTTT

Startups Weekly: Chinese investors double down on African startups

https://ift.tt/34vSUcF

Hello and welcome back to Startups Weekly, a weekend newsletter that dives into the week’s noteworthy startups and venture capital news. Before I jump into today’s topic, let’s catch up a bit. Last week, I wrote about Airbnb’s issues. Before that, I noted Uber’s new “money” team.

Remember, you can send me tips, suggestions and feedback to kate.clark@techcrunch.com or on Twitter @KateClarkTweets. If you’re new, you can subscribe to Startups Weekly here.

China’s pivot to Africa

Three African fintech startups; OPay, PalmPay and East African trucking logistics company Lori Systems, closed large fundraises this year. On their own, the deals aren’t particularly notable, but together, they expose a new trend within the African startup ecosystem.

This year, those three companies brought in a total of $240 million in venture capital funding from 15 different Chinese investors, who’ve become increasingly active in Africa’s tech scene. TechCrunch reporter Jake Bright, who covers African tech, writes that 2019 marks “the year Chinese investors went all in on the continent’s startup scene” — particularly its fintech projects. Why?

“The continent’s 1.2 billion people represent the largest share of the world’s unbanked and underbanked population — which makes fintech Africa’s most promising digital sector,” Bright notes. “In previous years, the country’s interactions with African startups were relatively light compared to deal-making on infrastructure and commodities. Chinese actors investing heavily in African mobile consumer platforms lends to looking at new data-privacy and security issues for the continent.”

Active Chinese investors in Africa include Hillhouse Capital, Meituan-Dianping, GaoRong, Source Code Capital, SoftBank Ventures Asia, BAI, Redpoint, IDG Capital, Sequoia China, Crystal Stream Capital, GSR Ventures, Chinese mobile-phone maker Transsion and NetEase.

Here’s more of TechCrunch’s recent coverage of Africa startup activity:

VC Deals

It was a short week (Happy Thanksgiving, by the way). But here’s a quick look at the top deals of the last few days.

M&A (VR edition)

Last week, Facebook announced it was buying Beat Games, the game studio behind Beat Saber, a rhythm game that’s equal parts Fruit Ninja and Guitar Hero. Heard of the company? Maybe if you’re a gamer, but if you’re readying this newsletter because of your interest in VC, this company may not have come across your radar.

Why? It’s one of virtual reality’s biggest successes today, but it’s just an eight-person team with no funding.

“I’m really proud that we were able to build the company with this mindset of making decisions based on what is good for the game and not what is the most profitable thing,” Beat Games CEO told TechCrunch earlier this year. Read about Facebook’s acquisition here and an in-depth profile of the small team here.

Equity

If you like this newsletter, you will definitely enjoy Equity, which brings the content of this newsletter to life — in podcast form! Join myself and Equity co-host Alex Wilhelm every Friday for a quick breakdown of the week’s biggest news in venture capital and startups.

This week, we discussed Weekend Fund’s new vehicle, Cocoon’s new friend-tracking app and the unfortunate demise of a startup called Omni. You can listen here.

Equity drops every Friday at 6:00 am PT, so subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts.

from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/2q9VAOi
via IFTTT

Steer Your Ship Through ‘High Seas’, Available For Quest Via SideQuest

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

A new adventure sailed its way onto the Oculus Quest this week – ‘High Seas’ is now available to download for free via the SideQuest store.

The game sees you lost in the ocean and taking control of a ship, navigating through rough seas. You’ll have to steer your way through icebergs, repair any damage to the ship and face some horrific weather and waves.

One really cool feature, which is briefly shown in the trailer, is the “guardian adaptive environments.” The trailer shows this in action – the environments will adjust and get bigger or smaller depending on the amount of room you’ve allocated in your guardian system. Although we haven’t verified how well it actually works, it could definitely be a feature that helps those with smaller VR play areas.

As mentioned above, the game is not available via the official Oculus Quest store, but is available for free through SideQuest. SideQuest allows you to sideload applications not approved by Oculus onto your Quest. If you’re not familiar with the process already, we recently put together a handy guide on how to get set up and started with SideQuest.

Commenting on a Reddit post to the Oculus Quest subreddit, a commenter appearing to be a developer that worked on the game said that High Seas was turned down from the Oculus Store upon application. While the commenter stated that no reason was given for the denial, they suspect it might be to do with the short length of the game, among some other potential business reasons.

The commenter also said that while they aren’t accepting donations for the game, but they will be launching a Kickstarter for their next project off the back of the High Seas release. You can view details of their next project, Terminus, here.

Will you be trying out High Seas? Let us know how you find the game in the comments.

The post Steer Your Ship Through ‘High Seas’, Available For Quest Via SideQuest appeared first on UploadVR.

from UploadVR https://ift.tt/2OWwqLr
via IFTTT

Low-Fi: Get Your Latest Look At Sci-Fi Stunner In New Video

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

IRIS VR’s Low-Fi is shaping up to be one of our most anticipated VR titles of 2020. That remains the case following the launch of this new developer walkthrough.

A new look at the game, which passed a Kickstarter campaign earlier this year, debuted during our Holiday VR Showcase earlier this week. It’s one of our most in-depth looks at Low-Fi yet, with developer Blair Renaud talking us through some of the game’s elements.

As Renaud says, Low-Fi is intended to be more like a ‘holodeck program’ than a game; a slice of virtual life in a Blade Runner-esque future. You play as a police officer that just joined the force following the death of another officer. The game’s billed as a non-linear experience in which you have to make your own way in the world. You could choose to play it by the book as a police officer, or you might find other means of income.

But it’s the gameplay that really stands out. Low-Fi’s cyberpunk environments are ridiculously detailed. It’s characters, for example, will be performance captured using the latest tech. IRIS VR is promising life-like characters like the example of Dominic Monaghan seen in the video (who isn’t actually appearing in the game, we should add).

It’s another exciting look at the game, though we don’t yet know when exactly it will be out in 2020.

Also featured at our showcase was the reveal of Ghost Giant on Quest, the news that Eclipse is heading to PC VR, PSVR and Quest and the PC VR debut for nDreams’ Phantom: Covert Ops.

Will you be picking up Low-Fi when it hits headsets next year? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Low-Fi: Get Your Latest Look At Sci-Fi Stunner In New Video appeared first on UploadVR.

from UploadVR https://ift.tt/2DuwTPx
via IFTTT

Friday 29 November 2019

First-Of-Its-Kind Mixed Reality Fitness Game Makes Its Way To Vive Focus Plus

https://ift.tt/2L4B3Sm

HitMotion: Reloaded blends VR, MR, and exercise to create a truly unique fitness experience.

It’s safe to say VR changed the way people think of video games. With the introduction of immersive entertainment, gaming is no longer a strictly sedentary experience. Instead, users are up on their feet, interacting with their digital environments in a much more physical manner than conventional console and PC gaming. Many of these experiences can actually rev up your heart rate to levels that can burn some serious calories.

Thanks to games such as Beat Saber, Space Pirate Trainer, and Audio Trip, people are trading in their gym memberships for VR headsets, and they are seeing big results. Mat Chacon, CEO of Doghead Simulation, used VR for training purposes and dropped 15 pounds while gaining some serious muscle weight. With the success of these physically-active experiences, multiple studios have begun looking into developing their own fitness-focused immersive games.

Developed by New Technology Walkers, HitMotion: Reloaded is a new exercise game that’s half boxing, half dodging, and 100% cardio fun.

What separates this game from its VR counterparts is its unique use of mixed reality technology. Using the HTC Vive Focus Plus’ passthrough capabilities, players engaged in a VR exercise are able to see their real-world surroundings while they workout. It’s sort of like having your own mixed reality gym, minus the need of any expensive equipment. By allowing users to view their real-world surroundings while in-headset, HitMotion: Reloaded significantly decreases the risk of any accidental collisions; no more punching walls or nearby bystanders!

Using MR technology as a virtual safety net, players can take full advantage of their game room as they punch objects in an attempt to score the most points possible. To rack up the highest score you’ll need to hit moving targets by using the correct hand and corresponding punch type. Two motion controllers track the player’s hands as they throw jabs, hooks, and uppercuts throughout each round.

As players continue their virtual training sessions, certain targets will even begin to strike back! Players should be prepared to dodge a variety of attacks from a handful of different enemies. Just a few rounds of ducking and diving should be enough to leave even physically-active players feeling sore.

Currently, HitMotion: Reloaded is available as a free demo for the Vive Focus Plus, but the creators are planning on making the full game available very soon.

In an interview with VRScout, Antony Vitillo, Multimedia Developer & PR for New Technology Walkers said, “We will start with the Vive Focus Plus, and then possibly port the game to other platforms in 2020,” adding, “this is because we have been supported by HTC since the beginning (with hardware and a little financial support). But in 2020 we will consider other platforms as well!”

As previously stated, the experience is still in development, so the visuals are a bit rough at the moment. New Technology Walkers decided to launch early in order to gain immediate feedback from users in the hopes of continuously improving the experience. Yes, your feedback matters!

Vitello actually wants you to email him directly with your feedback, notes, suggestions. “Yes, tell me your impressions via e-mail or on my social media channels.”

You can also find Vitillo on Twitter or through his website, The Ghost Howls.

NeHitMotion has already been showcased at WCVRI in Nanchang, China and has received very positive feedback from major companies including HP, HTC, Huawei, and more than 150 other people who have tried their MR game.

Though Vitillo says HitMotion: Reloaded is still “rough”, the truth is it’s a sharp-looking MR game that shows a lot of promise as an effective fitness solution. It just needs a little tweaking, and that is where you come in.

HitMotion: Reloaded is available now as a free download on the Viveport store.

For more information, check out the New Technology Walkers website.

Feature Image Credit: New Technology Walkers

The post First-Of-Its-Kind Mixed Reality Fitness Game Makes Its Way To Vive Focus Plus appeared first on VRScout.

from VRScout https://ift.tt/2suGZhb
via IFTTT

Oculus Go drops to $150 on Amazon in Black Friday sale

https://ift.tt/35NFlFL

You're looking at one of the most affordable ways to immerse yourself in stand-alone VR. Amazon is selling the 32GB Oculus Go headset for $150, down from the usual $199, as part of its Black Friday sales. There have been substantial discounts before...

from Engadget RSS Feed https://ift.tt/2svjXqr
via IFTTT

The Best Black Friday virtual reality headset deals in 2019

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

With Black Friday sales going live now, there has never been a better time to jump into the world of virtual reality -- and we’ve already gathered up the best Black Friday VR headset deals right here.

from Virtual Reality | Digital Trends https://ift.tt/33y1AxU
via IFTTT

A Fisherman’s Tale Quest Review: There’s Nothing Fishy About This First-Rate Port

https://ift.tt/2qOwNzI

When we first reviewed A Fisherman’s Tale on PC and PSVR earlier this year, we said this:

“From slow-motion shootouts to trips across the universe and stories of loved ones lost, VR has already proven that each of its core design tenants can be tamed. But A Fisherman’s Tale might be the first to achieve a perfect storm of gameplay, immersion and narrative in a single experience. Though brief, it fuses experience and interactivity to really show what this medium is capable of. This is exactly what old seadogs aren’t meant to be capable of; something genuinely new.”

When I first asked developer Innerspace if it would port its ambitious puzzler to Quest (I think in late 2018), the team seemed skeptical it could be done. Well, they either underestimated their development skills or summoned some dark magic, because A Fisherman’s Tale on Quest is a peerless port of one of our favorite VR games of 2019.

I had feared that some of my enthusiasm for the game might have wained in the 11 or so months since I last visited it. I know that, for some, A Fisherman’s Tale’s brief length is a bit of a deal-breaker. But I found myself enchanted by its dizzying brand of brain-teasing all over again, arguably more so with the freedom provided by Quest.

In A Fisherman’s Tale you play as a reclusive puppet fisherman that awakens to find himself locked inside his lighthouse. In the center of the first room sits a model of that lighthouse, with a tiny version of yourself inside and a larger one outside, mimicking your every movement. Even 11 months on, I find myself stunned at the way the game’s puzzles click in your head, and I still marvel at the moments your brain breaks as you try to process what you’re seeing.

Crucially, the game’s winning art style holds up inside the standalone headset. It has, undeniably, been simplified somewhat, but often only in the most superficial and indifferent of ways. Lighting is a little mistier, for example, and some of the tiny objects plucked from inside the model house don’t carry the same fine details, but there’s nothing in the way of real distractions. Check out our comparison video above for an idea.

That aside, this is a 1:1 port that makes the game easier to enjoy than ever.

A Fisherman’s Tale Quest Review Final Verdict

Like other ports such as Superhot VR, A Fisherman’s Tale seems at its most natural on Quest. The irony isn’t lost on me; the game where you play as a puppet on a string is best-experienced wire-free. For the first time in a while, I found myself wishing I had more space for VR so I could naturally walk around its relatively small levels and bring myself that further bit into the experience. That speaks to just how immersive Innerspace’s micro-masterpiece really is. So grab your headset, because the fisherman’s returned home just in time from Christmas.

Final Score: 5/5 Stars | Fantastic

A Fisherman’s Tale is available on Oculus Quest now for $14.99. For more on how we arrived at this score, see our full review guidelines. We’re also giving you the chance to win the game on Quest on this week’s VRecap!

The post A Fisherman’s Tale Quest Review: There’s Nothing Fishy About This First-Rate Port appeared first on UploadVR.

from UploadVR https://ift.tt/35Oq9bc
via IFTTT

Microsoft Affirms VR Isn’t a Focus for Xbox Scarlett

https://ift.tt/2R5O4iq

Australian publication Stevivor recently sat down with Xbox head Phil Spencer to broach the subject of whether or not the company’s upcoming next-gen console would be matching Sony’s continued VR ambitions with PlayStation 5. The short of it: Spencer says it’s simply not a focus for Scarlett.

“I have some issues with VR — it’s isolating and I think of games as a communal, kind of together experience,” Spencer told Stevivor at X019. “We’re responding to what our customers are asking for and… nobody’s asking for VR. The vast majority of our customers know if they want a VR experience, there’s places to go get those. We see the volumes of those on PC and other places.”

Firing back at Spencer’s assertion that “nobody’s asking for VR,” Sony’s Shuhei Yoshida maintained Sony is still working hard despite the lack of wide-spread support:

（´-`）.｡oO（we oftentimes work hard to make things that no customers are asking for them）

— Shuhei Yoshida (@yosp) November 26, 2019

Later, Spencer took to Twitter to reaffirm his views, saying that while he has played VR games in the past, including Valve’s upcoming Half-Life: Alyx, it’s still not going to be a focus for Scarlett:

Fair feedback. I've said publically, I love how our industry has pioneered: AI, physics, 3D, RT, VR/AR etc. For us, it's about focus on our innovations right now. I've played some great VR games, I got to play HL:Alyx in the summer, amazing. It's just not our focus with Scarlett

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) November 27, 2019

Project Scarlett’s big reveal at E3 2019 included no mention of VR support despite it’s fundamentally a VR-ready system, which is based on Zen 2 and Navi processors from AMD, and hailed as “four times more powerful than the Xbox One X.”

It’s not to say we weren’t holdouts for a surprise announcement though, as Microsoft has under their Microsoft Studios umbrella a surprising amount of talent with previous experience in making VR games including Ninja Theory (Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice), 343 Industries (Halo Recruit), inXile (The Mage’s Tale), Double Fine (Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin), and Mojang (Minecraft).

Facebook Buys Beat Saber, Xbox Gives VR A Hard Pass & Win A Fisherman’s Tale on Quest – VRecap

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

We’ve hit the holiday season in a big way this week with news from Facebook & Microsoft – oh, and UploadVR’s very own showcase featuring big announcements, releases & updates for the upcoming year!

The first story in this week’s roundup is of Facebook’s acquisition of Beat Games, developers of the one and only Beat Saber. This, of course, is fantastic news for both companies, but it does pose a few questions: Will mods still be supported? Will the game truly be supported on other platforms? Or, as Ian questioned, will it become part of Facebook’s Horizon universe? Time will only tell on this one.

Phil Spencer came under fire a bit this week by saying there won’t be any Xbox VR because “nobody’s asking for it”. Oof. Even the Shu had something to say about that one.

The biggest release of the week is also up for grabs as this week’s competition. A Fisherman’s Tale is now available on Quest after its release on PC VR earlier this year, and I simply love it. But don’t take my word for it, our review is coming right up! There are 6 codes in the lottery this week, and all you’ve got to do is enter below.

GIVEAWAY: Win A Free Copy Of A Fisherman’s Tale On Quest!

And finally, we were amused and interested by your comments this week, including Alex’s rendition of how Sony must be reacting to Phil Spencer’s infamous comments.

We’ll catch you next week, but until then – which game reveal was your favourite from The Holiday VR Showcase? Let us know below!

The post Facebook Buys Beat Saber, Xbox Gives VR A Hard Pass & Win A Fisherman’s Tale on Quest – VRecap appeared first on UploadVR.

from UploadVR https://ift.tt/2L1d3Qb
via IFTTT

How To Make A Great 5 Meter Oculus Link Cable

https://ift.tt/2Oy79YN

Until the official Oculus Link Cable launches next month, the longest compatible cable you can use to turn your Oculus Quest into a PC VR headset is 3 meters. However, you can “make” a longer one by using an extension cable.

The Oculus Rift S cable is 5 meters, as is the upcoming official Oculus Link Cable. Using extension cables can give you this same length.

The problem with this idea is USB 3.0 extension cables can be hit or miss. Some will work properly and carry the 3.0 signal, allowing Oculus Link to work. However others will fall back to 2.0 or periodically drop out.

To make matters worse, some will work with some USB ports but not others. This is due to the fact that motherboards have multiple USB controllers.

Thankfully, we’ve tested some extenders to find which work, so you don’t have to. So here’s how to use extenders to “build” a 5 meter Oculus Link cable:

With USB Type-C

Recommended

USB Type-C ports on motherboards tend to be more reliable than Type-A because on most motherboards these ports tend to be USB 3.1 Gen 2 and/or connected to a better USB controller.

Additionally, if you have an NVIDIA RTX graphics card with a USB Type-C port then you can connect your Quest to its built-in high-quality USB controller that is guaranteed to be spec-compliant.

THE CABLE: PartyLink’s 3M Made-For-Quest Right-Angled USB Type-C Cable

THE EXTENDER: DISDIM USB C Extension Adapter Cable

We tested this cable-extender combination and found it to reliably work for Oculus Link on both an ASUS PRIME-Z390-A motherboard’s port and the USB-C port of an NVIDIA RTX 2070 GPU.

With USB Type-A

Not Guaranteed, But May Work

In our testing, the PartyLink cable did not consistently work with the USB-A adapter and USB-A extension cables.

However, we did find that the officially recommended Anker cable worked with the 2 meter AmazonBasics USB 3.0 extender.

THE CABLE: Anker Powerline USB-C to USB 3.0 Cable (10ft) with 56k Ohm Pull-up Resistor

THE EXTENDER: AmazonBasics USB 3.0 Extension Cable 2 Meters

We tested this cable-extender combination and found it to reliably work for Oculus Link on all USB 3.0 ports of an ASUS PRIME-Z390-A motherboard.

The post How To Make A Great 5 Meter Oculus Link Cable appeared first on UploadVR.

from UploadVR https://ift.tt/33wdAQo
via IFTTT

HTC Vive Holiday Gift Guide: Accessories, Games, And More For HTC Headsets

https://ift.tt/35ItR6r

The HTC Vive is one of the most popular and enduring lines of PC VR headsets. Whether you’re talking about the original HTC Vive or the newer Vive Cosmos, there are a bunch of different games and accessories you can use with the Vive system. We’ve put together this list for recommendations on accessories, games, and more for HTC’s line of PC VR headsets.

[When you purchase items through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission from those sales.]

Headsets

There are a few different HTC Vive headsets.

The original HTC Vive and the HTC Vive Pro both use outside-in tracking systems, which require external sensors mounted in your play area to track your headset and controllers. The newer HTC Vive Cosmos uses an inside-out tracking system with cameras on the headset, which doesn’t require mounting any external tracking system.

The original HTC Vive headset is now discontinued. However, HTC continues to sell used version of the original Vive headset for $399.

Currently, the HTC Pro Starter Kit is on sale for $799 down from $1098 on HTC’s site. This includes the headset, two Vive Wand controllers and two external tracking sensors for mounting. Vive Pro has improved resolution and comfort over the original Vive.

The HTC Vive Cosmos (see our review) is the newest headset in the HTC line (review here), and is available to purchase for $600 on the HTC website.

HTC Vive PC VR System Specs

We’ve got a dedicated guide to help you figure out if your PC is VR ready, but for a quick glance at the raw numbers of what you should look for on your rig take a look at the FAQ on HTC’s site. You can also download and run the Vive Quick Compatability check from there as well.

Games And Apps To Buy And Install

When you first get your HTC Vive system set up, there’s a lot of options on where to start with content.

If you’re looking for something free, there are options such as Rec Room and VRChat, which are sort of social networks full of worlds to explore, games to play, and people to meet with your own customized avatar. Then over on Steam there are tons of free VR experiences and games worth trying, such as Google Earth VR, The Lab, Oculus Dreamdeck, Dear Angelica, Henry, Waltz of the Wizard, Accounting, Bigscreen, AltspaceVR, Mission: ISS, and more.

For a curated list of recommended Vive games that are paid, check our best list that we try to keep updated. As of the time of this writing, it’s missing some more recent games like A Fisherman’s Tale, Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son, and Pistol Whip though — which you should totally play.

Accessories

HTC Vive Wireless Tracking Adapter

htc-vive-wireless-adapter-main-image The Vive Wireless Tracking Adapter allows you to free yourself from the tether of the cord connected to your PC, and use your Vive headset wireless.

It is available for the original HTC Vive, the Vive Pro and the Vive Cosmos, however the Cosmos will also require an additional Cosmos Comparability Kit that will be added to the cart during checkout. You can read our review of the Vive Wireless Adapter here, reviewed using the Vive Pro specifically.

The Vive Wireless Adapter is available for the HTC Vive for $248, the HTC Vive Pro for $298, and for the Vive Cosmos for $298. If you already own a Vive Wireless Adapter and want to make it compatible with a Vive Cosmos, you can also buy the Cosmos Compatibility Pack for $49 separately.

Vive Tracker

The Vive Tracker is one of HTC’s more innovative ideas for its VR system. It’s a puck-shaped peripheral you can attach to other objects in compatible apps to bring them into VR. You might, for example, stick it to a toy gun to feel like you’re shooting a real one in VR. Take note, however, that the tracker only works with the Vive and Vive Pro; the Vive Cosmos’ tracking system will not register it. Also bear in mind that only select apps will support the tracker. Your best bet is to get them from HTC directly where you’ll find them for $99 apiece.

AFAITH Charger Stand

This AFAITH charger stand provides a neat and tidy solution to store your original HTC Vive or Vive Pro headset, while also charging your HTC Vive Wands. This looks like a nice option if you’re want to store your Vive or Vive Pro on display next to some other gaming consoles, or even other VR headsets. However, it’s important to note that this stand is not comparable with the newer Vive Cosmos.

The AFATIH Charger Stand is available for $49.

Ceiling Cables

Barring the adapter above, obviously one of the biggest downsides to using a PC VR headset is that, typically, it means having a thick, restrictive wire coming off the side of your face that makes it difficult to move freely and is often a tripping hazard. If you don’t want to shill out for the Vive Wireless Adapter, you could also install a ceiling pulley system so that your cable loops up through the ceiling mount and then goes back down to your PC to get it out of the way. We haven’t used these in our own home setups, but this has great reviews and is widely recommended.

The VeeR VR Cable Management Ceiling Pulley System is available for $17 right now (usually ~$30.)

VR Cover Accessories

htc vive vr cover

VR Cover is a company that’s been around for a while and is known for making accessories designed to make headsets feel more comfortable against the face as well as improve hygiene. We have tested their Quest covers and original Rift covers in the past, but have not tried their Vive and Vive Pro covers. They also don’t offer any covers for the Cosmos yet, but the covers are worth checking out for Vive or Vive pro owners.

Microfiber Cleaning Cloths

If you’re using your headsets a lot, the lenses are going to get foggy and dirty and you’ll want some microfiber cloths to quickly clean the lenses between games and sessions.

You can buy a set of 5 microfiber cleaning cloths for $7.49.

If you have accessories you’ve found improve your experience with the HTC Vive headsets please share in the comments.

The post HTC Vive Holiday Gift Guide: Accessories, Games, And More For HTC Headsets appeared first on UploadVR.

from UploadVR https://ift.tt/2L2tSKs
via IFTTT

Last Labyrinth Review: Claustrophobic Escape Rooming

https://ift.tt/37Rzfpt

Last Labyrinth leaves you tied up, arms and hands bound in a wheelchair, at the mercy of a young girl. Her name is Katia, and she’s your only way out of this meticulously detailed series of escape room puzzles, where her death (and subsequently, yours) is often the first key to finding a solution to each challenge.

Since you rely on Katia to make the game move forward — by both opening doors and pushing your wheelchair through them — Last Labyrinth is, in so few words, a polarizing experience. Every room introduces a new way for Katia to be killed off while you watch haplessly, moments before the same fate befalls you. The ‘polarizing’ bit is that this isn’t just something that happens at the end of an occasional cutscene; it’s a core gameplay loop. Luckily, you’re only forced to watch the death cutscene once per puzzle, before a skip option becomes available.

That said, Last Labyrinth is a difficult game to recommend to those with a weak stomach. Katia is killed in often brutal ways, both on and off-screen, and it should go without saying that this is not at all for the faint of heart.

Last Labyrinth’s explicit story is minimalistic. Katia speaks in a made-up language while shuffling you from puzzle room to eerie puzzle room as you attempt to evade death by pointing out buttons, clues, and hidden panels with a laser pointer that’s conveniently strapped to your forehead. There are a few twists and turns later on, but I won’t spoil those. Even with such a simple framework for interaction, the world design and art direction of Last Labyrinth both evoke enough bleak atmosphere and tension to compel you to remain curious about what’s behind the next grimy, time-worn door.

Just as the death sequences themselves become more intricate, as do the puzzles that tie the entire gameplay experience together. You can move through an entire playthrough in about three hours, depending on how quickly you manage to clear each room, but it’s possible to see (at least) three different endings, depending on the path you select near the middle of a given playthrough. There are also a surprising amount of unique puzzle designs here. Last Labyrinth doesn’t overuse the exact same gimmick, instead introducing an entirely new element in each room, even while repeating the same basic circulation of room layouts.

This variety isn’t always a good thing, though. Aside from a few rooms that feature red lights that turn green when you’ve done something right, there is no clearly defined vocabulary that ties each of the puzzles together. This makes the feeling of success that much greater when a puzzle ‘clicks’, but it also makes it easy to misread a room and get stuck far longer than is preferable. To add insult to injury, many puzzles require you to intentionally make the wrong choice at least once via permutation testing before you figure out that room’s gimmick, meaning that Katia’s death becomes an arbitrary part of gameplay after some time.

Pacing is another issue I have with Last Labyrinth. Not only does Katia require you to nod your head for affirmation each time you point at something with your laser pointer, she somehow manages to walk slower than a high school student before the first bell. And then she occasionally interacts with the wrong object, requiring you to shake your head for “No” before she’ll back out of the interaction. In fact, a solid third of the time spent solving puzzles in Last Labyrinth isn’t actually in scrambling to decode the solution, but rather in orchestrating Katia’s actions and lining puzzle pieces back up to reenact past progress after you’ve nixed a step and accidentally gotten her killed once again.

Comfort

Last Labyrinth uses no form of artificial turning or locomotion, as everything important is in front of you at all times. You don’t ever need to crane your head to solve a problem either, but you might need to focus on one spot for multiple seconds while waiting for Katia to catch up with your laser pointer. Additionally, Katia will frequently ask you to nod your head for affirmation before performing an action.

On that note, the controls in Last Labyrinth are definitely worth addressing. You point your laser by moving your head, and you activate it by hitting the ‘A’ button (at least with Touch controls). This format would regularly make the most sense on a VR system with a limited control scheme; the Oculus Go comes to mind here. But in retrospect, a broader control scheme and more interaction with the world would have actually taken away from the message that Last Labyrinth is attempting to convey. If not the message, that certainly would have hurt the atmosphere.

See, Last Labyrinth isn’t about accommodating for you. It’s not meant to be a fun game. And, between gratuitous death sequences and often frustrating puzzles, only rarely is it one. Instead, treading more closely alongside the “VR experience” path, it asks you to view the world through the eyes of somebody who can barely accommodate for themselves. The pretense wouldn’t feel as dire if it were presented as a point-and-click adventure, and the dramatic irony that you do presumably have a working mouth, hands, and legs is what creates the tension that drives things forward in Last Labyrinth.

Last Labyrinth manages to tell an interesting story about codependency and vulnerability by simply taking away your agency and giving it to a little girl that seeks your guidance and approval. Dark atmosphere, often frustrating but varied puzzle design, and deliberately limited controls add up to a compelling experience. Unfortunately, it’s marred by sluggish pacing and just a little too much gratuitous death.

Final Score: 3/5 Stars | Pretty Good

This review was conducted on an Oculus Quest.

Last Labyrinth runs on all major PC VR headsets, PlayStation VR, and Oculus Quest. You can now get Last Labyrinth on Steam, on the Oculus Store, and on the PlayStation Store. Last Labyrinth is currently MSRP’d at $40. Check out our Review Guidelines for more on our process.

The post Last Labyrinth Review: Claustrophobic Escape Rooming appeared first on UploadVR.

from UploadVR https://ift.tt/34ylxGc
via IFTTT

New VR Power Battery Pack For Oculus Quest Provides Power And Counter Weight

https://ift.tt/37RWkZd

A new battery pack for the Oculus Quest, the VR Power, aims to increase your play time and give you an ergonomic solution to counter balance the front-heavy weight of the Quest at the same time.

The VR Power is made by Rebuff Reality and just recently became available the preorder. The device is expected to ship in early 2020, with an “expected delivery date” of January 10, 2020.

The kit comes with one battery pack, two cable management clips, one USB-C cable with a L-shaped connector for the Quest port, some “comfort padding” and straps to secure and remove the battery pack from the back of the Quest.

vr power battery pack quest

The battery pack sits against the back of your head, in the triangle gap between the straps, as pictured above, The USB C cable then runs up the main strap, secured by the clips, and connects to the Quest with the L-shaped connector. The battery holds 10,000 mAH and Rebuff Reality claim it will provide you with 8 hours of gaming on a fully charged Quest, and 10 hours of video streaming.

Because of the rear position of the battery pack, Rebuff Reality claim it works as a counter-balance to alleviate some of the front-heavy load of the Quest – a common complaint from some users. This idea isn’t a new one – we’ve seen plenty of people online create their own counter-weights by attaching a battery pack in a similar position. However, the unique and custom-designed shape of the VR Power, alongside the straps specifically for securing the battery pack, there’s a chance that this might work a bit better than any of your own MacGyvered solutions. We haven’t tried it for ourselves, though, so no promises.

The VR Power is available to preorder on the Rebuff Reality site now, shipping in 2020.

The post New VR Power Battery Pack For Oculus Quest Provides Power And Counter Weight appeared first on UploadVR.

from UploadVR https://ift.tt/2q3lseF
via IFTTT