Pong, one of the simplest video games ever created, has managed to evolve in some crazy ways over time, from the original basic 2D version and colorful Breakout sequel, to the PlayStation game with power-ups and 3D graphics, and now Cyberpong VR—a virtual reality game on the HTC Vive—where you act as the paddle instead...
Month: January 2017
vTime Brings Human Interaction to Virtual Reality
One of the major criticisms of virtual reality, and much modern technology in general, is the antisocial nature it creates. But vTime wants to overcome the isolating nature of VR headsets with a virtual hangout space for you and your friends. Video: . As Engadget points out, with vTime you choose an avatar for yourself...
This Accessory Lets You Control Almost Any VR Headset with Gestures
The Oculus Rift’s virtual experiences become a little less immersive when you’re barely moving in a chair with a headset on, playing on a gamepad—but you don’t have to accept that reality anymore. Their special Touch controllers, which theoretically let the user explore the VR world with their hands, aren’t shipping until later this year....
Oculus Releases Minecraft for the Samsung Gear VR
The team behind Minecraft, the popular open-world game beloved for its freedom to create and build, has teamed up with Oculus to release an official edition that takes you even further into the block-based world using a Samsung Gear VR headset. While the Oculus Rift version itself is still forthcoming, Gear VR users can play...
Watch This Woman Freak the Hell Out in Horror VR
Virtual reality and horror were meant for each other. You’ll get all the positive aspects of experiencing a terrifying situation such as excitement and an adrenaline rush, without any of the real-life consequences, like being ripped to shreds by a herd of flesh-eating monsters. The experience might prove to be too much for some though,...
Sundance Film Festival’s New Frontier Exhibit Puts AR and VR In The Spotlight
Various events have sprung up as VR and AR continue to grow and conferences and showcases focused solely on the technologies are certainly needed, but it’s encouraging to see it break ground along with other industries. The Sundance Film Festival, started in 1978, has grown into the largest independent film festival in the US and...
‘Kill X’ Is A Spooky PlayStation VR FPS With Full Movement
Do you know what I would do if I was really in The Brookhaven Experiment? Run. I would run faster than I have ever run before, probably throwing my weapons to one side to help increase speed, screaming as I go and almost certainly crapping myself. Screw fighting to the last bullet, I want to...
From 2D Illustration to 3D VR Art: The Role of Artists with the Uncanny Valley
In July, I was invited to give a talk about virtual reality at the bi-annual Illustration Conference with indie VR developer Ashley Pinnick, who studied as an artist and illustrator. On today’s Voices of VR podcast, we talk about the process of moving from 2D illustration to 3D VR art, some potential strategies for artists...
The Scaling Ratios Every HoloLens Dev Should Know for Clean Text in Mixed Reality
Designing for mixed reality, especially for the HoloLens, can present unique challenges. Dong Yoon Park, a Principal UX Designer at Microsoft with a passion for typography, recently gave a talk to the Windows Holographic Users Group Redmond (WinHUGR) about the pitfalls he ran into trying to convert what started out as a 2D iOS app...
Netherlands First Responders Use Augmented Reality to Stop Crime Scene Contamination
Dutch police are using a system very similar to Pokémon GO on smartphones, but they aren’t walking around trying to catch little pocket monsters. The purpose of this system is to give augmented reality help to first responders who may be less qualified to work a fresh crime scene. If successful, the idea of a...