immersion
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Hulu hackathon leads to eye-tracking controls for Roku
Of the 40 project ideas that came out of Hulu's annual hackathon this summer, more than a quarter addressed the needs of users with disabilities. Today, Hulu shared some of those accessibility-focused concepts.
Apple settles with Immersion over haptic feedback licensing
In 2016, haptic technology company Immersion filed two rounds of lawsuits against Apple. Both alleged that the tech giant had infringed upon some of Immersion's patents with the first focusing on the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s and 6s Plus as well as Watch, Watch Sport and Watch Edition. The second added the MacBook and MacBook Pro lines to its complaint. Immersion also filed a complaint with the US International Trade Commission (ITC), which launched an investigation into the alleged patent violations a few months later. But the saga may be nearing an end because today, Immersion announced that the two companies have reached a settlement.
Fitbit faces ill-timed lawsuits over haptic feedback
Fitbit is facing hard times between slowing fitness tracker sales and a reportedly floundering smartwatch project. Unfortunately, there's more bad news to add to the pile. Immersion is suing Fitbit in China and the US for allegedly violating multiple patents (three in each country) for haptic feedback. Supposedly, devices ranging from the original Flex to the Blaze all borrow Immersion's approach to vibrating a device in response to commands and for alerts. Fitbit rebuffed "numerous attempts" to strike a licensing deal, Immersion claims, so this is considered a last resort.
Inside The Mill’s mind-bending alternate reality art showcase
I stepped inside a small, dark room in a large, airy loft space in New York's Soho district early Wednesday morning. Our host fitted me with an HTC Vive and told to explore the world around me. Within moments, I was trapped in a glass box, surrounded by other people, also wearing VR headsets, also trapped in glass boxes, one of whom continued to claw at the glass until both of our headsets were consumed by our own flesh. We were one with the machines. Over the next two hours I watched semi-autonomous robots run in circles, randomly scribbling on large sheets of butcher paper; pulled the virtual puppet strings of a CGI llama that lip synced to Mariah Carey; watched as Reeps One, a world-famous dubstep beatboxer, created unique digital sculptures with the incredibly nuanced tones of his voice; and floated through a VR dreamscape using my breathing and brain waves to propel me upward.
Fashion and tech collide in this VR-friendly connected shirt
Virtual reality is inescapable here at Computex: You're either stumbling into another Vive demo area or bumping into the occasional VR backpack. What's often missing is a sense of true immersion, and a startup called Machina is trying to fix that. Co-founder Antonio Perdigon was nice enough to let me don one of his unreleased "OBE" connected shirts here at the show, and after a little playtime, I think the team might be on to something.
Apple sued (again) for violating force touch patents
You probably haven't heard of Immersion, but it's a company that does two things well: haptic technology and hiring lawyers. The company is already suing Apple, claiming that the iPhone 6/6S and Apple Watch's force touch violate several of its patents. Now, the company is doubling down, firing another legal broadside against the Mac-maker for the same thing, although weirdly, AT&T has been roped in too. According to 9to5 Mac, the reason that the phone company is included is because, wait for it, it sells Apple products. We're too polite to point out that Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint exist, but we imagine it won't be long before they're added to the case.
Immersion sues Apple for infringing on haptic feedback patents
Apple's the star in the latest chapter of Immersion's court drama. The California haptic feedback developer known for going to court to guard its technologies has filed a lawsuit against Apple and AT&T. It says the haptic feedback systems of the Apple iPhone 6/6Plus, iPhone 6/6s Plus and Watch/Watch Sport/Watch Edition infringe upon two of its patents. Those are no. 8,619,051, which is named "Haptic Feedback System with Stored Effects," and "Method and Apparatus for Providing Tactile Sensations" that's filed under no. 8,773,356. The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus allegedly infringe upon a third patent, as well: no. 8,659,571 named "Interactivity Model for Shared Feedback on Mobile Devices."
VR is better when virtual objects feel real
For all the amazing experiences virtual reality enables (the illusion of flight, the exhaustion of exercise and even the emotional fatigue of trauma), it still has one major flaw: Virtual objects are intangible and have no physicality. If you want to walk through a wall, the game can't stop you. If you try to lean on a table, you'll probably fall down. It's a limitation of first-generation VR technology I'd grown to accept -- at least until I played Survios' Raw Data, a game that tricked me into pretending its completely virtual objects were real.
The Daily Grind: Can you get immersed in an accessible MMO?
I like Elite: Dangerous. The game's not a revelation at this point, but it's a solid space shooter that could grow into something more. My favorite thing about ED is the docking. I imagine that most people find it tedious, but personally it adds an extra layer of escapism and conjures plenty of old-school flight sim nostalgia. And, of course, it's mechanically satisfying to fly an efficient approach, squeak a big boat through the slot, and micromanage your thrusters all the way down to the landing pad. All I do in ED is take courier missions, investigate unknown signal sources, and dock. Technically I guess I'm progressing toward a bigger bank account and thus bigger ships, but my particular gameplay experience is pretty simplistic and pretty slow-paced. Is it sandboxy? Eh, not really, but at least it doesn't feel directed, linear, or otherwise pre-planned even when I'm purposely repeating gameplay patterns. There's this sense of being a small part of a larger world, which allows ED to deliver -- somewhat paradoxically -- bite-sized chunks of deep immersion. What about you, Massively readers? Assuming you're a fan of immersion, have you found it in accessible games or do you think it mostly stems from prolonged engagement with more feature-rich titles? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Tamriel Infinium: Immersion matters in Elder Scrolls Online and every other MMO
I'm fully on board with all of the changes ZeniMax listed in its latest state-of-the-game update. My only concern has more to do with personal OCD issues than it does with any long-term effects on Elder Scrolls Online. See, as I mentioned in a previous piece, I love the fact that ZOS allows me to play all of the game's quest content, which is spread across three different factions, on a single character of a single faction. I hate alts, or more accurately, I hate the need for them because they pull me right out of the game world. Oh yes, I'm going to talk about immersion, even at the risk of inviting a bunch of anti-immersion comments. I'll even define the dreaded "I" word, though of course it's pretty subjective.
The Daily Grind: What are your four pillars of MMO gaming?
A few weeks ago, Massively's Star Wars: The Old Republic expert Larry Everett proposed that "ownership" or perhaps the broader term "immersion" should be considered one of the real four pillars of MMO gaming instead of the four that BioWare picked (combat, exploration, progression, and story). This sounds like a fun mind-challenge to me too because I don't think combat is actually essential to MMOs, I couldn't care less about stock progression, and I don't think any MMO can run a good story from the top down unless it's run by gamemasters. Surely we can come up with some better pillars. Stickiness would be my first pick; games need to keep people coming back because they want to come back, not because they feel they must. Community would make my list as something developers should develop intentionally rather than hope it happens offscreen. Setting to me is far more important than story since how seriously a studio takes its setting determines how invested players will be in their own stories. Customization would round out my quartet; our ability to take charge of our character's development, appearance, home, and activities is crucial to keeping us around. Taken together, those four echo Larry's column -- they're all about ownership in a game, something BioWare's pillars just don't address. What about you? If you were tasked with coming up with the four pillars of MMO gaming, what would they be? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
The Daily Grind: Would you like more client-side customization options?
Lord of the Rings Online's latest patch brings some interesting client-side changes to the long-running fantasy MMO. Namely, the update gives you the ability to turn off other players' cosmetic pets. Turbine's announcement post mentions that this will help if you're having performance problems, but it'll also help with immersion if, like me, you're one of those crazy Tolkien nutters who wants a Tolkien-based MMO to look like Tolkien's Middle-earth. In fact, I'd love to see the option expanded to include Loremaster combat pets, Runekeeper spell effects, and heck, even an ignore list that filters annoying players out of the game visually instead of just removing their chat. That last one may be technically impossible, but I can dream! What about you, Massively readers? Would you like to see more client-side customization options in your MMOs? If so, what sorts? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
The Daily Grind: What's your favorite fast travel gimmick?
Fast travel is ubiquitous in MMOs nowadays, but not every game goes the extra mile to make it an immersive experience. Star Wars: The Old Republic does, at least in my opinion, and I rediscovered as much when I logged in for a few minutes over the weekend. I picked up my Imperial Agent on Corellia where I'd left off some months before, but I'd forgotten about that spiffy sci-fi tram that speeds you to and from the planet's various quest districts. It's almost like a cutscene, and there may be some zone loading going on in the background, I don't know, but it's much better than a static transition screen with an image. What about you, Massively readers? Do you have a favorite fast travel gimmick? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Free for All: Can roleplay rise above the sexy stuff?
Recently I logged some time in Velvet Sundown, a new pseudo-MMO that places players into small, instanced roleplay groups of 11 characters aboard a ship in order to solve a mystery or to otherwise "win" a roleplay session. It sounds strange, but it really is a very interesting idea. Each character has a different angle on the game, and depending on how that character interacts with the others, he or she also has many different ways of achieving goals. The game also offer a decent text-to-speech tool that gives more life to the characters. I logged in and was assigned to play the character Malik, who was something of a wise man. My apparent goal was to find a spy, hire a thief to steal secrets, and look for other players who were from the same background. I was also assigned the task of blessing people in the hopes of gaining new disciples. Excited, I logged in and approached a group of players. Almost as soon as I did, I was disappointed. Within minutes several players were talking non-stop about women's underwear. At first I thought it was part of the story, but then I realized it was simply another great roleplay opportunity taken down by a few jerks.
The Daily Grind: What zones feel 'real' to you?
Let's face it: Some MMO game zones seem as real as a set on the stage of a high school play. They check off all of the fantastic features that give art directors goosebumps, but when you're in those areas you can't quite shake the feeling that it's a façade put on for your benefit. Then there are those special places that check off all of the boxes on your own list instead, gelling together to create an environment that feels utterly believable. I encounter these places in Lord of the Rings Online quite often, especially when I go through terrain types that exist in the real world but are rarely seen in games. Maybe I'm strange to get a thrill out of a fog-shrouded swamp, but it's better than another lava zone. So what MMO zone feels real to you? What gets you all well and properly immersed? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Immersion prototype headset tracks gamer rage, ramps up difficulty
Seattle-based designer Sam Matson developed a headset that tracks "gamer rage" and adjusts a custom game's difficulty to compensate for it. Dubbed "Immersion," Matson's headset uses an optical sensor that reads "minute color changes in the user's ear tissue to approximate a pulse." Matson's prototype headset includes both audio input and output channels in addition to the heart rate monitor, relaying information via bluetooth to a hacked Xbox 360 controller. He developed a custom shooter game using Unity that ramps up the difficulty as the player's heart race increases, encouraging the player to stay cool and collected. The Immersion headset isn't a commercially available product, and it's uncertain if it ever will be, but Matson does offer a few glances at the prototype model on his website.
Free for All: Five ways to create immersion in MMOs
Immersion. I've used the word so much over the past several years that it has almost lost all meaning. I've played around with my Immersion Project, a set of rules designed to force me to play in a way that creates an almost physical connection with my characters. I've written about immersion and why it is important. I've even played the other side and fell in love with MMOs that are seemingly designed to be anything but immersive. It's one of those flashy terms that sounds more complicated than it is. The fact is that it's important only to those who value it. And those who value it do not value it all the time. Immersion is simply a feeling of being lost in an MMO. It's the same feeling we get when reading a good book or when completely entrenched in a good movie. It's a feeling that designers must pay attention to, but if you pay too much attention to it, the game you design can miss the mark. So what defines immersion for me? Well, it's easier to list off some specific game elements that help me feel immersed.
Latest stretch goal speaks to Star Citizen's 'immersive, world-building experience'
Earlier this week Cloud Imperium released both a brochure and an in-engine video devoted to Star Citizen's Anvil Aerospace Hornet. Apparently the info dump was well-received, as the crowdfunded space sim passed the $24 million mark shortly thereafter. As per usual with each $1 million milestone, CIG head honcho Chris Roberts responded with a Letter from the Chairman and a sneak peek at upcoming stretch goals. This latest milestone unlocked public transportation, and while that may sound somewhat -- ahem -- pedestrian at first, consider Roberts' description. "A public transportation system may not seem as sexy as a new bomber or a cruiser, but it speaks directly to the goal of making Star Citizen an immersive, world-building experience," he says. "Instead of having a simple fast travel option like an MMORPG, Star Citizen will feature a living, breathing system to support that gameplay requirement... a system that will be impacted by the economy and player actions in all sorts of exciting ways!" Roberts also unveiled the game's $26 million stretch goal, which takes the form of expanded capital ship systems like damage control teams, bulkheads to slow boarders, and various navigation and engineering console management options.
The Daily Grind: What little things does your favorite MMO do well?
I'm enjoying Final Fantasy XIV quite a bit, and it's not just because of the spiffy multiclassing system or Square's gorgeous fantasy trappings. It's also the little things like the fact that my avatar emotes while sitting down as well as the addictive fishing minigame with its nifty animations and niftier fishing log. And let's not forget the sleepy-time arrangement of the traditional Final Fantasy victory theme as my character curls up on his inn room bed after a hard day of adventuring. What about you Massively readers? Surely you have a few small-but-essential features that keep you coming back to your favorite MMO. What are they? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Xiaomi unveils new Android-powered 5-inch MI3, 47-inch smart TV in China
We've had early previews thanks to leaks, but Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi -- more recently known as the new home of former Google exec Hugo Barra -- just took the wraps off of a new flagship Android phone and smart TV. The MI3 candy bar phone is available with either a 1.8GHz Tegra 4 processor or Snapdragon 800 CPU (the more powerful MSM8974AB variant), with the former heading to China Mobile's TD-SCDMA network, while the latter landing on China Unicom's WCDMA network and China Telecom's CDMA2000 network. Both flavors sport a 5-inch 1080p IPS LCD built by Sharp or LG with "ultra sensitive touch" that works even when the user has wet hands or has gloves on.
