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HTC's Vive Deluxe Audio Strap makes its VR headset more comfortable
Compared with Playstation VR and the Oculus Rift, HTC's Vive virtual reality headset is a bit of a face-hugger. It offers a window into beautiful virtual realms and boasts room-scale motion-tracking but, well, it's just not very comfortable. Soon, that may change. HTC just announced it's creating a Vive Deluxe Audio Strap to replace the headset's elastic headgear. Not only does the new strap look a lot more ergonomic, but it tacks on one of the Oculus Rift's most convenient features: built-in headphones.
'Magic Hour' is photography 101 in VR
Take it from people who take photos almost constantly: figuring out the finer points of manual photography can be tricky, especially for folks who rock that Auto mode all the time. That's why a new bit of software for the HTC Vive called Magic Hour seems like such a good idea. In exchange for $3.50 (and with the understanding the Steam Early Access title might be rough around edges), you're plopped onto a virtual pier and given an incredibly flexible camera and carte blanche to shoot as you please.
'Thumper' pulses its way to HTC Vive and Oculus Rift headsets
Thumper, the trippy rhythm game with a pulsing electronic soundtrack (no, the other one) was one of the surprise hits of PlayStation VR's launch. And now it's headed elsewhere. That's right, folks with HTC Vive and Oculus Rift headsets will be able to find the title in their store of choice now. The recently released update on Steam adds "basic support" for Oculus Touch and Vive wands as well. With what I've played of the game on PSVR though, I'm not sure how motion control is going to improve the experience -- a gamepad is a perfect fit as it is. But hey, Thumper in more places is hard to complain about.
The new Razer Blade Pro trades gimmicks for 4K gaming power
When Razer made its first laptop, it was a company best known for selling third-party gamepads and high-performance gaming mice. Premium gimmicks were the name of the game. The company routinely released products with 17 buttons, adjustable tension analog sticks or retractable parts. This flair for novelty carried over to Razer's first gaming notebook, which featured a set of 10 customizable keyboard buttons that each housed its own tiny LED display. It was neat, but the flagship laptop was soon overshadowed by a smaller, more powerful model. Now, the company is finally giving its original notebook the upgrades it deserves: a screaming new processor, the latest in graphics technology and a keyboard without the hindrance of the original's silly "Switchblade" interface. This is the new Razer Blade Pro.
Biggest names in VR band together to create industry standards
The world's most popular virtual reality headset makers have assembled. Google, Oculus, Sony, HTC, Samsung and Acer have come together to create a non-profit organization called the Global Virtual Reality Association (or the far snappier GVRA, for short). The association's goal is to "promote responsible development and adoption of VR globally," according to its website, and members will do so by researching, developing and sharing what it believes to be industry best practices.
Fly over Paris with all your VR friends in 'Eagle Flight'
While Microsoft and Sony sort out why one person playing Rocket League on a PlayStation 4 can't compete against someone on an Xbox One, VR developers are bringing everyone together regardless of which headset they own. The folks behind Eve: Valkyrie started it and now Ubisoft is on board as well with Eagle Flight.
ICYMI: Virtually globetrot in Google Earth
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: Google Earth just released an update that supports virtual reality, letting users teleport all around the globe, easily. So far it's free in Steam so anyone with an HTC Vive: Get going. Meanwhile Urban Aeronautics took its first pre-routed flight with a autonomous flying machine meant to be the air taxi first foretold in The Fifth Element. The 'ticking a GoPro on things' video from Sam and Niko is here, 'Quick, Draw!' is here (and God have mercy on your self-esteem if you ever play it). As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Google Earth is now available in VR
The virtual whole-Earth model that Google has been perfecting for over a decade has finally reached its next big step: Google Earth is now available in virtual reality. For the first time, users can walk through real city streets, fly through canyons and teleport to anywhere in the world all in an completely immersive VR experience.
'The Martian' VR experience comes home
It's been a long time coming, but The Martian VR Experience is finally ready. Fox has released its virtual reality take on the stranded-on-Mars movie (plus Andy Weir novel) for the HTC Vive and PlayStation VR, with Oculus Rift support coming soon. Spend $20 and you can fill the boots of astronaut Mark Watney as he struggles to survive and make it back to Earth, both in 3D sequences and 360-degree videos. As Fox explains to Variety, this isn't just a polished version of the demo we saw at CES in January -- there are many "technical and narrative improvements" that could make it feel fresh.
HTC Vive can do wireless VR with this $220 add-on
HTC is opening up pre-orders for a $220 add-on that cuts the Vive's wires and transforms it into a wireless VR headset. The peripheral that clips onto the device was made by a company called TPCAST and was designed under the Vive X program. If you'll recall, HTC launched the program to invest $100 million into startups looking to build accessories for the Vive. According to the company's interview with UploadVR, there'll be no "noticeable difference" when you use the device, implying that it won't turn VR experiences into laggy nightmares. HTC even promises that it will "greatly improve" the overall Vive experience.
VRMark will tell you if your PC is ready for Virtual Reality
Oculus and Valve's own virtual reality compatibility tests will tell you if your PC is VR-ready, but how ready is a bit of a specification guessing game. Will you be able to run games at their maximum settings, or are you just going to scrape past virtual reality's minimum requirements? Futuremark's trying to make that question easier to answer with a new benchmarking suite designed specifically for virtual reality.
HTC wants to bring back the arcade for its VR gear
HTC's high-end VR gear is expensive and takes up a fair amount of space that most people simply don't have. That's why the company is hoping to bring back the old-fashioned arcade in the hope of giving more people access to the future of gaming. At a VR developer conference, HTC announced that two popular titles are coming to Viveport Arcade, it's licensing platform enabling titles to be played in public spaces. It's hoped that the program will pave the way for businesses to create "thousands" of new arcades by the end of 2017.
'EVE: Valkyrie' blasts onto HTC Vive this month
EVE: Valkyrie might have started life as an Oculus Rift tech demo, but this month the space-shooter will arrive on Steam for HTC Vive owners. The exact release date is coming "soon," according to developer CCP Games. "We've also got some big celebrations planned for that weekend; all pilots on all platforms are invited," the blog post teases. Oh, and there's an announcement of some kind coming during the PlayStation Experience keynote this December 4th. Intriguing.
VR at comic cons isn't worth the hassle
There was plenty to see at this year's New York Comic Con, from the stars of the newest Netflix shows, to elaborate cosplay of superheroes and giant robots. However, it seemed like quite a few exhibitors would prefer that attendees spend their time in booths with virtual reality headsets strapped to their face. But instead of feeling like a pop-up arcade where fans could delve into the worlds of their favorite programs, many of the simulations felt like cheap marketing presentations. And, honestly, the technology and fans deserve so much better.
HTC Vive launches dedicated VR store for everything besides games
HTC is launching a new app store for its VR hardware. Viveport escapes beta testing today, showcasing all the other VR possibilities besides survival horror, shooting and such. The company is promising the hub will show off art, creativity tools, education apps and more -- hoping to surface things that might get lost in the depths of Steam's bigger catalogue. The store also includes Viveport Premieres: content that's debuting on the Vive headset, including Google Spotlight Stories' Petal, Stonehenge VR, The Music Room and more.
Roam the Valve HQ reception in VR and find the cake already
When the folks at Valve aren't fiddling with Steam, updating popular first-party franchises or working on wacky projects, they like to have a little fun. Or, at least the team working on Valve's Destinations VR title does. Destinations is a casual, multiplayer experience for exploring community-created worlds and playing simple games with friends. And now, as of the title's most recent update, anyone with a Vive or Rift can feel what it's like to venture inside the hallowed ground that is Valve HQ.
The best of the Tokyo Game Show 2016
The biggest gaming show outside of the US, the Tokyo Game Show has a different atmosphere that's all its own. While it's contracted and shrunk over the last few years, the heat and interest in virtual reality has reinvigorated the show -- regardless of the lack of an official Xbox or Nintendo presence. Sony may have already revealed two new consoles in the last month, but it wanted to remind everyone that it has a virtual reality headset coming out. In short: lots of VR, PlayStation and domestic-centered games, sprinkled with just enough weird.
Futuretown's modular platform turns VR into simulator rides
When we last met Futuretown's CEO Johan Yang back in February, his startup appeared to be merely a virtual reality game studio, with its popular title Cloudlands: VR Minigolf currently owning 30 percent of the HTC Vive market share. Today, the company is entering the hardware space by announcing its 5D Totalmotion at the Tokyo Game Show. This aptly-named device is a cylindrical motion feedback machine that can fit any module on top to simulate different types of scenarios, such as riding, standing and seated experiences. To demonstrate these, Futuretown also announced four new VR games: Whiteout: Ski VR, Infinity Rider: Motorcycle VR, Wave Breaker: Surf VR and Stallion Adventures: Horse Riding VR.
Oculus Story Studios won its first Emmy for an interactive film
Virtual reality is an art form that's still in its early stages. Headsets, like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, were only released this year, and people still need to be convinced that VR can be a powerful new way to tell and experience movies, TV shows, and video games. In what could be a tipping point for the VR industry, Facebook-owned Oculus won its first Emmy for Outstanding Original Interactive Program for its animated VR short film, Henry.
Live out your lumberjack dreams in a VR chainsaw simulator
Virtual reality can teleport you into space, the bottom of the ocean and, soon, a version of Boston devastated by nuclear war. On the flip side, the immersive medium can be used for more primitive occupations and pastimes. Remember this forklift truck simulator from Gamescom? Well, now there's something (potentially) even better: Limberjack, an ultra-realistic chainsaw simulator. With a Vive headset and two wand controllers, you can grab one of man's favorite weapons and cut some branches from a downed tree. In the professional lumberjack world, this is called "limbing," and is used regularly as part of logging championships.
