In an interview with the Gaming Business Review, an online site ran by M2 Publishing, Tim Sweeney detailed recent developments in Epic Games, as well as his visions of the future.

The interview obviously took place during Game Developer’s Conference 2015, which is traditionally held in San Francisco, CA. We highly recommend that you head there and read the whole interview, but we could not miss out on a question that is shaping the industry right now:

GBR: How big do you see virtual reality becoming over the next five to ten years as a business?

TS: Virtual reality and Augmented Reality will literally change the world. They will be the next computing platform.  There’s a market for billions of these devices because everybody who has a smartphone today will — perhaps in as much as decade from now — much prefer entertainment in a completely immersive experience that takes advantage of your entire field of view and has full body input through miniaturized cameras and other technologies.  But we’re in the early days of it now.  Let’s be clear, everything is in the development kit stage.  It is for early adopters and what we’re seeing now is really just the Palm Pilot to the platform that will evolve into something iPhone-like in its quality.

There’s no point in denying it, after seeing billions of dollars earned by 3D movies which rely on ‘cheap tricks’ to achieve depth (try finding animated feature movies without 3D being the ‘default’ option), next step will bring us technologies such as Microsoft Hololens, production versions of Facebook-owned Oculus VR (John Carmack keynote) and second-generation Google Glass, which is developed in near-secrecy by the search giant and a practical monopoly in glasses, Italian giant Luxottica.

After operating for almost 20 years as an independent studio, Epic Games made waves across the gaming and development community when they accepted an investment from Tencent Holdings (HKG:0700) last June (2014). The Chinese powerhouse paid up $330 million for 48.4% of the company, setting the valuation just a bit below $680 million.

Tim Sweeney continued to be the CEO, while his lifelong business partner Mark Rein still continues as in his role of Vice President.  Not selling themselves outright like idSoftware did with ZeniMax Media, Epic Games continues to be independent studio, consisting out of product (games) and technology development units. Their recent announcement about making Unreal Engine ‘free’ opens a path for even more ‘premium freemium’ titles which base their revenue model on microtransactions.

The post Tim Sweeney: Virtual Reality will Literally Change the World appeared first on VR World.

Hello, how are you?

Yes, it is me, the guy who decided to get out of all the CPU or GPU tests and reviews almost a decade ago. And do I feel regret? Can’t I wait to jump right back into it like Michael Schumacher, God bless him, when he returned to F1 with rather mixed results? Trust me, and please believe me I don’t mean to offend anyone, but the days of motherboard reviews and sleepless nights spent trying and testing the latest and greatest PC components are gone for good.

Funny as it is, time has not stood still in the last eight years, since I finally turned my back on Tom’s Hardware, oh yes, with money in my pocket, yet that wasn’t and couldn’t have been the reason why I was oh-so tired of it all. True enough, there are still those who care about a new chipset, new motherboards, new graphics cards, even overclocking, but the numbers have dwindled and why? Because the PC is dying, along with it the notebook, go figure!

We are running out of excuses for building or buying a new PC system, a new motherboard, a juicier power supply and even a new graphics card. What is so power hungry that would justify the pain, the expense and the time spent on such a project? The latest computer game? Yes, for years that was the one last stand for the power users, but let’s be honest, how many really good games have been released in recent years? Do we really want to sink tons of money into the hottest new components, just to be bored to tears by yet another first person shooter with yet even greater graphics, but a thin or even idiotic story, or a totally dissatisfying end?

So what are we looking at today? Oh yes, there would be this company named Apple. It came out with the greatest gift to man, the first ever true smart phone. Boy did that revolutionise the world, hasn’t it? Today, years later, we are at the nth reiteration of the iPhone, we acknowledge the iPad, we look at all the Android devices, but do we still feel the excitement we experienced when 3dfx, long gone but not forgotten, released Voodoo2? Do you remember that time? Oh how pathetic it looks today, but weren’t we blown away back then? Are we shaking in excitement the same way over the iWatch, or Nvidia’s latest addition to the world or 3D-graphics? Not really, right?

Much has happened in my life in the last eight years. Today, I am the husband to a beautiful wife and the father of an amazing 6-month old boy. Family life has got me in its grip, and I would not want to have it any other way.  You know what upsets my little son the most? It’s mommy or daddy reaching for and staring into their smartphone, instead of giving him the attention he wants as well as deserves. Oh yes, I am a smartphone addict like the next man, but little Ciarán’s disdain for this device made me realise that this cannot possibly the future of mankind.

It makes us antisocial assholes – thank you so much Apple – and if we should believe that our future might go along the lines of the Terminator movies, then becoming antisocial would have to be the first step of humanity losing what it takes to differentiate itself from and be better than ‘the machines’. I am not gonna be a daddy who hands his child an iPad once he turns one and a half years old. I made that oath, and believe me, I am still as technology savvy and hungry as you remember me, but not at any price!

People asked me to talk about how the PC and other technology business evolved to what we are looking at today, but I better be careful, feeling a little bit of an outsider who hasn’t been invited to the hush-hush back rooms, the trade shows or intimate dinners with vendors for a long time. What I can see is Samsung going to produce everything, and the kitchen sink soon, focusing along with other Asian producers on creating yet the best copy of something invented by somebody else. I see Intel apparently busy digging its own grave, Microsoft also somewhat out of wits, the Taiwanese producers, Asus et al., concentrating on squeezing the last little bit of margin, so they can continue selling their stuff just that little bit cheaper once again, and Apple predominantly concentrating on making money, rather than creating something the world is really waiting for.

My dear friend Anthony, fellow dedicated daddy as well as technology editor, suggested I should write about VR and I would love to. When it comes to gaming, it seems to be the next big thing. However, I haven’t played with it yet, so who am I to comment? I’ll get my hands on one of those funky devices as soon as possible though, and I can’t wait sharing Anthony’s genuine excitement about this technology, … or not.

I have the request to give my view of what things will be like in 2030, and what to tell your child now in preparation for our glorious future. I used to be asked that kind of question a lot in bygone times, and my answer was always the same – I ain’t no oracle! I was just about to go there and embarrass myself, but the word count of my article made me reconsider, so why not wrap things up by speaking about the current state of computer journalism? Has it evolved, improved, withered? Well the landscape has changed, hasn’t it?

It feels very much as if all the good guys are gone, while the bad ones still remain. It has become more and more popular rewording press releases rather than doing research, hard work and arriving at one’s own point of view. I wish I could say why. If you allow me taking a wild guess, I would say it has plenty to do with balls versus greed. If it is money that you are after in this business, you cannot possibly say you’re searching for ‘the truth’ or ‘justice’ or – modestly – ‘the best interest of your reader’, can you? What it takes is drive, ambition, a certain level of fearlessness and inspiration. You have that and the money will come by itself. Just watch it arrive, nod if you have to and continue with your mission.

I have joined a team of people with ambition, balls and the determination to provide quality. I would not be writing this, would I not firmly believe in it. I never wanted to return to publishing, because it is a rather ugly business. However, things are going to change, and I have my own little idea how the publishing of old will be turned into something brand new and very exciting.

I have enjoyed writing this, certainly not exactly ground breaking or overly meaningful little piece and I can’t wait getting back into the scene and mixing things up my way. Give me a chance to assimilate all that I might have missed before I can give any kind of fundamental guidance. I’ll be there.

Tom’s back, for better or worse.

The post Thomas Pabst: Is the Computing Business Getting Boring? appeared first on VR World.

Virtual reality is undoubtedly an immersive feast for the eyes, and accompanied by surround sound headphones that pump in realistic high-def sounds to our ears, users are pulled into a digital world.

But what about our other senses? What about those who actually want to smell their digital universe?

The attachment is a novel idea, but as you can see it’s a rather bizarre piece of hardware that traps your visage in a claustrophobic mask that looks quite uncomfortable.

The FeelReal Mask is a curious VR peripheral that aims at injecting more “reality” into your virtual reality sessions by simulating the sense of smell to virtual reality (yes, really). It will also deliver minor temperature fluctuations to simulate hot air, wind and even water mist.

It’s rightly labeled as a “mask” considering when you strap it on to VR hardware you’re pretty much obscuring your entire face, trapping your features in a bizarre claustrophobic contraption for the sake of “total immersion”.

The FeelReal Mask as showcased at GDC 2015. (Photo Credit: The Verge)

Since you’re mouth will be completely covered up, the mask features a Bluetooth microphone to ensure you’re not completely vocally cut-off from the outside world.

It seems like a novel concept from the start, but once you see what you have to go through to get your senses doused in the “full VR presence”, the FeelReal Mask will most likely scare everyone off. Smell is an inherently important sense, and is more closely tied to memory than any other of our five senses, so successfully tapping this reservoir could lead to potential interactive gold.

But how does the mask work? Loaded with a cartridge that produces seven unique smells that waft through “odor generating vents”, the oddity is tethered to the headset by Bluetooth and powered by a battery with a four-hour life cycle.

Hot and cool air are funneled through dual-sided vents along your upper cheekbones to simulate wind and the like, whereas the water mist lightly sprays at separate dual-sided vents along your cheeks.

The “odor generator” is right under your nose–like literally right under your schnozz while wearing the headset–and delivers the following scents:

• Ocean
• Jungle
• Fire
• Grass
• Powder
• Flowers
• Metal

The mask is attachable to just about every piece of VR tech out there including the Oculus Rift, Project Morpheus, Valve’s Vive headset and even Zeiss VR One.

The Verge tried out the hardware at GDC 2015 and likened it to “smell-o-vision” for VR.

The publication described it as “strapping a foam block over your mouth and nose, putting yourself at the mercy of its air vents,” and saying that it’s basically a “gas mask arranged into a little smiling face.”

While the FeelReal Mask is certainly a unique specimen in terms of adding smell to VR, we’ve seen other peripherals that aim to bring total immersion to the virtual world.

Hardware like the Dexmo exoskeleton from Dexta Robotics and the mo-capping CyberGlove are helping bring the sense of touch to virtual reality, laying the framework for technologies that could very well introduce hardware of Lawnmower Man-like proportions.

But I think senses like smell (and taste for that matter) are best left to the real world.

The post FeelReal Brings Sense of Smell To Virtual Reality appeared first on VR World.

The biggest companies in the Augmented and Virtual Reality space are coming to Austin on March 16 for AR/VR Austin.

Attendees at AR/VR Austin will have the chance to try out the latest VR displays and controllers from Seebright, OSVR, and Sixense. AR/VR Austin is a cooperative effort by the sponsoring companies, organized by Praevidi with help from Upload and SVVR.

“Augmented and Virtual Reality are at the peak of anticipation but the most up to date technology has only been experience by a small number or developers and enthusiasts. This is an opportunity for visitors to Austin for SXSW Interactive and the Austin tech community to experience these cutting edge technologies for the first time,” said Simon Solotko, the CMO of Augmented Reality Pioneer Seebright and co-founder of Praevidi, in a statement.

The state of the art in immersive content will be on display at AR/VR Austin with demonstrations from Jaunt, Littlstar, Rewind and a host of independent content and game developers.

“The impact of Immersive content, and cinematic VR in particular, will be profound this year.  The ability to experience music, education, travel and narrative as if you were ‘there’ is a game changing event in the way people consume content,” added  Scott Brock, VP of Content at Jaunt, in a press release. “SXSW and AR/VR Austin present the perfect opportunity to meet with the creators and storytellers that will push this new medium forward and to share some of our latest work.”

Tickets are available now from Eventbright.

The post AR/VR Austin Brings Leading Augmented and Virtual Reality Developers to SXSW appeared first on VR World.

Sony (NYSE: SNE) has recently confirmed that the Project Morpheus VR headset will require a wired connection to “ensure high-speed data transfers”.

Speaking with Gamespot at this year’s Game Developers Conference (GDC 2015), President of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida had some interesting things to say about the company’s new virtual reality peripheral.

According to Yoshida, Project Morpheus’ internal hardware is “pretty much done”, but the Japanese console-maker will continue to add in “lots of tweaks and improvements” before it’s ready to ship.

Earlier at GDC Sony slated an early 2016 release window for the VR headset, revealing a slew of specs and a brand new prototype to be demoed at the event.

But there’s something the prototype assets seemed to leave out: the required wire that tethers the headset to the PlayStation 4, and an extra box that will basically process the image data directly to the headset.

Although its a prototype model, this press pic doesn’t adequately portray the headset’s required direct-wired connectivity.

During the interview Yoshida state that Sony won’t be releasing a wireless flavor of Project Morpheus, stating that wired HDMI connections were a must to transfer full 1080p HD at refresh rates of 120Hz–which is responsible for that “immersive VR feel”.

Essentially a wired connection is required to maintain the headset’s reduced latency rate (less than 18 milliseconds) to keep that authentic virtual presence. If there’s too much lag, the illusion of VR breaks down entirely.

It’s worth mentioning that all VR headsets, from the Oculus Rift to the newly announced HTC Vive, will be wired to their respective sources.

Since Project Morpheus’ source is the PlayStation 4, that means an extra bit of hardware is needed to ensure the PS4’s only HDMI out slot isn’t taken up by the headset.

Sony will ship the Project Morpheus with an external “Processing Box” that attaches via HDMI and USB, and currently has its own power input, meaning things are going to get even more trip-worthy.

Yoshida says that the 1080p video signals are being sent to the headset, meaning data is being fed from the PS4 through the external processing box and out towards the headset.

Richard Marks, Sony’s Director of Research and Development, explained what the external box actually does in a recent interview with Tested at GDC 2015:

“We call it a PU, and it’s a box that takes the output from the playstation 4 and it splits it, splits it for something for the headset and something for the television.

And it does this conversion of the 120Hz output of a PS4 that something a TV can display, and it doesn’t get warped. That let’s the people in the room that are there to see what you’re seeing.”

According to Digital Foundry, the Processing Box “features a processor that runs the social screen – an external display output that takes one of the stereoscopic views, ‘undistorts’ the image, zooms into the main area of interest and beams it out via HDMI to your HDTV”.

Essentially Morpheus will need to be tethered to the console by way of this external processing box at all times in order to function, which seems to go against the sleek, stylish form factor that Sony tries to depict.

So in order to operate Project Morpheus you’re going to need an ecosystem of PlayStation products: the PlayStation Camera, the PlayStation 4 that powers it, the external processing box, and a DualShock 4 or PlayStation Move controller to interact with it.

And, of course, the VR headset itself.

One of Sony’s major tenets with Project Morpheus is a “user friendly design”, but instead of focusing on environments outside of VR, they just ensure the headset is physically comfortable to wear.

Good news is the controllers will be wireless, but they’re a modified version of the PlayStation Move free-hand peripherals which are basically Sony’s answer to the Wiimote. The DualShock 4 is also compatible with the headset if you prefer a more direct gamepad approach.

Bear in mind the recent photos of the Project Morpheus are prototypes, and they’re not finalized, so that’s probably why we aren’t seeing the dangling HDMI cord or the extra processing box in any of the photos.

While this isn’t something that will necessarily inhibit your experience with Sony’s VR hardware, it can help you better understand the logistics of the device and how to weigh your expectations before 2016.

Yoshida also had something to say about Project Morpheus’ games library. It looks like Sony is having a hard time winning over publishers to the new hardware, as AAA has its thriving home base centered on the current console and PC platforms.

The Project Morpheus looks quite sleek in this state, but it’s non-operable. The reality resembles something a little different.

“Large publishers tend to wait until there’s enough of an install base,” he said, discussing how VR is still an early gambit for most big-name publishers. To help resolve the gap, Yoshida affirms that Sony’s first-party studios are making VR-ready games for the platform.

In any case, let this be a reminder that it might be too soon to get super excited about virtual reality.

Thing are going to be messy, and there are going to be cables and peripherals everywhere–look at the Vive’s ecosystem that’s comprised of the SteamVR Lighthouse, Vive Controller, the VR headset, and the fact that you’ll need to wire it up to a PC.

And it’s likely going to be expensive, too. So tamper your expectations and save your cash, and we’ll do our best to point you in the right direction.

The post Sony: Project Morpheus VR Headset Won’t Be Wireless appeared first on VR World.

Sony (NYSE: SNE) Computer Entertainment President of Worldwide Studios Shuhei Yoshida took the stage at GDC 2015 today to unveil new details on the company’s Project Morpheus VR headset, including specifications and a 2016 release window.

“Project Morpheus will be launching as a consumer product the first half of 2016,” Sony said in a recent Tweet.

A new prototype was revealed on-stage, along with “near-finalized specs” that underlines the VR headset has very low latency that’s registered at under 18 milliseconds to increase “immersion in virtual reality”, and features new dual 5.7 inch 1920 x  1080 OLED displays with a 120 Hz refresh rate.

“Our goal with VR is to deliver a sense of presence, making the player feel as though they’ve stepped inside the world of a game. The new Project Morpheus prototype brings us closer to that goal, as it improves the visual experience and tracking accuracy, both of which are critical to achieving sense of presence.”

The prototype also sports more accurate position tracking thanks to three new LED’s for a total of nine LED’s for “robust 360 degree tracking”.

• OLED display: In exchange for the 5 inch LCD, the new Morpheus VR headset is equipped with a 5.7 inch 1920 X RGB X 1080 resolution OLED display. This new screen expands the field of view and enables low persistence, removing motion blur.

• 120hz refresh rate: The previous refresh rate spec has been doubled for this new prototype, which means games for Morpheus can be rendered at 120fps. When combined with the OLED display’s high refresh rate and the power of PS4, Morpheus is able to output amazingly smooth visuals.

• Super low latency: We know how critical low latency is to delivering a great VR experience, and we’ve reduced latency to less than 18ms, about half of what the first Morpheus prototype had. Low latency is critical to deliver a sense of presence, at the same time making the VR experience comfortable to players.

• More accurate tracking: To make positional tracking more precise, we’ve added three LEDs to the headset – one on the front and two on the side – for a total of nine LEDs to support robust 360 degree tracking.

• User-friendly design: We’ve made the Morpheus VR headset easier to put on and take off, with a single band design and quick release button. The headband supports the weight of the unit on the top of your head, so there is no pressure on your face. Other components have also been adjusted and configured to make the headset lighter, so that players do not find the headset cumbersome or uncomfortable to use.

As revealed before, Project Morpheus will be compatible with the PlayStation 4 and will feature PlayStation Move-like peripherals for wireless controller input.

It’ll be interesting to see how Project Morpheus continues to take shape throughout the months, and how Sony aims to finalize the peripheral’s design.

While VR might still be new in various ways, it looks to be the undisputed future for gaming as a whole, but Sony will have its work cut out for them when they take on big rivals in the VR sector like Valve’s and HTC’s Vive as well as the Oculus Rift.

The post Sony’s Project Morpheus VR Headset Coming First Half of 2016 appeared first on VR World.

Valve has confirmed that it won’t be holding a big press conference at GDC 2015 today, contrary to rampant internet rumors of a Half-Life 3 reveal on 3/3 at 3pm.

The news comes straight from Kotaku, who spoke to Valve marketing director Doug Lombardi to confirm the whole thing is a “big mix up”. Valve apparently has no plans to hold any kind of huge press conference today at GDC.

It turns out the confused 3pm “event” is actually a game physics presentation from Valve programmer Sergiy Migdalskiy that aims at teaching “fundamental elements and practical considerations for using collision detection and physics simulations in games”

How did this happen?

HTC and Valve have teamed up to make the Vive VR headset a reality, leading to speculation that Half-Life 3 could be a perfect launch title.

On the heels of HTC (TPE: 2498) ‘s big announcement in partnering with Valve to make their VR headset “Vive” a reality, gamers started speculating that Half-Life 3 would be a perfect game to release on the new peripheral. It could be a match made in heaven, and it would certainly shake up the games industry.

Then a particular BBC News article came up that seemingly cemented the news. The article had a quote from HTC Chairwoman Cher Wang saying that “We are co-operating with Half-life, and I think… I hope, you know, it will be on it.”

This little bit of interview text had gamers speculating rapidly across forums and social media, fueled to an inferno thanks to this little tidbit in the BBC article:

“Valve is expected to provide more details about the launch at its own presentation at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco on Tuesday.”

In reality, Wang’s words have been misconstrued; she “hopes” that Half-Life will be on the Vive VR headset–but we all know how far rumors have been known to reach. Plus the BBC article in question has been updated with the following text that pretty much nixes hope.

“But the BBC understands that Valve’s own employees were surprised by Ms Wang’s comments as they were not working on a Half-life game for the new helmet at the moment,” an update on the article reads.

The part about a press conference on March 3 at 3pm was mostly fabricated by Reddit posts, which then spread across to Twitter and pretty much had the entire gaming world expecting to see a Half-Life 3 reveal in the afternoon.

Chances are that if Valve’s own marketing director says that it’s a “big mix up”, then it most assuredly is.

This is just another one of those failed Half-Life 3 rumors that drove the internet into a frenzy, and we’ll likely see more rumors spawn until Valve issues some sort of concrete news.

Source: Kotaku

The post Valve Won’t Be Holding GDC 2015 Press Conference After All appeared first on VR World.

Mozilla has brought users one step closer to experiencing the virtual web by including WebVR — an API for browsers specifically designed for VR content — into the latest nightly and developer builds of the browser.

WebVR is currently compatible with the Oculus VR, Gear VR, as well as Google Cardboard. Future headset compatibility is planned as the API matures.

Though WebVR is far from mainstream, and only a handful of applications exist for it, its creators hope one day users would be able to peer into a virtual world offered by some web pages. For example, a car manufacturer would be able to give potential buyers a VR tour of a vehicle allowing users to view it from all angles before making a decision.

However, WebVR isn’t yet in the “mainstream” builds of Firefox. That will have to wait until the API is more mature.

We’re still making rapid improvements and changes to both the VR interfaces and the necessary platform support pieces. Once WebVR is more complete, we’ll discuss shipping plans to our Beta and Release builds,” Mozilla wrote in a blog post.

For the time being Mozilla has launched MozVR, a website dedicated to giving users examples of the potential of VR on the web.

The post Prepare to Surf the VR Web With Firefox appeared first on VR World.

During the Windows 10 showcase, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) today revealed its very own contender in VR hardware: Project HoloLens.

Project HoloLens is a headset that ultimately aims to merge projected holographic overlays with VR, with a host of practical applications.

Using the device, users can interact with projected 3D images that are “blended with your real world” and can “integrate with your physical places, spaces, and things”.

Essentially the goggle-laden headset can project semi-transparent holograms onto real-world objects, and users can create, shape and share their personalized images on a whim. This means that any environment could be a potential digital canvas for a wide variety of activities.

HoloLens opens up a veritable galaxy of possibilities, and the technology is rife with potential.

Gaming, for one, could be completely revolutionized with this technology. Imagine being able to project your favorite game via a portable screen on any surface–breaking gaming outside of the screen itself.

The new technology is powered by Windows 10, and Microsoft affirms that HoloLens is completely wireless with intuitive voice and gesture controls. Along with the holographic display, spatial sound will immerse users into their own creations for a genuine VR experience.

Project HoloLens’ images are entirely made up of specifically manipulated light particles rendered by the device’s “light engine”.

As Wired puts it in their hands-on preview, “light particles bounce around millions of times in the so-called ‘light-engine’, then the photons enter the goggles’ two lenses, where they ricochet between layers of blue, green and red glass before they reach the back of your eye.”

Exact details on Project HoloLens are scare at this point, and development on the technology is still in its early stages. VR in itself is still an early frontier, as the pioneering Oculus Rift headset is still being refined and tweaked, and it might be years before HoloLens is ready for consumer use.

We’ll likely hear more about HoloLens’ other practical applications–like gaming–during the Games Developer Conference (GDC 2015) in March.

The post Microsoft’s HoloLens Merges Holograms With VR appeared first on VR World.

The new Samsung (KRX:000830) VR headset add-on for use with only its Galaxy Note 4 has arrived for sale on Samsung’s store for $199.99.  The device is power by Oculus-driven software to provide an immersive virtual reality experience using the Note 4 Super AMOLED display and the device itself to run the software.

Samsung stirred up a lot of talk earlier this year with the announcement that it was going to have an add-on for the Galaxy Note 4 that would make the pair a VR headset.  The Samsung Gear VR Innovator edition just popped up on the store for sale at Samsung’s website.  The good news is that this is only a $199.99 investment for those who already have a Galaxy Note 4.  The bad news for those who want to try it out and do not already own a Galaxy Note 4, is that the Gear VR  will only work with the Note 4.  This add-on most definitely will help to get more people buying the Note 4 than would if there wasn’t the Gear VR add-on.  This is a good move by Samsung for not only helping to drive VR innovation, but also to help its bottom line.  The Gear VR has access to Oculus store to have access to a fresh supply of ever growing content.

The Gear VR Innovator Edition comes with the headset, a carrying case, a replacement face cushion, a lens cloth, 16GB microSD memory card with the starter content pre-loaded, SD card adapter, user manual, and the warranty statement.  The controls that the headset has are a touchpad, a dedicated back button, focus adjustment wheel, volume keys, and a phone lock button.

Right now for those who purchase the Gear VR Innovator Edition there is two coupon codes to help get a discount for accessories.  The Samsung Gamepad is $30 off with the coupon code STAVR1, and the Samsung Gear Circle headset is $20 off with the coupon code STAVR2.

The post Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition On Sale Now appeared first on VR World.

Mionix, a Swedish company that makes quality gaming peripherals has taken to Kickstarter to fund its Quantified Gaming mouse project.  The mouse has heart rate and galvanic skin response sensors and track that data in real-time allowing players to analyze their data.  The company hopes to raise $100,000 for its project by January 13th, 2015 so that it can make the project a reality.

The NAOS QG is a gaming mouse that has sensors that track heart rate using an optical heart rate sensor and a galvanic skin response sensor that can help monitor a user’s stress levels.  Data from the mouse is also collected to provide information on actions a minute and movement data.  All of these monitored data streams can be selected in the NAOS QG’s software to select what will be logged and shown on an on-screen display.  The recorded data will allow the users to go back and analyze their game-play. and the software will automatically take a screenshot when a peak in the data is logged.

The early-bird special for this mouse was at $79 shipped but all 300 of those have been snapped up already.  The current lowest that one can be reserved or bought for is $89 shipped.  The suggested retail price when the mouse hits the market will be at $129, so if you are interested in saving some money and being an early adopter get over to Kickstarter to buy one.  And what really is icing on the cake with the new technology is that the company will have free and open APIs.  They are encouraging other developers and hackers to have fun with seeing what they can do with the tech.  Mionix thinks it would be awesome to have sweat  running down a character’s eyes in BF5 when the mouse sensors detect that the user is perspiring.  That does indeed sound like something awesome, and linking it to a VR device would make possible even more in game quirks.

The post Mionix Goes To Kickstarter With Its Sensor Packed Mouse appeared first on VR World.

The Japanese battleship Yamato is regarded as one of the largest warships ever built. Though it was eventually defeated, this flagship’s legacy serves as an inspiration to our modern age. In fact, one Japanese crowdfunding project is about to relive its most glorious days.

Japanese indie game designer Mutsuya Nishino had recently opened a project at Japan’s crowdfunding website CampFire. Named as the Yamato VR Restoration Project, it detailed rebuilding the historical battleship Yamato, albeit in virtual reality. The basic outline of the project is to completely reconstruct the battleship inside and out, with users getting a personal tour of the entire naval vessel using the Oculus Rift.

Sounds pretty simple right? While designing the interior of the vessel is already a challenge unto itself, much of the project’s hurdles lie on making the virtual battleship fully functional. Its gargantuan 45 Caliber Type 94 guns for example need to mechanically work like the real thing. The engine room must be period accurate, and it must have the overall feel of a classic World War II warship cruising towards the heat of battle. The project even proposes the use of NPCs, dressed for the proper time period of course, to guide users around the ship.

For the time being, there aren’t any sample images to show just yet, but the developer guarantees that the project is no ordinary crowdfunded undertaking. The outline of the project even discussed the possibility of porting the simulator to be compatible with Sony’s Project Morpheus VR headset, should the campaign prove successful.

Interested individuals in Japan may have the basic VR data package by pledging at least 5,000 yen ($41.00). A bigger 20,000 yen ($166.00) would give the user an additional option to tour the ship as part of its crew (nameplates, decals, records, etc.). A much heftier 150,000 yen ($1250.00) is required for the captain’s seat, which would also include every single extra of other previous packages, a number of other exclusive perks, and a full 3D model of the user.

The project is scheduled to start around February 2015, after it achieves its target funding goal.

Update: The project is now currently funded at 865,000 yen ($7,500.00) which now very near to the project’s target funding (1,000,000 yen).

The post Japan’s Largest Historical Warship Gets a VR Refit appeared first on VR World.

The consumer version of the Oculus headset is closer to reality than ever before, but it’s still not on the immediate horizon according to Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe.

“It’s months, not years away, but many months,” Iribe said at the Web Summit 2014 in Dublin according to The Next Web. “We’re getting very close. We’re all hungry for it to happen.”

Iribe also said that the Crescent Bay version of the headset is “largely finalized for a consumer product.”

Until now and when the product launches Iribe says that one of the big challenges is creating an input device that as immersive as the headset itself. Traditional game controllers or a keyboard and mouse setup just won’t cut it as it would ruin the immersive experience.

But Oculus has yet to commit to a solid timeline for release. Under the banner of “we have to get it right”, the company refuses to set a definite release date — even year.  With Facebook  (NASDAQ: FB) now backing Oculus, the company has no shortage of funds to draw upon for research and development. There isn’t an incentive to get the headset out the door prematurely, so it may be late 2015 or early 2016 before it sees a commercial release.

The post A Retail Version of Oculus is Still a Long Way Off appeared first on VR World.

Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) has published its third quarter 2014 results, in which its revenues, growth and earnings have surpassed analyst expectations for the period. Notable in its report is a stark change in how the company monetizes its advertising network. First, ad impressions have fallen, but revenues per impression have increased, signifying improvements in quality and engagement. Second, mobile is on the rise, growing from almost 50% in Q3 2013 to 66% in the recent quarter. With an established collection of assets like WhatsApp and Instagram, Facebook is likewise set to make a big push for its cross-platform ad network throughout 2015.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg detailed the company’s near-, medium- and long-term strategies in an investor guidance call, and he says the company expects a drastic shift in computing platforms in 10 to 15 years’ time. Facebook is banking on virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to play a big part. “Every 10 to 15 years, a new major computing platform arrives and we think that virtual and augmented reality are important parts of this upcoming next platform,” says Zuckerberg. He cites how Facebook is working closely with developers and device-makers like Samsung in order to shore up support for Oculus, the Rift and its VR platform.

Much work has to be done, however. “It needs to rich a very large sale — 50 million to 100 million units — before it will really be a very meaningful thing as a computing platform,” Zuckerberg says, regarding the traction that AR and VR needs in order to be considered relevant.

Read the full story on VR World’s sister site, Bright Side of News*.

The post Facebook Banks on VR as the Future of Computing appeared first on VR World.

We know it; VR is now all the craze. This is evidently proven by the numerous design ideas and hardware concepts jumping into its bandwagon. Archos, apparently seeing the mainstream future of VR, had also announced its own VR headset, which might actually look a lot familiar to some already.

The Archos VR headset is, by design, fundamentally similar to other already announced smartphone-based VR headsets such as Samsung’s Gear VR. You slide a smartphone on it, make a few adjustments, launch some special apps if there are any, and wear it to enjoy the 3D show. In fact, the similarities actually make it a lot more parallel to a certain Japanese VR headset that was introduced a while back, being that it touts the use of almost any smartphone on the unit.

The Archos VR headset is compatible with smartphones up to 6-inches in diagonal size, which means that it can slide a lot of different models and units on it. Of course, to fully utilize its 3D VR display capabilities a la Oculus Rift, you will need a unit with at least 1080p HD screen.

While we all agree that the concept is not really original anymore, the Archos VR headset tries to cater to the upcoming VR market by offering a price point that can be considered as more friendly to casual users.  True, at an equivalent price of about $29.99, it might not be as cheap as Google Cardboard, but it’s not as clunky to use either, and there are a lot less DIY hoops to worry about. Incidentally, the price is also a lot similar to that previously mentioned Japanese VR headset.

Archos claims that the VR headset is compatible with over 100 VR apps.  It can also let you watch 3D videos and movies using its Archos Video Player app, and the company promises to release a stereoscopic 3D optional add-on to the device later on.

The post Archos’ VR Headset Can Use Any Smartphone appeared first on VR World.

Consumers will soon be able to actually feel digital objects in virtual reality.

A tech firm known as Dexta Robotics is crafting the Dexmo F2, a specially-made exoskeleton that folds over a users hand to simulate the sensation of touch in VR environments. The device will apparently be compatible with the Oculus Rift, and may even transition to other VR platforms.

Originally spotted by Kotaku, a representative from the company launched an AMA on the Oculus Reddit to raise awareness on the Dexmo peripheral and to explain how it works.

“How does it work? On the thumb and the index finger exoskeleton there are two additional piece of hardware that we invested a lot of time developing, called the force feedback unit, which is essentially a miniaturized gear disk breaking system.

“It works like this: when the avatar you are controlling hits a digital object, a signal is sent back via our SDK to Dexmo F2 and the small actuators actuates, brakes the joint and locks the exoskeleton.

“When you further bend your finger inwards, a normal force will be created on your fingertip. (FYI, this is patent pending in the state(s), and we got our very first patent for Dexmo approved in China).”

The Dexmo will be compatible with the STEM System for a “full-body” VR experience.

At its core the wearable exoskeleton captures hand motion and then processes that information across the the Oculus Rift, ultimately leading to a new realm of VR interactivity.

Dexmo will also work in conjunction with emerging wireless mo-tracking systems like the STEM system along with the prestigious Perception Neuron system. Both of these emerging platforms aim to bring an immersive full-body experience to virtual reality.

But it appears that sense of touch will be limited to a “there” and “not there” capacity. Users won’t be able to feel varying degrees of touch, like, say, feeling the softness of velvet, but harder objects like walls and metal will induce sensation.

The original Dexmo looks steampunk-ish and intimidating, but Dexta affirms that the exoskeleton is safe for regular use.

To the everyday gamer, the Dexmo might look something like a contraption that a futuristic Freddy Krueger might wear, or something that fits right into The Lawnmower Man movie. But the robotics-maker affirms that the Dexmo is safe, and that its “passive locking” capabilities won’t break any fingers should it malfunction.

With the prototype in its early stages, Dexta Robotics plans to launch a Kickstarter for the exoskeleton later this month. The company plans to refine their design–which is currently made out of rather flimsy-looking 3D-printed material–to a metallic frame,

The cyberglove uses “tactical feedback” sensors that can be programmed to deliver varying degrees of touch sensation.

Dexta isn’t the only company pioneering this kind of tech: the Dexmo exoskeleton goes up against the CyberGlove, a similar mo-capping device that users sensors to simulate touch on the fingertips.

Today is an exciting time for the advent of virtual reality, with more and more high-tech peripherals and virtualized platforms springing up every which way. It’ll be interesting to see how the Dexmo (and the Cyberglove) push forth a new wave of interactivity in VR gaming, and how they will shape the revolution in the field of VR tech.

For more information on the Dexmo and the company that made it be sure to drop by Dexta Robotics’ official website.

This content originally appeared on Bright Side of News*, a sister-site to VR World.

The post Dexmo Exoskeletons Bring Sensation of Touch to VR appeared first on VR World.

Consumers will soon be able to actually feel digital objects in virtual reality.

A tech firm known as Dexta Robotics is crafting the Dexmo F2, a specially-made exoskeleton that folds over a users hand to simulate the sensation of touch in VR environments. The device will apparently be compatible with the Oculus Rift, and may even transition to other VR platforms.

Originally spotted by Kotaku, a representative from the company launched an AMA on the Oculus Reddit to raise awareness on the Dexmo peripheral and to explain how it works.

“How does it work? On the thumb and the index finger exoskeleton there are two additional piece of hardware that we invested a lot of time developing, called the force feedback unit, which is essentially a miniaturized gear disk breaking system.

“It works like this: when the avatar you are controlling hits a digital object, a signal is sent back via our SDK to Dexmo F2 and the small actuators actuates, brakes the joint and locks the exoskeleton.

“When you further bend your finger inwards, a normal force will be created on your fingertip. (FYI, this is patent pending in the state(s), and we got our very first patent for Dexmo approved in China).”

The Dexmo will be compatible with the STEM System for a “full-body” VR experience.

At its core the wearable exoskeleton captures hand motion and then processes that information across the the Oculus Rift, ultimately leading to a new realm of VR interactivity.

Dexmo will also work in conjunction with emerging wireless mo-tracking systems like the STEM system along with the prestigious Perception Neuron system. Both of these emerging platforms aim to bring an immersive full-body experience to virtual reality.

But it appears that sense of touch will be limited to a “there” and “not there” capacity. Users won’t be able to feel varying degrees of touch, like, say, feeling the softness of velvet, but harder objects like walls and metal will induce sensation.

The original Dexmo looks steampunk-ish and intimidating, but Dexta affirms that the exoskeleton is safe for regular use.

To the everyday gamer, the Dexmo might look something like a contraption that a futuristic Freddy Krueger might wear, or something that fits right into The Lawnmower Man movie. But the robotics-maker affirms that the Dexmo is safe, and that its “passive locking” capabilities won’t break any fingers should it malfunction.

With the prototype in its early stages, Dexta Robotics plans to launch a Kickstarter for the exoskeleton later this month. The company plans to refine their design–which is currently made out of rather flimsy-looking 3D-printed material–to a metallic frame,

The cyberglove uses “tactical feedback” sensors that can be programmed to deliver varying degrees of touch sensation.

Dexta isn’t the only company pioneering this kind of tech: the Dexmo exoskeleton goes up against the CyberGlove, a similar mo-capping device that users sensors to simulate touch on the fingertips.

Today is an exciting time for the advent of virtual reality, with more and more high-tech peripherals and virtualized platforms springing up every which way. It’ll be interesting to see how the Dexmo (and the Cyberglove) push forth a new wave of interactivity in VR gaming, and how they will shape the revolution in the field of VR tech.

For more information on the Dexmo and the company that made it be sure to drop by Dexta Robotics’ official website.

The post Dexmo Exoskeletons Bring Sensation of Touch to VR appeared first on VR World.

Mario Kart VR is something that resonates with every fan of Nintendo’s endearing go-kart racer, and delivers the invigorating first-person zooming that we’ve all wanted to experience.

Imagine flying at speeds throughout your favorite tracks, shooting shells at Bowser or Princess Peach, cutting those tight corners and bends with skillful grace. All while being able to view the entire world around you simply by moving your head.

Mario Kart VR is the perfect solution for the Oculus Rift and taps into a very simple–but very real–joy that most gamers hold dear, and perfectly encapsulates an entire era of nostalgic gaming along the way.

Mario Kart VR features a handy series of viewscreens that allow racers to see behind them; a must-have for those tough turns and potential wipeouts.

The game is being developed as a pet project of Wilsonator, an amateur indie dev who’s been crafting Mario Kart VR for the Oculus Rift VR headset.

It’s being built in Unity, and the newly released demo footage (see above) runs on Oculus DK2.

Wilsonator plans to tweak and refine the game, but no dates on a demo release have been set. The dev also says that new maps are incoming, but for now the basic mechanics–menus, physics, lighting etc–trump the “fancier stuff”.

Hopefully Nintendo won’t step in and shut the project down. Mario Kart VR is nothing short of magic, and rather than pull the plug on it, Nintendo should take some notes.

The post Mario Kart VR Gives You Another Reason to Buy an Oculus Rift appeared first on VR World.

Continual use of HMD’s (head mounted displays) can be rigorous.

Frequent users can be plagued by the all-too-common ails of “sweaty Rifts”, not to mention cheekbone chafing from the tight fit.

But an aptly named Kickstarter called About Face aims to make strapping a virtual reality headset to your face a lot more comfortable.

Crafted by neuroscientist and VR developer Eric Greenbaum, About Face is centered around two main goals: to make extended use ofvirtual reality more comfortable and clean.

Using an ergonomic foam accessory that’s molded to fit HMD’s like the Oculus Rift, the product provides a padded barrier between the user’s face and the peripheral.

It also wicks sweat from your face.

As Greenbaum states in the Kickstarter, About Face was something that was “born out of necessity” to meet a very real need of the VR community.

“The About Face project was born out of necessity.  My first foray into VR development was a mountain biking exercise simulator called Project Singletrack.  While experimenting with that system I quickly ran into issues with my Rift getting sweaty.

” Around the same time, I founded the NY VR Meetup and noticed that sweaty Rifts were not just a problem for VR exercise but for the VR community at large.  

“In thinking about the problem, I realized how important HMD ergonomics and hygiene were going to be for widespread adoption of VR technology.”

The liners themselves are made of “microfiber encapsulated dual foam layers” that are scientifically designed to ergonomically distribute pressure evenly to the major points of a person’s face. As for comfort, the foam inserts provide “soft, luxurious wicking contact surface for your skin” and are washable.

The project is a great leap forwards for virtual reality in terms of ease of use and accessibility. With products like these on the market, users will see the peripheral as a more inviting experience, rather than a daunting tirade of fatigue and discomfort.

The project is also pioneering a movement to meet the “unmet human needs” of the VR community with the ergonomic system, and is directly contributing to the growth of the emerging platform.

Form factor and ease of use are major elements to the launch of any interactive product, and About Face looks like it ticks all the right boxes.

So far the Kickstarter has met half its $12,000 goal with 29 days remaining, proving that gamers and VR developers are keen on the idea. It’ll be interesting to see how much funding is raised over the next few weeks and whether or not About Face will adapt a solution to other HMD’s in the future.

About Face is currently compatible with the Oculus Rift DK1 and DK2 models. For more information be sure to drop by the product’s official website.

The post About Face Aims to End Sweaty Oculus Rifts Once and for All appeared first on VR World.

Immersion is undoubtedly the most important aspect of VR. Who can deny the wonderful sensation of seeing and hearing inside a virtual fantasy world? But you know what’s even more fantastic? Bringing the ‘R’ in VR closer to us, and there’s no other better example of this than this upcoming VR game that lets you play with bikini-clad ladies at the beach.

PlayGirls is the brainchild of PG Production and Japanese game company Illusion that combines VR and lovely AV actresses. Why are actresses involved you say? Well, the concept is described as the “Sexy Actress Perfect Simulation Project”, which, as suggested, recreates an actress in 3D by using her physical data. The recreated 3D character is then placed in a virtual environment, where the user can interact and ogle watch her play. All you need to do is strap on the Oculus Rift, and voila, in you go to the virtual beach with the bikini ladies.

The concept was first introduced at the Tokyo Game Show 2014 event last week, where its developers have opened a booth for visitors to test the trial version of the project. As for how impressive the result is, you can probably see in the short teaser below. There is even a brief video that introduces one of the actresses that will be featured in the game, indicating that there will be several actresses in it and even the chance to add　extra characters through DLC.

The final version is yet to be revealed but gameplay-wise, it would definitely be a VR dating sim, though it is uncertain if the setting’s going to be limited at the beach. Regardless, the proof of concept is there, VR plus bikini ladies equals eye candy goodness. If that is not enough for you, then you should probably check out what Sony and Bandai Namco has in store for the same concept.

The post PlayGirls Lets You Frolic With Ladies On A VR Beach appeared first on VR World.