Road to VR

NOVEMBER 2, 2017

VR may still be young, and adoption still low compared to the world of traditional gaming, but it can’t be ignored that mounting sales of the Playstation VR headset—effectively a very expensive accessory for the PS4—is adding up to considerable revenue. In an era where Sony appears to have a significant lead in console sales already, and with PSVR sharpening the system’s competitive edge, pressure is mounting for Microsoft to figure out its Xbox VR strategy.

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VRScout

NOVEMBER 2, 2017

Amazon’s AR View lets you see items inside your home. Following in the footsteps of Ikea , Houzz , and Target, Amazon is now the latest retailer to make it easier to buy items from home thanks to AR. An update to the Amazon iOS shopping app enables what the company calls AR View , a tool that lets you drop a virtual item like a toaster or chair on any flat surface in your home.

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Road to VR

NOVEMBER 2, 2017

Khronos Group , the consortium behind the OpenXR project which aims to standardize the way applications communicate with AR and VR headsets, just added Microsoft to its ranks. Among its count of members, the OpenXR working group consisted of nearly every major player in the industry except Microsoft until now. By the virtue of its Windows operating system, the basis of which nearly every PC VR headset uses to function, Microsoft joining the OpenXR initiative represents a win for the others invol

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VRScout

NOVEMBER 2, 2017

We’ve seen some pretty crazy attempts at VR accessories over the last couple of years *cough* *cough* Nosulus Rift *cough* *cough.* So when a genuinely intuitive device comes along that could realistically bring a deeper level of immersion to users, it’s important to take note. That’s exactly the case with ZephVR, a VR accessory that brings realistic wind affects to any VR experience and system.

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Speaker: Chris Paxton McMillin, President of D3 Training Solutions

To avoid awkward and sometimes disastrous learning content, instructional designers must use authentic translation in the right context to get optimal results. For example, even a simple phrase like “got milk” translates to “are you lactating” in Mexico. Can you imagine what a straight translation might do to your course? With over 317 million people in the US and over 6.7 billion potential customers in the world, personalizing training seems logical.

Mexico

Road to VR

NOVEMBER 2, 2017

Launched on November 2nd, the crowdfunding campaign for ZephVR , a VR fan accessory that “adds realistic wind at the right moments” achieved its $30,000 goal on Kickstarter in just a few hours, with 30 days remaining in the campaign. VR hardware startup Weasel Labs aims to deliver the first ZephVR units to customers in May 2018. As described on the campaign page, ZephVR is designed to work with all VR games and experiences by reacting to audio cues, using machine learning to trigger the two fans

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Road to VR

NOVEMBER 2, 2017

IMAX and Ubisoft today announced that a special edition of Star Trek: Bridge Crew (2017), Ubisoft’s co-op multiplayer set aboard a Federation vessel, is launching for an exclusive run in IMAX VR centers worldwide. Created by Ubisoft’s Red Storm Entertainment , the new edition was “re-designed and optimized” for IMAX VR centers, the company’s dedicated out-of-home VR facilities, and contains a mission called Rescue at Perseph.

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Cats and VR

NOVEMBER 2, 2017

ILMxLAB and Lucasfilm announced a new VR experience in partnership with Nissan, Star Wars: Droid Repair Bay — Astro-Mechanic for the Resistance. Participants must play the role of an technician aboard General Leia’s ship and repair BB-8 and other astromechs. Star Wars: Droid Repair Bay is the official VR experience connected to Star Wars: The Last Jedi , and will see the debut of brand new astromechs, complete with their own unique personalities and original designs.

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Road to VR

NOVEMBER 2, 2017

Despite the news that CCP Games is shelving VR for the time being , the company promises that their last title Sparc will not only go on, but CCP is carrying through with plans to launch the game on both the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Launched initially back at the end of August for PSVR, Sparc is a 1v1 VR sport from CCP Games, the company behind EVE: Valkyrie and others.

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Road to VR

NOVEMBER 2, 2017

Described as an “action-puzzle adventure game”, Overturn ’s puzzle elements play a secondary role; the game weighs heavily on fast, first-person action, combining projectile weapons and frantic melee combat with fists, shields, and blades. Overturn is available now on Steam for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift; it is also in development for PSVR. Waking up in a laboratory complex, you’re immediately introduced to the game’s narrative design, which is text-based, describing your character’s thoughts in t

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With a rapidly changing economy, Avangrid Renewables looked to virtual reality to develop a standardized form of immersive training in order to onboard and upskill technicians faster than ever before.

Virtual Reality

Road to VR

NOVEMBER 2, 2017

Hold onto your extendable plastic lightsabers, kiddies, because ILMxLAB and Lucasfilm recently announced a new Star Wars- themed VR experience, Star Wars: Droid Repair Bay — Astro-Mechanic for the Resistance. And for seemingly the exact reason Disney once plastered BB-8 on everything including oranges (read: tone-deaf marketing), they’re planning on bringing the little squeaky droid to a Nissan dealership near you.

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