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Rockjaw

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  1. Rockjaw
    All the information you need on our exciting Vive Black Friday deals, across VIVE and VIVEPORT.
     
     
     
    Customers who purchase a Vive between Friday, November 24th at 12:00am ET through Monday, November 27th at 11:59pm PT will receive a Deluxe Audio Strap with the purchase of their Vive in addition to the current Fallout 4 VR bundle. For $599 each customer will get the Vive headset and all the necessary hardware and software to set up room-scale VR as well as a Deluxe Audio Strap ($99.99 value), a copy of Google Tilt Brush, a free trial to Viveport Subscription, and a redemption code for Fallout 4 VR ($59.99 value) which launches on December 12, 2017.
     
    With its integrated headphones, plush padding, and easy adjustment dial, the Deluxe Audio Strap provides additional comfort and when using Vive. Once you’ve received your Deluxe Audio Strap you only need a couple of minutes to install it on your new Vive.
     

     
    This Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal will be available online and in all retail locations where Vive is sold. To find a location to purchase Vive near you, click here or head to vive.com.
    In our Black Friday-Cyber Monday weekend sale, you can also save big (up to 80%!) on some fantastic Vive titles on Viveport.

     
    Viveport will also be taking part in this year’s Black Friday deals, by offering discounted pre-paid subscription packages for Viveport Subscription and big discounts on a whole range of titles. Our Viveport deals start today, November 22nd and end on Monday, November 27th at 11:59PM Pacific.
     
    With our Viveport Subscription deals, there has never been a better time to join. Every month you'll get access to five apps or games from a collection of over 250 (which is growing all the time). Simply download and play!
     
    During this Black Friday-Cyber Monday weekend sale, there are huge savings available on Viveport Subscription pre-purchased plans:
     
    3-month pre-paid subscription – Select 15 Apps for just $12.99 (35% savings)  6-month pre-paid subscription - Select 30 Apps for just $19.99 (50% savings) 12-month pre-paid subscription - Select 60 Apps for just $29.99 (63% savings) You can take advantage of these savings whether you are a new subscriber or existing Viveport Subscription holder, so make sure you lock in your savings before they're gone!
     
    From essential titles for every VR enthusiast to brand new releases, we've got something for everyone on sale this weekend. Below you'll find every title that's on sale, with their respective discounts noted. Just click a title's name to find out more.
     
    Hurry - these discounts are only available from now until Monday, November 27th at 11:59PM Pacific.
    Viveport discounts for Black Friday-Cyber Monday
    Amazon Odyssey (50% off) Arcade Artist (75% off) Arcade Saga (75% off) Clazer (50% off) Cloudlands: VR Minigolf (50% off) Earthlight: Spacewalk (50% off) Everest VR (50% off) Fantastic Contraption (33% off) Firebird – La Péri (75% off) Front Defense (75% off) Happy Drummer VR (75% off) Haute & Haunted (75% off) Jam Studio VR (50% off) Knockout League (50% off) MakeVR (75% off) MakeVR Pro (75% off) Prison Boss VR (25% off) Remembering Pearl Harbor (75% off) Speed & Scream (80% off) Stonehenge VR Sandbox (35% off) The Gallery Episode 1: Call of the Starseed (75% off) The Gallery Episode 2: Heart of the Emberstone (20% off) The Music Room (20% off) Tilt Brush (10% off) TrueScale (50% off) Virtual Sports (75% off) Also, when you buy or subscribe on Viveport, we will give 100% of all profits back to our developers this holiday season.

     
    Win this weekend!
    As well as all of these deals we're also doing some great giveaways via our Facebook Pages (Viveport, Vive) and Twitter (Viveport, Vive). Our first competition is live now (US residents only) - enter to win a Vive Deluxe Audio Strap!
    *$599 HTC VIVE + Deluxe Audio Strap + Fallout 4 bundle is for North American markets only.
  2. Rockjaw
    Today, at our Vive Developers Conference (VDC) in Beijing, we announced the VIVE WAVE VR Open Platform.  With it, we are taking another huge step in driving the most vibrant ecosystem for VR forward. Vive Wave will open up the path to easy mobile VR content development and device optimization for third-party partners. So far, twelve hardware partners in China, including  360QIKU, Baofengmojing, Coocaa, EmdoorVR, Idealens, iQIYI, Juhaokan, Nubia, Pico, Pimax, Quanta and Thundercomm, announced their support for Vive Wave and integrating the VIVEPORT™ VR content platform into their future products.
    Vive Wave is a clear step forward in bringing together the highly fragmented mobile VR market that has cropped up in China the last several years. It enables developers to create content for a common platform and storefront across multiple hardware vendors. Over 35 Chinese and global content developers have already built VR content optimized for Vive Wave, with 14 showing live demos during VDC.
     
    We also announced VIVE FOCUS, our first standalone VR Headset for the China market.  Vive Focus is also based on the Vive Wave VR open platform.
     

     
     
    Vive Focus offers enhanced comfort for extended use, easy on-off capabilities, and is the first commercial standalone device to deliver inside-out 6-degree-of-freedom tracking (6DoF) which Vive calls “world-scale”. Without the need to be attached to a PC or a phone, Vive Focus provides unlimited freedom of mobility while reducing the total cost for users to own a premium VR device in China. Its high-resolution AMOLED screen delivers the best possible VR experience, with low latency and unmatched clarity. The Vive Focus is powered by the advanced features of the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 835 VR Platform and utilizes the Vive Wave VR open platform, including the rich library of VR content available on the Viveport.
     
    Also at VDC, Viveport also announced a global strategic partnership with Unity Technologies to enable the one-click publishing of VR content onto Viveport for PC VR, Standalone VR, and mobile VR developers. Unity will integrate Viveport into its content platform and provide a more intuitive way for developers to utilize the new Vive Wave VR SDK. Unity will also integrate Viveport’s in-app payment and VR advertisement functions into its development system, with an initial focus on the China market, opening up even more revenue opportunities for its VR developer community.  For the remainder of 2017, Viveport is giving back 100% of all profit earned on its platform back to the developer community. 
     
    For more information on VDC, check out our press release here.
  3. Rockjaw
    It’s time to get creative. Two weeks ago we debuted the Vive Tracker, which allows developers and accessory manufacturers to bring new form factors to VR with full motion tracking. As part of the news, we announced that we’d kick-start development of the Vive ecosystem by seeding 1,000 Vive Trackers to the developer and creative community.
     
    Starting today, we’re accepting applications for the initial batch of Trackers. Applications will be open through February 7.  That’s two weeks to tell us why your project is going to help the world rethink VR.
     
    Ready to debut a new product in VR? Want to create an API to track a pet (or your coffee table) within the VR world? Want to track a keyboard in VR? Tell us how and why.
     
    At CES, we showcased Vive Tracker Integrations with haptic gloves, the first VR camera, firefighting and baseball training applications, VR rifles for arcade and home use, and much more.
     
    The possibilities are endless, so let’s prove it.

     
    Apply now: http://link.vive.com/tracker/apply
     
    Want to discuss the Tracker with other developers? Need advice on how to work with the Tracker, developer guidelines or more? It's all in our Developer Forums, open specifically for registered Vive developers. (Not registered? Do so here.) We look forward to talking with you!
  4. Rockjaw
    We're pleased to present the official developer guidelines for the Vive Tracker, along with other resources for development.
     
    The development guidelines include all the technical details you might need (we hope!) whether you're developing accessories for use with the Vive Tracker, or implementing it within VR apps.
     
     

     
     
    In addition to these development guidelines, we're also releasing 3D models of the Tracker for your use and FAQs about the Tracker. If you have further questions about developing for the Tracker, feel free to post them below as a comment or elsewhere in the Developer Forums.
  5. Rockjaw
    
     
     
    General FAQs for Vive Tracker
     
    How do I connect the dongle to my computer?
     
    Connect one end of the supplied USB cable to the dongle cradle, and then attach the dongle to the cradle. Connect the other end of the USB cable to your computer.
     
    How do I charge Vive Tracker?
     
    While in VR, you can check the battery level of Vive Tracker when no apps are running, or when the System Dashboard is up. When the battery is low, the indicator will show a single red dot.
     
    To charge, make sure to use the USB cable that’s in the box. Connect the USB cable to the power adapter that came with your Vive controllers, and then plug the power adapter to a power outlet to charge Vive Tracker. You can also connect Vive Tracker to a computer’s USB port to charge it.
     
    When Vive Tracker is fully charged, its status light either shows white if it is off or green if it is turned on.
     
    How do I pair the dongle with Vive Tracker?
     
    1. Turn on HMD and pair with 2 controllers
    2. Connect dongle to your computer
    3. Turn on Vive Tracker to have the pairing process is finished automatically
     
    Warning: If Vive Tracker cannot be automatically paired the first time, the dongle may pair with other equipment.
     
    To manually pair Vive Tracker, open the SteamVR app, tap the down arrow, and then select Devices > Pair Controller. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
     
    What does the status light on Vive Tracker mean?
     
    The status light shows:
     
    • Green when Vive Tracker is in normal mode
    • Blinking red when battery is low
    • Blinking blue when Vive Tracker is pairing with the headset or dongle
    • Blue when Vive Tracker is connecting with the headset or dongle
    • Orange when charging
     
    How can I update Vive Tracker?
     
    1. From your computer, open the SteamVR app.
    2. Using the supplied USB cable, connect the Vive Tracker to one of your computer’s USB ports. The firmware update will start automatically once tracker is detected by the SteamVR
    Warning: Do not unplug the micro-USB cable any time before the firmware update is complete. Doing so could result in a firmware error.
    3. When the update is complete, click Done.
     
    Why does Vive Tracker automatically turn off?
     
    When Vive Tracker turns off, some of the possible reasons might be:
     
    • The battery is drained
    • Pairing has timed out after being idle for more than 30 seconds
    • There was no user movement for 5 minutes"
     
    Can I use more than one Vive Tracker?
     
    Multiple Vive Tracker hardware can be used, but limitations apply.
     
    Why can't I see Vive Tracker on SteamVR?
     
    Check that your SteamVR app is the latest version.
     
    How do I reset Vive Tracker?
     
    To reset Vive Tracker, connect it to your computer using the supplied USB cable, and then press and hold the Power button for 10 seconds.
  6. Rockjaw
    
     
     
     
    How do identify whether Vive Tracker or the controller is being tracked?
     
    You can use the class type of SteamVR SDK to identify if Vive Tracker or the controller is currently being tracked.
     
    Does Vive Tracker have a different coordination system compared to the controllers?
     
    Yes. Content developers need to apply different coordination settings based on the position where the Vive Tracker is mounted.
     
    How can I replace the controller with Vive Tracker if I already created content meant for the controller?
     
    Content developers need to apply different coordination settings based on whether Vive Tracker is mounted on the same position as the controller. If its position is different, content developers need to recalibrate for Vive Tracker.
     
    What's the equivalent of Vive Tracker's hardware button to the controller?
     
    The hardware button of Vive Tracker maps to the System button of the controller.
     
    How can I simulate the button event when I connect Vive Tracker to a computer through USB?
     
    Check the "Data format" section in the developer guidelines, and follow the SetFeature 0xB4 format to fill your simulated data in "Button byte" data.
     
    Why is tracking lost when I connected Vive Tracker to a USB cable?
     
    When you connect Vive Tracker to your computer using a USB cable, it enters data sending mode. To resume tracking while connected to a USB port, follow the developer guidelines to send the SetFeature 0xB3 command to fill Host type byte.
     
    Can we implement our own data into Vive Tracker's data stream?
     
    Vive Tracker only supports data that's compatible with the controllers.
     
    Can I customize the POGO pins?
     
    Yes, you can. For information on how to customize the POGO pins, contact our Support team in the first instance via email.
     
    What's in the downloadable 3D CAD file for the Vive Tracker?
     
    The ZIP file (attached to this article) contains the .IGS and .STP for Vive Tracker. It's not a requirement to use the files, but it can help if you have 3D modeling software.
  7. Rockjaw
    
     
    Vive is kicking off a huge presence at CES 2017, by introducing two new accessories and new services that will lay the foundation of the VR ecosystem for years to come. 
     
    If you’re a current or future VR owner, there are a lot of things to be thankful for this New Year. Available in Q2 2017, the Vive Tracker and Vive Deluxe Audio Strap are all new accessories that will greatly enhance your Vive experience, and we’re expecting wireless accessories to be available in 2017.  In addition, Viveport will be launching a subscription service as well as app stores for arcade and enterprise customers in early 2017, ensuring you’ll have many options to access the best content on Vive that matters to you.
     
    Let’s start off with the hardware news:
     
    The Vive Tracker, available in Q2 this year, enables motion tracking for entirely new form factors within the VR world. It is the the foundation for building a new accessories ecosystem for  Vive.  In fact, there are many partners in our space at CES showing off their Vive Tracker integrations including multiple rifles built for VR shooters, a baseball bat, a firehose and haptic gloves for a truly immersive VR experience.
     
    
     
    (We’ll be showing you a sneak peek at some of these apps and products during our Live Stream happening both Thursday and Friday from 12-2pm PST. Click here to visit our Facebook Page, where the live stream will be hosted.)
     
    At its core, the Vive Tracker will integrate with any number of future VR accessories via a simple connection, ensuring developers and consumers will have a single accessory to unlock thousands of new experiences .  The Tracker weighs just under three ounces (90g) and is 99.65mm (Diameter) x 42.27mm (Height).
     
    The Vive Deluxe Audio Strap is designed with adjustable headphones, allowing you to enjoy even more comfort and convenience.   The headstrap features integrated headphones and a new customizable sizing dial for quickly adjusting the fit of the headstrap, ensuring a tighter and more comfortable fit.   The Deluxe Audio Strap will also be available in Q2.
     
    
    Pricing for both the Tracker and Deluxe Audio Strap will be announced soon.
     
    Wireless and VR  - We showcased a product many of you may have heard about recently from TPCast, a wireless adaptor which was incubated through the Vive X accelerator program. It includes a one and a half hour battery, and latency as low as 2ms. TPCast will be shipping in Q2 2017 and will retail for $249 USD.
     
    Now that you have this great hardware, what are you going to do with it?  We’ve got you covered with some exciting things coming up from Viveport as well amazing content from Vive Studios and more than 30 partners showcasing content in our CES space.
     
    In early 2017, Viveport will be launching a subscription service to help you navigate and find the best VR apps in the world, as well as introduce a new channel through which VR developers can monetize their content. There are currently thousands of apps available on Vive globally. Viveport’s subscription service will help people navigate this growing marketplace and discover new apps, providing access to an ever-growing library of content for a low monthly fee. More details will be announced soon.
     
    Viveport also announced at CES that it is expanding services for enterprise VR customers and arcade operators by launching dedicated VR app stores for professionals in 2017. Viveport is evolving the Viveport Arcade platform announced last November to create a digital storefront that can distribute VR content to businesses globally. The app store is designed for arcades, cinemas, amusement parks and other location-based entertainment centers eager to introduce their customers to VR. The rapid expansion of VR into arcades is creating an important touch point for people to experience high-end VR for the first time.
     
    Lastly, Viveport’s dedicated enterprise app store will target a different set of customers. Some of the biggest industrial sectors are quickly adopting VR, led by major categories such as healthcare, engineering, real estate and retail. Viveport’s enterprise app store will both curate content for enterprise customers and support developers leveraging the immersion of VR to create apps and tools for professionals in areas such as medicine, architecture, design, 3D modeling and workforce training.
     
    VR fans and existing Viveport customers can sign-up today to be the first to get invited to a free trial of the subscription service when it launches at https://www.viveport.com/subsignup
     
    2017 will be a great year for VR.  At Vive, we’re laying a strong foundation for how VR will grow for years to come.  Keep an eye out on this blog and our Facebook and Twitter channels for more great news this week.
  8. Rockjaw
    As part of Viveport’s commitment to connect content creators to global audiences, we’re excited to announce that Viveport now supports Oculus Rift compatible titles. Developers can opt-in their titles to display as Oculus Rift compatible from today, with the full consumer launch on September 4th.
     

     
     
    Adding support for Oculus Rift doubles the potential audience for all Viveport published titles, and opens Viveport Subscription – the best value in VR – to Oculus Rift consumers. Viveport Subscription allows subscribers to experience up to five titles at a time, starting with a free 14-day trial, and continuing after that with one low monthly price.
     
    With almost 500 titles in the Viveport Subscription library, we’re proud to curate a diverse and engaging range of experiences that appeal to a wide audience. Recent additions and all-time bestsellers in Viveport Subscription include Seeking Dawn, Tilt Brush, Pixel Ripped 1989, Shooty Fruity, A-Tech Cybernetic VR, theBlu and Knockout League. We’re always happy to welcome new developers, with marketing support and promotion for selected titles.
     
    As well as offering a huge range of available games and apps, Viveport Subscription has also proved popular with VR consumers who are looking to ‘try before they buy’. A Viveport Subscription member choosing five of the six titles shown below for either a 14-day free trial or a month of paid subscription could save almost $140 on retail prices!
     

     
     
    “By adding support for Oculus Rift, we’re doubling the potential user base for Viveport developers,” said Rikard Steiber, President of Viveport. “Viveport continues to offer the most opportunities for developers to monetize their VR content. From Viveport and Viveport Subscription, to availability on Amazon and in Viveport Arcade, we’re going to continue to expand and reach the largest global audience possible on developers’ behalf.”
     
    Developers can start opting in on Viveport to support Oculus Rift today. In many cases, existing builds that have hardware support for Oculus Rift via OpenVR are ready for this update. In the Developer Console, Oculus Rift is now available under ‘Compatible headsets’ in the ‘Viveport Listing’ tab. To opt-in a title, simply check the Oculus Rift box and create a production release under the Submit tab.
     
    Are you a developer who has questions about Oculus Rift support? Contact our Developer Relations team here.
  9. Rockjaw
    Please help us celebrate the individuals and teams behind Pearl from Google Spotlight Stories, The Body VR, Soundstage and AltspaceVR. Give ‘em a round of applause! We can’t hear you… now that’s more like it.
     
    
     
     Pearl is our first nominee in the Experience category. It is a touching story of father and daughter; of chasing dreams; of the power of love in the gifts we hand down… and finding grace in the unlikeliest of places.
     
    Learn more about Pearl from the team at Google Spotlight Stories in our Q&A Experience Pearl by downloading it from Viveport 
     
     The Body VR gets our nod in the Explore category. VR has the power to make educational content resonate like none other, and the team at The Body VR makes learning about the human body both educational and entertaining.
     
    Learn more about The Body VR in our Q&A Explore The Body VR by downloading it from Viveport 
     
     SoundStage hits just the right note in the ‘Create’ category. Set in an ever-uplifting world inspired by the 80s, Soundstage enables anyone from the hobbyist to the professional DJ to make music.
     
    Hear more about SoundStage in our Q&A Rock out with SoundStage by downloading it from Viveport  
     
     AltspaceVR is pioneering in the Connect category and earns our nomination. From hanging with your friends, to enjoying a comedy show, to being part of the political movement via their partnership with NBC News, AltspaceVR is leading social VR.
     
    Learn more about AltspaceVR in our Q&A Enter Altspace and experience it for yourself by downloading it from Viveport These talented individuals and organizations are driving VR innovation and creating apps that inspire and entertain. The Viveport Developer Awards were established to recognize such accomplishments and over the next few weeks we will be sharing more nominees who are leading the way in virtual reality.
     
    All nominees will be reviewed by a soon-to-be-revealed jury and official winners will announced early 2017.
  10. Rockjaw

    Viveport Holiday Sale

    By Rockjaw,

    
     
     
    Happy Holidays from the team here at Viveport! To celebrate, we’re offering two special bundles for the next week. (12/20 11:59pm PT – 12/28 11:59pm PT)
     
    First up is the Best of Viveport Bundle. Featuring 8 apps nominated for the Viveport Developer Awards, this bundle highlights some of the best VR content available. Altogether, the bundle offers 50% off the full value of these apps purchased separately.
     
    Arcade Artist Cloudlands: VR Minigolf Fantastic Contraption Firebird – La Peri Kodon Mars Odyssey SoundStage World of Diving Click here to get the Best of Viveport Bundle (US link)
    Outside the US? Click here
     
    Second, we’re offering a Holiday Bundle filled with awesome titles you may have missed this busy year. With themes ranging from exploring, fashion, and history this bundle captures the wide array of VR content offered on Viveport. This bundle is also 50% off the full value of the apps.
     
    Snow Fortress Everest VR Underwater Mermaid Remembering Pearl Harbor Lumen Haute & Haunted Stonehenge VR  
    Click here to get the Holiday Bundle (US link)
    Outside the US? Click here
     
    We’re excited to offer these two bundles with content we’re sure you’ll enjoy! Spend time with your friends and family and be sure to introduce them to the world of Virtual Reality if they haven’t been already.
     
    Happy Holidays!
     
    The Viveport Team
  11. Rockjaw
    We’ve been working hard behind the scenes on Viveport and wanted to share news of some fixes, updates and changes we have made to our Viveport desktop client since launch.
     

     
    First, some context. Viveport is a brand-new software platform that has been live for less than a year. With all new software projects there are going to be bugs, and Viveport has been no exception. There are other digital software sales platforms that have been available a lot longer than Viveport, so we expect it will take a while for Viveport to catch up to them in terms of features and performance. Our goal hasn’t changed, though – to build Viveport into a great VR platform.
     
    When we launched Viveport in 2016, we had 75 titles. Today we have grown to 1,000 titles in all our regions and we have processed millions of transactions. We have also added some unique features like Viveport Subscription.
     
    While our product and engineering teams work continually to improve Viveport, other teams are monitoring and asking for direct feedback from you. With your help, we believe we’ve significantly improved Viveport. Recently we’ve shifted our development focus from adding a lot of new features, to optimization and stability.
     
    While there have been thousands of changes to Viveport (and you can find highlights here), let’s discuss some of the biggest issues reported during Viveport’s first year of operations - and what we’ve done about them.
     
    TOP ISSUE: “Viveport content download speeds”
     
    No-one wants to wait longer than they must for the latest VR content. While we originally had a basic CDN backed download system at Viveport’s launch, it didn’t match expectations. We rebuilt it and launched the new download system this summer, increasing Viveport’s download speeds to rival and even exceed the download speeds provided by other leading content platforms.
     
    The new download backend not only uses multiple CDNs, but it also provides multiple levels of redundancy, as we have incorporated new technology from third parties that are specialized in download optimization. When you download content now, you should see faster download speeds, no matter where you are in the world.
    TOP ISSUE: “Viveport takes up too many system resources”
     
    Virtual reality is a challenging task for almost any PC, so having a desktop client occupy more resources than necessary isn’t ideal. You told us that Viveport took up too many PC resources, so we have worked hard to reduce the resource footprint.
     
    The latest version of Viveport now uses significantly less CPU and memory (RAM) while running. This is mostly due to a new and improved client framework launched earlier this summer, letting us reduce the footprint while still adding new features. There are more optimizations coming, but for the moment we are much happier with the performance of client versions 1.1 and later.
     
    TOP ISSUE: “Viveport crashes too much”
     
    This was an early issue that we have focused extensively on in the last few months. No software crash is ever ‘fun’ but it is even more frustrating if it happens while wearing a VR headset. One of our top priorities has been to dramatically improve stability and lower the frequency of ‘crash events.’ In June, we replaced the original crash reporting system with a much better third party system, which has provided far better near-realtime stability info to the team. We can now monitor individual crash traces and determine if issues are with the software, or with specific user systems. As of release 1.1 we have seen dramatic improvements in software stability, though this is still a core focus area for the development team. 
     
    TOP ISSUE: "Viveport doesn’t have enough content, and Subscription has a non-intuitive re-selection system"
     
    We have grown our VR library from 75 to over 500 titles in less than a year. However, now our focus is to help you discover great VR content. A brand-new search system is coming in Q4, which will improve your ability to find content.
     
    In addition to more titles and better search functions, we have also launched Viveport Subscription to provide a low-cost, no obligation way to explore new VR experiences. It’s critical to let people experiment in VR since each user can experience different effects from the same VR title.
     
    Given VR is a whole new content type, we felt a subscription option provided the best way to explore new and previously unknown developers’ work. Initially launched with 50 games, Viveport Subscription now features close to 250 titles, and we are adding new titles daily.
     
    One piece of feedback we heard about Viveport Subscription was that the initial process of choosing your titles for each subscription period was un-intuitive. From version 1.1 onwards you can now add up to five titles at any time during each subscription period giving you more flexibility to keep open slots in case new titles arrive on Viveport mid-month. 
     
    OTHER IMPROVEMENTS you might have missed…
     
    Finally, we’ve been hard at work overhauling and improving the general Viveport client experience, from status messages to filters, notifications and in-client prompts. We want Viveport to be easy and intuitive to use, and we have a lot more improvements planned. That’s why we’re not slowing down. With your help, we’ve accomplished a lot in a relatively short period, but there’s plenty more to improve upon.
     
    We want your feedback on Viveport to help us improve. Feel free to talk to us through social media (we’re on Twitter and Facebook) and here, on our community forums. If you’re subscribed to our newsletter, you’ll see major updates mentioned there, or here on our blog. We look forward to hearing from you as we work to improve Viveport!
     
    - The Viveport Team
     
    Download Viveport here, and start your free Viveport Subscription trial here.
  12. Rockjaw
    Today, we’re announcing the early release of the Viveport Scene SDK, a new toolset that will help developers create immersive VR Previews that will be showcased in Viveport. The Viveport Scene SDK will allow developers to engage customers with their content before purchase or rental, by generating:
     
    VR Previews: Rich and interactive 3D environments streamed dynamically to the viewer on Viveport to increase engagement and customer conversion. VR Skyboxes: Immersive "360 preview images" that surround the user as they browse the content grid in the Viveport store.  We believe that the tools contained in the SDK will help developers increase conversion, drive discoverability, and engage users prior to download. Content that includes a VR Preview will be showcased in a special category across Viveport endpoints when we launch our new immersive Viveport discovery experience for consumers this Fall.
     

     
    Download the Viveport Scene SDK, including documentation, directly here - 385Mb ZIP
  13. Rockjaw
    Want more? You got it. Today we've added over 75 new titles to Viveport Subscription, bringing our total number of apps to over 150. Let's see what's new!
     

     
    You probably already know Viveport Subscription includes some of the best VR apps around including theBlu, Everest VR, Fantastic Contraption, MakeVR and Tilt Brush - as well as our Vive Studios titles. Today's content expansion adds a host of incredible titles that will take you to new worlds, including some apps never before seen outside of Asia. Here are our picks (in alphabetical order, natch) for some of the titles we think you can't afford to miss - available for one low price per month.
     
    Cosmic Trip
    Developer: Funktronic Labs

    Ever been stuck on an alien planet with a bunch of hostile aliens? I know, right? Just in case it hasn't happened to you yet, start training yourself now with Cosmic Trip, which will teach you how to command an army of cosmo robots and wipe out the opposition. Designed to be a no-compromises real-time-strategy experience for VR, Funktronic Labs' totally cosmic... uh... game has been tripping (aha!) over plaudits since liftoff. Treat yourself to a trip.
     
    Add Cosmic Trip to your Viveport Subscription CyberThreat
    Developer: Enigmatic
     
    We love shooting robots. We love it even more in VR. While we might have some sort of personal vendetta against robotkind, what we've always wanted to do is fly, run, climb, teleport and even fly around a massive open area, shooting robots like they're top of our Most Wanted list. What's that? You do exactly that in CyberThreat? Sold.
     
    Add CyberThreat to your Viveport Subscription Ghost Town Mine Ride & Shootin’ Gallery
    Developer: Spectral Illusions

    If the Haunted Mansion left you unruffled and your average shooting gallery only elicits yawns, you want to strap in and grab your six-shooters for Ghost Town Mine Ride & Shootin’ Gallery - which does exactly what the title suggests. You're out to investigate an abandoned tourist attraction (Hey, at least there's no lines) which some people claim is haunted. Spoiler: it totally is. All you have is a flashlight and a revolver, so hold on tight....
     
    Add Ghost Town Mine Ride & Shootin’ Gallery to your Viveport Subscription Kittypocalypse
    Developer: Bolvërk Games

    Honestly, Bolvërk Games had us with 'Evil alien kitties'. We love our cats, but the opportunity to blow up a bunch of virtual fur-babies who are trying to invade our floating island home was too good to pass up. Developed exclusively for VR and taking full advantage of room-scale, Kittypocalypse has more than enough fun and strategic depth to keep you entertained for a long time. Also: kitties.
     
    Add Kittypocalypse to your Viveport Subscription Overkill VR
    Developer: Starloop Studios / Game Troopers

    If there's one huge thing that separates any VR cover shooter from the flat-screen equivalent it's, well, the requirement to actually dodge and take cover. It may be virtual but you'll still be flinching from the bullet impacts in Overkill VR, as you test your real-world skills with an accurate recreation of aiming, while also dodging the enemies who'll be shooting back at you. For a bit of variation, toss a grenade over the wall.
     
    Add Overkill VR to your Viveport Subscription Pierhead Arcade
    Developer: Mechabit Ltd

    If you're of a certain age, you probably had dreams when you were younger about being set loose in the arcade with all the machines on free play. Either that, or you dreamed of being buried in prize tickets so you could grab that giant stuffed monkey you'd had your eye on. Either way, you need to play Pierhead Arcade, because as well as a load of arcade games to play with no virtual quarters required... there's even a prize gallery!
     
    Add Pierhead Arcade to your Viveport Subscription ROM: Extraction
    Developer: First Contact Entertainment

    We already told you we love shooting robots, so shooting even more of them in ROM: Extraction is kind of a no-brainer - but there's more to this game than just blasting away at bots. As an Extractor you're able to slow down time with your 'Reflex' power, which means before too long you'll be using your 'throw, slow and shoot' abilities to blast away the bad guys in the most stylish manner you can imagine.
     
    Add ROM: Extraction to your Viveport Subscription Sairento VR
    Developer: Mixed Realms

    The Matrix. Kill Bill. Two of our favorite movies and just two of the most obvious influences in Sairento VR, which casts you as a holy-cow-can-you-believe-it cybernetic ninja. (Two words that don't find themselves in the same sentence nearly often enough.) You'll be slashing, shooting, leaping, wall-running and generally acting like the baddest bad-ass alive as you battle your way through a futuristic Japan. If this game was any cooler it'd turn your VR machine into a block of ice.
     
    Add Sairento VR to your Viveport Subscription Virush
    Developer: Arcturus
    If I say 'snake', well, some of you will say "Where?!?" Others might say "Ah! My first real game." For those of you who remember the never-ending winding critter that occupied mobile phone screens (and plenty of other platforms) for years, then Virush will be familiar. Sort of. This is a 'snake-like' that's amped up to 11, in a completely 360-degree environment. Not quite the same as your ol' dumbphone.
     
    Add Virush to your Viveport Subscription Windlands
    Developer: Psytec Games Ltd.

    Y'know, maybe shooting stuff - whether robots or not - just isn't your thing. We can get behind that. So that's where something like Windlands is perfect, because all you need to do here is take to the sky, exploring some fantastic environments with a grappling hook and a reckless disregard for gravity. Yes, you'll want to make sure you have your VR legs for this one, but oh boy, it's worth it.
     
    Add Windlands to your Viveport Subscription And there's more...
    We said right up top that we had apps being added to Viveport Subscription that have only been seen in Asia. Here's a couple that we'll let speak for themselves...
    Eternity Warriors VR (Beta)
    Add Eternity Warriors VR (Beta) to your Viveport Subscription
    Tales of Glacier
    Add Tales of Glacier to your Viveport Subscription
    And it doesn't stop there...
    If you're math-inclined you've probably noticed we haven't listed over 75 titles above... but here's everything else, from A-Z. Deep breath:
    AI Rebellion All-Star Fielding Challenge VR Alpine Ski VR aMAZEing adventures Asteroid Blaster VR Audio Arena Baseball VR Beyond the City VR Blackjack Bailey Brain Voyagers: Ricochet BreakDownVR (The Outlaw) Building Panic Cargo Cult: Shoot'n'Loot Clash of Vessels VR Cosmos Crash Crystal Rift Cube Monster Dawn Deathlike: Awakening Dinosaur Park Dogfight Elite DragonwingsVR Drone Fighters Earthquake and Fire Simulator VR EnterVR Escape Bloody Mary Escape from Dinosaur Island Evil Robot Traffic Jam HD Fairvalley FILE 9 Galaxy Golf Glaive Grave VR High Noon HordeZ Hover Skate VR InfiniteHorror Just VR Slingshot Target Practice Keep Balance VR Killer Klownz MageWorks Manastorm: Champions of G'nar Merry Snowballs Moving Maze 1.1 Munch Off-Road Paradise: Trial 4x4 Paper Toss VR PingBall VR PIRATADO Power Solitaire VR RollerForce run Slingshot Cowboy VR Smell Of Death Sonic Hunter Space Fist SPACE RIFT Episode 1 Spacecats with Lasers VR Special Delivery Sword and Shield: Arena VR TacoFace The Walker Killer TRANCE VR Trigger Happy Shooting Unearthing Mars Vision Origin Void Rangers VRZ : Torment Waddle Home Wings of Peace VR: DayBreak Woeful Woebots Worldy Cup Of the above titles, the following are currently only available on Viveport:
    Baseball VR Brain Voyagers: Ricochet BreakDownVR (The Outlaw) Building Panic Cargo Cult: Shoot’n’Loot Cube Monster Dawn Dinosaur Park Earthquake and Fire Simulator VR Escape from Dinosaur Island Eternity Warriors VR BETA Evil Robot Traffic Jam HD Fairvalley High Noon InfiniteHorror Moving Maze 1.1 run Slingshot Cowboy VR Tales Of Glacier The Walker Killer TRANCE VR Unearthing Mars Virush Vision Origin Wings of Peace VR: DayBreak Woeful Woebots Is your Vive desktop client up to date?
    If you haven't used Viveport for a while, you may find you can't even see Viveport Subscription in your Vive desktop client. Never fear! We have an FAQ that tells you how to get up and running in no time. (If you need more help, make sure to post in that Community Forums thread, too.)
     
    What new apps are you adding?
    Tell us below! We'd love to hear from you.
  14. Rockjaw
    If you haven't tried Viveport Subscription yet, there's never been a better time! Over 375 VR titles are waiting for you, with more being added every week.
     

     
    In less than a year, Viveport Subscription has grown enormously, starting with a little over 50 titles available to over 375 now. As a member you can check out five titles a month - which means it would take you over five years of subscription to experience everything that's currently available!
     
    We believe Viveport Subscription is the absolute best value offering in VR today, and we want to make sure you get the best value. That's why we're letting you know that the monthly price of Viveport Subscription will increase from $6.99 to $8.99 on March 22nd.
     
    New Viveport Subscription members who sign up before March 22nd will enjoy a 14-day free trial, then pay the current price of $6.99 per month. (If you are a returning member, you are not eligible for a free trial, but you'll still only pay $6.99 a month if you sign up before March 22nd.)
     
    Members who join us after March 22nd will also get a 14-day free trial, then pay the new price of $8.99 a month.
     
    (And if you're a developer? Yes, you'll be getting more - 28% more per member subscribed to your title, per month.)
     
    OUR GUARANTEE - AND NEW MEMBERSHIP PERKS!
    First, if you sign up before March 22nd, we guarantee your Viveport Subscription will continue at the original price of $6.99 until at least the end of 2018.
     
    Second, we're rolling out new perks for all Viveport Subscription members:
     
    All members will receive exclusive FREE codes for games and apps, starting in February and then regularly during the year All Weekend Deals on Viveport - offering discounts on apps and games you'll want to add permanently to your Viveport library - will now only be available to members  
    Viveport Subscription members will be seeing their first members-only Weekend Deal soon. More membership perks will be announced in future, so stay tuned!
     
    Whether you're joining Viveport Subscription as a new member, or locking in your pricing through 2018, we're excited to have you with us!
     
    GETTING STARTED WITH VIVEPORT SUBSCRIPTION
    With over 375 titles to choose from, it can be tricky to figure out what to choose for your Viveport Subscription's first month! If you're in that position, allow us to make some suggestions.
     
    Fantastic Contraption
    A superb puzzle game, Fantastic Contraption has just been updated with over 50 new levels and other new features. Devilishly simple, all you need to do is move an object in virtual space... but what kind of machine will you build to make that happen?
     
    Overkill VR

    The name might give you a clue: Overkill VR is all about shooting stuff, in an appropriately over the top way. With a massive range of customizable weapons and a horde of killer robots out for your blood, Overkill VR has kept many Viveport Subscription members on their toes since it first released.
     
    The Wizards
    As one of our reviewers said, "If you want to throw fire balls and shoot ice arrows at some orcs this is the game for you!" And who doesn't? Master magical forces, explore an entire campaign and, well, throw fire balls and shoot ice arrows at orcs!
     
    Earthlight: Spacewalk
    Quite simply, the closest you'll get to being on the International Space Station without being an astronaut (or, we suppose, a very rich tourist!). Earthlight: Spacewalk will astound you with a simulated spacewalk and some of the most amazing views you can imagine. (Read our review here.)
     
    theBlu
    Arguably still the best introduction to anyone first experiencing virtual reality, theBlu takes you below the ocean waves to stare into the eye of a whale, reach out to touch giant jellyfish or perhaps discover even more terrifying beasties in the dark.
     
    Sign up for Viveport Subscription now for your FREE 14-day trial. Experience these five titles and lock in the monthly rate for 2018!
  15. Rockjaw

    VR on the Mountain

    By Rockjaw,

    PBS and TIME-LIFE VR Experiences Part of Viveport’s VR on the Mountain Lineup
    
    HTC Vive and Viveport are bringing a lineup of apps to one of the entertainment industry’s biggest events to showcase the range of experiences possible in virtual reality. The team is heading to Park City, Utah to exhibit at VR on the Mountain, a virtual reality hub taking place January 20-22.
     
    The Vive lineup at VR on the Mountain shows how major media companies and entertainment talent are bringing creative ideas to VR. The Vive exhibit will feature the world premiere of My Brother’s Keeper, a story-driven VR reenactment of the Battle of Antietam from PBS Digital. The experience is a companion piece to PBS’ primetime Civil War series Mercy Street, which debuts its second season on the network on January 22. PBS Digital partnered with StoryTech Immersive, Perception Squared and the Technicolor Experience Center, and used a new action camera rig built by the filmmakers, to create immersion that sets a new standard for VR storytelling. My Brother’s Keeper is written and directed by Connor Hair and Alex Meader. 
     
     
    
     
    Mindshow is another showcase title at HTC Vive’s VR on the Mountain experience. The visionaries behind Mindshow, an app that lets people improvise short animated vignettes in virtual reality and share them with friends, have their roots in animation. As the developers describe it, “Mindshow lets you make VR cartoons with your body and voice.” The app provides a variety of playsets – from a distant planet to a comedy club stage – where people can act out scenes using their bodies. The content can then be shared either as a VR scene visible through Vive, or exported as 2D videos to share with friends through online social channels. Mindshow is also an official selection of the 2017 edition of New Frontier at the Sundance Film Festival.
     
    
     
     Vive is also highlighting new content from Baobab Studios, a studio that brought its impressive animation pedigree to VR last year with Invasion!, an award-winning title launched last year. Headed by veterans from Pixar and DreamWorks Animation, including Madagascar writer-director Eric Darnell, Baobab is now ready to release their anticipated sequel Asteroids. On Saturday, January 21, they will unveil the full episode as part of the 2017 edition of New Frontier at the Sundance Film Festival and at HTC Vive’s VR on the Mountain exhibit.

    Attendees will also get a chance to experience Remembering Pearl Harbor, the gripping historical VR narrative that premiered on Viveport last month. Developed by Deluxe VR in conjunction with TIME-LIFE and Vive to commemorate the attack’s 75th anniversary, Remembering Pearl Harbor is a uniquely immersive VR storytelling app narrated by Lt. Jim Downing, one of the oldest living survivors of the attack. The original VR project is enhanced with interactive archival news material from iconic TIME and LIFE publications, the National WWII Museum and the Library of Congress, including famous radio broadcasts from Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill.
     
    Other titles exhibiting with Vive at VR on the Mountain include The Price of Freedom from Construct Studios. The interactive room-scale experience is based on a true secret CIA research project and incorporates historical documents photos and audio tapes from the 1950’s. Additional apps on display include Tilt Brush from Google, Pearl from Google Spotlight Stories, and a few surprises yet to be announced.
     
    The Viveport exhibit is part of HTC Vive’s sponsorship of VR on the Mountain, which will be held January 20-22 at Firewood, one of newest venues located on Main Street in Park City, Utah. Attendees will be able to experience all of the titles listed for the duration of the exhibit with the exception of Asteroids, which will debut on January 21.
     
    Vive is planning additional activities during the week including exhibits with other partners and two VR developer panels planned for Friday, January 20, and Sunday, January 22. To keep tabs on all of our activities next week in Park City, make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
  16. Rockjaw
    The New Year is always a time of renewal, and for many of us it's a time to resolve to do better, whether that's with our bodies or in our minds. Naturally, there are VR apps for that!
     
    From today until Wednesday, January 24th we're offering some fantastic VR apps at 50% off that will help you in mind, body and perhaps even soul. Here's a quick rundown of what's on offer:
     
    For your body...
     
    Virtual Sports
    Take on tennis and play some ping-pong with Virtual Sports, which includes two ball-batting games to keep you on the move. With AI opponents who’ll show you no mercy and the ability to play multiplayer matches, this is one exercise routine that’s anything but.
     

     
    Racket Fury: Table Tennis VR
    In the future, wars will be decided by robots. And table tennis. Yes, after a two-millennia war it’s only natural that the peace will be maintained by a table tennis competition called the Division of Steel! Eye-opening plot aside Racket Fury is a different take on table tennis, with hi-res visuals and extremely shiny robots to compete against. You’ll also be able to enhance your robotic avatar after every successful match, allowing you to compete at the upper echelons of artificial table tennis!
     

      
    Dash Dash Run!
    Ever played an ‘endless runner’? Ever wanted to be in one? To some that might sound like a special form of torture, but one thing cannot be denied: if you’re running in Dash Dash Run, you’ll be working up a sweat. That’s because in this frenetic racing game you have to pump your arms (with your controllers in hand) to make your avatar run. The faster you pump, the faster you run… if you’re old-school enough to remember 80s arcade classics such as Track & Field, you probably get the idea already. At least in VR, you won’t need to mash buttons to get yourself moving (or insert quarters to continue). This time though you’ll need to dodge around articles, grab coins and run as fast as you can if you’re going to top the global leaderboard.
     

     
    Final Soccer VR
    If you’ve ever dreamed of standing on an emerald pitch, poised to take a penalty kick that could win the match… then you need to get into Final Soccer VR. What started as a goalkeeping simulator now allows you to compete as goalie and striker, with a fully-featured sim mode, fun arcade mode, multiplayer and a lot more. Worth going into overtime for this one.
     

     
    For your mind…
     
    Nature Treks VR
    While getting out into nature is always a good thing, there are times when you just can’t make it happen – and of course, many times when you can, but nature doesn’t cooperate. Experience some breathtaking scenes, interact with animals and best of all, literally create the world around you. Nature Treks VR is a lot more than just a walkabout; it’ll activate your creativity while also relieving your stress.
     

     
    Nirvana
    If you’re looking to meditate, putting on a Vive headset might not be a bad start – no visuals to distract, no noises to get in. To enhance that experience you might want to try Nirvana, which places you in a virtual meditation temple where, surrounded by symbols of the divine, you can try to focus and block out the rest of the world.
     

     
    Guided Meditation VR
    While Nirvana looks to harmony in simplicity, Guided Meditation VR (as the title suggests) will steer you towards enlightenment with a strong helping hand. Designed to help anyone begin their meditation practice or improve a current one, Guided Meditation includes 19 environments, over 300 meditation spots and over 15 hours of helpful meditation material. If you’re looking for a vacation from the everyday, you’ll find one here.
     

     
    Whatever VR apps you choose to try, we wish you a happy, healthy and fulfilled year ahead!
    Available on Viveport:
    Virtual Sports Racket Fury: Table Tennis VR Dash Dash Run! Final Soccer VR Nature Treks VR Nirvana Guided Meditation VR
  17. Rockjaw
    
     
    Arcade Artist
     
    Step into a fantastical place where you can imagine, create art, and cause chaos. Arcade Artist combines the unique exploration of a creative playground along with casual arcade activities that makes this VR experience perfect for all ages.
     
    
     
     Cmoar VR Cinema
     
    Bring the atmosphere of the cinema straight to your home with Cmoar CR Cinema. Relax and enjoy glorious battles, romantic finales or comedic moments from your favorite movies.
     
     
    
     
     Star Chart
     
    Explore the solar system and night sky in a beautiful and accurate real-time simulation. Star Chart allows you to immerse yourself as a virtual astronaut traveling through space – embrace the final frontier.
     
    
     
     
    The Grand Canyon VR Experience
     
    Transport yourself on an epic journey into the heart of the Grand Canyon. Explore a fully dynamic and interactive living world!
     
    
     
     
    Toon Ocean VR
     
    Toon Ocean VR is a collection of four magical experiences where you meet friendly inhabitants of the ocean, play with a turtle, and practice your accuracy by throwing pearls into seashells.

    These deals come to an end on Sunday, October 23 at 11:59pm PT.
  18. Rockjaw
    Arcade Artist

     

    Step into a fantastical place where you can imagine, create art, and cause chaos. Arcade Artist combines the unique exploration of a creative playground along with casual arcade activities that makes this VR experience perfect for all ages.

     

    Cmoar VR Cinema

     

    Bring the atmosphere of the cinema straight to your home with Cmoar CR Cinema. Relax and enjoy glorious battles, romantic finales, comedic moments from your favorite movies.

     

    Star Chart

     

    Explore the solar system and night sky in a beautiful and accurate real-time simulation. Star Chart allows you to immerse yourself as a virtual astronaut traveling through space – embrace the final frontier.

     

    The Grand Canyon VR Experience

     

    Transport yourself on an epic journey into the heart of the Grand Canyon. Explore a fully dynamic and interactive living world!

     

    Toon Ocean VR

     

    A collection of four magical experiences where you meet friendly inhabitants of the ocean, play with a turtle, and practice your accuracy by throwing pearls into seashells.

     

    These deals come to an end on Sunday, October 23 at 11:59pm PT.
  19. Rockjaw
    We’re excited to share that PBS’s Digital Studio’s My Brother’s Keeper will be premiering at our exhibit on VR on the Mountain.
     
    
     
     
    My Brother’s Keeper is a companion piece to the PBS’ primetime Civil War series Mercy Street. The second season debuts on January 22 on the network.
     
    The nine-minute film tells the story of two estranged brothers, Ethan, 19, and Jackson, 16, who are fighting on opposite sides of the Civil War and unknowingly reunite at Antietam, the bloodiest battle in American military history. Shot on location in Virginia using more than 150 Civil War re-enactors, the story is fictional but based on historical accounts of brothers who fought against each other in the war.
     
    The cinematic VR experience will be coming soon to Viveport and we’ll update this blog with the app page when it launches. If you’re lucky enough to be at VR on the Mountain this upcoming week, be sure to stop by the Vive Exhibit and experience this groundbreaking VR short film.
     
    Want to see more of My Brother’s Keeper? Take a look at this behind-the-scenes video.
     

  20. Rockjaw
    Yee-haw! Saddle up with Hopalong: The Badlands
     
    If you’ve ever played at being a cowboy or pretended a broom was a horse (Wait, just us?) then you’ll be right at home in the wild, weird west of Hopalong: The Badlands. With Hopalong now available as part of Viveport Subscription, we talked to (appropriately enough) Texas-based developers From the Future about their rootin’ tootin’ shootin’ VR experience.
     

     
    Well howdy there, partner. What’s yer name and what brings you to these parts… or in other words, what gave you the idea for Hopalong: The Badlands?
     
    Howdy! My name is Mike Christian and I’m the CEO and one of four founders of From the Future (here we are on Twitter). The idea for Hopalong: The Badlands fell out of my head one Labor Day weekend and resulted in a prototype. The rest of the Future crew couldn’t help but laugh when they saw the idea, not to mention me hopping around the room in VR gear. The idea quickly evolved from everyone else’s input, and became much, much more than the original concept. My role on the team has mostly been the executive designer, with the occasional bit of programming.
     
    Is it fair to say that Hopalong … doesn’t take the history of the American West that seriously?
     
    Them there is fightin’ words, hombre! Hopalong takes American West history very seriously and we faithfully created that history… if it had been all stick-horses and wooden villains.
     

     
    After your initial idea, what brought Hopalong to fruition?
     
    Hopalong was an idea that bubbled up from the horse watering trough of desire – a desire to introduce a fun and novel way to traverse large landscapes in VR without teleporting. We figured since people look a little silly playing VR already, why not go the full silly?! People told us ‘never go the full silly’, but we thought that advice was, well, silly.
     
    The original idea was to not only prance around on a stick horse, but to also wave a lasso over your head as you tried to rope in stray bossies. (For you non-Texan types, bossies are cattle.) However, we lost several interns during testing due to CLS, AKA Carpal Lasso Syndrome, so that got cut.
     
    Visually Hopalong is quite unique! Were you inspired mostly by kids and their play, or something else? (I keep flashing to the coconut hooves of Monty Python’s Holy Grail, myself.)
      
    Thanks! Actually, we were inspired by Kid ‘n Play, the famous 80’s hip-hopalong duo. Monty Python’s infamous fish slapping dance was also a HUGE inspiration.  Tell us how the Oscillot system works. What makes it different from other locomotion systems in VR?
     
    At first actually, fully hopping in place was mandatory. However, being game developers we were not in the best shape, so we quickly resorted to shaking our fists...which came much more naturally. Oscillot, also known as O.S.C.I.L.L.O.T.,  is the science of moving like a bouncy cat. The cat that inspired the name, is known for its sinusoidal-like motion as it pounces on its prey. These cat facts are all well documented on the internet and are assuredly not made up by us.
     
    We found that physical movement helps reduce motion sickness because it allows people to make more of a connection to motion in the game versus motion in the real world. By limiting all the movement to one hand, both velocity and direction, that frees the other hand to wield weapons.
     
    What kind of cool moves can people pull off in Hopalong?
     
    You can shoot dynamite out of the air and back to the enemy that threw it. You can also use your grit to slow down time and multiply the mayhem exponentially. Once you defeat Boss Boomity you earn his flying pig, Pigasus, and hover one meter in the air!!! Oh the places you’ll go! Assuming those places are about three feet above you.
     
    Why is an Eight Shooter inherently better than someone’s trusty six-shooter?
     
    Six plus two times more fun! ™
     
    What weapons did you invent for Hopalong?
     
    The Brimstone Gun for when it's dark, or when you need to light a bandit on fire. Whichever comes first.
     
    The Iron Falcon is an 1880’s style hand-mortar that you can use to blast a bushel of Boomity’s out of the bushes.
     
    What kind of environments can people expect to see in Hopalong?
     
    Hopalong takes players both high and low through an expansive cliffside chock full of narrow paths, perilous edges, and more than a handful of hazardous outhouses. Aside from the wide-open spaces, the Badlands also hosts a number of caverns, rivers and other vistas.
     

     
    Ahem. What do stick horses eat? Are they easier to train than a normal horse?
     
    The only fuel your stuffed companion craves is the fear of your enemies. It’s like sugar cubes to them. They are much more difficult to train than a four legged horse. Good luck.
     
    Have you any plans for further development of Hopalong? Additional features you’d like to include?
     
    Heck yeah, buckaroo! Multiplayer and VR arcade features are in the planning stages. We have also explored a medieval theme where you are a horse riding wizard that storms all the castles.
     
    What’s next for you guys? I expect you already know considering your studio name.
     
    We have more ideas than you can shake a stick horse at. A couple of ideas in the works are: Flying Blades, a martial arts and sword fighting game that takes place in the air, and a Roman-inspired giant robot game. In Flying Blades, the Oscillot system is used to propel you through the air by flicking a magic sword and using another sword for direction as you battle giant demons. The Romanesque robot game has you commanding a giant mech-like contraption to defend a Rome that never fell...thanks to the robot!
     

    Speaking of that, what is the future like? Are there jetpacks? We were promised jetpacks.
     
    Well, it's not all flying cars and musical toilets. Jetpacks ARE a thing but they are only in fanny pack form. Bell bottoms are back but the bells are reversed. Walt Disney has been resurrected...and man is he angry! Those are the highlights.
     
    Thanks for talking to us, Mike. We’ll let you return to the future now!
    Hopalong: The Badlands is available in Viveport Subscription.
     
     
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