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Rockjaw

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  1. Rockjaw

    #SelfieTennis

    By Rockjaw,

    Viveport Review: #SelfieTennis
     
    VRUnicorns’ unique take on tennis is addicting and fun.
     

     
    By Joshua Hawkins, Greenlit Content
     
     
    #SelfieTennis takes everything you think you know about sports in virtual reality and turns it on its head. The game does this by dropping the preconceived notion of high scores and competitive gameplay to bring you a fun and addicting environment where your most challenging opponent is yourself.
     
    The basic premise probably sounds silly when I break it down like that, but that’s exactly what #SelfieTennis is. Instead of pitting players against AI opponents, or offering any kind of matchmaking, VRUnicorns decided to set the game up so that players face off against themselves on the tennis court. As you swing the racket and hit the ball, it barrels across the field. Then, you’re instantly teleported to the other side of the field, where you’ll need to be quick on your feet if you want to be able to hit the ball back and keep things going.
     

    It may not sound entertaining, but you’d be surprised at how addicting it is to slowly build up your shots, thereby creating more and more challenging opportunities. It’s an incredibly fun experience, and if you happen to get bored of playing tennis with yourself, you can always take the unlimited amount of rackets and tennis balls that you have and use them to attack the ball people situated around the match area.
     
    There’s no story to keep players engrossed, but that doesn’t keep the game from being an enjoyable romp. It’s hilarious to watch other users play, and if you’re new to virtual reality, the game does a nice job getting you accustomed to wearing the headset and controlling things with your whole body.
     
     
    If you want something that will offer a ton of fun, while also providing challenging gameplay and a great reason to laugh at your family members and friends, then #SelfieTennis is a worthy virtual reality game to pick up. It’s definitely something that I’ll use to showcase VR to my friends and family, if for no other reason than to prove how immersive the experience can be.
     

     
    #SelfieTennis is available on Viveport, and as part of Viveport Subscription.
     
  2. Rockjaw
    Eight fantastic VR titles have already been announced as Viveport Developer Award (VDA) nominees, all potentially able to share in $500,000 worth of prizes. Today we're adding to that total with four more titles, all great examples of how you can explore worlds, create things, connect with friends and experience stories in VR, via Viveport.
     
    The nominees are:
     
    
    SurrealVR, by SurrealVR
     
    Firebird - La Peri, by InnerspaceVR
     
    (A note for anyone who picked up Firebird - La Peri in our launch sale: an initial language issue has been resolved. Update or re-download Firebird for the latest version.)
     
    Apollo 11 VR, by Immersive VR Education Ltd.
     
    
    Fantastic Contraption, by Northway Games
     
    Congratulations to all of our nominees, and we wish you all the best of luck in the upcoming VDA finals!
     
    If you haven't checked out these experiences on Viveport, click the links above to see them for yourself. We'd love to hear your comments and see your reviews - feel free to leave comments below.
     
    Did you miss our previous nominees? Check out our first and second blog posts to see what other VR experiences have been nominated.
     
    We'll see you in VR!

    The Viveport Team
  3. Rockjaw
    In celebration of the Vive's one-year anniversary we're giving away Arcade Saga to everyone for one day only, as well as adding it to our Viveport Subscription lineup. What better time to tell you all about the new multiplayer modes for all three games?
     

     
    Now you and a friend can face each other in the neon-infused, retro-inspired world of Arcade Saga.
    Back in January, early multiplayer modes for Smash, Arcade Saga's corridor-based game, were rolled out. In that early version, players could compete for high scores across the world.
     

     
    In February the brick-bashing Fracture got an update, with players facing off in an effort to destroy their own walls first. With a setting inspired by arcade classics like Breakout and Arkanoid, multiplayer Fracture takes destruction to a new level.
     
    In addition, this update introduced the new Helper and Hinder powerups. In Fracture, a Helper powerup will instantly turn your ball into a fireball, clearing bricks much faster. The Hinder powerup will add 'devil bricks' to your opponent's wall (seen below). 
     

     
    In Smash, the Helper powerup splits a single ball into two, making your opponent work much harder to defend their own goal. A Hinder powerup disables your oppponent's Slow Shot ability, so they have to face down your oncoming projectiles without that boost!
     
    Finally this month the third game in Arcade Saga's trio, Bowshot, has joined the multiplayer family.
    Bowshot multiplayer lets players face off in a single arena with the goal of shooting more enemies than their opponent. Enemies spawn in waves and you'll need to be fast and accurate to win in this timed based head to head mode.
     

     
     
    Sound too easy? Well, as with Smash and Fracture, Helper and Hinder powerups have been added, where a player can either help themselves by having every shot they shoot be a charged shot for extra damage, or they can Hinder their opponent by putting a forcefield around them that blocks arrows from hitting their target.
     
    It's a whole new Arcade Saga with these multiplayer modes - which makes this a great time to check it out if you haven't already.
    Arcade Saga will be available on Viveport for FREE for one day only - tomorrow, April 5th, 2017. It will also be available as part of Viveport Subscription.
  4. Rockjaw

    Audio Arena

    By Rockjaw,

    Viveport Review: Audio Arena
     
    Archiact Interactive delights with their unique take on the rhythm genre.
     
     
    By Joshua Hawkins, Greenlit Content
     
     
    I am a huge fan of simple and fun rhythm games. That’s why I was so excited about Audio Arena when I experienced it for the first time.  The verdict? Archiact Interactive’s excellent VR game offers a ton of replay value, great music, and simple yet addicting gameplay.
     
    Right off the bat, the visuals look stunning. They are simple, colorful, and easy on the eyes—all positives when it comes to virtual reality. This made it very easy to get lost in the gameplay loop, which made it even easier to lose a few hours to the game.
     
     
    Audio Arena’s basic setup is easy to get ahold of. The player is put into a circular area with a massive screen surrounding him or her. The gamer must then use their controllers to guide the cursor, which acts as a ship around enemies which spawn and move to the beat of the song playing in the background. There are various powerups around the level, and the player will need to hit these in tune with the beat to activate them.
     
    It’s a simple premise that works wonders in VR, and the execution of the experience is well done. Of course, this means there isn’t a lot of immersion to offer, as the game always feels like you’re staring at an arcade machine’s screen. But, it still works really well, and you have a full 360-degree level that makes the experience that much more engaging and delightful.
     
    Audio Arena might not offer much immersion, but the game is both graphically beautiful and mechanically sound. The simple but addictive gameplay loop makes it easy to get lost in the action for hours, and the ability to take part in a full 360-degree battle against enemies makes it fun to take on the toughest challenges the game has to offer.
     
    The biggest negative in Audio Arena is the limited number of tracks, but the fact that enemies spawn different each time gives you an almost unlimited amount of replayability that lasts as long as you can stand to listen to the same songs repeatedly. While I want more content, what’s here is enough to keep you entertained for several hours, so slip on your Vive and groove to the beat!
     

    Audio Arena is available on Viveport.
  5. Rockjaw
    
     
     For those of you in the US - Happy Thanksgiving! To kick off the holiday celebrations, we’re pleased to announce our Black Friday & Cyber Monday deals.
     
    Save on HTC Vive
    
     
     On both Black Friday and Cyber Monday wherever Vive is sold, you will save $100 (£100/€100 or equivalent local currency) either directly off the price, or through an in-store coupon, while supplies last. 
     
    Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are available online and in all retail locations where Vive is sold, including Microsoft Stores, Amazon.com, Gamestop, Newegg.com, Micro-center, and Vive.com. In addition, for the first time, Vive will be available for sale in 34 Fry’s locations across the US and online. To find a location to purchase Vive near you, click here.
     
    Vive Online Availability: 
    Vive.com
    Microsoft Stores
    Amazon
    GameStop
    Newegg.com
    Micro Center
    Frys
     
    Save on VR apps in Viveport
     
    Our deals don't stop there! Build up your VR library with some great titles from Viveport this holiday weekend. Here's how you can save.
     
     
    The Black Friday Viveport Bundle
     
    Get three VR titles for just $5 (or equivalent). Make some noise (virtually) with SoundStage; paint in ways you've never experienced with Arcade Artist and relax during your holiday with Lumen.
     
    Separately these titles retail for almost $20, but this weekend you can pick them all up together for just $5.
     
    Click here to get this Black Friday Bundle!
     
    Save 50% on over 20 apps on Viveport
     
    As well as the Black Friday Bundle we're letting you save 50% on over 20 VR apps in Viveport this weekend. The full list of titles is as follows:
     
    A Chair in a Room: Greenwater Adventurous Life VR Apollo 11 VR C O S M Worlds Within Worlds Cloudlands: VR Minigolf Cmoar VR Cinema Daylight’s End (US only) DrumKit VR Emily Wants to Play Firebird - La Péri The Grand Canyon VR Experience Heaven Island Life Konrad the Kitten Oneiric Sculptures – Rodin Potioneer: The VR Gardening Simulator Ricerca VR Star Chart Stars Think Space Toon Ocean VV player World of Diving  
    Spend $30 on Viveport, get $10 credit back
     
    Feel tempted by those titles above? Here's another great reason to stock up: if you spend $30 (£25/€30 or local currency equivalent) or more between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, you will get $10 (£10/€10 or local currency equivalent) back in your Viveport wallet as credit, 10 days after the promotional period ends. (Please note, you can only receive a maximum of $10 credit.)
     
    New to Viveport?
     
    If you've just picked up your Vive and are about to experience virtual reality for the first time, or if you've never installed Viveport - click here and select 'Download Vive Software' to get Viveport.
     
    Need some help finding your new Viveport purchases? We have an FAQ for that.
     
    We hope you enjoy these Black Friday deals. Join us in the forums to discuss what you picked up!
     
    The Viveport Team
     
  6. Rockjaw

    BOUNCE

    By Rockjaw,

    Viveport Review: BOUNCE
     
    Steel Wool Studios' stylish puzzler delights and dazzles.
     

     
    By Joshua Hawkins, Greenlit Content
     
     
    On the surface, BOUNCE looks like just another simple puzzle game in a genre that’s already overflowing with content. As you progress deeper into the experience, though, you start to see the nuances that lie beneath and the challenges that are just waiting to be discovered. The basic premise of BOUNCE is indeed very simplistic, as your goal in each level is to get a robotic ball from one pipe to another. However, the fun comes from figuring out the coolest ways to get the ball where you want it to go.
     
    While you can always take the easy way out and build the quickest path to the goal, you’re encouraged to get a bit more creative. The game does this by giving you a ton of different pieces that you can spawn in and move around to create entertaining little courses for the ball to travel along. This is where the real depth comes into the game, as finding these more nuanced ways to get the ball from point A to point B is both challenging and exciting.
     

    When it comes to visuals, BOUNCE certainly isn’t lacking. Not only do the colors within the environment pop, but they’re also really easy on the eyes, which is something that many virtual reality games struggle with—especially games within the puzzle genre. The rooms that each level takes place in are well designed, and as you step your way around obstacles, the overall settings and environments do a good job of making you feel like you’re really there.
     
    One of the greatest strengths that virtual reality has to offer is interactivity and immersion, and BOUNCE does a great job showcasing both of these elements. The ability to interact with objects in so many different ways—you’re even able to teleport around the room to position items—makes it easy to get lost creating paths for your little robotic friend. The puzzles also increase in difficulty (without becoming too overwhelming for the player), which is a huge plus for the game as a puzzle-based experience.
     
    I’m a fan of great puzzle games, and BOUNCE hits all the right points. It has plenty of depth hidden beneath its simplicity, and it never makes the player feel like they’re stupid or unable to complete a puzzle. The visuals are gorgeous, and the immersion and interactivity make it a must play. If you want a fun, approachable puzzle game to get lost in, I highly recommend giving BOUNCE a try. You won’t be disappointed!
     

     
     
    BOUNCE is available on Viveport, and as part of Viveport Subscription.
     
  7. Rockjaw
    Earlier this year we announced VR for Impact, a global initiative and commitment by Vive to drive virtual reality content and technologies, all in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
     

     
    We received over 1,400 applications from creators, enthusiasts and advocates around the world all focused on this goal. After an extensive vetting process, today we’re announcing the first three projects that will be part of VR for Impact – with more to come in 2017.
     
    Earth Day, celebrated in over 192 countries on April 22nd, is the perfect time to reveal these three projects. They are:
     
    SpaceVR
    www.spacevr.co
     
    SpaceVR is the world’s first virtual reality platform allowing users to experience space first hand through the immersion of VR.
     
    Founded in 2015, the SpaceVR team has built the first VR satellite, the Overview 1, which will launch later this year on Space X. Once in orbit, SpaceVR will use two 4K sensors combined with wide field of view lenses to stream video that users can experience in full virtual reality or as 360-degree video.

     
    SpaceVR will be available on Viveport.
     
    Tree
    www.treeofficial.com
     
    Tree is a critically acclaimed virtual reality experience enhanced by haptic feedback to immerse viewers in the tragic fate that befalls a rainforest tree. The experience brings to light the harrowing realities of deforestation, one of the largest contributors to global warming.
     
    Tree is an official selection of Sundance Film Festival New Frontier and Tribeca Film Festival Immersive 2017.
     
    Tree will be available on Viveport.
     
    The Extraordinary Honey Bee
    The Extraordinary Honey Bee is a joint project with Häagen-Dazs®, Reach Agency and SPECTACLE looking at the alarming rate at which bee populations are falling.
     
    InThe Extraordinary Honey Bee, users will shrink down to the size of a bee for a guided VR experience where they learn of the risks bee colonies face and solutions currently being implemented to offset their decline.
     

     
    The Extraordinary Honey Bee will be available on Viveport.
     
    This is only the beginning for VR for Impact! SpaceVR, Tree and The Extraordinary Honey Bee represent the first grants awarded. Vive is planning to announce additional grant recipients for 2017 through the end of the year.
     
    Do you believe VR can change the world? Share your thoughts on our Community Forums, and visit the official VR for Impact site.
  8. Rockjaw
    Virtual reality became a lot less virtual at GDC 2017, and we were right in the mix with key sessions, announcements and upcoming programs that open up new opportunities for VR developers. Inside the walls of the Moscone Center in San Francisco last week, developers from around the world gathered to see the latest developments in software and hardware, mix and mingle with fellow devs and attend talks and panels given by luminaries from across the industry. That included a lot of news and buzz around VR.

     

    For our part, we presented a keynote called “Holodeck Year 2,” where we broke down what we believe is going to grow the VR ecosystem in 2017. We also had panels with VR developers looking at recipes for success and the opportunity to expand the market through arcade and out-of-home VR experiences. The most important takeaway from what we communicated at GDC is that content and the creators behind it are going to drive VR forward this year. That means all of you in our development community.

     

    We want to make sure you’re all aware of what Vive is doing to set up VR and VR developers for success. For that, we put together a recap of some of our key announcements and information shared with developers at GDC.

     

    Viveport Subscription

     

    Viveport has officially opened its doors to developers to sign onto the subscription service unveiled at CES earlier this year. This is a brand new opportunity for developers to reach a larger audience and better monetize their VR content. When the service launches later this spring, every Vive owner will have access to a free trial of Viveport subscription.

     

    Rahul Sandil, VP of Marketing for Viveport, breaks down how the service works and how developers can benefit from opting into it in this video. If you are a developer, you can sign participate in the subscription service by logging in to the developer console: https://developer.viveport.com/console/.



     

    Viveport Arcade

     

    Location-based entertainment is going to play an important role in the continuing adoption of VR, representing a major touchpoint for more people to experience high-end VR. Vive is helping drive forward this part of the VR marketplace with our upcoming launch of Viveport Arcade, a turnkey platform to securely deliver content to thousands of arcade and amusement center operators around the world. The platform is currently in trial and is planned to open worldwide April 2017.

     

    In the video below Jenna Seiden, Head of Content Acquisitions & Partnerships at Viveport, looks at how Viveport Arcade represents a significant opportunity for VR devs to reach a global audience, and could grow to $100 million market by the end of the year. For more information, please visit https://developer.viveport.com/arcade/



     

    Vive Studios Developer Support

     

    There are three major areas Vive Studios is helping developers turn their creative VR concepts into reality:

     

    1) Technical expertise for platform optimizations and best practices in VR

    2) Publishing services to help distribute content to more markets and help get the message out about great content

    3) Investment and funding of content to grow development talent and the VR ecosystem.

     

    In the video below Joel Breton, Head of Vive Studios, looks at how content is king in driving VR adoption, and how Vive is taking a platform agnostic approach to supporting the creation of high-quality VR content that can move the needle.  For more information on Vive Studios, please visit https://www.vive.com/us/vive-studios/



     
  9. Rockjaw
    We've updated our Developer Console with some new options for controller types. If your app utilizes control types other than (or in addition to) the Vive controllers, you can now display that on your Viveport app product page.
     
    You'll find these new options on the 'Viveport Listing' part of the Developer Console:
     
     Simply check all that apply to your app, and those choices will be shown on your Viveport product page - for example here, on Kodon's page:
     

     
    This change should provide more clarity for end-users. Let us know if you have further comments below!
     
     
  10. Rockjaw

    Download Viveport SDK

    By Rockjaw,

    The latest version of the Viveport SDK is available for download from the links below.
     
    To see the latest documentation, click here.
     
    To download the latest version of the SDK, click here.
  11. Rockjaw

    Drunk or Dead

    By Rockjaw,

    Viveport Review: Drunk or Dead
     
    Forget about finding the cure. In Drunk or Dead, your primary objective is to save the bar!
     

     
    By Desmond Madison, Greenlit Content
     
     
    The premise of the off-kilter undead arcade wave shooter, Drunk or Dead, from the developers at 4 I Lab is simple. You wake at the bar after a long day of drowning your sorrows only to be informed by the bartender that the world has been overrun by zombies.
     
    To make matters interesting, this isn’t a world where being bitten turns you over to the undead side, it’s being sober that makes this airborne infestation seep into your veins. Luckily, your bartender has your back with an arsenal of weapons and a shelf of her finest liquor to drink away the infection as you blast through your blurry, alcohol induced vision in order to fend off the horde of oncoming zombie fiends.
     
    The pressure soon heats up as the zeds wander into your watering hole, and since you need to be drunk in order to survive, you’ll constantly juggle headshots with shots of whiskey from the bartender as you struggle to stand dizzily on your own two feet. You’ll have to be careful, though, as there’s such a thing called “alcohol poisoning,” and if you go over your limit shown on the drunk-o-meter... you die.
     

    This keeps the gameplay interesting and is the core feature that sets Drunk or Dead apart from the sea of other zombie wave shooters available in virtual reality. The game also wears its decidedly lowbrow sense of humor on its alcohol soaked sleeve, but as long as players know that going in, they should have no trouble adjusting to the atmosphere. Also, let’s face it, with a name like Drunk or Dead, most players should already be expecting a certain level of bar stool irreverence.
     
    The setup is simple, silly, and simulates taking on the undead by getting completely sauced.  There are three main areas to blast away zombies as well as undead reindeer, and they’re all rendered with impressive detail and lighting. You won’t be moving around with any locomotion or teleportation, but that’s probably for the best considering you’ll need to stay as close to the bar as possible at all times.
     
    If you can manage to say alive (and drunk) through all of the main locations, you’ll be able to see your scores posted to an online leaderboard. With all there is to juggle between slamming beers and blowing up TNT barrel carrying walkers, the game makes for a fun variation on the highly saturated zombie wave shooter genre, even if it’s not entirely appropriate for all ages.
     

    In all, Drunk or Dead manages to live up to its namesake. It adds a great twist to the genre and gets you ready for the apocalyptic dream scenario of beer connoisseurs everywhere. It may not be something you’ll want to showcase to everyone in your family, but if you ever manage to have your drinking pals over for night of VR gaming, this one is an absolute dead ringer. Now hold my beer!
     

     Drunk or Dead is available in Viveport, and in Viveport Subscription.
  12. Rockjaw
    This editorial is written by Felicia Miranda, a freelance technology journalist. Follow her on Twitter @FeliciaVagabond. We hope this editorial helps you find the best VR content available!
     

    There’s more to virtual reality than exploring distant worlds and trying out new experiences. Psychologists from all over the world have recommended VR as an effective form of treatment for stress and all kinds of mental illness. From coping with the overwhelming pressure to finding healthy ways to tackle conditions like anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), plugging into a virtual therapeutic environment can help people achieve peace of mind.
     
    Virtual reality has helped me in ways that honestly surprised me. What started as a fun escape for an hour or two turned into one of the best ways for me to unwind and reset after a tough day. To share the love with other Vive owners, I’ve put together a list of some of my go-to Viveport apps for when I’m in need of some much needed VR therapy. Hopefully they’ll help you find some peace of mind as well!
     
    Guided Meditation VR
    Developer: Cubicle Ninjas
    Available on Viveport

     
    For years, my mother told me that meditation could change my life. At first, I was skeptical of such a bold statement. How could sitting cross-legged with my eyes closed make a big impact on my well-being?
     
    Guided Meditation VR changed my opinion by taking me to tranquil locations and letting me take control of my meditation experience. I started off with two minutes a day, and slowly built my way up to a full ten minutes of uninterrupted silence. Now I can meditate on my own with no problems. But there are a few things that make Guided Meditation VR my go-to app after a long, stressful day.
     
    Every day I can meditate somewhere new – be it under the canopy of a rain forest, or in the burnt orange deserts of the Grand Canyon. It’s a luxury to finally meditate without a world full of distractions breaking my Zen. Most importantly, I can let go with these guided experiences, taken directly from ancient traditions and curated by masters of meditation. What’s more comforting than that?
     
    Great for: Relieving stress and anxiety.
     
    Read our interview with Josh Farkas from Cubicle Ninjas, developers on Guided Meditation VR.
     
    LUMEN
    Developer: Framestore, Inc
    Available on Viveport
    LUMEN is a project started by Framestore Inc., Dr. Walter Greenleaf, and a group of Stanford research scientists who wanted to create a soothing VR experience for children headed into risky surgical procedures. It uses a combination of breathing exercises, bioluminescent light and ambient sound to shift your focus away from any lingering anxiety and immerse you in a calming, magical world.
     
    A soft-spoken woman gently guides you on this journey. It begins with some controlled breathing, to which you might find yourself slipping into a tranquil state, not just by the sound of her voice but to the comforting glow of a light that radiates in front of you. Shortly afterwards, you’ll be instructed to grow some small seedlings on the forest floor by looking at them. Yes, you read that correctly.
     
    This is where I found immense relaxation. Sometimes I’d grow a tree with long, slender branches that extended towards the sky. Other times, I kept them small, neat and tidy. I remember marveling at the lavish woods I’d grown, and how I left LUMEN with a clear mind and ready to take on the day.
     
    Great for: Relieving anxiety.
     
    Perfect
    Developer: nDreams VR
    Available on Viveport

     
    Regardless of whether it’s a vacation to a tropical paradise or a few days to enjoy the quiet stirrings of nature, some time for yourself can make all the difference to your mental health.
     
    Perfect is a Viveport app that caters to your impulses of wanting to get away and relax. You can choose from three virtual locations, each with their own lush and interactive environment that feel so real, it’s sure to convince you that you’ve finally taken that much deserved time off. The places you can travel to include the sandy shores of a tropical beach, a rocky cliff overlooking a beautiful forest, and a snowy arctic landscape beneath the Northern Lights.
     
    One of my favorite features of Perfect is the sensational audio quality. As I’m taking in the dazzling life-like scenery, I’m surrounded by sounds of crashing waves and chirping birds at the shore, the crackling of the fire as it burns under the Aurora Borealis, and the hum of blowing wind and wildlife at the top of the mountain. Taking a moment to close your eyes and savor the moment is highly recommended.
     
    Great for: Stress-relief, as a travel alternative.
     
    The Night Cafe: A VR Tribute to Van Gogh
    Developer: Borrowed Light Studios
    Available on Viveport
     

     
    In The Night Cafe, you can take your appreciation for the arts to the next level by stepping into an oil painting and experiencing a world depicted through Van Gogh’s famous brushwork. You don’t have to have an arts degree to dig this app. You’ll be able to appreciate the stunning details of his work, brought to life by the magic of the virtual reality.
     
    The highlight of this app is how abstract the world looks. While most VR experiences aim to be as realistic as possible, The Night Cafe is a beautifully surreal experience, accentuated by Van Gogh’s art style and signature choice of bold colors. I was amazed at how I could walk around and examine objects that previously existed in a 2D painting. While I never get tired of taking a walk through The Night Cafe, I can’t wait to see more apps like it in the future.
     
    Great for: Art lovers, lifting your mood
     
    Firebird - La Péri
    Developer: Innerspace VR
    Available on Viveport

     
    One of my favorite past times when I’m stressed out is to sit down and read a book or watch a movie. The thing is, I save only the most extraordinary tales for when I’m feeling down, and that’s because they have this amazing ability to sweep you away.
     
    Enter Firebird - La Péri. This VR experience is inspired by a ballet from a French composer by the name of Paul Dukas, whose story follows a prince on a mission to fetch the flower of immortality. In your search, you awaken La Péri, and this is where your adventure truly begins.
     
    An enchanting combination of fairy tale meets ballet, Firebird - La Péri won me over with its story, but it keeps me coming back with its incredible audio and visuals. Although short in length, it’ll take you on an interactive journey with breathtaking effects, remarkable narration, captivating dancing, and a moving plot. It’s also the perfect medicine for a gray day.
     
    Great for: Enhancing your mood, relieving stress.
    Guided Meditation VR, LUMEN, Perfect and Firebird - La Péri are available on Viveport and in Viveport Subscription. The Night Café is available for free on Viveport.
  13. Rockjaw

    Fright Fest on Viveport

    By Rockjaw,

    
     
    Our team loves Halloween, so we’re stoked to announce Fright Fest on Viveport with some new, scary destinations at spooktacular prices. Get these spine-tingling titles this week:
     
    A Chair in a Room: Greenwater, by Wolf & Wood Interactive – 25% Discount
    Daylight’s End VR Edition, by Groove Jones - 80% Discount
    Emily Wants to Play, by SKH Apps – 80% Discount
    The Night The Carsons Disappeared, by NostalgicBear VR – 50% Discount
    Horror Experiences Invisible & The Game in Jaunt VR, by Jaunt – Free
     
    Our Halloween promotions are available now, and the sale ends on Tuesday night (11/1). Be sure to visit http://www.vive.com/setup/ to install and set up the Vive software, which will also install the Viveport desktop app on your computer.
     
    If you are out trick-or-treating, you can use the Viveport app on your Android phone to choose anything in the store and queue it up in your library for when return.
     
    Whether you spend Halloween in VR or the real world (or a combination of both) we hope you have a fright-tastic time! Happy Halloween!
     
    The Viveport Team
  14. Rockjaw

    Front Defense Heroes

    By Rockjaw,

    Viveport Review: Front Defense Heroes
     
    Fantahorn Studio’s first-person shooter gets the multiplayer treatment.
     

     
    By Joshua Hawkins, Greenlit Content
     
     
    I was a huge fan of Fantahorn’s original FPS, Front Defense. While the original is a wave-based defense simulation, Front Defense Heroes takes away the barriers of a fixed position and opens up the game world for the player to explore as they face off against other players in real-time. It’s a unique concept, and one of only a few FPS PVP games available in VR, so I was eager to dive in and try it for the first time.
     
    Surprisingly, I was blown away by how easy it is to move around and take part in the battles that you experience in Front Defense Heroes. Not because I have little faith in the developers, but because locomotion and fast-paced action are a tough nail to hit on the head in VR, especially when you’re going for a PVP environment. They came up with an interesting formula, though, which helps mitigate some of the motion sickness that you might get from a free movement system.
     
    Instead of offering basic free movement, the game uses a system that the developers call V-move, which allows you to look in a direction and then press a button to move that direction. When this happens, you’re pulled from the first-person camera to view your model in third person. In doing so, Front Defense Heroes creates a cohesive movement system that should be easy on anyone, even if you’re prone to motion sickness.
     
    Much like the original, Front Defense Heroes offers a lot of immersion by making the player feel like they’re in a war-torn environment. While the game’s still in development and not everything has been added, there’s more than enough to keep PVP-oriented players satiated while the developers work on adding even more cool content. The guns all feel responsive, offering their own unique controls and recoil. Additionally, having the ability to realistically peek around corners and over cover makes for some thrilling and exciting experience.
     
    The biggest issue with Front Defense Heroes right now is a very low player base to work with. This is an issue that any multiplayer VR game is going to face in the foreseeable future as we work towards making VR a bigger part of the overall gaming industry. However, when you’re able to find a game, the immersive and action-packed gameplay that you get to enjoy is more than worth the wait.
     
     
     
    Front Defense Heroes is available on Viveport.
  15. Rockjaw
    The invasion of Normandy is over. The fiercest firefights of World War II have just begun.

     
    Vive Studios and Fantahorn Studio are taking you to the front lines of World War II with Front Defense, premiering today on Viveport and in Viveport Subscription.
     
    Set in the waning days of World War II, Front Defense puts you in the boots of an Allied Forces soldier facing an ongoing onslaught from Axis forces. As you defend strategic positions in a small European town, you'll engage with infantry using a wide range of firearms, from pistols to mounted machine guns.
     
    Soldiers aren't the only threat you'll face. With the full power of an Axis armored division deployed against you, you'll need to use bazookas, grenades and even call in airstrikes to destroy tanks, armored cars and dive bombers.
     

     
    Think that's all the Axis can throw at you? Think again. With whispers of a mysterious superweapon about to be deployed, an epic confrontation awaits for those able to hold the line.
     
    Developed by HTC first-party studio Fantahorn Studio, Front Defense has been designed explicitly for room-scale VR on Vive. You'll need to duck, dive and reload in order to survive on the front line, making Front Defense one of the most intense war games you've ever experienced.
     

     
    Front Defense is available now on Viveport, and is included as part of Viveport Subscription. Start your free trial today!
  16. Rockjaw
    To mark Vive’s one-year anniversary, HTC has today launched the first-ever VR subscription service. With over 50 titles to choose from, subscribers will be able to experience five different Viveport apps a month from a constantly expanding collection. Launch day titles include favorites such as TheBlu, Everest VR, Mars Odyssey, Apollo 11 VR, Fantastic Contraption and many more.
     

     
    Also in celebration of ‘Vive Day’, HTC is rewarding fans by giving away action sports title Arcade Saga. This is a 24-hour limited offer, so anyone interested in getting their free copy should visit Viveport.com between 12:01am PDT on April 5th and 12:01am PDT on April 6th. (You can also add Arcade Saga to your Viveport Subscription.)
     

     
    Speaking of subscriptions, Vive Day is also the first day you can sign up for a free one-month trial of Viveport Subscription. Starting your subscription is easy; it’s as simple as choosing five apps, downloading and installing them, and ta-da! You could be exploring the surface of your favorite red planet in Mars Odyssey.
     
    Viveport Subscription is a great and affordable way to explore and discover new VR experiences, providing you with unlimited access to five apps of your choosing, and you can make new choices every month to experience new apps.
     
    Viveport is only $6.99 per month (or currency equivalent) should you decide to continue after the trial period, making it so much cheaper than a trip to a museum or a vacation in Hawaii… plus it can make saving for those fun getaways much easier. Naturally, if you register for Viveport Subscription and decide it’s not for you, you're able to cancel your subscription at any time. Ready to go? Register now at www.viveport.com.
     

     
    From another perspective, if you’re a developer looking to boost your visibility in the VR market, making sure your Viveport app is part of Viveport Subscription is a great way to get your app in front of more people. It’s a simple one-click process to opt-in to Viveport Subscription, so visit developer.viveport.com for more information and to submit your app.
     
    Viveport Subscription will add a whole new meaning to the phrase, “The world is your oyster.” I’ve been to three different parts of the world today in VR. Now tell me, where else can you find that kind of freedom?
    Felicia Miranda is a contributing editor for Vive.com.
     
    Got more questions about Viveport Subscription? Read our FAQ in the Community Forums
  17. Rockjaw
    Now available on Viveport, Golden Gate from dSky allows you to explore a recreated San Francisco in miniature, swoop around famous landmarks and get up close and personal with highly detailed buildings.
     
    Golden Gate is Viveport’s latest Weekend Deal! Get 50% off now through Sunday 3/12 at 11:30pm PT  
    Tell us who you are, and what your role is at dSky?
     
    Hello Vive community! My name is Jared Bowns and I am the Director of Community Engagement for dSky. We’re an indie shop focused on creating VR experiences for all major platforms, though we are particularly excited about the Vive. We’ve been operating in this world since the beginning and continue to believe in the potential that VR has to change the world.

     
    Tell us about Golden Gate - it’s a scale model of San Francisco. What can you do inside the app?
     
    Golden Gate enables you to explore and teleport freely around a miniature scale model of the magical city of San Francisco, including models of more than 80,000 buildings in the city with high detail for key points of interest. Even at 1:200 scale, this city is the explorable size of a gymnasium. You can fly around or teleport to all of SF’s most interesting locations like the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and AT&T Park among others. At the bare minimum, it is fun as hell to fly around like Iron Man.
     
    What inspired you to create (or recreate) a world that’s outside your window?
     
    At dSky, we are really interested in creating apps and experiences that allow exploration of places only previously possible in our imaginations. Taking the conceptual and leveraging the power of presence in VR to craft something unique excites us greatly. We’re working on some other apps where you can explore Mars from the perspective of the rover and directly observe the laws of electromagnetism up close.
     
    You made an update to Golden Gate before launching on Viveport. What's new?
     
    A lot of time was spent on dialing in the performance of the application and getting controller support for the Vive. A lot more detail has been added for the main locations within the app to provide more of an atmosphere. We also spent a lot of time working out a magical scale at which to change the building sizes to.
     
    How big an area (in real life) does Golden Gate cover?
     
    Golden Gate covers the entire city of San Francisco from the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz down to the Daly City border. 

      
     
    Do you have any plans to create similar apps for other cities?
     
    We do plan to create similar apps for other cities. We spent a lot of time focusing on the scale of the users’ viewport to the actual size of the buildings and getting that just right. There is a certain magic in being able to explore at a smaller scale. With that being said, our minds have been racing with other places to apply this same form to.
     
    What would be your dream city to recreate?
     
    My dream city to recreate would definitely be Helsinki, with viewable Northern Lights!
     

     
    What’s your favorite part of San Francisco (in real life)?
     
    I really enjoy nature, so I would say that Golden Gate Park is my favorite part of the city. For some reason, it never gets old going for a run or taking a stroll through there. It's even cooler to view my favorite area of SF in reality from VR as Golden Gate Park is one of the high detail areas of the application.
     
    What’s your favorite part of your virtual San Francisco?
     
    My favorite part would have to be AT&T Park. There’s a little hidden Easter egg in there that is very cool to experience!
    Golden Gate is available now on Viveport. For more information on dSky, visit their website.
  18. Rockjaw
    If you’re an Oculus Rift user discovering Viveport for the first time, welcome! It’s easy to set up Viveport and start playing titles on your Rift – but if you need a quick start guide, follow the steps below.
     
     
    Step One: Set up your Oculus Rift
    Without your Rift ready to go, we can’t start playing titles from Viveport, so make sure to:
     
    Have your Oculus Rift HMD connected to your PC, with any other setup completed Create your account at Oculus.com, and install the Oculus Rift desktop software In the Oculus Rift software, under Settings – General, turn on the option for Unknown Sources (click ‘Allow’ when prompted)
    Step Two: Get Viveport
    You’ll need to download the Viveport desktop app to access your Viveport library, download titles and play them. You can download the Viveport desktop app at vive.com/setup. If you already have a Vive or Vive Pro, you may already have Viveport installed (in which case, skip on down to Step Three).
     

    After downloading Viveport, locate the file and launch it. During installation, you will need to:
    Sign in with your HTC | VIVE Account (or create a new one).
    Install SteamVR. This will happen automatically, but you may be asked to sign in to Steam during the installation.
    After installation, you’ll be able to launch Viveport from the desktop shortcut. Step Three: Browse for Oculus Rift compatible titles
    You can browse Viveport either from within the desktop app or via Viveport.com. Here’s what to look out for:
    Titles that are Oculus Rift compatible will have the icon displayed throughout the site You can also filter for Oculus Rift compatible titles After purchasing a title, it will be added to your Viveport Library, accessible from your desktop app or from Viveport.com while logged in To play your purchased titles, download and install them via the Viveport desktop app Launch your Viveport titles from within the Viveport Library Step Four: Get a Viveport Subscription for the best value in VR!
    As well as buying individual titles from Viveport, you can sign up for Viveport Subscription for FREE, letting you experience five titles per month for one low price. You can cancel any time, and to really save money, you’re able to pre-pay for your Viveport Subscription with our 3, 6 and 12 month plans.
     
    Want a few suggestions for some fantastic Oculus Rift compatible titles available to you in Viveport Subscription? Check out our blog on just that.
  19. Rockjaw
    Existing owner? Get Fallout 4 VR plus three free months of Viveport Subscription.
     
    HTC VIVE is glad to announce that starting today, October 2nd, customers who purchase an HTC Vive, will receive a free redemption code for Fallout 4 VR, a $59.99 value, which launches on December 12, 2017 (vive.com/fallout4-vr).
     
    Fallout 4, the legendary post-apocalyptic adventure from Bethesda Game Studios and winner of more than 200 ‘Best Of’ awards, including the DICE and BAFTA Game of the Year, and most recently ‘Best Virtual Reality Game’ at gamescom 2017, finally comes in its entirety to VR. Fallout 4 VR includes the complete core game with all-new combat, crafting, and building systems fully reimagined for virtual reality.
     
    “Fallout 4 VR is the most anticipated title for VR this holiday, and the game development team at Bethesda Game Studios is delivering on the promise with a full-length AAA open-world game that takes advantage of Vive’s incredible room-scale immersion for a mind-blowing experience in the Wasteland,” said Joel Breton, GM of Vive Studios. “The promise of a game with near endless content, including hundreds of locations, characters, and quests, fully playable in VR, is something that we have been focused on providing for the VR gaming community. We are now thrilled to provide this incredible game to new Vive owners and eagerly look forward to game’s launch on Vive this December.”
     
    The freedom of exploring the wasteland comes alive like never before when experienced using Vive’s superior room-scale technology. Vive’s submillimeter tracking for responsiveness and accuracy makes it the most immersive way to experience Fallout 4.
     
    Existing Vive customers who purchase Fallout 4 VR, will be able to sign up for a bonus 3-month Viveport Subscription offer that will be available prior to the game’s launch. Viveport Subscription allows consumers to choose from over 250 pieces of content, giving consumers the best value to discover VR content. Visit Viveport.com/Fallout4VR for purchase details, launch dates, and additional offers.
    Players must be 18 or over to redeem Fallout 4 VR code. Please check your local vive.com for details and availability.
  20. Rockjaw
    HTC VIVE Raises The Bar For Premium VR With New VIVE PRO Upgrade And Wireless VIVE Adaptor
     
    New Hardware Raises the Bar for High-End VR Market, While All-New Viveport VR and Vive Video Dramatically Improves the way You Browse, Discover and Acquire VR Content.
     
    Today in Las Vegas, HTC VIVE™, the leader in room-scale Virtual Reality (VR) announced new hardware upgrades that deliver premium VR experiences to consumers and enterprises with the introduction of Vive Pro and Vive Wireless Adaptor. In addition, the company debuted new improvements in how VR users discover, experience and acquire VR content through a radical redesign of Viveport VR and Vive Video. These advancements deliver on VR users’ desire for higher resolution, improved audio, greater comfort, wireless freedom and immersive content discovery.
     
    Vive Pro

     
    Vive Pro is a new HMD upgrade from Vive, built for VR enthusiasts and enterprise users who want the best display and audio for their VR experiences. Vive Pro includes dual-OLED displays for a crisp picture resolution of 2880 x 1600 combined, a 78% increase in resolution over the current Vive HMD.
     

     
    This premium resolution enhances immersion for VR enthusiasts, and the improved clarity means text, graphics and overall experience all come into sharper view. Vive Pro also features integrated, high-performance headphones with a built-in amplifier to offer a heightened sense of presence and an overall richer sound. Vive Pro’s new headstrap was built with enhanced ergonomics and comfort, including a sizing dial for a more balanced headset that decreases weight on the front of the headset. Additional improvements include dual microphones with active noise cancellation and dual front-facing cameras designed to empower developer creativity.
     
    “There’s a clear need in the VR market for a premium VR experience with high resolution display, integrated audio and the best components available today in a headset,” said Daniel O’Brien, GM U.S., VIVE. “Vive Pro offers an immediate upgrade for both VR enthusiasts and enterprises that want to utilize the best VR experience.”
     
    More details on Vive Pro availability and price will be made available soon.
     
    Vive Wireless Adaptor
    Also unveiled today, the Vive Wireless Adaptor will be the first to market with a truly wireless VR headset integration for both Vive and Vive Pro.
     
    The Vive Wireless Adaptor features Intel’s WiGig technology and offers a premium VR wireless experience that operates in the interference-free 60Ghz band, which means lower latency and better performance. The Vive Wireless Adaptor will ship in Q3 to customers worldwide. 
     
    “Wireless VR has been on nearly every VR user’s wishlist since the technology was unveiled,” said Frank Soqui, General Manager Virtual Reality Group at Intel Corporation. “By collaborating with HTC to commercialize Intel’s WiGig technology, we will guarantee that wireless VR meets the most discerning quality bar for home users and business VR customers.”
     
    Viveport VR

    In the largest upgrade to the Viveport customer experience since launch, Viveport VR redefines how users, discover, experience and acquire VR content. Instead of a traditional 2D catalog, Viveport VR content is delivered in fully immersive interactive previews. Viveport is embracing a VR first approach by including VR enabled “VR Previews,” which are interactive glimpses of content that give customers a room-scale preview of an experience and the opportunity to interact with content before purchasing or subscribing.
     
    “Viveport is moving to a VR first experience model, and with the all-new Viveport VR, we are changing the way consumers discover, experience and acquire VR content,” said Rikard Steiber, president, Viveport.  “Until now, there has not been a shopping and browsing experience that takes advantage of the full functionality of VR. Available in early access today, Viveport VR increases interaction with content and offers developers a preview that showcases the quality of their titles and experiences.”
     
    Earlier this year, Viveport launched the world’s first VR subscription service to provide a whole new way to access the best VR experiences for a great price. With more than 1,000 titles available on Viveport today, and more than 325 available for subscription, Vive is changing the way users browse and discover content through Viveport VR.
     
    Vive Video Includes Vimeo

    Today HTC Creative Labs also rolled out an upgrade to its native VR video player, Vive Video. Vive Video solves the discovery and acquisition problem for VR video content by delivering a large catalog of high quality streaming video directly to VR headsets. In addition to new features and UI upgrades, Vive Video has integrated content from Vimeo, the world’s largest ad-free open video platform home to millions of creators worldwide.
    In the new Vive Video experience, a curated selection of Vimeo content will be made available to browse and view in a highly optimized native VR experiences within Vive Video-compatible headsets.
     
    “Whether we’re building our own tools in-house or partnering with other innovative platforms, Vimeo is committed to the future of storytelling and finding new ways to support our creators,” said Christophe Gillet, GM of Vimeo’s Creator Platform. “Not only does the integration with Vive Video showcase some of Vimeo’s highest quality, human-curated content within the VR experience, but it also gives those creators an exciting new way to expose their work and engage with audiences.”
     
    Vive Video has consistently been one of the most-downloaded and highest-rated apps on the SteamVR platform, enabling users to view 180 and 360-degree video content. Vive Video is available today for both Vive and Google Daydream platforms, and will arrive on Vive Wave in the near future.
  21. Rockjaw

    Introducing our VDA jury

    By Rockjaw,

    
     
     It's time to reveal our eight person jury, who will be voting on the nominees for the first-ever Viveport Developer Awards (VDAs).
     
    These eight jurors, along with your Viveport Community Choice vote, will determine the ultimate winners of a total of $500,000 in cash and prizes that will be revealed in January 2017.
     
    Twenty apps were nominated for their pioneering work in VR that best represent four of the key pillars of the Viveport platform: Explore, Experience, Create and Connect.
     
    The judges include:
     
    Brent Bushnell, CEO of Two Bit Circus
     
    Marcie Jastrow, SVP Immersive Media and Head of Technicolor Experience Center, ‎Technicolor
     
    Geoff Keighley, Journalist and Executive Producer of the Video Game Awards
     
    Nathaniël de Jong (Nathie), VR Content Creator on YouTube
     
    Rajeev Puran, Business Development - Commercial VR, Intel Corp
     
    Justin Roiland, Writer/Animator and Co-Creator of Rick and Morty
     
    Taryn Southern, internet personality and founder of Tribe of Good
     
    Reggie Watts, Comedian/Musician CBS' The Late Late Show with James Corden and Netflix's SPATIAL
     
    Don't forget - whatever our jurors decide, the community has their choice too. One of our VDA nominees could win a $10,000 bonus prize if they get the most votes from you, our community members.
     
    Check out our Community Choice Awards page, and cast your vote for your favorite VDA-nominated app today!
  22. Rockjaw

    Introducing Vive Video!

    By Rockjaw,

    HTC Creative Labs presents Vive Video—a video player for virtual reality. With support for 2D, 3D, 180˚ and 360˚ content, Vive Video turns your personal video library into a virtual home theater.
     
    Virtual reality adds a delightful, immersive element to watching videos regardless of the format you choose. While viewing 2D videos, you can resize the screen to fill your entire field of view, orient it to your gaze, and even turn off the ambient lighting for a truly cinematic experience. Things get more exciting with 180° and 360° screen modes where, thanks to digital tracking, you can move and look around in the virtual environment while the content adapts to your viewing perspective.
     

     
    One of our favorites in this genre is the award-winning VR animation INVASION! 360 VR from Baobab Studios. From the director of Madagascar and narrated by Ethan Hawke, INVASION! is a VR story about two bumbling aliens, Mac and Cheez, with grand ambitions to take over our world. Instead, they are greeted by two adorable, white bunnies….and YOU are one of them!
     

     
    We’ve included a sneak peek of the INVASION! 360 video in the Vive Video download so you can see for yourself.
     
    Vive Video is available now from Viveport.
     
    INVASION! image courtesy of Baobab Studios. © 2016
  23. Rockjaw
    What better way to map your mind than in VR? Noda lets you do just that.

     
    Hello there! Tell us who you are, and what you do in relation to Noda.
     
    I’m Brian Eppert, developer of Noda. Aside from the logo, the incredibly helpful feedback from early testers and the epic work of past and present geniuses to create the VR tech stack, I’ve done everything to bring the app out. It’s pretty amazing that today a single person can connect with users worldwide to release a VR app for sale or subscription in a few months.
     
    I’m a tinkerer and a good programmer but a bad artist, so the asset and engine resources available and the VR native app dev process is a huge boon. Much better now even then when I started with VR in 2014.
     
    What’s the origin of Noda? How did you come up with the initial idea?
     
    I’ve always pictured things in 3D as a way to understand them. When I explain something I’m always gesturing around trying to draw a picture to describe my thoughts. I even came to realize I needed to do it backwards, otherwise someone facing me would see the mirror image (I’m not sure it’s ever helped!). I relate to things spatially and I know I’m not the only one who does.
     
    As for Noda I wanted to combine the immersive environment and natural interface of hand and body movement with structured information management. It seems like a good use for this technology. I’m sure VR will help make sense of big data and analytics but my feeling was to start small, with data more within personal reach like what you might draw on a whiteboard or picture in your head.
     
    The nodes, tags and lines that make up Noda’s form is known as a Labeled Property Graph, and it’s inspired by Neo4j, an alternative database platform I’ve been interested in for years. Their big thrust is that the relationships between things are as important as the things themselves.
     
    While VR, especially on Vive, is all about 3D spaces and experiences, what made you feel that Noda had to be 3D, instead of (for example) a very large 2D space manipulated in 3D?
     
    For math and programming and creative writing I’d always use paper or a whiteboard to sketch out ideas and communicate with others. It works initially but the paper or whiteboard’s always too small and on a flat screen you can’t very well draw behind or in front of something and maintain clarity. A lot can be done with up/down/left/right but sometimes things need to sit next to each other in a different way so you really need that third dimension.
     
    I never really tried much software for drawing, for me the mouse and keyboard interface gets in the way of direct expression. I guess a tablet/pencil might be nice for the pan/scroll/zoom and the undo/redo but it still feels like an unnatural projection of 3D stuff on 2D, like when you see the globe of Earth or Moon chopped up and spread out across a big wall-sized poster.
     
    What kind of projects, aside from mind-mapping, do you see Noda being used for?
     
    As a app for creating thinking or something I’m calling ‘Associative Concept Modeling’ I could see it being used for any project that needs a plan, or a phase of ‘figuring out’ separate from the activity itself.
     
    I’ve heard from people who are using it to plan video presentations to their clients, modeling an ERP data flow, planning a website redesign project and more.
     
    You have mentioned ‘kinesthetic thinkers’ in relation to Noda – can you tell us what that is, and how it applies to Noda?
     
    Well that’s based on the concept of learning styles from psychology and education, there seem to be a lot of models and theories for how we think and learn and how some people favor one or the other, but more likely we switch between modes depending on the day or task at hand. The main categories I’m familiar with are: Auditory-Sequential, Visual-Spatial, and Kinesthetic (meaning body movement).
     
    As a pithy proverb explains it: “I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and I understand.”
     
    Two things that have come up for me lately are that our cognition may be entirely based on metaphors developed from our sensorimotor system. Got tipped off to this from Voices of VR podcast #515 mention of “Philosophy in the Flesh”. I also read about a study done that shows babies who don’t have use of their hands to make gestures are slower to learn language. Conversely non-deaf children who learn sign language are more advanced at learning language and on other measures.
     
    Something about moving is tied in to memory and learning and thinking. It’s also a bulwark against the disease of neglect of the body that happens when we sit at a desk, hunched shoulders and shallow breathing. When using Noda it feels great to put on the headset, push the chair back out, stand up and move around for a bit.
     

      
    What can be done in 3D mind-mapping that can’t be done in 2D mind-mapping?
     
    VR taps in to the full range of intuitive 3d perception through head tracking and stereoscopic display that flat screens can’t do. With room-scale and hand tracking you get the space and manual dexterity to create 1-to-1, meaning that if you want to see something from a different angle or distance you just move your body or head. If you want to move or change something you put your hand out and do it.
    This removes the cognitive load of managing a more abstract interface. It also leverages unconscious systems and abilities like spatial memory, so you can more easily slip into a flow state where both sides of the brain are in tune and working harmoniously through analytic and creative thought.
     
    Do you have any future plans for Noda?
     
    For the product, the plan is to make it more usable and useful to more people. That means improving what’s already there, specifically the hand tooling, and extending to support new workflows, most likely by adding types of media and information you can get in and out of Noda.
     
    For the creative team, I’m looking to expand from ‘one’ to ‘some’. Visual designers/artists, Unity/C# programmers, and anyone involved in alternative business structures like crowdsourcing or software co-ops – I’d love to hear from you. (Visit noda.io to contact me.)
     
    Thanks for talking to us, Brian!
    Noda is available now in Viveport.
  24. Rockjaw
    We're thrilled to announce the second wave of nominees for the Viveport Developer Awards (VDAs). Each of these VR experiences brings a new and exciting dimension to Viveport, and we're proud to support them. The nominees are:
     
    
     
    Allumette, by Penrose Studios
     
    
    Cloudlands: VR Minigolf, by Futuretown
     
    
     
    Mars Odyssey, by Steel Wool Studios
     
    
     
    Arcade Artist, by Groove Jones
     
    Fantastic titles like these enable VR fans like you to Explore Worlds, Create Things, Connect with Friends and Experience Stories, so we congratulate these developers on their accomplishments. If you haven’t installed these titles already, check them out via the links above.
     
    We can’t wait to see your feedback about these apps on Viveport. Remember that we also have a Community Choice category, so make sure to let us know about your favorite VR content.
     
    We are grateful to all of you for joining us on this journey to amazing destinations.
     
    The Viveport Team
  25. Rockjaw
    This week on Viveport love is of course in the air, so if you need a way to express your love for explosions, math equations and... 360 video... then we have some apps for you!
     
    Pyro VR

    Sometimes a title is all you need, isn't it? As the developers, Virtual Light VR, put it - are you ready to blow some sh*t up?? To quote them further...
     

    Let your creativity run wild! Create your own shows using a multitude of different fireworks and explosives. Be extravagant! Line up and connect fireworks in sequence to create extended, timed and beautiful cascades of light and sound in the night sky above. Or, heck, just blow stuff up!
     
    Pyro VR is available on Viveport now
     
    Calcflow

    About as far away from blowing things up as you can imagine, Calcflow helps you learn the foundations of vector calculus in a unique new way! In their own words...
     

    Ever wanted to learn vector calculus?
    See some crazy parametrized functions?
    Did newton invent or discover calculus? Are we living in a simulation?
    These are all questions this VR experience may be able to answer.
    Calcflow is here. Open your mind to mathematics.
    Explore the secrets to the universe.
    Everything starts with the math.
     
    Calcflow is available on Viveport now
     
    Inception: VR & 360 Videos

    Sometimes you want someone else to take the driving seat in VR and show you some cool stuff... and Inception: VR & 360 Videos certainly will do that. As they say...
     

    From partying with the world’s #1 DJs in Ibiza, to stepping into Dali’s paintings or jamming with the Mystery Jets in their studio, our formats push the boundaries of imagination, content and technology.
     
    Inception: VR & 360 Videos is available on Viveport now
     
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