Good day!
My name is Cas, and in our last video, I’ve told you that Chary and I attended Oculus
Connect 6.
Over there, we not only had the opportunity to try out the things that were announced;
we also met up with a bunch of inspiring developers and creators.
This video highlights 5 of these meetups that we think are interesting.
Full disclosure.
Facebook sponsored our trip to OC6.
However, we were not obligated to make a video or say anything.
And now, let’s dive in.
Number 1.
The Etee Controllers
We are going to start with the only hardware in this list.
The etee controllers are an intriguing piece of hardware that could become a competitor
to the Valve Index Controllers.
These controllers are by a company called TG0.
As far as I know, they are new in the VR industry.
They use a proprietary plastic surface that is capacitive, which can track each finger
and detect how much pressure is applied.
During OC6, they showed us a demo of these controllers, and it was working great already.
You put your fingers through the handle, allowing you to open your hands without dropping the
controllers.
They are lightweight too, which is a nice change.
In its current form, there are no buttons, except for a touchpad on top of the handle.
And on their laptop, they showed software that allowed us to see what hand gestures
were made.
I felt the finger tracking was actually more accurate than the Valve Index Controllers.
Talking to the developer, they’ve said that they can add buttons like a trigger based
on feedback.
Currently, the business version of these controllers starts from 1500 pounds but don’t be alarmed
about this price.
I talked to the devs about a consumer version, and they are planning on releasing one for
200 US dollars, which could potentially make this a cheaper competitor to the Valve Index
Controllers.
I am curious to see if they can partner up with SteamVR or Oculus to get these controllers
working with current games.
What do you think of these controllers?
Please do let us know in the comments!
And while you are watching this video, please leave a like to show your support.
Number 2.
Death Lap
Mario Kart meets Mad Max.
Sound interesting to you?
This new game by OZWE is called Death Lap, and it is a VR combat racing game.
The art style is like the movie Mad Max, but if you don't know that movie, then you can
also compare it with Borderlands.
It has over-the-top combat, with crazy vehicle designs.
I saw five different car designs and to give you an idea, one had a turret on them.
A big, big one.
And another had six huge crab claws hanging in front.
Creativity is not missing here.
So yeah, each car has its strengths and weaknesses.
A player has the option to sit in the car in first- or third person.
Your left hand automatically grabs the wheel, and you steer using the joystick.
With your other hand, you hold a weapon that you use to defend yourself.
You can also press buttons in the car to shoot a special power or launch a pickup bonus.
You get ahead of your rivals by using these pickup bonuses that help you go faster, to
destroy your opponents or to get boosters to go more quickly for a short time.
I've tried out a demo during OC6, and I found the races to be fast-paced, intense, and a
bit frantic.
Even so, I did not feel motion sick.
I asked the devs why you don't have to grab the wheels with your hands since I thought
that would be more immersive.
The devs responded that most players don't like to grab the wheel as it becomes tiresome
at some point.
Death Lap is playable in single and multiplayer.
An integrated VoIP allows players to communicate with their opponents and the game will release
on the Oculus Quest and Rift platforms.
Number 3.
vCoder Hero
vCoder is an entirely different experience.
It is an educational puzzle-action game.
You'll be able to learn the fundamentals of coding by playing a game in Virtual Reality.
In the game, you enter a virtual world that has been infected by a rogue AI – it's up
to you to locate the bugs, hack the system, and rewrite the code to save it.
The graphics look bright and cartoonish, has easy to use drag and drop elements, so there
isn't actual coding involved.
You'll learn the logic behind it, which is essential if you want to start coding.
I think this is a great concept, and time will show what you can do with VR educational
apps.
This does make me wish I was still in school to learn with VR technology.
Keith and Angela Patterson make vCoder.
Their daughter Yeva of 10 is also involved who playtests the app all the time and is
learning to code.
They are a whole family passionate about VR.
They are also this year's Oculus Launch Pad Scholarship recipients.
vCoder will be a paid app, and they are planning on adding more content over time.
I think it could be great new way to learn for any future coder.
Number 4.
Pixel Ripped 1995
If you know us, you’ll know that we like original, unique gaming concepts in VR.
Things that you don’t see in other games and Pixel Ripped is precisely one of those
games.
ARVORE delivered Pixel Ripped 1989 last year.
This year, a sequel is coming: Pixel Ripped 1995, which is again a homage to retro gaming.
This time it’s a nostalgic trip to the year 1995.
A historical time when the first generations of home console players were maturing from
teenager to adult.
During that time, games were evolving from 16-bit to the 32-bit era, and from 2D to 3D
environments.
Pixel Ripped stands out in its way of transporting the player from a 2D to 3D world regularly
- something that feels formidable in Virtual Reality.
In this sequel, the player plays as a boy who is in love with a retro console game.
He plays this retro game on a television in his bedroom.
It is the player’s task to keep attention to their 3D environment and avoid their mother,
who just wants the boy to go to sleep.
And you have to try to beat the 2D game as well.
If you’ve played the first Pixel Ripped before, then you’ll know that this game-in-a-game
follows the adventures of a superheroine called Dot.
You help her to defeat the game’s villain called Cyblin Lord.
I’ve only played a 15-minute demo, but I already felt that they polished it up a lot.
It has excellent graphics and challenging – but thoughtful gameplay.
This combined with its good dose of humor and a better storyline, I feel this is a sequel
to look out for this year.
The game should have about 4-5 hours of gameplay.
Of course, depending on how good you are.
Pixel Ripped 1995 will be available to all major VR headsets: Playstation VR, SteamVR,
and Oculus Rift, and Quest platforms.
Number 5.
Pistol Whip
Pistol Whip is a new rhythm VR game that is also part first-person shooter.
It's like a Superhot 2.0 mixed with the best elements of a music game.
Remember that first time you tried Beat Saber and it felt epic?
Pistol Whip is also that kind of game.
In this game, you only use one controller where you wield a gun and the game moves forward
automatically, like an endless runner game.
You'll need to defend yourself against the Superhot-like guys that are shooting at you.
Everything moves with the music.
Even when you dodge a bullet, that bullet follows the beat.
This game has excellent flow and makes you feel like John Wick in a movie.
Not only will you train your arms, but your legs also get some proper training.
Cloudhead Games are developing the game; you might know them from their beautiful puzzle
game The Gallery.
Impressions on this game will be on our channel soon.
What VR thing are you most excited for?
Let us know why in the comments!
A special thanks goes to artArmin, our Right-Hand Patron, and a special shout out goes to his
Patreon page.
Everyone, thank you for watching and see you in the next video.
And as always VR on!