It transcends the boundaries of video games and proposes “witness” recitals and distance classes. They estimate that 2016 will be the year of big break. Argentine developers explain why
Attending a class at an American university from the couch in the living room, resting for a moment on the beach with the list preferred songs without leaving home, enjoy a game of video game elsewhere in the world. Although they seem pictures from a video clip, it will soon be an everyday occurrence, with the help of virtual reality.
These helmets that obstruct the view of our environment to open the door to new worlds and entertainment spaces, distance education and telecommuting, among other options, part of the kit that brings virtual reality. In recent years, the greatest triumph came Palmer Luckey, a convinced this technology enthusiast who had failed to take off in the video game industry. So it was that put the shoulder to the project Oculus Rift, a bulky device with the naked eye, with integrated display, which allows you to experiment with virtual reality gaming. The Californian (he turned 23 in September) was able to raise money through crowdfunding site Kickstarter: he got nearly $ 2.5 million to start producing these viewers. Then, Facebook decided to buy his company for $ 2 billion.
Mark Zuckerberg wants Oculus Rift is a device for multiple purposes, such as attending classes virtually, shows and meetings. Luckey supports the vision of the founder of Facebook, but the goal remains start developing a virtual reality display that achieves meet the demands of gamers.
The video game industry is key to the promotion of technology, and so thinks Sony with its virtual reality platform Project Morpheus, now renamed PlayStation VR. This virtual reality viewer works in conjunction with the fourth-generation console Sony and command controls. It is wired, has a headset with stereo sound and is a year and a half of development, with launch planned for 2016.
“With this viewer you are focused on creating new experiences in video games, but is not limited to that segment. It has its own entity, not a complement to the console and also to focus on entertainment, can facilitate the work of engineers, distance education and a myriad of applications, “said Ken Balough, marketing manager of PlayStation for Latin America.
Within a couple of months, this technology will take the first big step. It will be time to hit the market Oculus Rift, for about US $ 1500 PlayStation VR also noted in this race, and it is speculated that have a similar price. Other contenders like HTC and Valve, pointing their guns for 2016 is considered the year of launch of virtual reality. That’s what they expect many game developers around the world, not a wave that goes unnoticed in Argentina.
One of the first independent Argentine developers who are already working on PlayStation VR platform is Thotwise with The Hum: Abductions , a title that combines the approach of RPGs and video game. “It’s a suspense horror game based on the theme of alien abduction. It tells the story of a family that is going through a difficult time after the mysterious disappearance of one of its members,” explains Ariel Arias, director and founder of Thotwise.
With a dark atmosphere and dark moments, the virtual reality of PlayStation VR is presented as an ideal ally for a title like The Hum . “We presented a number of interesting challenges over traditional games. It offers forms of expression and perception that have not yet been explored by artists, especially by the classical techniques público.Las graphics in games are not entirely valid in the virtual reality and potential hardware requirement is greater, “says Arias.
A confused body
” The great challenge of this type of initiative is generating immersive environments, and this stimulation does not affect the senses with feelings of dizziness explains Diego Tartar, responsible for technology development studio Globant- video games. frantic situations or vertigo, like a roller coaster ride, they are simulated without the body experience effectively acceleration and sudden changes that such activities generate. “
Although the entertainment was in the starting line in the race for virtual reality, says this type Tatar resource may extend to many other areas that require simulated environments to develop their projects. “The aviation training and simulation in the engineering are the perfect setting. A technology that fits very well to this type of initiative is the viewer HoloLens of Microsoft,” Tatar added.
“With advances in various devices could reach ideal for various adaptations and experimentation stage. So could achieve an ideal among known techniques such as stereoscopic vision and 3D sound with high resolution screens of smartphones, and the power required to have smooth animations “continues
There are different ways of approaching virtual reality video games, and the creators of the first titles know their premises. should be very simple. “Modalities very simple game, like looking at a target and execute an action. Or dodge obstacles with the simple movement of the head. This will become more sophisticated as it evolves in the virtual reality world,” says John Ozcoidi Planet .guru, a company specializing in the development and commercialization of virtual reality video games for mobile devices company.
Ozcoidi notes that the development of this type game is dealt with simpler versions available in both traditional form and in the version with virtual reality. Available for smartphones, they work jointly with viewers as the Cardboard from Google, a form of low cost: it is a simple and effective virtual reality display made of cardboard. At this point, the company MOVR Argentina aims to be a leading provider thereof, works with any smartphone model of the past two years.
At the time, despite being economical and parts easy to obtain, Juan Pasini, director of MOVR, he found it difficult to get a Cardboard in Argentina, a few weeks have seen your ad on the Google developer conference in San Francisco last year. This curious initiative based on a virtual reality device cardboard and a magnet lenses caught so he decided to replicate the local initiative to spread the use of virtual reality. They cost about 500 pesos, but expects its cost reduced to 300 in the coming months.
“The first thing I did was to share it with friends. Les was curious and I wondered how they could buy one. While virtual reality is now a niche and is inaccessible to some extent in this market, if you think the Oculus devices, a cardboard display has a much lower cost, it does not represent an impediment and adapts to any smartphone market “said Pasini.
Another group of pioneers in virtual reality is Vrtify, a music platform that seeks to take advantage of immersion. “We started with the development of virtual reality video games Planeta.guru and then we specialize in providing content services of this type for producing in Los Angeles. We realized that the entertainment sector, particularly music, not had virtual reality projects, “says Facundo Diaz, one of the founders of the start-up with Federico Gonzalez, an expert in artificial intelligence, and William Kelly, developer of video games.
Vrtify leaves to draw attention to their different profile. “OFEC immersive sound experience that can replicate the experience of a live concert with virtual reality viewer. It also has the option to sync the playlist with different scenarios that can be explored in sync with the kind of music the user has in Spotify or locally on your smartphone or media player, “Diaz said.
The future of virtual reality
This new technology is about to give his most important commercial display output and PlayStation Oculus Rift VR step. Despite the caution, the Argentine pioneers of virtual reality put their confidence on stage next. Everyone agrees that, to some extent, has just begun a transition. “Both virtual reality and augmented reality (and the mixture of both), will completely change the world, as did the Internet and mobile devices, and possibly further. It will be a process of years, but since is happening, “says Arias, Thotwise.
Meanwhile, Ozcoide be noted that a lot of experimentation. “It is difficult to know yet what will be the dominant platform.” According to the director of Planeta.guru, it will determine the issue of costs. “The viewer Oculus Rift to $ 1500 is not commercially viable. It works great, but at this stage aims to enthusiasts of this technology. In turn, Cardboard of Google is more accessible, but less comfortable. Beyond 2016 we will see industry in a search for balance between these two approaches. “
” The major impact is going to give next year with Oculus, PlayStation VR year and many others. However, in Argentina and in the rest of the region are at the stage of initiation, and I believe that the adoption of virtual reality will be accompanied by viewers as the Cardboard “, Pasini, of MOVR says.
What about evangelism the technology? How to spread the benefits of a new way to experiment with this type of production that has no reference to current formats? Facundo Diaz, Vrtify says he does not care about the time of adoption of virtual reality. “We are far from the ultimate technology, they are like the first cell of the late 80s. Rough, with little autonomy, available for a small market but big companies like Google, HTC, Microsoft, Samsung and Sony they are making a strong commitment to help achieve this. That helps a lot for the segment have time to mature, like any technology platform. “
On how audiences will begin to adopt this content, Diego Tatar, Globant’s, believes that both games will be key as video productions 360 degrees. “It will be the dominant players in the segment for virtual reality begins to gain space in everyday life.”
“The combination of 360-degree videos with viewers Cardboard economic resources will be critical in this first stage Vrtify- adds co-founder. After this step, the public will be more prepared for more sophisticated experiences in virtual reality, and not just in the world of video games. It is a technology that has no limits for creativity. “
No comments:
Post a Comment