No Future Progress – Zombies

I feel like I have been making some good progress on No Future and my underlying VR ARPG sandbox lately and want to share details. One of my various efforts towards a vertical slice is building some zombies and I am at a new milestone with them. Check out this video which I captured on the Quest 2. These are the zombies from the Synty Studios Simple Apocalypse pack that I am currently working with. They… Continue reading

LOST LOOT Alpha Progress – Islands

Two years have passed since the original version of LOST LOOT was created for the 2013 VR Jam and I am now happy to report that we are officially entering Alpha territory!  I have made steady progress on a number of areas, but lets start with a few screenshots of the current build and the starting island…     These show the new island environment and our protagonist Riley Taylor, who you will learn more about… Continue reading

SVVR 2015

I didn’t really know what to expect going to SVVR. I wanted to go to the first one last year and couldn’t so I guess it was more about being there this time around and not missing out on mingling with the VR community. After all, it has been all about community the last few years and it was great to attach faces to names and see people I had met at Oculus Connect last year.     The VR community… Continue reading

VR Just Got Real

This pretty much sums up how everyone in the VR community felt on Wednesday.  Seeing an Oculus Kickstarter email arrive always makes my day.  This time I knew it was going to be something special.  I was thinking input, but better than that, an actual release date!  Yes, finally a date – Q1 2016!      Ever since Oculus Connect last fall I have always been thinking of the amazing demos with Crescent Bay and how… Continue reading

LOST LOOT Pre-Alpha Update #2 Released!

The next update to Lost Loot is now available.  This new version has taken the game in a completely different direction with a miniature world third person design that is extremely immersive and very comfortable.     A preview video…   Some screenshots… Check out the this new version and let me know how you like it.  There are many aspects that improve the overall experience that I covered in my blog post called The… Continue reading

Rift Ramblings (Part 7)

I am still working hard on the Lost Loot Pre-Alpha #2 release which will be landing very shortly.  This version switches the game to a miniature world third person design primarily for comfort.Check out my last blog entry on The quest for comfortable VR for more details about why I am making the change and what it looks like. I was lucky enough to get Cymatic Bruce from AltspaceVR to try out this new version at the Boston VR… Continue reading

The quest for comfortable VR

When I put on the Rift and play a game, I want it to feel good.  I want to be able to stay plugged in for hours and hours and become lost in another world – to explore, have adventures, do things not possible in the real world.  That is the general expectation of the average consumer and at the same time the ultimate dream of any VR enthusiast. So what happens when we have… Continue reading

LOST LOOT for the DK2!

The DK2 compatible version of Lost Loot is here!  The 0.4.3 runtime is required and it is built with the 0.4.3.1 version of the sdk.     The build is a DX11 build and should run fine using direct mode.  If you do run it in extended mode, I recommend forcing it to DX9.  I have still experienced problems using DX11 in extended mode.  There are details in the instructions on how to force it… Continue reading

Oculus Connect

    I don’t attend many conferences, but when I first heard about Oculus Connect I knew it was going to be awesome.  An invitation only developer conference for something as world changing as VR is just too hard to resist.  Now that it is over, I have to say that it has inspired me, and put a human face on Oculus and the larger VR community.  I hope they do it the same way… Continue reading

The Lost Loot Road Map

The initial pre-release is still essentially the VR Jam game I created, although cleaned up and improved significantly.  The gameplay is also still simple with only a few basic exploration and treasure hunting mechanics.  My plan right now is to continue improving and enhancing the foundation of the game.  I also intend to rework the terrain with new shaders, revise the art pack used for the island, and put in a procedural sky system with… Continue reading

Boston VR Bender Insanity!

So, what does it take to utterly blow your mind?  VR!  It has happened twice now for me.  The last time was experiencing VR for the first time with the Rift a year ago.  This time it was experiencing the famous Valve demos that everyone has been talking about since the beginning of the year.  I am convinced more than ever that this new wave of VR technology is going to change the world.  There… Continue reading

Rift Ramblings (Part 4)

Well, it is that time again…  There has been much happening in the VR world.  I guess we are now calling it the second coming of VR with all the new technology showcased at CES and of course the huge Valve announcements at Steam Dev Days.  Now for a little recap… Oculus showed off the Crystal Cove Prototype at CES which has a camera based positional tracking system and a low persistence display.  I won’t… Continue reading

Rift Ramblings (Part 3)

It has been a while since my last Rift Ramblings.  I was mildly burned out after pulling together Lost Loot for the VR Jam, but I have been busy developing the concepts for the successor to it. During this process I have been trying to grapple with what makes a true VR game.  VR games extend beyond simply adapting current games to use a stereoscopic HMD.  They also need to bring interaction closer to the… Continue reading

Oculus and IndieCade VR Jam – Milestone 1 Status

My entry in the Oculus and IndieCade VR Jam is taking shape.  I am creating a casual treasure diving game designed specifically for VR. Here is the official description: “LOST LOOT: A casual exploration game designed for VR and the Oculus Rift.  It combines relaxing gameplay with an interesting environment and a touch of adventure.  Dive for lost treasure!  Search submerged ruins and ancient shipwrecks for gold, jewels, and artifacts.  Watch your air supply and… Continue reading