Rev VR Podcast

In this episode of the Rev VR Podcast, I am joined by Matt Carrell and Brian Bullard who host the PodVR podcast. Both of them were part of the SVVR Ubercast, and are pioneers in the VR community. We have a great discussion about many hot topics in the VR world. Hanging out with these guys at the SVVR Conference & Expo really added to my experience. We've talked so many times in the metaverse, and I've listened to all of their podcasts, so I really felt like I already knew them. To have them on my show was a real treat. Matt Carrell, aka MattStompz, is responsible for the Stompz motion controllers that were being demoed at the Expo. Matt shares his take on some of the current controller options available in the VR space and we discuss them in detail. This discussion includes some of the newer entries into the race, like ControlVR. Brian Bullard, aka Bullardo, is working on a top secret virtual reality game. He does share a few snippets of info about his game, and we discuss some best practices regarding positional tracking. They also mention the Sacramento VR Meetup and a game jam coming down the road. These guys are doing quite a bit to envangelize and grow the VR community. I encourage everyone to check out Brian & Matt's PodVR Podcast: http://podvr.blogspot.com If you are in the Sacramento area, be sure to check out their SACVR Meetup page as well: http://www.meetup.com/Sacramento-Virtual-Reality-Meetup/ To get more information about Stompz: http://www.stompzvr.com/

I’ve been home for a week, but I am still riding the high from the Silicon Valley Virtual Reality Conference & Expo. There are so many wonderful experiences to talk about, so I invited a fellow attendee, Forest Gibson, to join me for a chat. Forest is a VR enthusiast, a developer, an internet personality, and a good drinking buddy. We share our impressions of the talks, panels, booths, and everything else we consumed during the event. We give you our own personal feeling on the technology we tried, including the major players in the HMD race. We discuss Sony’s Project Morpheus, Oculus Rift DK2, VRelia, Durovis Dive, Sixense STEM, PrioVR, and so many other amazing projects. For those of you who didn’t see it, Forest was also present for the historical photo taken at the sushi bar after Monday night’s events. He can be seen directly to the left of Palmer Luckey. We are both very excited to watch as this budding industry grows and are proud to have been present for the first of many VR Expos. Thanks to Forest for being such a wonderful guest!

They have each individually done their part to fill your ears, minds, and souls with VR conversations and to help keep the enthusiasm for VR going. Now, at the 2014 SVVR Conference & Expo, Cris Miranda, Matt Carrell, Brian Bullard, and Reverend Kyle join up to give you the first ever UBERCAST! Oh, did I mention Palmer Luckey joined us too? Before we started, I saw Palmer sitting at a table trying to catch a minute of rest. When you are the founder of Oculus and you are at a VR Expo , it can be difficult to take a few steps before someone wants to talk to you. I simply mentioned to him that we were about to record a podcast in one of the press rooms, and if he was looking for a place to hide for a bit, he was more than welcome to join us. A few minutes into the recording, he wandered in. It is an extensive conversation. It didn't feel like an interview, it felt like a group of VR enthusiasts just having a good time together. Thanks to Palmer, and the VR Podcasters, for making this happen. We will have to try really hard to beat this next year.

Every Thursday, for the last few weeks, folks have been gathering in the Riftmax Theater to sing their hearts out in front of a live virtual audience. Tyler Roach, the host of this event, was very excited to be on the podcast today. When we were scheduling this podcast, Tyler mentioned that he had wait until he got home from school before he would be available. High school, that is. Tyler, at the age of 17, represents the youth of the VR community. His age has not stopped him from being heavily involved though. He is a regular poster in the /r/oculus subreddit, he hosts the karaoke night each Thursday, and he is developing his own VR tennis game in Unity. For someone his age, he is definitely contributing a fair amount of time to growing this community. I have been a regular at these Karaoke nights, and I'm very sorry for anyone who has heard me attempt to sing. In contrast, I was pleased to hear that so many folks in the VR community have amazing voices, Tyler included. Tyler has been singing his heart out since he was two, and now he does it each week in VR. Tyler is in the middle of a school project right now which involves the Oculus Rift. It is exciting to hear that there are teachers out there that are encouraging the use of this type of technology. With his Javascript and Unity skills, Tyler is preparing himself for an amazing and successful future. Girls in VR? Yes indeed! Despite what the studies show, VR is very accepting of females. Tyler relates the tales of several female singers at Karaoke night and how well they are received. Unlike other social spaces on the internet, the VR community seems to have manners.

The first ever Silicon Valley VR Conference & Expo in happening very soon. This will be the first time that the ultimate collection of VR minds will be assembled in such an intimate environment. Karl Krantz is the man making it happen, and he joins me in this episode of the Rev VR Podcast. Karl and I have been planning to do this interview for some time now. Unfortunately, our schedules have not cooperated until today. It's a good thing too, since the SVVR Expo is only days away. Now that I have a wonderful sponsor who was able to pay my way to the Expo, I was excited to talk to Karl about the line-up of amazing VR personalities that I will have the pleasure to meet. As you may have already seen in Ben Lang's previous post, it is surely going to be an amazing two days. We also discuss the importance of events like this, and how our community is quickly growing from a homebrew culture, into a thriving new industry. If everything up to this point has been "Day 0" for the VR community, then the SVVR Expo marks "Day 1" in my book. Are you in the area and want to attend? Tickets are still available and I would love to meet every one of you! http://www.svvr.com

Mich Haddad and Dylan Watkins join me in this episode of the Rev VR Podcast. They talk about planning a VR Meetup, the interesting way they got Oculus to show their DK2, and their own visions for the future of VR. In a previous episode, I talked with Cosmo Scharf about his own inspiration for doing the VRLA Meetup. It turns out that VRLA then inspired Mich and Dylan to team up and start their own meetup in Orange County, the home of Oculus VR. The meetup bug is spreading, and it isn’t showing signs of slowing. Being located in the backyard of Oculus VR doesn’t mean they can wander in and play whenever they want. Mich explains how a simple game of basketball with the right folks prompted Oculus to show off their DK2 setup at the Orange County VR Meetup. We discuss which games and peripherals were showcased at their meetup, which input devices we like, and our desires to build a Holodeck in our homes. The next event that they are planning is a Game Jam/Hackathon to promote development and education in VR. We wish them all of the best with their future events. To get more information about the Orange County VR group, visit: http://orangecountyvr.com/

ZeniMax, John Carmack's former employer, is claiming that John Carmack and Oculus VR owe them for technology that was developed while Carmack was still with id Software. Eric Greenbaum, New York lawyer and VR developer, joins me to discuss the possible ramifications of this case. The last time Eric was on the Rev VR Podcast, we discussed the "Oculu vs. Oculus" case that had everyone in the VR community pretty worked up. Now, ZeniMax is taking up arms to fight for what they claim is their intellectual property. Eric explains that the specific piece that ZeniMax is upset about are the tweaks Carmack made in the tracking system used in the Oculus Rift. Without these tweaks, the Rift may not have been a viable consumer product. Then again, maybe his tweaks were nothing more than obvious VR adjustments that shouldn't be patentable. It is entirely possible that ZeniMax may have a valid argument against Carmack and Oculus, especially if a contract was signed. We really don't have all of the information yet. Will this case directly impact release dates or future tech enhancements in the Oculus Rift? Probably not. Is this going to cost a bit of money to either settle or fight? Probably. Be sure to catch up with Eric Greenbaum on his blog: http://greenbaumpatent.wordpress.com/ And check out Eric's endeavors into the VR development world: http://jemavr.wordpress.com/

Digital Out-of-Home Entertainment specialist, Kevin Williams joins me in this episode of the Rev VR Podcast. We discuss virtual reality's rocky history, some interesting developments in the Arcade world, and make a few predictions for the future. When I last had Kevin on the show, we discussed the evolution of the traditional "arcade" and whether people would prefer certain experiences in their home versus at a commercial establishment. For this conversation, we actually have several examples of an "Out-of-Home" VR experiences that are being developed. Dave & Busters is currently experimenting with providing a VR experience with Oculus Rift DK1s and the game Dirt 3. A Russian company called AET is also developing a 4D theater using VR HMDs as a replacement for the screen. The Game of Thrones exhibit that is being shown around recently is another good example. It will be interesting to see if projects like these are accepted by consumers. We take a good look back at the rise and fall of VR in the 90s and try to tackle the hard questions that are looming over the VR industry right now. What happened? Why did it fail back then? How are things different this time around? How do we address the elephants in the room? Of course, no podcast with Kevin Williams would be complete without a few insightful predictions and words of wisdom to guide us into the future.

Indie developer, James Andrew, joins me on this episode of the Rev VR Podcast. He shares his epic adventures at PAX East and the development process behind his new game, Rift Wars. Like so many other indie developers in the VR community, James was curious what I thought about his new game, Rift Wars. He had been showing off his game at VR Meetups, and now it was time to release it to the rest of the world. I liked it, I saw it's potential, and I wanted to know more about it. Yesterday, James posted a great story on his blog about how he went to PAX East and demoed his game, without any reservations or scheduled booth. Again, this peaked my curiosity, and I wanted to know more. We have a wonderful conversation about development, collaboration, the past, and the future. To get the full scoop, check out Paul's Road to VR post from yesterday.

All of my 90s cyberpunk dreams come to life in a virtual reality masterpiece called Technolust. The Kickstarter is live, and the developer, Blair Renauld explains his inspiration and goals for the game in this episode of the Rev VR Podcast. There have been several times in my life when I have said, "I would totally pay to see that happen." Usually, this is in reference to some ridiculous scenario that has no possiblity of becoming a reality. This time, it is different. Technolust brings together every hacker trope I can think of. Playing the demo gives me the ability to become that stereotypical hacker protagonist that I have been cheering for since I was a young boy. Blair and I have a great discussion about how to define this new genre of VR games. "Experiential Games" is the term we coined to describe this narrative, first person, exploratory gaming experience. I think the gaming community is ready for a new genre that isn't just a series of cookie cutter remakes and tired overused plotlines. The Kickstarter campaign for Technolust is looking for $30K and has already listed several reasonable stretch goals. It's still early, but I am looking forward to seeing this project backed, and the VR community enjoying this amazing game with me.

With almost 200 people from the Los Angeles area packing the motion capture stage of Digital Domain, the first VRLA Meetup exceeded founder Cosmo Scharf’s vision to bring virtual reality to his city. When Cosmo first told me about his source of inspiration, I was more than flattered. He had been listening to my podcast about planning VR meetups and was inspired to plan one himself. It has always been my opinion that EVERY town should have a VR meetup available, and folks like Cosmo are making it happen. Planning one of these meetups is not an easy task. Venue, food, parking, sponsors, all things necessary for success are not just going to fall into your lap. Luckily, Cosmo ended up getting most of these things set up with a bit of help and a load of enthusiasm. Digital Domain, a well-known Hollywood digital effect company, provided one of their motion capture rooms for the meetup. This was a perfect fit for the large number of folks and the need for demonstration tables. Epson provided funding for food and also demoed their latest augmented reality headset, the Moverio BT-200. Several presentations were delivered, including Cosmo’s take on the Facebook acquisition of Oculus VR. Philip Rosedale was there presenting his new High Fidelity system which has many people excited about the possibility of a new metaverse. It sounds like the first VRLA Meetup went very well, and Cosmo is anxious to start planning the next one. We wish him the best and can’t wait to report about his next session. I want to encourage everyone to check out the VRLA website.It has several great resources for both new and veteran VR enthusiasts. Thanks to Cosmo Scharf for being such a wonderful guest on the podcast.

Rev VR Podcast - Episode 56: Conversation with Darknet Developer E McNeil The last time I spoke with E McNeil , he had just won the 2013 VR Game Jam with his amazing game, Ciess. Now, he is showing off the latest evolution of his game, Darknet. We discuss the journey from Ciess to Darknet, and his level of involvement with the Oculus Team. A lot has changed since the first version of his vision, and the new version takes the experience to the next level. He was nice enough to share a demo with the Road to VR team and Cymatic Bruce did a playthough of it here. We touch on the potential disasters that might occur if developers takes virtual reality games to their extreme. We don't want future news headlines to be all about "VR Sickness". We have a decent discussion about the potential short term and long term outcomes to the Facebook acquisition. I originally recorded a "Future Episode" as an April Fool's gag, but decided to bury it for fear that it was too realistic and dismal. In this fake future episode, I report from the date April 1st, 2016 and share my thoughts on the widely popular "Zuckerverse". Sorry, this episode will never be released. E McNeil will be showing off his game at PAX East later this month. He also wants everyone to come join him in the Darknet /r/darkcom subreddit where he is perpetually holding an AMA. You can check out further information about Darknet at http://www.darknetgame.com A big thanks to E McNeil for taking the time to chat with us!

After reading several articles today in regards to the outcry from Oculus Kickstarter backers, I felt it was necessary to grab a couple of them and let them speak their mind on the podcast. Nikki and 320 (not his real name) join me on this episode of the Rev VR Podcast. 320 backed the Kickstarter with the intention of getting his hands on a development kit and helping to bring VR to the masses. Nikki, on the other hand, only backed for the sheer passion and a cool t-shirt. Both of them have a great story to tell and were exicited to have the opportunity to address some of the concerns that are causing such an uproar. Several Kickstarter backers were unable to join us, but still wanted to have their voice heard. I read several statements that were sent to me so as to give everyone a voice. One contributer, mathpill, was very upset and sent his case along with several quotes from Palmer to justify his concerns. I read his statement and we debated it as well. I also used this podcast as an opportunity to thank everyone who did back the Oculus Kickstarter. No matter which side of this debate you fall on, or how you feel about the aquisition, I want you to know that without you, VR might not have ever become a reality.The entire VR community owes you a large amount of gratitude for believing in something so strongly that you were willing to put your hard earned money behind it. We are all going to have a chance to experience this amazing technology because of you. Whether you feel betrayed or you are excited about the recent events, know that you have my sincere thanks for being forward thinking pioneers of the future.

With the big news breaking today that Facebook bought Oculus VR for $2 billion dollars, the Road to VR team assembled quickly to discuss this astonishing news. Cymatic Bruce, Brian Hart, and Ben Lang join me in this episode to share our thoughts and feelings about the Oculus. Each of us share our initial reactions to the news, and then we dig deep into what it could mean for the future of VR. Could this mean a "Like" button on our Oculus Rift? Could we see amazing new jumps in technology for a consumer release product? Nobody knows yet. Whether you agree or disagree that this is a good move for Oculus, this discussion will give you an insight into how we feel. We have all been up to our necks in VR since the beginning, and we know that the VR community values our opinions. Please feel free to leave your comments below, and stay tuned to Road to VR for updates on this developing story.

We've brought you conversations all week from our folks at GDC 2014. Now, it's time to finish it with a bit more insight and some final thoughts. Ben Lang joins me during his final hours at GDC 2014. We start off by discussing the big VR Mixer that happened Thursday night. It was a Who's Who of VR and I must say, it sounded like an amazing night. Ben had a chance to go back and look deeper into both of the big players, Sony's Project Morpheus, and the Development Kit 2 from Oculus. He breaks down and compares the two very nicely. We then touch on a few of the other players in the VR universe. Tactical Haptics was there showing off the latest iteration of their Reactive Grip controller. It sounds like they have changed up their design a bit to remove the large bar in front of your hand. I'm hoping to see them jump back into the market here very soon. Sixsense was showing their STEM system as well. It sounds like they are still on target for their July 2014 delivery. This is timed very well to coincide with the Oculus Rift DK2 shipping dates. InfinitEye was also kind enough to show Ben their prototype with their expansive FOV and unique approach to VR. Ben was happy to finally be able to try it himself and definitely sees the potential for this type of product in the VR universe. Looking forward to E3, what will we get to see next? Road to VR will be represented there for sure, and the coverage will be amazing as usual. I want to thank Cymatic Bruce, Ben Lang, and Brian Hart for representing Road to VR at GDC 2014 and keeping us up to speed with their "on the spot" reporting. Good job, guys!