Meta has added an important puzzle piece to Horizon Worlds, as the company has quietly rolled out its premium digital currency on the social VR platform in the US, UK, and Canada. Roblox has Robux, Rec Room has Tokens, and Horizon Worlds now has Meta Credits, letting users buy in-world digital goods from creators, such as avatar outfits and access keys to premium worlds. Unlike Quest Cash, Meta Credits can’t be used to buy hardware or accessories, just stuff in Horizon Worlds. While it’s a big step, this isn’t the official start of the Horizon Worlds economy. Meta has been experimenting with monetization on Horizon Worlds since 2022, allowing users to buy digital goods directly with their local currency. The difference with Meta Credits (like all premium tokens) however is the all-too familiar obfuscation of the amount of real-world money being spent. Image captured by Road to VR As seen above, you can buy
There’s going to be a ton of apps available on Vision Pro day one, with more than one million iOS and iPad apps working in compatibility mode on Apple’s first mixed reality headset. While Apple is positioning the $3,500 headset as a general computing device for work and casual media consumption, as it stands today, there’s only around 200 native apps coming to the headset at launch. A number of native VisionOS apps come pre-installed on Vision Pro, which include: App Store Encounter Dinosaurs (AR app) Files Freeform Keynote Mail Messages Mindfulness (AR app) Music Notes Photos Safari Settings Tips TV Despite Apple touting Vision Pro’s access to more than 150 3D movies across various streaming services, the headset will notably lack apps for YouTube, Spotify, and Netflix. There’s also set to be a number compatible apps (non-native) that come pre-installed, including Books, Calendar, Home, Maps, News, Podcasts, Reminders,
It’s been a bumpy ride for social VR platform Neos VR over the past two years partly due to being removed from Steam for heavily featuring its own cryptocurrency. While Neos VR was eventually reinstated on Steam, original Neos VR developer Tomáš “Frooxius” Mariančík has since departed the project and now announced a spiritual successor called Resonite.
There’s a fair bit of drama surrounding Neos VR, something you can read up on over at Ryan Schulz’s blog, which delves into the cryptocurrency-fueled rift between Mariančík and Karel Hulec, CEO of the app’s publisher Sorilax. The two have completely parted ways, with Hulec still managing Neos while Mariančík has headed a new team developing Resonite.
From what by all accounts was a bitter split, Resonite is emerging from the controversy, bringing with it what Mariančík describes as a “novel digital universe with infinite possibilities.”
“Whether you resonate with people around the world in a casual conversation, playing games and socializing or you riff off each other when creating anything from art to programming complex games, you’ll find your place here,” the app’s Steam description reads.
Like Neos VR, Resonite heavily focuses on in-app content creation, allowing users to create their own interactive avatars, art, gadgets, and “complex interactive worlds and games.”
There’s no release date yet for Resonite, however the app’s Steam page says it’s launching into early access sometime in October. Whatever the case, Resonite doesn’t appear to have ambitions to launch on Quest, PSVR 2, or mobile hardware currently, essentially setting it up to be a PC-exclusive experience likely appealing mostly to enthusiasts.
We’re curious to learn more about Resonite, and what sets it apart from Neos. Whatever the case, there seems to be a fairly substantial expected migration of Neos users to Resonite, as Resonite’s Patreon page already boasts over $14,000 monthly donations.
According to cached pages, support for Neos VR’s Patreon has decreased significantly in the past two years since the project included its own cryptocurrency and friction arose between its creators; near its all-time high of over $18,000 per-month donations, today Neos garners a little under $5,000 per month from backers.
This article was originally published on roadtovr.com
Meta announced it’s introducing new anti-piracy measures for Quest developers that the company says will protect VR apps from “unauthorized modifications and potential security breaches.”
Called the Platform Integrity Attestation API (Attestation API), Meta says its new system is designed to detect whether an app’s server is interacting with an untampered VR device, thereby ensuring whether an app is authentic or not.
The Attestation API includes things like secure device authentication, hardware-based app bans, protection of financial and enterprise app data, prevention of external data misuse, and other anti-piracy measures.
In a developer blogpost, Meta calls it “increasingly important to instill a consistent method for validating the integrity of apps in order to provide a secure and safe user experience for everyone.”
It remains to be seen what effects this will have on modding communities, since modders for Quest games such as Beat Saber may inadvertently run afoul of the new token system at the core of the Attestation API.
“Once integrated, the API will provide you with an ‘attestation token,’ which you can use to determine if an app running on a Meta device has been tampered with,” Meta says. “This token is cryptographically signed by the Attestation Server to reinforce the security and reliability of the attestation process.”
At the time of this writing, we have not yet received a response for comment from Meta on what effects it may have on those communities. We’ll update this piece when/if we do.
Meta is allowing developers to opt-in now for their Quest apps, which spans Quest 2, Quest Pro, and the upcoming Quest 3, whcih is slated to launch in late 2023. Meta has published documentation for both Unity and Native.
This article was originally published on roadtovr.com
Guide humanity to safety in this “paw-some” VR action-platformer.Available now on PC VR and PlayStation VR headsets, HUMANITY is a uniquely-crafted VR puzzle-action game that puts you in the shoes (paws?) of a supernatural Shiba Inu tasked with guiding hordes of people through a series of increasingly-elaborate stages, each of which features their own challenges to overcome.In order to safely usher these massive crowds through each challenge, you’ll issue commands such as climb, float, jump, shoot, and turn. According to the official game page, we can expect a healthy combination of action, platforming, and puzzle-solving gameplay as you make your way through 90 story-mode stages. Along the way, you’ll unlock new skills and take on intimidating bosses in the process. [embed]https://youtube.com/watch?v=HA-zcWoQ4X4&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent[/embed] There’s even a built-in level editor, allowing you to craft your own complex stages and share them with other players online. You can also discover new stages created
The second edition of Metaverse Fashion Week (MVFW) is set to take place at the end of this month in Decentraland’s Luxury District, where global brands will feature their digital wearables. MVFW is a four-day-long event that combines fashion and AR try-on technology to offer a unique, immersive experience to attendees. Metaverse Fashion Week, which will run from March 28–31 this year, will see the participation of luxury brand Coach for the first time, showcasing its products in the virtual show. The event brings together top designers and brands, making it an exciting opportunity for Coach to showcase its signature leather-made products in the metaverse. ZERO10’s AR Try-On Tech Highlights Coach’s Iconic Tabby Bag In collaboration with ZERO10, Coach will introduce its iconic Tabby bag with a unique AR enhancement as part of its upcoming activation during MVWF. The feature will be accessible via the ZERO10 app, allowing users
When we first caught glimpse of HUMANITY, it was clear it was going to be a unique experience, although the crowd simulation puzzler was long delayed past the original 2020 launch window. Now Tokyo-based design studio Tha LTD announced HUMANITY is officially coming in May.
It was pretty vague what the hell HUMANITY was all about when it was first announced in 2019, however now the studio reveals its upcoming game is a “unique blend of puzzle-solving and action-platforming,” giving you control over an ethereal Shiba Inu dog who commands a massive crowd.
Like Lemmings, you control the crowd as they jump, turn, push, float, shoot, and climb their way to the end goal. Move past obstacles, enemies, puzzles, and gain unlockable skills in the main game, and upload and try out user-built levels with the in-game Stage Creator.
Image courtesy Tha LTD, Enhance
To create its stark and unique environments, developer Tha LTD is working with creative studio Enhance—founded by Tetsuya Mizuguchi, known as the mind behind Rez and Tetris Effect: Connected—and director and visual designer Yugo Nakamura.
Tha game is considered a VR-optional experience, offering up a fairly straightforward implementation that lets you turn the game’s puzzle-filled levels around and control your Shiba Inu buddy and direct the human horde. While nothing ground-breaking, it’s nice to see VR support from the get-go.
The game is slated to release on PSVR, PSVR 2, and SteamVR headsets sometime in May. What’s more, you can now play a free demo on those platforms from now until March 6th. The demo contains 10 levels, while the full game has “90 plus”, the studio says.
In the meantime, check out the demo gameplay video overview below to learn more:
This article was originally published on roadtovr.com
Man’s best friend… literally.Coming soon to major VR headsets, HUMANITY is a unique-looking VR puzzle game that tasks you with guiding hordes of mostly brainless humans through a series of otherworldly obstacles. Taking on the role of a ghost-like Shiba Inu, you’ll use a series of basic commands to safely escort your army of faceless followers from point A to point B. [embed]https://youtube.com/watch?v=RiQhPKw9gJw&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent[/embed] According to the official website, HUMANITY will feature 90 stages to complete at launch, each with its own unique challenges to overcome. You can command your horde to climb, float, jump, push, or shoot depending on the situation. As you progress, you’ll unlock additional skills that will assist you in your journey. There’s even a level creator tool, allowing you to design your own courses and share them with the community.Developer Enhance is also offering a limited-time demo on all platforms (Meta Quest headset and controller
Augmented World Expo (AWE) launched the “XR Prize Challenge: Fight Climate Change” in October 2022. The competition has four key categories: Replace, Visualize, Educate, and Optimize, where the winning group or individual can stand to win a cash prize of $100,000. This January, 150 projects from diverse teams spanning six continents advanced to the competition’s “MVP Phase,” bringing them a step closer to the grand prize. Winners will be announced on June 1, 2023 at the AWE 2023 event in Santa Clara, California. The Global Metaverse Community Bands Together to Combat Climate Change AWE’s competition has enabled the XR community, including XR technologists, climate change experts, as well as individual and corporate participants, to come together and take advantage of AR and VR technologies in a bid to come up with innovative, functional, and impactful XR-based solutions to fight climate change. The varied projects that have advanced to the MVP
People have differing views on the best way to tackle climate change. In fact, some think it’s too late to make a difference. The problem has become too big and complicated. As a result, humanity can’t rely on just a small part of society to manage it. In line with this, Augmented World Expo (AWE) launched the “XR Prize Challenge: Fight Climate Change.” The organization will accept AR and VR video concept submissions until December 31. Each should present an impactful, creative, and functional XR-based solution to the climate crisis. AWE will award $100,000 to the winning group or individual. XR Prize Challenge Categories Entries should portray XR’s role in society in one of these four categories: 1. REPLACE – Replacing Wasteful Material Practices – Concepts in this category should focus on demonstrating how to use XR solutions as communication and collaboration media to reduce the need for transportation
