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 reg

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 Fo

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

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 hear

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

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.

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. W

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 tr

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 K

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 fo

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 epis

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 t

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 coincid

In this episode, we continue our coverage of the big news coming from GDC 2014. Beng Lang and Cymatic Bruce report on the Oculus Rift Development Kit 2, Sony's Project Morpheus, and much more. The big news today was Oculus debuting and opening the order page for Development Kit 2. A step beyond their Crystal Cove prototype and shipping in July, the frenzy of ordering lead many to errors and confusion that were quickly addressed by Oculus staff. Cymatic Bruce and I were both struggling to get our orders in this morning, but I believe all will be resolved once the dust settles. Luckily, Ben and Bruce had the opportunity to give us a breakdown on their own experience with DK2. Their opinions on the device were positive and encouraging. I am anxious to have my "Christmas in July". Ben has been giving his thumbs a major workout live-blogging all of the events. The steady flow of data to the VR community has continued to quench our thirst for more information from the conference. Oculus has another talk tom

Rev VR Podcast – Episode 51: GDC 2014 Coverage and Sony’s Project Morpheus with Cymatic Bruce In the first GDC 2014 episode of the Rev VR Podcast, I am joined by Cymatic Bruce, and we take an in depth look at Sony’s Project Morpheus VR headset. The buzz today Tuesday evening wall focused on what Sony was going to announce. Were they going to throw their hat into the VR ring? Would it be the “Oculus Killer” that some folks are exclaiming? We all watched the blogs, waiting in anticipation. Cymatic Bruce and I have a fantastic discussion about the specs, the possibilities and the concerns about Project Morpheus. No need to see this as competition for Oculus, rather it is a welcomed cousin who will bring VR to the console world. Software can now be developed for both platforms, creating a possible revenue stream for budding indie developers who are already knee deep in Rift games. Pricing and release dates are still unknown, but it appears that Sony is all in. Be sure to watch for more GDC 2014 cover

It seems like only yesterday that I was recording my first podcast. Today, we are doing a Q&A session to celebrate the 50th episode! I asked Flake, the VR Guinea Pig, if he would join me in this episode to ask me the questions posed by you, my loyal fans. Topics covered include my past hardware, my thoughts on the future of VR, Riftmax Live ideas, and so much more. I want to thank all of you who sent your questions. It's nice to be able to touch on topics that you want me to cover. Thanks also to Flake for reading the questions and adding his own two cents when applicable.

Denver Stewart, a grad student from the University of Cincinnati, shares his experiences at the Cincinnati / Dayton VR Meetup and explains his plans to treat Phantom Limb Syndrome One of the nice things about the CDVR Meetup was the amount of networking that occurred. It was nice to talk to so many likeminded folks who are all equally passionate about the upcoming VR revolution. Denver reached out to me prior to the meetup with ambitions to get their early and try some exclusive demos. Unfortunately, “best laid plans” did go awry. By the time he got there, it was already a booming crowd and my exclusive attention was far from available. We discuss Denver’s first VR experiences, which started with Red Frame. He attempted the VR Chat as well, but it didn’t appeal to him as much. Denver also got a chance to try the Core PrioVR suit, which he is excited about. Denver is deep into the book, Ready Player One, which led us down the path of discussing dystopian futures and hoverboards. I then gave Denver the opp

While playing Minecraft on the Metacraft server with a few VR enthusiasts, I decided to hit record and host this amazing podcast. This episode of the Rev VR Podcast is being recorded from deep inside the Nether on the Metacraft server. Joining me is Ashaka, Fatturret, IHOP, NateEight, RiftMuckel, Thomb3rt, and everybody’s pal, WormSlayer. The Metacraft server utilizes the Minecrift mod created by developers, StellaArtois and Mabrowning. In it’s current form, Minecrift works with Minecraft version 1.6.4, but there are plans to update it eventually to either 1.7 or 1.8. The Metacraft team, headed up by Schemen, has gone to great lengths to make an inviting environment for the VR community to interact with the Minecraft universe, and each other. Along with the Minecrift mod, the server also uses Mumble to provide 3D positional audio chat. When I decided to do this podcast, I simply hit RECORD on the Mumble software. Regular listeners of the podcast might recognize that the audio quality, while still