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		<title>VR Review &#8211; TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story</title>
		<link>https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/09/27/trapped-a-vr-detective-story-review/</link>
					<comments>https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/09/27/trapped-a-vr-detective-story-review/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bill Loguidice]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Sep 2022 18:16:09 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Arts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Editor's Pick]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[htc vive]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[virtual reality]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://fullsteamahead365.com/?p=7984</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Take a powerful, personal educational journey into the insidious world of human trafficking.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/09/27/trapped-a-vr-detective-story-review/">VR Review &#8211; TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story</a> appeared first on <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com">fullSTEAMahead365</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p><em>This review was originally created in May 2018 for HTC, targeted to their Vive/Vive Pro (<a href="https://www.viveport.com/">VIVEPORT</a>). It is reproduced here without alteration.</em></p>



<p>Human trafficking is a profoundly serious subject. Even a simple discussion on the trade of humans for the purpose of forced labor, sexual slavery, or other exploitative purposes needs to be handled in a delicate manner, let alone in an actual interactive experience built around the concept. While it&#8217;s easy to take issue with <em><a href="https://youtu.be/7O5Tp67lpwQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story</a></em>&#8216;s title and how it really doesn&#8217;t easily bring to mind the subject it&#8217;s based around, the virtual reality experience itself does succeed in delivering a powerful and respectful narrative story.</p>



<p><em>TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story </em>tells the tragic story of 14-year-old Lisa, an average girl from a nice suburban home. Lisa&#8217;s life takes a shocking turn when she&#8217;s lured into trafficking by a boyfriend/pimp named Lumpy who she met online. As you go on this terrifying journey with Lisa, you need to explore the world around her, piece together clues from her past, and learn exactly how she fell into this abusive and dangerous situation.</p>



<p>This experience can be played seated or standing in a room-scale environment, with its sole input method using gaze rather than the motion controllers. By simply looking at locations that are ringed with yellow circles for movement and then objects capped by cubes for exposition, you advance the narrative. The semi-realistic visuals are really well-done, particularly in comparison to other types of educational virtual reality, and includes support for Vive Pro resolutions. The narration, music, and other sound effects are also well done, although there appears to be an occasional bug where the narration is sometimes too quiet in comparison to the music.</p>



<p>The narrative is broken into three major acts. You can’t proceed to the next act until you look at and listen to all of the objects and their relation to the story in the previous act. If an act ends before you gaze at all possible interactions, you need to restart the entire experience over again.</p>



<p>The first act takes place in Lumpy’s apartment, where Lisa is alone, and includes a flashback to a year earlier when she was in her family home and still reeling from her parent’s divorce. This act’s focus is on awareness and education about how to identify a victim.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="640" height="316" src="https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Trapped-VR.png?resize=640%2C316&#038;ssl=1" alt="A screenshot from Trapped: A VR Detective Story" class="wp-image-7986" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Trapped-VR.png?resize=1024%2C506&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Trapped-VR.png?resize=300%2C148&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Trapped-VR.png?resize=768%2C380&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Trapped-VR.png?w=1212&amp;ssl=1 1212w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Trapped is emotionally charged, but meant to be non-triggering.</figcaption></figure>
</div>


<p>The second act casts you as a homicide detective sent to the scene of Lisa&#8217;s last “date,” where she was murdered by her buyer. Your otherwise well-intentioned partner speaks to you throughout, but he repeats myths and outright falsehoods about trafficking that don&#8217;t apply to this or most other trafficking situations. Through your female avatar&#8217;s own words, you learn about the &#8220;Illusion of Choice,&#8221; which is a psychological trick where people convince themselves that children want to do these damaging activities. The reality is is that demand is the root cause of the problem rather than anything that the victims have done, which is the main takeaway as the act concludes.</p>



<p>The third and final act has you returning to Lumpy’s apartment. It&#8217;s here that you collect clues that connect Lisa to Lumpy. It&#8217;s also here that you learn how difficult it is to convict someone like Lumpy, as well as learn a startling revelation about the detective you&#8217;re playing and her own motivations for doing what she does.</p>



<p>Developed by Radical Empathy Education Foundation, or REEF, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing experiential education virtual reality applications to help students, educators, and organizations learn about important social issues, it&#8217;s little wonder that <em>TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story</em> employs a deft touch with a very sensitive subject. While this is rated as a Mature product and there are obviously frank discussions of sexuality and violence, there is nothing overt or exploitative in the telling of the story. About the only component that&#8217;s not filtered is the use of adult language, but that again is in service to the reality of the story, which is based upon a real case.&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story</em>, proves to be yet another excellent example of virtual reality&#8217;s ability to educate in ways that traditional methods never could. Even though the actual interactivity is limited and it can be frustrating trying to look and listen to every object in a particular scene &#8211; particularly if you have to restart multiple times &#8211; by being front and center during key events of this tragic story, you gain a genuine empathy for the victims of these crimes and gain a clearer understanding of this almost unbelievable social issue.</p>



<p><strong>Score:</strong> 4 out of 5 stars.</p>



<p><em>TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story </em>is free for HTC Vive owners, and is available on Viveport <strong>(September 2022 note: This title is no longer available)</strong>.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/09/27/trapped-a-vr-detective-story-review/">VR Review &#8211; TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story</a> appeared first on <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com">fullSTEAMahead365</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">7984</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review: The Physiology of the Eye</title>
		<link>https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/06/17/the-physiology-of-the-eye-review/</link>
					<comments>https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/06/17/the-physiology-of-the-eye-review/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bill Loguidice]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 Jun 2022 17:58:08 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Editor's Pick]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Medicine/Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eye]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[htc vive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[physiology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[virtual reality]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[vr]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://fullsteamahead365.com/?p=7027</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Engage in an educational virtual reality experience that teaches you about the anatomical structures and physiology of the eye.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/06/17/the-physiology-of-the-eye-review/">HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review: The Physiology of the Eye</a> appeared first on <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com">fullSTEAMahead365</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p><em>This review was originally created in June 2018 for HTC, targeted to their Vive/Vive Pro (<a href="https://www.viveport.com/">VIVEPORT</a>). It is reproduced here without alteration.</em></p>



<p>The human eye is an incredibly complex organ that reacts to light and pressure and is made up of 30 major parts. It obviously also allows for vision, providing for perception of three dimensional, moving images, with an ability to differentiate about 10 million colors. <em><a href="https://www.viveport.com/3a0bc716-dec4-4337-b69a-59a66e68ba86">The Physiology of the Eye</a></em> offers an educational deep dive into the mechanisms and inner workings of this critical organ, enhanced of course by the capabilities of virtual reality.</p>



<p><em>The Physiology of the Eye</em> can be played seated or standing in a room-scale environment. Both motion controllers are used for input, allowing you to, among other functions, grab muscles, pick up subject objects, and rotate and scale the display. While the controls do take some getting used to, they do allow for fine manipulation of the content.</p>



<p>The app features two modes. The first, default mode, is a real-time, automatic six-part training course that guides you through the visual content, much like a good college lecture. The second mode, which can be activated at any time, is an interactive training mode. This mode allows the user to stop the lecture and choose an area they want to focus on for self-paced learning or reinforcement of information that might need another pass or two to fully grasp. Finally, the app includes an assessment feature that judges your learning comprehension through an interactive testing system, which really beats traditional exam formats. At the end of the virtual course, you&#8217;re provided with a final grade point average, or GPA.</p>



<p>Unlike some other educational virtual reality apps, <em>The Physiology of the </em>Eye’s presentation is top-notch. Visually, it’s striking, with high resolution models used throughout for its scientifically accurate representations of the components of the eye. Spot animations help to further elevate the visual presentation and increase understanding of a particular function or section of the eye. The voice over work is similarly clear and professional. About the only downside to the presentation is that you’re temporarily kicked out of the operating environment when a new section is loaded in.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="640" height="360" src="https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ss_9b692776c7686c1b178607d60ed2c0a625801a4e.1920x1080.jpg?resize=640%2C360&#038;ssl=1" alt="The visuals are medically accurate." class="wp-image-7029" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ss_9b692776c7686c1b178607d60ed2c0a625801a4e.1920x1080.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ss_9b692776c7686c1b178607d60ed2c0a625801a4e.1920x1080.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ss_9b692776c7686c1b178607d60ed2c0a625801a4e.1920x1080.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ss_9b692776c7686c1b178607d60ed2c0a625801a4e.1920x1080.jpg?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ss_9b692776c7686c1b178607d60ed2c0a625801a4e.1920x1080.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ss_9b692776c7686c1b178607d60ed2c0a625801a4e.1920x1080.jpg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption>The visuals are medically accurate.</figcaption></figure>
</div>


<p>While <em>The Physiology of the Eye</em> is no text book or coursework replacement for medical and optometry students, it does provide a unique method for a more well-rounded understanding of a complex subject. For everyone else who has an interest in learning about the eye, it would be a real challenge to find a more fascinating way to explore this subject matter. Through an app like this, virtual reality once again shows that it has an important present and future in not only entertaining, but also in educating.</p>



<p>While it’s generally well-known that the eye is incredibly complex, <em>The Physiology of the Eye</em> really helps to give this dense subject some much needed context. So even if before you started this app you might have already understood that the eye was a complicated organ, after several playthroughs you can also gain real insight into the how and why of its workings. For an educational app, it’s hard to do much better, particularly given how impressive its overall presentation and polish is.</p>



<p><strong>Score</strong>: 5 out of 5 stars.</p>



<p>The Physiology of the Eye<em>&nbsp;</em>is available on&nbsp;<a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/?s=viveport">Viveport</a>&nbsp;or with a&nbsp;<a href="https://armchairarcade.com/perspectives/?s=viveport">Viveport</a>&nbsp;Subscription.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/06/17/the-physiology-of-the-eye-review/">HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review: The Physiology of the Eye</a> appeared first on <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com">fullSTEAMahead365</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">7027</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review: The Dream VR</title>
		<link>https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/05/26/htc-vive-viveport-vr-review-the-dream-vr/</link>
					<comments>https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/05/26/htc-vive-viveport-vr-review-the-dream-vr/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bill Loguidice]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 May 2022 19:13:28 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[htc vive]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://fullsteamahead365.com/?p=6812</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>A great concept for curated 360-degree video content is marred by a limited selection and no Vive-specific features.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/05/26/htc-vive-viveport-vr-review-the-dream-vr/">HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review: The Dream VR</a> appeared first on <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com">fullSTEAMahead365</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p><em>This review was originally created in October 2018 for HTC, targeted to their Vive/Vive Pro (<a href="https://www.viveport.com/">VIVEPORT</a>). It is reproduced here without alteration.</em></p>



<p>Billing itself as the &#8220;television of the future,&#8221; <em><a href="https://www.viveport.com/6a6fc233-ef5f-4569-8640-54da1d419305">The Dream VR</a></em> promises region-free 360-degree video content. Both as producers and distributors, <em>The Dream VR</em> team has brought together an eclectic collection of videos. Since the development team is based in Barcelona, it&#8217;s not too surprising that the videos are rather Eurocentric, and in fact feature the occasional use of non-English text.</p>



<p>Designed for the Vive as a seated or standing room-scale experience, <em>The Dream VR</em> can be enjoyed in the smallest of spaces. Even the Vive controllers aren&#8217;t required, as you simply use Gaze to look at menu items to select them, and then, just like with regular television, more or less just sit back and watch the video. The main difference here is that with these videos you can usually look all around you as the action takes place, sort of like a more expansive dome theater experience.</p>



<p>The channel categories include: Foodie, Sport, Music, Kids, Entertainment, Foundation, Travel, Fashion, Influencers, and Art. The Foodie Channel shows you how to cook various dishes. The Sport Channel has an international soccer focus. The Music Channel showcases music festivals. The Kids Channel, which has no content as of yet, will focus on educational kid-related entertainment. The Entertainment Channel features news, interviews, trends, and more. The Foundation Channel has a focus on social problems, including related organizations, humanitarian help, and refugees. The Travel Channel showcases various sites of interest around the world. The Fashion Channel showcases various fashion events and catwalks. The Influencer Channel, which has no content as of yet, will highlight a variety of content from star influencers. The Art Channel showcases art pieces.</p>



<p>The actual video content is of mixed quality. Some videos are clearer than others and some are more professionally conducted than others (Be sure to look out for some uncomfortable looking people caught by the 360-degree cameras!). Since control is exclusively Gaze-based, there&#8217;s a persistent circled &#8220;D&#8221; within every 360-degree video. Looking at this &#8220;D&#8221; will bring up a menu to adjust settings and return to the main selection menu. Unfortunately, while necessary due to the lack of Vive controller support, it&#8217;s nevertheless quite distracting when trying to immerse yourself in a particular video.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="640" height="356" src="https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/thedreamvr02.jpg?resize=640%2C356&#038;ssl=1" alt="Discovery is an issue." class="wp-image-6816" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/thedreamvr02.jpg?resize=1024%2C569&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/thedreamvr02.jpg?resize=300%2C167&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/thedreamvr02.jpg?resize=768%2C427&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/thedreamvr02.jpg?w=1233&amp;ssl=1 1233w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption>Discovery is an issue.</figcaption></figure>
</div>


<p>The bigger issue is one of discoverability. Although the video navigation system is fairly logical, mostly sticking to radial menus and left-right arrows, it&#8217;s hard to get a sense of what most videos are before actually streaming them.</p>



<p>Since it&#8217;s content- rather than technology-centric, <em>The Dream VR</em> has been made available on most other virtual reality platforms. As such, there&#8217;s nothing here that really takes advantage of the Vive&#8217;s many strengths. That&#8217;s no doubt a big reason why, for instance, we&#8217;re stuck with having that big circled &#8220;D&#8221; in our videos rather than being able to simply press a button on one of our Vive controllers.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s definitely a solid idea to have a specially curated selection of 360-degree videos, but, there&#8217;s not that much content overall, nor content that&#8217;s necessarily broadly appealing. While <em>The Dream VR</em> promises more content and features for the future, right now, there&#8217;s not enough going on to make this a recommendation. In <em>The Dream VR</em>&#8216;s favor, however, it is free, so it certainly wouldn&#8217;t hurt to try it for yourself, particularly if you&#8217;re a fan of slightly off-kilter Eurocentric content involving soccer clubs or fashion shows.</p>



<p><strong>Score:</strong> 2 out of 5 stars.</p>



<p><em>The Dream VR </em>is available on&nbsp;<a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/?s=viveport">Viveport</a>&nbsp;or with a&nbsp;<a href="https://armchairarcade.com/perspectives/?s=viveport">Viveport</a>&nbsp;Subscription.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/05/26/htc-vive-viveport-vr-review-the-dream-vr/">HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review: The Dream VR</a> appeared first on <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com">fullSTEAMahead365</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">6812</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review: The Blue of Music</title>
		<link>https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/05/13/the-blue-of-music-vr/</link>
					<comments>https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/05/13/the-blue-of-music-vr/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bill Loguidice]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 14 May 2022 00:26:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Arts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Editor's Pick]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://fullsteamahead365.com/?p=6636</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>A virtual reality music video experience with nothing to do and only a few minutes of actual content.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/05/13/the-blue-of-music-vr/">HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review: The Blue of Music</a> appeared first on <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com">fullSTEAMahead365</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p><em>This review was originally created in November 2018 for HTC, targeted to their Vive/Vive Pro (<a href="https://www.viveport.com/">VIVEPORT</a>). It is reproduced here without alteration.</em></p>



<p><em><a href="https://www.viveport.com/f63e906c-d4ee-43d1-a334-ffc07e17cd68">The Blue of Music</a></em>, much like its developer, 3D-D.com, is something of an enigma. The developer is charging for what amounts to little more than a few minute long music video experience, with no promise of any more content to come. In fact, if you go to the developer&#8217;s Website, all you&#8217;ll find is a landing page with the following cryptic text: &#8220;We are experimental virtual reality artists, trying to harness the potential of this new dimension and technology. Currently we are experimenting with virtual reality, 3D animation and virtual art. We will be gradually publishing our work soon.&#8221; There&#8217;s also an offer to sign up for email announcements and several non-working social media links.</p>



<p>So, we have a mysterious developer and seemingly the only product that they&#8217;ve released to date, <em>The Blue of Music</em>. The description for this product is &#8220;A VR experience where you will be immersed inside an abstract world of music, dance and female energy,&#8221; which is followed by what amounts to a warning: &#8220;This is not a game but an experience choreographed with an [<em>sic</em>] excellent music.&#8221; While I don&#8217;t think there&#8217;s necessarily any deception intended on the developer&#8217;s part, the fact that they charge for a brief virtual reality concept video that seems little more than a programming experiment does raise an eyebrow or two.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="640" height="349" src="https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/The-Blue-of-Music-02.jpg?resize=640%2C349&#038;ssl=1" alt="There's just not much to The Blue of Music." class="wp-image-6638" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/The-Blue-of-Music-02.jpg?resize=1024%2C559&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/The-Blue-of-Music-02.jpg?resize=300%2C164&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/The-Blue-of-Music-02.jpg?resize=768%2C419&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/The-Blue-of-Music-02.jpg?w=1229&amp;ssl=1 1229w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption>There&#8217;s just not much to The Blue of Music.</figcaption></figure>
</div>


<p><em>The Blue of Music</em> is designed for Vive or Vive Pro owners as a room-scale experience. One Vive controller is used to start the experience and then for nothing else thereafter. While it&#8217;s best to walk around your own room a bit for maximum effect, you don&#8217;t lose much by just sitting in your chair and taking it all in. Once the few minutes are up, at least for me, the program just ended after a brief display of text showing the credits and acknowledgment for the Creative Commons-licensed music. I had to exit out of the program manually to close it.</p>



<p>The sad part is is that I actually liked what little content there was. There&#8217;s a nifty, busy space theme with abstract shapes that fly about. The generic, likely off-the-shelf, female models used fit the theme well and had nicely choreographed dance animations timed to the music. I also felt the instrumental techno-like music selection itself was excellent, although again, something similarly pulled from an existing repository that anyone can have access to. While the developers did a good job of pulling other people&#8217;s creations together into a new experience, it still would have been nice to have had unique assets created for a commercial product like this.</p>



<p>If this was a demo, proof of concept, or a portfolio piece, I&#8217;d be far kinder to <em>The Blue of Music</em>. Unfortunately, the developers are charging real money for far less than what can be enjoyed in abundance for free. While I would definitely like to see more from this individual or team, I do hope that if they intend to charge for something in the future, what&#8217;s offered is a far more complete and polished overall experience than what’s found here.</p>



<p>Score: 1 out of 5 stars.</p>



<p><em>The Blue of Music </em>is available on&nbsp;<a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/?s=viveport">Viveport</a>&nbsp;or with a&nbsp;<a href="https://armchairarcade.com/perspectives/?s=viveport">Viveport</a>&nbsp;Subscription.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/05/13/the-blue-of-music-vr/">HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review: The Blue of Music</a> appeared first on <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com">fullSTEAMahead365</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">6636</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review: Singularity</title>
		<link>https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/04/06/singularity-vr/</link>
					<comments>https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/04/06/singularity-vr/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bill Loguidice]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 06 Apr 2022 21:53:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Arts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Editor's Pick]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[htc vive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[virtual reality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[viveport]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vr]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://fullsteamahead365.com/?p=6321</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Use particles to create colorful constellations and stars within a limitless universe.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/04/06/singularity-vr/">HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review: Singularity</a> appeared first on <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com">fullSTEAMahead365</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p><em>This review was originally created in May 2018 for HTC, targeted to their Vive/Vive Pro (<a href="https://www.viveport.com/">VIVEPORT</a>). It is reproduced here without alteration.</em></p>



<p>According to <em>Wikipedia</em>, a particle system is a technique in game physics, motion graphics, and computer graphics that uses a large number of very small sprites, 3D models, or other graphic objects to simulate certain kinds of &#8220;fuzzy&#8221; phenomena, which are otherwise very hard to reproduce with conventional rendering techniques. These are usually highly chaotic systems, natural phenomena, or processes caused by chemical reactions. Examples of such phenomena which are commonly replicated using particle systems include fire, explosions, smoke, moving water, sparks, falling leaves and rocks, clouds, fog, snow, dust, meteor tails, stars and galaxies, or abstract visual effects like glowing trails, magic spells, etc.</p>



<p>Inspired by the big bang, <em><a href="https://www.viveport.com/252acb6a-4a12-43e4-927a-24e71c99f3dc">Singularity</a></em> is one such physics-based particle system simulator that lets you interact with countless colorful particles to create glowing visual effects within an endless representation of the blackness of space.</p>



<p>Since this is an experience rather than a game, you can play it seated, standing, or room-scale. The high concept behind this title is that it&#8217;s an abstract and colorful representation of how gravity interacts with particles, and how the particles in turn interact with each other.&nbsp;</p>



<p><em><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/definition/Singularity-the">Singularity</a></em> starts out simply enough, throwing an explosion of colorful particles at you that you&#8217;re then able to do with what you wish. You can throw, attract (Gather Particles), slow down (Slow Motion), or manipulate the gravity (Suspend Gravity) of these particles, which in turn creates constellation-like clusters and star-like collections. Using the features assigned to each motion controller is kind of like having two galactic paintbrushes. </p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="640" height="387" src="https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/singularity_01.jpg?resize=640%2C387&#038;ssl=1" alt="Screenshots don't do Singularity justice." class="wp-image-6323" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/singularity_01.jpg?resize=1024%2C619&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/singularity_01.jpg?resize=300%2C181&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/singularity_01.jpg?resize=768%2C464&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/singularity_01.jpg?w=1094&amp;ssl=1 1094w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption>Screenshots don&#8217;t do Singularity justice.</figcaption></figure>
</div>


<p>Although mere colored dots, when set against the backdrop of inky black space, the particles look spectacular. Each of your manipulations is rewarded with a new type of glowing visual spectacle that can be paused at any time with the Suspend Gravity button. When you’re ready to create something else, use the Gather Particles button or buttons to attract some or all of the particles to your motion controller or controllers. Once gathered to your satisfaction, you can then release the Gather Particles button to let the particles dissipate, or you can use your motion controller to fling them throughout space. Using the Slow Motion button lets you enjoy a more leisurely flow of particles.</p>



<p>While there are no sound effects to accompany the particle manipulation, there is a single track of uplifting background music. Unfortunately, I was unable to get this music working on my test system, although I have seen no reports that my particular technical issue is a common one. Based on what I&#8217;ve heard from preview videos, however, the background music is a suitably uplifting and fitting backdrop to the creation of such spectacular visual art.</p>



<p>Although there&#8217;s not much to the <em>Singularity</em> experience, what&#8217;s there is a fun diversion from the more typical goal-oriented virtual reality play. Sometimes it&#8217;s nice to just relax a bit and simply enjoy the galactic scenery, whether you’re actively manipulating it or not.</p>



<p><strong>Score:</strong> 3 out of 5</p>



<p><em>Singularity</em> is exclusive to and free for HTC Vive owners, and on <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/?s=viveport">Viveport</a> or with a <a href="https://armchairarcade.com/perspectives/?s=viveport">Viveport</a> Subscription.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/04/06/singularity-vr/">HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review: Singularity</a> appeared first on <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com">fullSTEAMahead365</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">6321</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review &#8211; ReMind VR: Daily Meditation</title>
		<link>https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/03/24/remind-vr-daily-meditation/</link>
					<comments>https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/03/24/remind-vr-daily-meditation/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bill Loguidice]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 Mar 2022 20:56:32 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Medicine/Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[htc vive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[meditation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[oculus rift]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[virtual reality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vr]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://fullsteamahead365.com/?p=6226</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Become more relaxed and mindful through three different types of meditative experiences.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/03/24/remind-vr-daily-meditation/">HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review &#8211; ReMind VR: Daily Meditation</a> appeared first on <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com">fullSTEAMahead365</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p><em>This review was originally created in October 2018 for HTC, targeted to their Vive/Vive Pro (<a href="https://www.viveport.com/">VIVEPORT</a>). It is reproduced here without alteration.</em></p>



<p>Meditation is probably as popular today as it&#8217;s ever been. In our stressful world of work, partisan politics, social media, always-on technology, and general hustle-and-bustle of everyday life, it&#8217;s no surprise that many of us seek out techniques for a daily reset. This mentally clear and emotionally calm state, where stress, anxiety, depression, and even pain can be greatly reduced, can be achieved through focus or mindfulness techniques. <em><a href="https://www.viveport.com/ed8ddf5c-8653-4296-9946-20dbbedf81b1">ReMind VR: Daily Meditation</a></em>, offers a guided method for achieving this more relaxed state of being, which, thanks to the power of virtual reality, can help transform even the most novice practitioners into a more Zen-like state.</p>



<p>As you might expect, an experience like <em>ReMind VR: Daily Meditation</em> has minimal requirements, so it can be enjoyed by anyone with the base hardware and just about any size room. It supports Vive, Vive Pro, and Oculus Rift setups, and can be experienced standing or seated. In fact, as a further testament to its versatility and adaptability, one of the scenarios doesn&#8217;t even use the Vive controllers and can be enjoyed while lying down.</p>



<p>There are three short exercises, or scenarios, to choose from. The first, called &#8220;Letting Go,&#8221; places you on top of a high building overlooking a peaceful city landscape filled with skyscrapers. From this vantage point, you toss paper airplanes, watching them slowly glide through the air. This scenario is meant to represent and encourage the release of negative thought patterns, leaving stress behind, replaced instead by feelings of peacefulness, happiness, and freedom.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="600" height="337" src="https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ss_6c71dbb2707bf1e1bc89ab8cbdff62f1cbf3c259.600x338.jpg?resize=600%2C337&#038;ssl=1" alt="Hurling objects like paper airplanes can be surprisingly soothing." class="wp-image-6229" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ss_6c71dbb2707bf1e1bc89ab8cbdff62f1cbf3c259.600x338.jpg?w=600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ss_6c71dbb2707bf1e1bc89ab8cbdff62f1cbf3c259.600x338.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /><figcaption>Hurling objects like paper airplanes can be surprisingly soothing.</figcaption></figure>
</div>


<p>The second scenario is called &#8220;Drop the Habit.&#8221; In this scenario, you&#8217;re placed on the shore of a lake in the Japanese countryside and skip small, smooth rocks along the water&#8217;s surface. This exercise is meant to represent and encourage observation of how a clear mind can be disturbed by the impact of negative thoughts as the ripples extend across the water&#8217;s surface. In turn, you&#8217;re meant to learn how to remain focused and centered despite the presence of disruptive thoughts and feelings.</p>



<p>In the third and final scenario, &#8220;Infinite Lightness,&#8221; you simply observe changes as the sun slowly moves and the sky changes colors. This exercise is meant to represent and encourage transformation of our perspective and clearing of the multi-tasking mind as you maintain a forward gaze. This is also the only scenario that can be fully experienced without use of the Vive controllers and works even if you wish to lie down.</p>



<p>While <em>ReMind VR: Daily Meditation</em> is not the most attractive game, the clean, crisp visuals still suit the experience well. The soothing sounds and music are similarly effective in setting the mood.</p>



<p>Meant simply as a brief, regular meditation experience, <em>ReMind VR: Daily Meditation</em>, delivers in spades. You don&#8217;t need to be well-versed in meditation or meditative benefits to get full value out of this enjoyable, well thought out, experience. With regular usage, this really should be a great way to become more relaxed and mindful. And putting the meditative benefits aside, the three experiences make for a nice, relaxing change of pace from the usual goal-driven games or hot spot-driven educational titles.</p>



<p><strong>Score: </strong>5 out of 5 stars.</p>



<p><em>ReMind VR: Daily Meditation </em>is available on <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/?s=viveport">Viveport</a> or with a <a href="https://armchairarcade.com/perspectives/?s=viveport">Viveport</a> Subscription.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/2022/03/24/remind-vr-daily-meditation/">HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review &#8211; ReMind VR: Daily Meditation</a> appeared first on <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com">fullSTEAMahead365</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">6226</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review: Forbidden City VR</title>
		<link>https://fullsteamahead365.com/2021/11/23/forbidden-city-vr/</link>
					<comments>https://fullsteamahead365.com/2021/11/23/forbidden-city-vr/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bill Loguidice]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Nov 2021 17:38:40 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Arts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[china]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[forbidden city]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[htc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[htc vive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tourism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[virtual reality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[viveport]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vr]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://fullsteamahead365.com/?p=5591</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Virtually explore one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world as you learn about its history and interact with and observe some of its historical denizens.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/2021/11/23/forbidden-city-vr/">HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review: Forbidden City VR</a> appeared first on <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com">fullSTEAMahead365</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p><em>This review was originally created in August 2018 for HTC, targeted to their Vive/Vive Pro (<a href="https://www.viveport.com/">VIVEPORT</a>). It is reproduced here without alteration.</em></p>



<p>The Chinese name <em>Zijin Cheng</em>, first appeared in 1576. With a literal interpretation of &#8220;Purple Forbidden City,&#8221; it&#8217;s known by its common English names of &#8220;Forbidden Palace,&#8221; or, more precisely, &#8220;Forbidden City.&#8221; With a history dating back to 1406 when Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty started construction on an imperial palace in Beijing, it was finished 14 years later. The epic palace complex functioned as China&#8217;s political center for over 500 years until the Qing Dynasty&#8217;s ousting in 1911. In 1925, the Forbidden City was opened to the public, transformed into the Palace Museum to display traditional Chinese architecture, treasures, and other curiosities. Today, there are more than 16 million visitors a year to the <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/china/beijing/attractions/forbidden-city/a/poi-sig/368617/355905">Forbidden City</a>, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world.</p>



<p>Of course, not everyone is able to visit the Forbidden City in person. And even if you are able to make the journey to China, you may want to do a practice run of sorts for a tourist attraction that can take a day or <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/2021/11/09/everest-vr/">more to explore</a> all that it has to offer. <em><a href="https://www.viveport.com/49a4fc99-45f7-48b7-9079-636a4b68fb80">Forbidden City VR</a></em> offers both of those opportunities virtually.</p>



<p><em>Forbidden City VR</em> is a room-scale experience that can be enjoyed seated or standing. You only need one Vive controller to move about through warping, selecting people or objects to gain additional information, and for accessing the menu. Besides allowing for adjustments of the volume of the background music and sound effects, and changing the text language between English and Simplified Chinese, the menu also contains quite a bit of extended historical and tourist information on the Forbidden City and the surrounding area in Beijing.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="640" height="360" src="https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/49a4fc99-45f7-48b7-9079-636a4b68fb80.37f958cb.jpg?resize=640%2C360&#038;ssl=1" alt="The overall presentation is mediocre." class="wp-image-5593" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/49a4fc99-45f7-48b7-9079-636a4b68fb80.37f958cb.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/49a4fc99-45f7-48b7-9079-636a4b68fb80.37f958cb.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/49a4fc99-45f7-48b7-9079-636a4b68fb80.37f958cb.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/49a4fc99-45f7-48b7-9079-636a4b68fb80.37f958cb.jpg?w=1240&amp;ssl=1 1240w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption>The overall presentation is mediocre.</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>Visually, the presentation is middling. The architecture is well-rendered, but many of the textures are low resolution when viewed up close. The character models are not the highest quality you&#8217;ll see either, but they move well and have distinct faces, which help give the impression of individual personalities. Audio-wise, the background music suits the setting and is pleasing enough, while the sparse amounts of spoken Chinese dialog, either triggered by the user or overheard in passing, works well to add additional flavor to the proceedings.</p>



<p>This is not a guided experience. You&#8217;re on your own to explore most of the Forbidden City. I say most because not every area is accessible within the <em>Forbidden City VR</em>, but you do get access to many of the highlights, including the Imperial Garden, which features lovely trees and interesting sculptures, and provides a nice contrast to the relatively sterile courtyards and interiors of the rest of the experience.</p>



<p>As you walk around, you can interact with and observe the various ministers, concubines, public servants, guards, and more, as well as the emperor himself, in a kind of rudimentary living historical re-enactment. If you&#8217;re sufficiently motivated, between the various people, hotspots, and pop-up menu text, you can become fairly well immersed in the fascinating history of the Forbidden City and its surroundings. As with many other types of learning, when it comes to history, being there, even if it&#8217;s virtually, does provide some much-needed context.</p>



<p>Although <em>Forbidden City VR</em> lacks some of the locations the Forbidden City would offer if you visited in person, on the plus side there are no crowds to deal with, no obstructed views, and no time or weather constraints. And despite some quirks with how you warp about the environment, where you sort of float down until your viewpoint settles down into an approximate standing position, moving throughout the vast complex is quick and painless.</p>



<p>With a few additional locations, some extra polish, and a little more to do than just look around and observe, <em>Forbidden City VR </em>could be a real stand-out among virtual reality historical and tourist attraction apps. In its current state, however, there&#8217;s just not enough there that truly elevates its experience.</p>



<p>Score: 3 out of 5 stars.</p>



<p><em>Forbidden City VR </em>is available on Viveport or with a Viveport Subscription.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/2021/11/23/forbidden-city-vr/">HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review: Forbidden City VR</a> appeared first on <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com">fullSTEAMahead365</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5591</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review: Everest VR</title>
		<link>https://fullsteamahead365.com/2021/11/09/everest-vr/</link>
					<comments>https://fullsteamahead365.com/2021/11/09/everest-vr/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bill Loguidice]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Nov 2021 15:47:55 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Science]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[everest]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[htc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mount everest]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[virtual reality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[viveport]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vr]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://fullsteamahead365.com/?p=5497</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Experience Mount Everest in stunning detail as you try and reach its majestic peak.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/2021/11/09/everest-vr/">HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review: Everest VR</a> appeared first on <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com">fullSTEAMahead365</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p><em>This review was originally created in August 2018 for HTC, targeted to their Vive/Vive Pro (<a href="https://www.viveport.com/">VIVEPORT</a>). It is reproduced here without alteration.</em></p>



<p>Mount Everest is Earth&#8217;s highest mountain above sea level and is located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas, with the international border between Nepal and China running across its summit point. This majestic mountain, with an elevation of 29,029 feet (8,848 meters), has called to climbers for hundreds of years, but it took until 1953 for the first successful ascent to the top. Today, despite claiming hundreds of lives over the years, Mount Everest attracts hundreds of climbers and other visitors a year, becoming a popular destination for thrill-seekers of all stripes.</p>



<p>Considering the financial, logistical, and flat-out dangers of climbing such a mountain, it seems rife for <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/2021/07/08/htc-vive-vr-review-amazon-odyssey/">virtual exploration</a>. This is where <em><a href="https://www.viveport.com/2518cf75-3ee1-442a-b863-2235e8f3b303">Everest VR</a></em> comes in.</p>



<p><em>Everest VR</em> does not bill itself as a game, but instead as an &#8220;accessible experience&#8221; that&#8217;s a &#8220;powerful first introduction to VR.&#8221; That means limited interactivity. Fortunately, there are some benefits to these restrictions, including getting to see all of <em>Everest VR</em>&#8216;s impressive visuals even if you&#8217;re not a skilled gamer.</p>



<p>Visually, <em>Everest VR</em> delivers sights that few other virtual reality games can match, let alone many regular games. In fact, if your computer has the necessary horsepower, you can crank up the visual fidelity even further in the settings, although it&#8217;s unfortunate there&#8217;s no support for the Vive Pro and its higher resolution display as of yet.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="640" height="360" src="https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2518cf75-3ee1-442a-b863-2235e8f3b303.dd3d4b21.jpg?resize=640%2C360&#038;ssl=1" alt="The visuals do the subject matter justice." class="wp-image-5499" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2518cf75-3ee1-442a-b863-2235e8f3b303.dd3d4b21.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2518cf75-3ee1-442a-b863-2235e8f3b303.dd3d4b21.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2518cf75-3ee1-442a-b863-2235e8f3b303.dd3d4b21.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2518cf75-3ee1-442a-b863-2235e8f3b303.dd3d4b21.jpg?w=1240&amp;ssl=1 1240w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption>The visuals do the subject matter justice.</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>Even without its settings cranked up or the nice-to-have of Vive Pro support, <em>Everest VR</em> recreates Mount Everest and its surrounding areas in striking detail. There are three major modes, including the core game where you join an expedition to reach the summit, God Mode, and The Seeker Expedition.</p>



<p>In the core game, you play through five iconic scenes. In the first scene, you prepare for your expedition at the basecamp. In the second scene, you traverse the Khumbu Icefalls, considered one of the most dangerous stages of the South Col route to Everest&#8217;s summit. In the third scene, you spend a night at Camp 4. In the fourth scene, you ascend the Hillary Step, a nearly vertical rock face with a height of around 39 feet (12 meters) located high on the mountain. In the fifth and final scene, you place a flag on the summit.</p>



<p>In God Mode, which is unlocked after you play through the core game for the first time, you can experience the Himalayas in a unique way. You&#8217;re placed far above the mountain range and gain some insight into its true scale.</p>



<p>In the Seeker Expedition, you explore a photogrammetry reconstruction of the mountain, which delivers a 360-degree view using hundreds of thousands of real images. You also experience first-person stories from climbers and Sherpas who have actually conquered Mount Everest&#8217;s peak.</p>



<p>As you might expect, <em>Everest VR</em> is a standing, room-scale experience. Despite the epic scope, it does a good job of dynamically adapting to the relative constraints of smaller room-scale environments, so those with limited space should still be able to enjoy much of the same experience as their better equipped counterparts. Both Vive controllers are used to warp between locations and perform the rudimentary activities in the core game, such as picking up and placing various objects or climbing a ladder.</p>



<p>If you go into Everest VR expecting a climbing or survival game, you&#8217;ll be extremely disappointed. If instead you go into Everest VR expecting a little bit of gameplay as an excuse to present an experience you&#8217;ll likely never have yourself &#8211; complete with stunning visuals &#8211; then you&#8217;ll be in for a treat.</p>



<p><strong>Score:</strong> 4 out of 5 stars.</p>



<p><em>Everest VR </em>is available on Viveport or with a Viveport Subscription.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/2021/11/09/everest-vr/">HTC Vive/VIVEPORT VR Review: Everest VR</a> appeared first on <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com">fullSTEAMahead365</a>.</p>
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		<title>HTC Vive VR Review: Amazon Odyssey</title>
		<link>https://fullsteamahead365.com/2021/07/08/htc-vive-vr-review-amazon-odyssey/</link>
					<comments>https://fullsteamahead365.com/2021/07/08/htc-vive-vr-review-amazon-odyssey/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bill Loguidice]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Jul 2021 14:53:52 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Editor's Pick]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Science]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[htc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[htc vive]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[virtual reality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vr]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://fullsteamahead365.com/?p=4758</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Mediocre visuals mar an otherwise solid attempt at making a more interactive and gamified educational experience focused on the Amazon rainforest.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/2021/07/08/htc-vive-vr-review-amazon-odyssey/">HTC Vive VR Review: Amazon Odyssey</a> appeared first on <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com">fullSTEAMahead365</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p><em>This review was originally created in October 2018 for HTC, targeted to their original Vive/Vive Pro (<a href="https://www.viveport.com/">VIVEPORT</a>). It is reproduced here without alteration.</em></p>



<p>The <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/places/amazon">Amazon</a> is the earth&#8217;s largest tropical rainforest, covering more than 2.1 million square miles, including territory belonging to nine different countries. More than 400 indigenous Amerindian tribes call the Amazon home, some of which have never had contact with the outside world. There are more than 40,000 plant species, 1,300 bird species, 3,000 types of fish, 430 different mammals, and 2.5 million different insects that also call the Amazon home. In short, whether it&#8217;s the fact that it represents over half of the earth&#8217;s rapidly vanishing rainforests, produces more than 20% of the earth&#8217;s oxygen, or any number of its other oversized attributes, there&#8217;s a lot to both appreciate and learn about this remarkable ecosystem.</p>



<p>Since it would be impractical to create a virtual reality experience that explores the entirety of the Amazon, <em><a href="https://www.viveport.com/77d069a3-c7c3-4842-b2bc-360ba67fbc97">Amazon Odyssey</a></em> tries to distill many of its key highlights into what they call an &#8220;interactive eco-tour.&#8221; And unlike many other educational experiences like this, they really do mean interactive. This is a standing, room-scale experience that requires you to perform various reaching, turning, pushing, and pulling actions with your Vive controllers. Fortunately, thanks to the ability to warp to most game areas, your room size doesn’t have to be particularly large to get the most out of this experience.</p>



<p>First, you guide your parachute thousands of feet above the rainforest canopy, which gives you a nice sense of the immense scope of the rainforest. After you land at your campsite, you practice taking photos with the “eco-tablet” and build a fire to stay warm as the iconic rains fall. After nightfall, you then navigate a boat down an Amazonian river, where you take lots of photos. Finally, you control a paraglider over cataracts, or large waterfalls, formed by centuries of erosion.</p>



<p>The lengthiest part of the game is navigating your boat down the river and taking photos. At various points in this river adventure, you&#8217;ll encounter animals from more than a dozen species, which you&#8217;re encouraged to photograph in the most pleasing manner for the highest star ranking (don’t forget to feed the piranha!). The feeling of freedom and relative challenge you experience when using the &#8220;eco-tablet&#8221; to capture these visual highlights and lightly control the boat’s heading and speed is a nice contrast to the more pedestrian, and generally only lightly interactive, nature of the other actions you perform in-game. For example, both the parachute and paraglider offer little in the way of control and really are just ways for you to look around from up high until you automatically land.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="640" height="360" src="https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/AmazonOdyssey2.jpg?resize=640%2C360&#038;ssl=1" alt="The visuals look nice in places, but overall the experience is underwhelming." class="wp-image-4759" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/AmazonOdyssey2.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/AmazonOdyssey2.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/AmazonOdyssey2.jpg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/fullsteamahead365.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/AmazonOdyssey2.jpg?w=1240&amp;ssl=1 1240w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption>The visuals look nice in places, but overall the experience is underwhelming.</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>Visually, <em>Amazon Odyssey</em> is about middle-of-the-road for this type of experience, with decent models, textures, and animation, but nothing particularly impressive. There’s also a good deal of graphical pop-in, particularly on the river adventure, where distant objects will noticeably show up or disappear without warning. Audio-wise, the experience fares a bit better, with good environmental sounds and a professional narrator providing contextual information as you advance in your journey.</p>



<p>As is typical for a virtual reality experience like this one, most of the interactive parts are challenge-free, and are just there to provide something to do in-between what are essentially educational information dumps. In <em>Amazon Odyssey</em>&#8216;s favor in this area is its photography challenges, which helps to keep you on your toes and does help to gamify this type of experience more than usual. Unfortunately, by contrast, the visuals in <em>Amazon Odyssey</em> are something of a disappointment, so if you&#8217;re coming into this experience expecting to be wowed by a realistic representation of the beauty of the rainforest, you&#8217;ll have to look elsewhere. Overall, though, despite the uninspired visuals and sometimes pedestrian activities common to these types of games, if you have an interest in learning more about one of earth&#8217;s great treasures in a way that only virtual reality can deliver, you can do a lot worse than <em>Amazon Odyssey</em>.</p>



<p><strong>Score:</strong> 3 out of 5 stars.</p>



<p><em>Amazon Odyssey </em>is available on Viveport or with a Viveport Subscription.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com/2021/07/08/htc-vive-vr-review-amazon-odyssey/">HTC Vive VR Review: Amazon Odyssey</a> appeared first on <a href="https://fullsteamahead365.com">fullSTEAMahead365</a>.</p>
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