Social VR

5K All-In-One VR Headset Comes With Its Own Virtual World

June 7, 2021 by GenVR

Arpara reveals two VR headsets and its arparaland virtual social platform powered by blockchain.

Last week, Beijing-based VR company arpara revealed two 5K VR headsets during its global reveal event called “Discover Yourself in a Parallel Universe.”

Both the arpara VR headset and arpara all-in-one VR headset feature dual 1.03-inch 2560 x 2560 resolution micro-OLED displays, resulting in a combined viewing resolution of 5K x 2.5K. According to arparar, these micro-OLED displays feature a 3514 PPI, meaning no more pesky “screen door effect.” Both devices also have a 1μs response time and 95-degree field-of-view. For reference, that’s 6-degrees more than the Oculus Quest 2.

Coming in at approximately 200 grams, the arpara VR headset is capable of connecting with phones, consoles, and computers. Combined with a 6DoF position tracking kit—such as the companies NOLO CV1 Air VR spatial tracking kit—the device can be used to run PCVR applications with support for up to 120Hz refresh rates. The arpara VR headset is available now for pre-order and is expected to ship this August for $599.

The arpara all-in-one VR headset, on the other hand, weighs approximately 380 grams and features six onboard cameras for 6DoF inside-out tracking, removing the need for a separate tracking kit. This all-in-one device is capable of streaming SteamVR games and apps both wired and wirelessly with support for up to 90Hz refresh rates. No word yet on an official price. The headset is expected to begin shipping after the launch of the arpara VR headset later this summer.

Arpara is also launching its own dedicated virtual social platform. Launching this August on arpara VR headsets, arparaland is described by the company as a virtual world where users can customize their own avatars and times, participate in relaxing activities, conduct business, and more. And because digital assets on the platform are recorded on regulated blockchains, users can profit from their work by minting their digital creations as NFT’s for auction.

As previously mentioned, arpara is the same company behind the NOLO 6DoF spatial tracking kit. With the launch of the arpara VR headset, the arpara all-in-one, and arparaland platform, it appears as though the China-based company is in the early stages of establishing its own VR ecosystem.

We’re excited to learn more about arpara’s new hardware when the arpara VR headset and arparaland platform launch later this summer.

For more information visit arpara.net.

Feature Image Credit: arpara

How One Hip Hop Producer Found Success With His VR Concert Series

May 17, 2021 by GenVR

After hosting a rooftop show in Altspace, one hip-hop artist/producer sees potential in VR live performances.

COVID-19 took its toll on the live concert industry with up to $9 Billion being lost in the U.S. alone. To keep live shows going, many artists were forced to embrace new forms of technology to connect with fans remotely. Over the last year, we’ve seen countless musicians/artists perform on social media through live streams, as well as bigger acts—such as Grammy-winning artist John Legend and veteran rock band Weezer—perform on virtual platforms such as WAVE and Fortnite. Outside of music, established stand-up comedians have found an outlet for their jokes in certain VR spaces, such as Chicken Waffle’s popular Failed to Render Comedy Club on the AltSpaceVR platform.

Despite the many options available to musicians, however, one genre of music has—for the most part—gone largly unnoticed within the remote live performance scene: hip-hop. To fill that void, NYC-based hip hop artist/producer Fokis created HipHopinVR, a series of live hip hop shows hosted in VR on platforms such as AltspaceVR, Sansar, and Rec Room, as well as live-streamed on Twitch. Part concert, part interview, each show featured a one-of-kind live performance that included special guests and much more.

“I saw a huge gap for hip hop in VR and it just came to me,” said Fokis during an interview with VRScout. “I decided to host a rooftop show in AltspaceVR to see what would happen. I’m an artist and I didn’t know what to expect. I just started planning it and everything started to come to me.”

The show—which consisted of a live video stream broadcasted in AltspaceVR’s rooftop venue—was filled to capacity (70 people) within minutes and was talked about for days around the Campfire, AltspaceVR’s main social hub.

Fokis, who has toured with hip hop legends such as Onyx, The Game, Gza, Ras Kass, Lords Of The Underground, Common, Busta Rhymes, M.O.P., The Beatnuts, and numerous other recognizable acts, explained how he was first introduced to VR, saying, “I was introduced to VR by a friend of mine, Doitall from the group Lords Of The Underground. During a conversation, he casually mentions to me how he hosted a rap battle event in VR and got paid for it,” Fokis adds, “He mentioned the Oculus Quest 2 and I literally ordered it on the spot from my phone. When it came in the mail, I put that headset on and my life literally has changed forever.”

Most events hosted by Fokis are free to attend, but he has organized a ticketed event in the past with hip hop/rap legends Ras Kass & Edo. G using Eventbrite. The system used for his VR concerts was fairly simple. Those who purchased a ticket were emailed a specific link granting them access to the event in AltspaceVR. His initial goal was simple: sell 50 tickets. In the end, Fokis ended up selling 71 tickets, 14 of which were sold “at the door.”

“That for me was the highlight,” added Fokis. “People tried to join the event in Altspace and realized it was a ticketed event. They then had to run out to get a ticket for the show. That gave me so much confidence in knowing I was on the right track.”

The next ticketed event he’s producing is scheduled for May 28th and features SADAT X (Brand Nubian) & NINE. These VR concerts, however, are only the beginning for Fokis. His Altspace series The Park Jam—which recreates an authentic NYC park jam—and VR radio station HHVR, have become more popular as of late, with each event attracting almost 400 attendees respectively. People from all over the world show up. Some to listen to jams, others to discuss new artists and learn what’s happening in the music industry.

Each event that Fokis creates in VR is meant to serve a different purpose, which means each world must have its own unique look. Unfortunately, Fokis isn’t a developer by trade. Instead, he sees himself as an architect or a designer that approaches developers with the blueprints of the world he envisions, who then use popular tools such as Blender and Unity to realize his vision.

Because they’re in VR, Fokis can dream big. “Overall I put events together, the same way I do in real life except better and easier because I have a global audience and no real limitations. I can go as far as my creativity allows me to go which is amazing,” said Fokis.

Since the launch of HipHopinVR, Fokis has seen the numbers improve with each new event he organizes. His shows offer music fans the chance to enjoy a genre they love in VR while getting up-close-and-personal with major acts from the world of hip-hop. Despite the heavy use of modern technology, however, Fokis’ events feel similar to how hip-hop started: in the park and on the streets.

As for the future of HipHopinVR, Fokis tells me there are some big announcements around the corner, but that he’s not ready to share new information with the public just yet. In the meantime, I asked for his opinion on the future of hip-hop (and the music industry as a whole) in relation to VR: “It’s only a matter of time, it’s like a collision that is unavoidable. You just wanna make sure you are on the train when it happens because when the smoke clears and the dust settles, those that were laying down the tracks, driving or riding the train will be the ones who will win, big.”

If you’d like to learn more about upcoming hip hop VR shows, check out HipHopinVR.com.

Feature Image Credit: HipHopinVR

‘Finding Pandora X’ Is Live VR Theater At Its Absolute Finest

April 26, 2021 by GenVR

Go behind the scenes of this multi-person interactive theater experience powered by VRChat.

Last month the annual South by Southwest Film Festival conducted its first first-ever virtual celebration, allowing festival-goers the chance to experience this years’ incredible projects from the comfort of their homes.

Developed by social XR developer VRrOOm using the popular VR Social platform VRChat, SXSW Online XR did its best to replicate the look and feel of the legendary in-person festivities with virtual renditions of famous Austin venues, including the Cedar Street Courtyard, Contemporary Austin, Empire Control Room & Garage, Mohawk, Paramount Theatre, and Red River Cultural District. Here, attendees could attend virtual screenings, enjoy live musical performances, and experience a generous catalog of interactive mixed-media projects.

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This includes Finding Pandora X, a multi-person interactive experience that marries VR technology with live theater to immerse you in a one-of-a-kind theatrical performance. Unlike conventional theater, however, audience members play a role in the story, interacting with the actors and the in-game world to help progress the story.

As members of the Greek Chorus, audience members travel to the world of Mount Olympus to assist the gods—Zeus and Hera—in retrieving hope from Pandora before it’s too late. Along with your fellow companions, you’ll split up and travel to exotic worlds in the hopes of bringing stability to Mount Olympus. Thanks to the branching narrative, each group experiences a different story throughout the experience. At one point during my performance, for example, several members of our group split up to explore an epic city while the rest of us joined Zeus for a few drinks at the base of Mount Olympus. No matter what route you take, however, Finding Pandora X uses the power afforded by VRChat to wow you with impressive visual effects that serve to better enhance the story. Characters grow in size, the in-game world transforms drastically, and the environments are interactive.

At the end of the performance, we joined the cast and crew for several virtual drinks at a heavenly bar located on Mount Olympus; the perfect end to an already intimate experience. In my opinion, this is exactly what makes Finding Pandora X so unique. We’ve seen attempts at live VR theater in the past—such as The Under Presents—but none quite as personal as Finding Pandora X. Whether it be the phenomenal acting or strong emphasis on player interactivity, Double Eye Studio’s unique multi-person experience is the perfect blend of modern technology and classic live theater. Plus you get to keep the custom Greek Chorus avatar for personal use on VRChat, almost like a digital goody-bag.

But what does it take to bring a project as ambitious as this to life? We chatted with some of the cast and crew from Finding Pandora X to learn more about what it’s like to perform in a virtual environment.

As a performer, what—in your opinion—is the biggest difference between performing in VR and the real world?

“In VR you have the difficult task of not only using the acting part of your brain but simultaneously conjuring your inner technician. There is an element of mask work or puppetry where you embody a being who is not you and you try to discover its own truth within yourself,” said Pamela Winslow Kashani aka “Hera.”

“Utilizing the avatars as an authentic extension of yourself. It reminds me a lot of the Ancient kabuki style or Greek theatre which relied heavily on elaborate masks and larger than life physical gestures to communicate effectively. A pose, when well-executed combined with tone of voice can really transcend a moment or a feeling and draw appropriate focus; The same way elegant lighting and staging or cutting to a close up in film would show the audience what’s important to watch,” added Hilary Walker aka “Iris.”

Are there any additional challenges that you wouldn’t normally come across in conventional media, such as film and tv?

“The performers are dealing with all of the challenges that our entire VR industry as well as our tech industry faces daily — instability, growth, unpredictability, latency, bugs….the list goes on. They have to deal with technical hurdles thrown at them quite often, while they are performing live. They could be in the middle of a scene and they get disconnected from the internet, or more. I think this is beyond conventional. However, it also places them at the cutting edge of this field. These actors have become their own technologists,” said Director and Producer Kiira Benzing, adding, “They are living through these moments, making decisions, troubleshooting their own technology while engaging with an audience. I think that overcoming these daily technical challenges prove that these actors are incredibly intelligent, savvy, focused and persistent. I look forward to them leading the way for more actors to embrace this new form of performance in the future.”

“While there are some obvious differences, this experience taught me that there are some things that crossover: You are acting in real-time with your fellow actors even if you are not in the exact same room. You can still feel their energy, but there is not always the same “immediate electricity” that often captivates a space when you’re all sharing a stage in person together. In my opinion, art was never meant to be produced or consumed in a vacuum,” said Walker.

“But Virtual Reality (especially during the pandemic) has become an agile playing field and vehicle for extending shared experiences with a community and providing that human connection we crave in uncharted ways. What does stay the same for me regardless of VR or film/ theatre is my need to find time preshow/ pre-arriving on set to warm up the body: The Voice, my whole instrument and establishing a preshow ritual to help be focused & ready; even more so when you may be more than 3000 miles away from your co-star or distracted by your loud neighbors on the other side of your living room wall who don’t know what magic is taking place one door away.

What is your favorite scene to perform from the show?

“Loved ushering our fearless audience undercover through the tunnels of the underworld while watching Zeus adeptly improvise through the utter chaos as they solve puzzles of Pandora’s plight. One of the highlights for me is improving my “pun game” banter I’ve established every show with my bestie Hermès while onboarding our guests,” said Walker.

“For SXSW we were able to complete a scene that we didn’t have the budget to pull off during our premiere at the Venice FIlm Festival. These scenes involve an animation sequence that I knew would take some time to playtest. Manny Marquez, our Associate Producer and Animation Supervisor worked with us to create these beautiful sequences,” added Benzing. “When we finally got the sequence working our lead actors Jonathan David Martin and Pamela Winslow Kashani were able to play with their relationship physically to those moments. Jonathan’s physical work has always been impressive and I think the work he does at the end of Scene 2 is symbolic of his character’s loss and a really special moment.”

How do you see VR technology playing a role in the future of live performance art?

“There’s a huge possibility here. The technology will need to play catch up to our dreams, but it will become more viable the more people have the hardware and the more the software becomes easier to manipulate,” said Kashani.

“Aside from it being it’s own medium that might allow for nontraditional storylines to be explored in a new way; I think we have the potential to move towards an even more global collaborative space. It would allow artists the means to not only work together at a distance in real time in A way they otherwise might not be able to afford due to budget constraints. It could serve as an additional platform for in person meetings/rehearsals, as well as give artists and designers a chance to walk through design elements or blocking concepts within a live 3-D model without being in the same room,” added Walker.

“I see VR having a major impact on live performance work. I truly believe XR performance and VR Theatre will become its own sub-genre. I find VR a very powerful tool for connection, enabling us to expand to audiences around the globe,” said Benzing.

What skills do you feel are essential for those looking to break into VR acting?

“Experience in lots of spaces and platforms, with strong acting training as a base. Find any opportunity to act in VR, even if you create it yourself,” said Kashani.

“Definitely a sense of curiosity as well as a willingness to fail. Just as with live performances, mishaps happen; people will Miss cues /entrances, you WILL get kicked offline. Confidence and a sense of humor really help; as well as practical Improvisational skills and a willingness to roll with things solo (imperative). Keep training your instrument. Which you should be doing anyway, but I think it’s essential to feel strong in your body and your voice while communicating through avatar,” added Walker.

What do you hope your audience is thinking about after exiting your show?

“I hope they feel exhilarated! The audience goes on some very adventurous quests, and I hope they feel like they have journeyed. We teach them to fly so I hope that they leave with a finally feeling of joy as the leap off the clouds of Mt. Olympus,” said Benzing.

In case you were still wondering if the show is worth the ticket, Finding Pandora X recently took home SXSW’s Audience Award in the Virtual Cinema Spotlight category.

For more information visit here.

Feature Image Credit: Double Eye Studios