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The 10 Coolest VR/AR Experiences From SXSW 2022

March 26, 2022 From vrscout

A SXSW to remember with who’s-who in XR creative technology showing face at the fest for the first time in two years.

SXSW was back in full force last week. Masked or otherwise (Texas is pretty lax), a frenzy of wild-eyed art, music, film, and XR-hungry visitors flooded into Austin for a week of back-to-back programming. From discussions around virtual land ownership to cloth made from washable circuit boards to NFT galleries and off-site multi-player audio adventures, SXSW delighted and demanded full attention this year.

In this best-of-round-up, we’ll try to capture the essence of the festival by highlighting groundbreaking XR experiences that were too novel, important, or strange to miss.

RADIO GHOST (INTERACTIVE – AUDIO)

Darragh: I was not sure what to expect from this experience. Mystified, I signed up for what turned out to be a whirlwind of being whisked off the premises of SXSW’s main block downtown to a mall several miles away. Me and five other participants were dropped off at the location (in broad daylight) and told to saddle up with headsets and smartphones for this interactive audio adventure. What followed was a tantalizing trip through a warped and distorted broadcast of 1980s music during which a melodic voice had me questioning my existence. I won’t give away the end, but the “ghost hunting” I was tasked with from the start, assigned by the smooth-talking British woman crooning through the static airwaves, taught me a few lessons in capitalism, to say the least.



EINRIDE (XR – TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY)

Bobby: The Swedish-based transportation company Eidride brought their XR, AI, LIDAR powered autonomous pods to give SXSW attendees a preview of how the transportation industry plans on being more sustainable with their battery-powered vehicles. The company also showcased new technology that will help guide these next-gen vehicles help drive them through our streets and highways. Controlled by a CDL certified operator, each Einride Pod features a cockpit-style workstation complete with three screens and a dashboard of controls to monitor the vehicle’s movements. XR technology plays a big role in providing the operator with information and data, while LIDAR and AI keep the vehicle on the road. The operator can also switch over to driver mode if the vehicle needs assistance. During a demo, I was able to drive an Einride Pod vehicle that was located in Sweden while I was in Austin, TX by moving a small lever to make the pod move forward or stop. I could also honk the horn and even turn on windshield wipers if I wanted too. All in real time with zero latency. 

COMPOSITION (INTERACTIVE – AUDIO & PROJECTION)

Darragh: This minimalistic interactive sculpture was presented alongside several VR works. A complicated joy of spontaneous collaboration between two participants and the technology itself, I was excited to find myself playing and questioning like a child. In moving small, etched wood blocks, one is transported into a sense of wonder and awe as the magic of Vincent Morisset’s musical instrument comes alive, as if from the ether. I saw a different future for live performance for the six minutes I had with this creation.



GOLIATH (VR)

Bobby: This 25-minute VR documentary directed by Barry Gene Murphy and May Abdalla features the voice of Tilda Swindon as she walks you through a story about a young orphaned child diagnosed with schizophrenia. You experience the story from the mind of the child, as you watch everything unfold, unable to interfere. Throughout the experience you use your own voice to help bring thoughts to life. Goliath is incredibly colorful with images that immerse you deep in the struggles of mental illness. Goliath is a powerful example of how VR can be used for good.

MINIMUM MASS (VR)

Darragh: Directors Raqi Syed and Areito Echevarria balance mystery and humanity in this beautifully-crafted VR film. To watch this work is to witness a beautiful burden. I viewed the story of two lovers as if I were a small god capable of spying in every room, effortlessly twisting the world in front of me around on an X-axis, but with no power to aid or disrupt. I saw their experiences unfold and gradually realized that I played an integral part in their plot. Eventually, I was witnessed back by the characters and was left with a pang of connection. 

WEIRD TIMES (VR)

Bobby: Weird Times is a VR series that takes a look at the life of a teenager and all of the unique challenges they face in today’s technology and social media-heavy world. Unlike a one-off VR experience, Weird Times approaches storytelling through multiple episodes with each episode digging deeper into each character. Directed by Ryan Hartsell and Ruby Wang, the series doesn’t hold back on tackling difficult but relevant subject matters. Things such as depression, body shaming, and identity are explored through animation and art. A solid cast of talented actors brings the characters to life with episodes running about 10 minutes. Watching an episode in VR was eye-opening and powerful. I would recommend this experience to anyone who has a teenager in their life.



BREONNA’S GARDEN (VR)

Darragh: I experienced the original iteration of this project by Lady Phoenix in 2021 at the Tribeca Film Festival as a humbling AR (augmented reality) experience. Since that premiere, it has been transformed into a virtual world featuring tributes from Breonna Taylor’s mother, fiancé, and sister, all volumetrically captured and life-size, speaking to the viewer from a place of pain and remembrance. I floated through a garden of flowers, pausing to hear the voices of Breonna’s loved ones as they reflected on her life and their loss. Breonna’s Garden is a touching tribute and ever-appropriate as a reminder that grief, when treated with care, can blossom creation.



GUMBALL DREAMS (LIVE VR THEATER)

Bobby: The Ferryman Collective brought its latest live VR theater show Gumball Dreams to SXSW and much like their other productions, it was a hit. In Gumball Dreams, you are tasked with traveling to a faraway planet by an alien creator named Onyx where you must help Onyx and others transition from one reality to another. Before you can, however, the weight of your own spirit must be assessed before doing so. Are you worthy? If so, are you prepared for the journey ahead? Written and Directed by Deirdre Lyons and Christopher Lane Davis, Gumball Dreams is a great example of how VR should be used with live storytelling.



ON THE MORNING YOU WAKE (TO THE END OF THE WORLD) (VR)

Darragh: This three-part VR work, a stylized documentary about the 38 minutes of desperation Hawai’i experienced before a nuclear attack that never happened, effortlessly connected the stories of strung-out lives preparing to meet their end. Brought to the virtual screen by Atlas V and Archer’s Mark, this foreboding story of a false announcement for the very real threat of nuclear war made its point through interviews with those who were there and took me, as the viewer, into the chaos of lives that almost perished.



FUTURE RITES (VR)

Bobby: Future Rites is a collaborative VR experience from choreographer Alexander Whitley and director Sandra Rodriguez that immersed you in a world filled with animation, AI, and dance. Based on the ballet ‘The Rite of Spring’, you find yourself at the intersection of art and technology as your surroundings come to life. You can join in on the performance if you’d like, or sit back and watch. The more you move and participate, however, the more your environment will come to life. Your curiosity and movement can be an incredibly powerful part of this experience. 

*Editor’s Note — Darragh was a speaker at SXSW this year, and both she and Bobby were judges for SXSW Pitch.*

Image Credit: SXSW 2022

Filed Under: News, SXSW 2022, VR Art, VR Games

Sundance VR Movie On The Morning You Wake Coming To Quest Store Next Week

March 15, 2022 From uploadvr

On The Morning You Wake, one of this year’s VR movies from the Sundance Film Festival official selection, is finding its way onto Quest headsets next week.

Created by Archer’s Mark, Novelab and Atlas V and published by ARTE France, On The Morning You Wake is now listed in the Coming Soon section of the Oculus Store and will be available on March 24. It follows the story of the January 13, 2018 incident in Hawaii in which 1.4 million people were warned of an incoming nuclear attack.

An SMS message from the Emergency Management Agency read: “Ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii. Seek immediate shelter. This is not a drill.”

It wasn’t for another 38 minutes that the alert was confirmed to be mistaken. For that time, the residents of Hawaii believed disaster was imminent. On The Morning You Wake tracks the events of the incident, piecing together other people’s accounts and reflecting on the threat of nuclear annihilation. Check out a trailer for the film below.

On the Morning You Wake (Teaser) from Archer’s Mark on Vimeo.

The piece arrives in three parts, with the second and third installments making their debut after the first part premiered at Sundance. The full 38-minute experience is s also currently showing at the South By Southwest Festival. A price for the movie hasn’t yet been confirmed.

Interested in finding more VR movies? Then make sure to check our list of the best you can watch inside headsets. Will you be watching On The Morning You Wake on Quest? Let us know in the comments below!

Filed Under: new VR movies, On The Morning You Wake, top stories, VR Games, VR Movie

Sundance 2022 In VR: What To Check Out

January 20, 2022 From vrscout

Another year, another stellar lineup of ground-breaking VR and AR projects.

Today marks the start of the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, kicking off nine days of incredible films premieres, conversations, and immersive experiences. This year the festival is celebrating the 16th birthday of its New Frontier showcase, which serves to highlight the very best in multimedia storytelling.

Similar to last year’s proceedings, event organizers have partnered with digital production studio Active Theory to create The Spaceship, a “biodigital showcase” accessible via a computer or VR headset. Here attendees can use their very own customizable avatars to explore three virtual worlds.

Image Credit: Sundance Institute
  • New Frontier Gallery – A digital event space where attendees can browse the entire catalog of XR content available as part of the New Frontiere showcase and chat with attendees as well as festival employees via proximity chat.
  • Cinema House – An immersive stage environment that will serve as the primary venue for various screenings throughout the festival. This years’ venue includes a new stage designed specifically for live scheduled performances.
  • Film Party – A dedicated social space where attendees can chat with Sundance creators about their respective projects using proximity audio and video chat.
Cinema House / Image Credit:

This years’ New Frontier showcase features over 15 genre-defying projects to enjoy, from comedic VR parodies such as Flat Earth VR to interactive AR experiences like Atua. It can be a bit overwhelming navigating this digital venue, especially for first-time festival-goers.

To help guide you through this years’ offerings we put together a list of must-try XR projects currently available in The Gallery. Here’s what you won’t want to miss:

Flat Earth VR / Image Credit: Sundance Institute
  • Atua (scheduled performances) – “Atua reimagines the realm of Pacific gods in this sculptural AR experience that claims space for gender-diverse identities impacted by colonial first contact, and creates an intimate portal for users to see themselves reflected as vital to their cultural heritage and an intrinsic part of the cosmos.“
  • Flat Earth VR – “Lucas Rizzotto’s delightful and immersive satirical comedy boards audiences onto a stolen NASA ship and launches them into the stars. Here, they have the chance to live out the ultimate flat-earther fantasy of becoming the first flat-Earth astronaut to ever go to space and prove the globe-earthers wrong.”
Suga’ / Image Credit: Sundance Institute
  • Suga’ – A Live Virtual Dance Experience (scheduled performances) – “Suga’ is a collective immersive experience that features live dance performance as volumetric video in a social virtual reality space. The experience takes audiences on a journey through the historical reality of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the establishment of the sugar industry, which has had a lasting legacy on our world today.”
  • The States of Global Peace – “In this immersive documentary, you’ll inhabit the shoes of a prime minister who is preparing to deliver a high-profile speech at a virtual U.N. General Assembly in the near future. The political stakes are high. As you are about to begin your remarks, a group of students hijack the security system and take over the screens, asking to have a dialogue with you.”
This is Not a Ceremony / Image Credit: Sundance Institute
  • This is Not a Ceremony – “Part performance, part participatory media, This Is Not a Ceremony asks us to consider our role in engaging with documentaries about social injustice and to confront modern notions of empathy and personal responsibility. Darkly humorous and occasionally caustic, This Is Not a Ceremony offers contemporary insights into the lived experience of Indigenous men, and extends a chance to embrace responsibility and the meaningfulness of redemption.”

The Sundance Film Festival 2022 runs now until January 28th exclusively online. Those interested in checking out the New Frontier showcase can purchase an Explorer Pass for $50. This enables you access to The Gallery, Cinema House, and Film Party worlds via a computer or any VR headset compatible with the Chrome browser.

For more information visit here.

Feature Image Credit: Sundance Institute

Filed Under: AR, augmented reality, meta quest, meta quest 2, News, Oculus Quest, oculus quest 2, Sundance Film Festival 2022, VR Event, VR FIlms, VR Games, WebXR

Sony Won’t Say If PSVR 2 Is Releasing This Year (Yet)

January 11, 2022 From uploadvr

It appears that Sony is tight-lipped on if PSVR 2 will be releasing this year.

Following last week’s official reveal of the headset’s name and specs, Axios’ Stephen Totilo noted that he had reached out to Sony to ask two key questions about the device. First, Totilo asked if PSVR 2 would be backwards compatible with the original PSVR and its library of content. He also asked if it would release this year.

According to Totilo, Sony declined to comment on each point.

Sony Silent On PSVR 2 Release Date

I asked Sony if PSVR2 would be out in 2022 and if it’ll be backwards compatible with PSVR titles (something many people asked me to ask them yesterday). Neither was addressed yesterday.

Sony PR says they have nothing further to announce at the moment. So stay tuned…

— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) January 5, 2022

This perhaps isn’t too surprising given that companies often have dedicated beats for when and where they’ll reveal details such as this, but it is somewhat curious that Sony hasn’t confirmed a broad 2022 release window for its next VR headset yet.

The headset was first announced in early 2021 and UploadVR was the first to reveal specs for the device around the middle of the year, so it’s clear that many details about the kit have been nailed down for a long time. Plus, revealing information at CES in the first week of the year does suggest that you’re firing the starting gun for a months-long promotional plan leading up to a release somewhere around the holiday season. That’s exactly what Sony did with the PS5 two years ago, for example.

But it’s very possible that the ongoing component shortage that has plagued the rollout of so many electronic devices — not least of which the PS5 — is having an influence on Sony’s plans. With so much up in the air and different manufacturers offering differing opinions on when the situation might be resolved, the company might not yet be able to commit to a 2022 release date even if that is the plan.

But, regardless of the silence, we’re fully expecting to at least hear much more about PSVR 2 this year. Stay tuned to UploadVR, where we’ll bring you all the latest on the headset.

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