We have spent the last 2 months polishing the user experience of Glider Island so we can get Glider Island in VR Arcades around the world! When you start Glider Island you will now see these three options:
If you start it as a “Normal User” you will get all the normal menu options including Xbox Controller Mode, and Mouse Controller mode. When you start in "Arcade Mode" everything is VR exclusive. This mode is meant for people who have purchased the Steam Site Licensing and will be showcasing the game in VR Arcades. Also in Arcade mode the score will be visible on the computer monitor so people watching can get an idea of how well the player is doing as they stand behind them.
On top of the new VR Arcade mode we have spent lots of time adding new features to the game. Most of them have to do with improving usability. Here is a list of all the new features:
-User now starts directly at launch pad instead of menu:
Before the user had to go through 3 steps to enter the glider which was time consuming and confusing. We now reduced it to 1 step!
-New improved way of entering the glider:
Before the user would have to repositioning themselves to grab the handlebar of the glider which was extremely frustrating for some. Now all the user has to do now is sit up straight and press both triggers and the glider will snap to their position!
-New and improved UI:
We redid the graphics showing the controls for the glider as well as the how to play the game.
-Oculus Rift Hand Controllers now supported:
We made sure if you are using the Oculus Hand Controllers in Steam VR everything works and you get the correct UI/ graphics.
-Much improved hand controller flying mode:
This has been totally reworked! We found people would get disorientated because they would end up upside down or crooked. We now simplified this mode so you can no longer get upside down or disoriented. Also the hands are now tracked based off of your heads position, so moving both your head and hands has an effect. So far we have heard people love the new hand controller steering!
-3rd person mode and 1st person mode:
The new version now has a fully animated character attached to the glider. So flying in 3rd person mode is more realistic and what you would find in real life. When you enter 1st person mode the camera snaps to the position of the characters head. So you get a first hand experience of what the glider pilot would actually be seeing.
-Coming soon:
The next month will be spent creating achievements and leaderboards. We really want to get more of the Steam community involved so we will be adding a monthly tournament mode with prizes at the end of each month. Also looking to have custom leaderboards for Arcade Mode! More on this to come!
We have been demoing Glider Island around Seattle and each time improving the gameplay from what we learned. Here are some pics/ videos of events we have been at. And be sure to follow Glider Island on Facebook and Twitter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SLQbJIG4XQ