Hello All,
We would like to officially announce the first update to the BoostBots VR platform! The final touches were completed last night and the update is now live for your enjoyment.
From its inception, SunderMix set out to redefine the control schema of VR gaming. Finding the “teleport” method of locomotion to be perhaps the single most obstructive aspect to the immersive VR experience, we set out to pioneer new methods of fluent movement in a VR space. For this iteration (BoostBots VR) we decided to make use of both HTC VIVE hand controllers and all available buttons to provide the user with a multitude of ways to control their VR movement. The ability to slowly move, boost at lighting speed, dead stop in 3-D space, as well as drift around corners are all in your hands with BoostBots VR.
Our movement engine has been refined down to simple and efficient system. What you experience with BoostBots VR is the culmination of hours of Q/A testing with a wide pool of participants. Finely tweaking speeds, scale, controls and the general feel of movement, we have landed on what we feel is an engaging and immersive VR control system. Of course a large element to immersive VR controls is to mitigate VR motion sickness and the like. We have found from testing and re-testing within our applicant pool that the current control schema in place reduces VR sickness in those prone to it by 40%-60%. Many participants whom have been unable to enjoy VR games due to motion sickness have reported that the way BoostBots VR plays is much more manageable then others they had tried previously.
In addition to the control scheme, BoostBots VR offers expansive, fully destructible voxel worlds to explore and destroy. We have made large advancements on the voxel engine as well allowing for voxel environments of infinite size to be created. We have tested a variety of level sizes and have landed on levels that are just under 1000vx X 1000vx.
Currently limitations to rapidly render levels of this magnitude is a challenge we are engaging head on. For the time being you will notice that with each level you warp too, some additional time is needed for voxels to fully render. Internally we have discussed loading screens, freezing player movement and the like during this period of rendering. The final decision was to allow players full control as soon as the spawn area has rendered and to leave it on the player to decide when they feel comfortable leaving the area and moving to newly rendered locations.
SunderMix being a team of only 2 people has relied on free license and open source content to fill the gaps of development. We ask that you please view the BoostBots VR Credits and make note of the fine work done by the contributors. SunderMix will be reaching out to all content creators in the next couple of weeks to formally notify them of the use of their open licensed content and to say thank you. Our dream of re-defining VR Control Schema is more rapidly possible due to content creator’s hard work and generosity.
Please see the list below of notable changes to the game:
- Level size increased ~800% (Levels will load over time as you play, we are working to optimize this)
- New weapon – Cannon Ball selectable at menu screen
- Portal closest to player spawn will always bring you back to the original level
- Added “Fire Wisp” enemies that spawn from destroyed voxels.
- “Fire Wisp” enemies will give chance for a duration of time. Collision with an enemy will result it in exploding destroying voxels
- Collectable crystals added, Crystals will spawn randomly as voxels are destroyed
- Added Score Board to spawn locations
- Score Board updates as power-ups / collectables are collected
- Added Collectable “World Key” (Skull and Crossbones) hidden in each world - to be used in a future update.
- Updated some Sounds
- Updated some Music
BoostBots VR and SunderMix LLC are both very fresh and in a state of constant / active development. We aim to aid and progress VR development and adaptability as our primary objective. If you would like to get involved and be a part of the VR revolution please reach out to [email protected] with your resume, area of expertise or similar. Currently we are looking for Voxel artists, Music Composers, Graphic Designers, Intern/Entry Level Devs and Social Media Gurus to assist in our expanding efforts. You are also welcome to pop in and say Hi!
See you on the next update,
SunderMix LLC