Working with all PC VR headsets, ViewR is the only VR spectating solution designed for low-latency streaming to a tracked mobile device
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA / ACCESSWIRE / December 12, 2018 / Immersing yourself in the amazing world of VR is exciting and exhilarating but also isolating as people don't have a way to share that VR experience with bystanders. Today, a new solution called ViewR from #include is launching which creates a window into that VR world so a friend can observe and see what is going on in the VR gaming experience and the VR world they inhabit, opening it up to more than just the headset-wearing solo player.
The only solution to create a position-tracked streaming spectator experience, ViewR is available as a Unity SDK with a simple but powerful API that developers can include for free in their VR games. In addition, gamers can run an installer to add ViewR to an existing game. Currently #include has modded ViewR into Superhot VR, Beatsaber and Budget Cuts, three very popular VR games.
ViewR allows you to see the VR world from a spectator's perspective using a phone or other mobile device. It is not a headset view, but rather a separate one completely, like a camera or a portal that a spectator can hold up to watch what is going on in the VR space. This allows your non-game playing companion to get a sense of size, scale, and position of things in the virtual world and comprehend where it is, making for a powerful shared experience.
"Virtual reality is a really exciting and fun experience, but it is extremely difficult to share what is happening inside the VR headset in a meaningful way. Seeing what the player is seeing through a computer screen or TV does not give you the spatial information required for the full picture that an observer needs to fully appreciate VR," explained Chang-Yi Yao, founder and CEO, #include. "With ViewR, VR games can now be something that more than what one person can experience easily -- all without the additional expensive, complicated set-up. You just connect to your computer through the app and use your phone as a camera to see what your friend is doing in VR."
"We want ViewR to be everyone's pocket portal into virtual reality; the instant interface between you and the virtual world," said Yao. "As we grow, we see ViewR being an excellent way to incorporate VR into business use cases since your phone does not host the virtual world, the computer does, and it works beautifully even if the device is fairly limited. The potential for this new technology is incredibly exciting."
See a video here.
How ViewR Works
ViewR has two parts which talk to each other: a mobile "Viewer" and a PC host that runs in the VR game. The host PC streams a view of the virtual world based on the position of the mobile device, and the mobile app displays it. With a tracker, ViewR can operate on lower-end devices because it is streaming the game from the host something not guaranteed for other systems which create mobile versions of the host game for spectating. It is a single application which can interface with multiple programs, making it the one-stop app for seeing into VR.
ViewR is available today for everyone as a mod for games written in Unity Engine. Ultimately the solution will be built into games using ViewR's SDK, enabling spectating out of the box. ViewR's API also allows for touch and sensor input from the device, enabling interactivity between the spectators and the player for asymmetric gameplay should the developers choose to support it. ViewR can be downloaded for free at http://viewrapp.com/.
Images available here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_IaCfWas6QhbLutHMLJLi6xhp-6YRdMo
Videos available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WINISD8wdkc
About #include
Based in Brisbane, Australia, #include is a group of engineers aiming to change the way VR can be shared. Starting with its first solution for games, ViewR takes VR gaming out of its isolated world and allows other participants to have a window into the immersive environment, watching how the player is interacting with objects. Designed as a mod for players and an SDK for game developers, ViewR is the first solution to stream a view from virtual reality. ViewR will also be available for businesses as a way to view and share 3D models using VR technology, without a headset. For more information, visit https://include-vr.com/press or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Thingiverse.
Media Contact:
Erica Zeidenberg
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SOURCE: #include