Read on for our full impressions. Read on for our full impressions.
It’s no secret that I’m mainly interested in VR for gaming. You may have noticed that my main hobby is playing VR games. It’s true that I have been a member of UploadVR for a year now and it has opened my eyes to the possibilities VR offers.
was a big eye-opener last year and that recently continued in Paris, when I attended last month’s cover and its Venice Immersive.NewImages Festivalhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EJClijRCwYXR MarketShowcasing many worldwide VR and AR projects, what immediately struck me is how VR filmmakers aren’t shying away from difficult subjects. The real-life tale of Yathay, Pin is a Cambodian survivor who was forced to leave his son. The civil rights movement in Alabama during the 1950s is the focus of
. Stay Alive, My SonI didn’t get to try all the experiences during my two day visit. I therefore missed Noire as well as Letters From Drancy or
. Other experiences, such as The Imaginary Friend, Bear My Soul, and A Vocal Landscape, were shown at Venice Immersive so I did not try them again. My time in Paris was filled with many experiences that are worth sharing. My festival started with the Gargoyle Doyle film, which explores lesser-known details surrounding President Kennedy’s death. This VR documentary is particularly impressive because it projects old video and photo footage onto virtual recreations. It creates a feeling of presence which normal documentaries cannot. Below are my full impressions.EmpereurNext, I only found one game at NewImages: ARVORE’s bullet hell roguelike 2021
. The studio showcased JFK Memento, a game from last year that involved defeating enemies emerging through portals. The idea is a good one, and it adapts well to the main game. However, I wasn’t particularly motivated to keep playing after three waves. I also tried
JFK Memento Offers An Intriguing Approach To VR Documentaries
JFK Memento delivers an intriguing approach to VR documentary filmmaking. Here’s our impressions.
, an AR tabletop dramatic narrative experience set in Los Angeles.YukiBetween these meetings, one thing I particularly enjoyed was the ‘XR Library’ in the main area. The ‘XR Library’ in the main area was a great place to spend time between meetings. It felt almost like picking a book. I had a choice of standalone Quest VR headsets or a couple PC-based VR experiences. Two titles in particular were tested. The mixed reality update title takes on a surrealist style while criticizing modern surveillance and addressing civil liberties concerns. I also experienced ‘The Tent,’ a brief experience designed by Fanni Fazakas and substance abuse survivors. It’s a memory I will cherish for the rest of my life. Missing 10 Hours is designed to take you directly into the story, placing you right in the middle of the action. You can decide whether you want to be Mara’s savior or the assailant of her. This is a very powerful experience that shows what people can do in order to prevent such situations. The VR immersion makes it a truly impactful experience. It’s an immersive experience using a haptic jacket that is designed to be a large-scale room. I was able to relate it well and left feeling nostalgic. Below you can find my thoughts on the experience and an interview I had with director Darren Emerson.
My last stop was completely different. We spent one hour with a group of small people at The Eye and I on the VR experience ‘
‘ that covers the history of the impressionist exhibit. We used a Vive focus 3 to follow a path in this large hall with about 80 people as we learnt more about the history of this movement. I’m all for showcasing history through VR, though several issues hampered this experience.Missing 10 HoursUnlike Gargoyle Doyle’s mixed reality approach to museums, Tonight with the Impressionists takes place in a fully immersive environment and that creates some headaches. The white human outline helps you avoid tripping over other users. A slight delay in headset tracking caused me to accidentally run into others several times. When other groups inadvertently block your path, navigation becomes tedious and that ruins the immersion considerably.Tonight with the Impressionists
Though I had mixed opinions between each project, what struck me throughout the NewImages Festival was the clear passion driving each developer. While VR isn’t as popular as games, this scene has changed since 360deg videos first took off. I found an impressive set of more cinematic VR experiences, and I’d love to see it continue to grow.Bystander EffectNewImages Festival ran from April 24 until April 28, 2024.