I’ve been working on a few different Virtual Reality “Demos” over the past few months at Reel Pictures. This post outlines the different VR demos we have been working on.
Inspired by the fantastic “Job Simulator” app, I’ve made a Virtual “cartridge” for each of the demos. People can put on the VR headset, literally pick up the cartridge they like, inspect it from any angle and then place it into our cartridge loader to begin the “Experience”.
All demos are currently in alpha so re-writable prototype carts are being used – haha. They will have proper label art closer to release.
[image title=”Virtual Reality Landscape Demo – Reel Pictures VR” width=”544″ height=”403″ align=”center” lightbox=”true” group=”Reel Pictures Virtual Reality Melbourne” icon=”zoom”] http://thelode.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/16-07-18_Reel_Pictures_Virtual_Reality_Demo_01.jpg [/image](Above) This is what the front of the cartridges look like – very much inspired by the classic NES Cartridges. It was modelled in 3DS Max and textured in Substance Painter. This demo is a collection of “Landscape Tests” – large environments that can be explored in Virtual Reality.
[margin type=”30″] [image title=”Cartridge Rear – Reel Pictures VR” width=”544″ height=”403″ align=”center” lightbox=”true” group=”Reel Pictures Virtual Reality Melbourne” icon=”zoom”] http://thelode.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/16-07-18_Reel_Pictures_Virtual_Reality_Demo_03.jpg [/image](Above) This is the rear of the cartridges – the label is inspired by the sticker on the back of Nintendo 64 cartridges.
[margin type=”30″] [image title=”Virtual Reality Rapid Prototyping Tool – Reel Pictures VR” width=”544″ height=”403″ align=”center” lightbox=”true” group=”Reel Pictures Virtual Reality Melbourne” icon=”zoom”] http://thelode.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/16-07-18_Reel_Pictures_Virtual_Reality_Demo_02.jpg [/image](Above) This is the first VR demo I have began working on – a tool to view CAD models in a real-world scale in Virtual Reality – a VR Rapid Prototyping tool. This is one of the best use-cases for Virtual Reality at the current time (July 2016), in my opinion.
[margin type=”30″] [image title=”Virtual Reality Tabletop CAD Viewer – Reel Pictures VR” width=”544″ height=”403″ align=”center” lightbox=”true” group=”Reel Pictures Virtual Reality Melbourne” icon=”zoom”] http://thelode.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/16-07-18_Reel_Pictures_Virtual_Reality_Demo_04.jpg [/image](Above) This demo is a tabletop CAD model viewer. It allows you to view large CAD models (such as apartment blocks) in Virtual Reality. They are viewed at scale – as if they are sitting on a table in-front of you. The user will eventually be able to “switch” between a scaled table-top model and a real-world scale model at will, change the time of day, view multiple versions of the same building on top of each other – for comparison, and much more. This is another fun demo that is the most developed.
[margin type=”30″] [image title=”Museum of the Hoddle Grid – Reel Pictures VR” width=”544″ height=”403″ align=”center” lightbox=”true” group=”Reel Pictures Virtual Reality Melbourne” icon=”zoom”] http://thelode.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/16-07-18_Reel_Pictures_Virtual_Reality_Demo_05.jpg [/image](Above) This is the first VR demo I ever developed, a project that began in mid 2015. It is a Virtual Reality walkthrough of the “Museum of the Hoddle Grid” – a proposal by Paul Evans, Nigel Westbrook and myself to the Royal Society of Victoria. The Museum of the Hoddle Grid is pitched as as a museum dedicated to the history of the “Melbourne Grid” – the network of streets designed by Robert Hoddle. It will feature the world’s first Mixed Reality Exhibition space – where all the exhibits exist as digital holograms that interact with the physical environment around you. Since this was my first VR demo, its cartridge is gold! The main demo is an interactive walkthrough of the 1st-floor exhibition space. Another component of this VR demo is a scaled version of the entire building that you can view from any angle.
[margin type=”30″] [image title=”Akagi Aircraft Carrier VR – Reel Pictures Virtual Reality Demo” width=”544″ height=”403″ align=”center” lightbox=”true” group=”Reel Pictures Virtual Reality Melbourne” icon=”zoom”] http://thelode.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/16-07-18_Reel_Pictures_Virtual_Reality_Demo_06.jpg [/image](Above) This is a Virtual Reality demo we are aiming to show museum directors, galleries and event management companies. The participant puts on their VR headset and appears on the 260m deck of the Akagi Aircraft carrier stationed in the middle of the ocean. Utilizing the VR motion controllers, they can use their hands to ‘pick apart’ a Mitsubishi Zero fighter plane that sits on the deck – picking up each of the aircraft panels one by one. They can also sit inside the cockpit of the plane!
[margin type=”30″]Find out more
In the coming weeks I am going to be recording and sharing some videos of these VR Demos in action. If you are interested in trying out any of these demos, or chatting more about Virtual Reality, get in touch via my contact page or the Reel Pictures contact page.
