HP Innovation Journal Issue 10: Fall 2018 | Page 37
One of the experiences that HP showcased at the Cannes Film
Festival’s Next VR event, Chorus is part sci-fi adventure, part
interactive game, part music video. Colin Decker, WITHIN’s
chief operating officer, describes it this way: “You very quickly
realize you have abilities with your hands, lasers and whips and
weird stuff. The most magical moment is when two people are in
an experience together, and they acknowledge each other as
these absurd creature-avatars. They typically burst out in
joyful laughter.”
“One of the complaints about VR is that it is isolating,” says Popper,
noting that Chorus is a great example of where the art form is
heading. “But in many of the location-based experiences, you are
able to go and share it with you friends and family. In this case,
up to six people can enjoy it together.”
Dave & Buster’s multiplayer VR attraction, “Jurassic World,”
launched earlier this month. Courtesy of VRStudios.
“I THINK WE WILL GET TO A POINT WHEN YOU CAN GO
TO A MOVIE THEATER AND EVERYBODY WATCHING THE
MOVIE WILL EXPERIENCE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.”
— Shane Hall, Chief Technology Officer, HP Inc.
BEHIND THE MAGIC: HP TECHNOLOGY
For VR filmmakers, having the access to cutting-edge technology
like HP’s VR-ready backpacks is crucial to realizing their vision.
“If you want to have a location-based experience with that kind
of maximum fidelity, having a backpack that can give you the
freedom to move is huge. We love the backpacks that have some
sonic stuff in them, so you can feel the beats and things like that,”
explains WITHIN COO Colin Decker, who hopes to have Chorus
available later this year.
For all the magic that current VR films and HP hardware pro-
vides, the landscape is changing quickly, and the gear is evolving.
“We’re constantly getting feedback from the market, and listening
to what would make the experiences better,” says Popper.
HP’s Chief Technology Officer Shane Wall likens it to another
familiar tech evolution—from the first primitive command lines
of Microsoft’s 1980s DOS to today’s rich, cross-platform Windows
experience.
“It took a number of years to see that happen,” Wall re-
marked at the Cannes Film Festival. "We’re going to the
same thing in VR. I am careful not to get too constrained
by VR as we know it today.”
One piece of equipment sure to change is the headset. Today’s
bulky setup “blocks your vision and is pretty antisocial,” says
Wall, who predicts we’ll see wireless headsets within the next
two years. And after that? “I think we will get to a point when you
can go to a movie theater and everybody watching the movie will
experience something different.”
The Garage by HP
FIND AN EXPERIENCE NEAR YOU
Are you ready to have your mind blown? No
need to wait. Here are a few places to check
out location-based VR:
VR WORLD NYC – A $40 pass buys you two
hours of VR experiences
THE VOID – Bringing experiences like "Star
Wars: Secrets of the Empire" to locations
in Los Angeles, London, Florida and more
IMAX VR – Now you can experience VR at
select AMC movie theaters
Zero Latency – Free-roam, multiplayer
games, available in nine countries worldwide
Periscape VR – Give VR a whirl while waiting
for your flight at JFK airport (shown above,
top image)
Jurassic World VR Expedition at
Dave & Busters – Fight velociraptors,
T-Rexes and more at over 110 locations
around the U.S.
This article originally appeared on the Garage by
HP. Visit garage.ext.hp.com for more stories on how
technology is improving our world.
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