Our next update

[emalafeew]

We're going to be updating Play and Explorer a lot to deserve your VZfit hardware license!

Our dev team has a history of making ambitious videogames with "agile" methods, which means we plan and execute over short periods of time, then release and repeat based on feedback and new developments. Typically those periods are 3 weeks, but they have ranged from 2 weeks to 2 months.  

For each release we consider our heading with the project, your usage behavior, and your ideas on this forum. Then we decide the things that can make a cohesive improvement to the game, and pick a target release date. In the past our goals have included chasing VR platforms and adapting our games to different environments and customers, but that has all converged with VZfit so now the focus is keeping you riding!

We want to share our plans for each release so you can anticipate what's coming when.  The next one should be in 3-4 weeks and will give you the tools to provide great new rides to each other, so at the end of your current ride there will always be another great place to go. That includes

- An expanded definition of rides with navigation to endpoints
- Easier creation of rides, with voice and prep you can do on vzfit.com
- Sharing rides and see how much they are ridden
- Finding rides by newness, popularity, and recommendations
- Tracking and promoting your fitness accomplishments

We also plan smaller improvements like HUD height adjustment, workout goals on the HUD not just trainer, new VO for when the trainer wants you to push, and some tips you've suggested.

We'll be using these tools ourselves to suggest rides continuously, but the world is a huge place and we hope you will share the places that only you know about. And remember this is only the first release plan of many to come.

EDIT: You can now see all update notes at virzoom.com/updates

[emalafeew]

Just a note this is coming along well. We can give you directions at each intersection toward a destination, and have a new ui design for finding and replaying rides. You’ll also be able to resume any ride, not just your last one, and reverse any ride. And we should have a stats update this week.

[Steve59405]

Hi, I would like to offer a suggestion for a new game. Since you've already got the flying thing down with the Pegasus can you make something similar but with a WW1 bi plane? You could keep the map similar and if you just had unlimited ammo and fuel then we could do dog fights. Thanks

[simonator]

Since you asked for new ideas I have a few. When I began my VirZOOM journey I got the PS4 with VR and I bought a really terrific game called Eagle Flight where you are an eagle and you fly around Paris. It was fun and there are different kinds of play where you can either fly around just for fun or play a game to score points. Also, NetAthlon had one ride where you’re riding on the moon. Riding on the moon and/or Mars would be an outstanding experience for us VirZOOMers.

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Hey, it’s me again. I just had another idea. How about roller coasters? The Oculus Go has a number of them and I think this would be tremendously fun. Also, how about mountain biking?

[emalafeew]

Thanks for the suggestions guys! It's good to hear what everyone wants to do in VZfit. Our job is to build those experiences, and since new games take about 3 months we want the community involved in the evaluation process.

What we've learned about VR games is in this blog post: https://virzoom.com/blog/vr-that-moves-you/

Our current set of games intentionally covers a wide range of themes and VR comfort levels. For any new idea, we want to consider the new abilities its avatar could offer. If it's similar enough to an existing avatar we may just make a new level for that avatar.

If we make a game that targets a subset of players, particularly ones that stress VR comfort, we'd want to make sure those people are _really_ into it and that we can meet their expectations.

We start by making super-ugly prototypes that demonstrate a new game's basic mechanics to evaluate in VR. I would like to get community input on such prototypes, by distributing them as builds you could install in developer-mode on your Go's, or even by sharing project source with community members that would like to co-develop with us. We could talk about such efforts on our SDK forum.

I have a bunch of specific feedback on dogfighting for later--I used to program jet trainers for Lockheed Martin and have played enough World of Warplanes to know some things. I also worked on Moon and Mars rovers with another member of VirZOOM, and agree that could be fun!

[CrashFu]

Speaking of aerial combat, I always thought it would be fun to have a level for the Pegasus avatar where you slap on some unicorn horns and play "tag" by blasting rainbows or magic beams at each other (and when you get hit, the pegasus/unicorn/alicorn whatever would change colors). Maybe you'd have to keep on the lookout for apples or gems in order to fuel your attacks? The single player mode could either be chasing after some A.I. controlled rogue pegasi, or some kind of fly-by target-shooting deal.

A target-shooting game for the Cowboy avatar could also be great, if you ever want to give that cowboy a gun. Same stretch of dusty western town, but with bottles and wooden cutouts of bandits and other shootables lined up along the sides. To keep the user pedaling, there could be a Combo Multiplier that goes up every time a target is hit, but goes away if you take too long between targets; In order to have a consistent supply of targets to keep the multiplier up, you'll have to keep zoomin' down the road so that fresh targets can pop into view.

I've got plenty of other ideas, of course, but I'll save those for a more specific thread. Better yet, if I could find the time to start learning Unity(?), maybe some day I could grab the VZ SDK and make some prototypes of my own. :I

[Steve59405]

Please count me in to test prototypes. I already have my headset in developer mode. Thanks

[emalafeew]

Cool, we could start by sharing a few old prototypes, if anyone is interested. We have a dragonfly in a garden, a motorcycle jumping a bus, a dragon and castle/maze, some zombie tests, and a rally bike.

I'd be inclined to share them as Unity projects so they could be built for any VR platform and people could help to extend them. That would require more effort for users, but the bigger problem is they rely on Unity Store assets we can't distribute, which everyone would have to buy for themselves. Alternately, if we distribute as APKs then you could install on Go but not try on other platforms or help modify. Anybody have a preference?

[Steve59405]

I have both PSVR and Go so I would like to try the Zombie tests. Since I have my Go in developer mode already I could test it on that.

[GPz4e3D]

I continue to enjoy the VZfit apps and am getting to know the nuances of various games and events. I love having some entertainment/distraction/connections to help with workouts.

A few observations and a story. My children have tried the VZfit and are hooked. Its just fun for them. They talk about it a lot, comparing experiences, and frequently ask to “ride the VirZOOM”. In particular they are into the games. As a parent its great to see them so willingly engaging in exercise on a voluntary basis. Also I would think this bodes well for future adoption, what with the video game generation being young and prominent.

My wife used to work in the local school system with special needs children. One of her go to supports was moderate exercise which she noticed provided a positive effect on behavior and productivity. A few days ago, my wife ran into the mother of one of these children. The conversation turned to the value of exercise and the mom lamented that her son is only interested in video games, fixated on them even. If only there was a way to get him to exercise, she said, it would really help.

And just like that a lightbulb went on, maybe VirZOOM could bridge exercise and video in a productive fashion. We have forwarded the VirZOOM site and background to the mother and will follow up if there is traction and something valuable to learn.

I also came upon this video as I was curious about VR environments and their fit (pun intended?) with people on the spectrum.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_f...79%2F&_rdr

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Eric,

Have you ever considered a VZfit app based on a spin class? This may be blasphemy for street riders, not sure, but I thought about it while on an upward sloping hill in Le Tour event. I tightened the resistance and it reminded me of spin classes.

Just a thought.

Thank you for all the hard work, I am having a ton of fun in the VR worlds you and your team have created.