VIRTUAL REALITY – A JOURNEY IN TIME
RE-BIRTH OF VIRTUAL REALITY Los Angeles, CA (March 05, 2021) — Tech gurus would testify that 2012 marked the rebirth of Virtual Reality (VR). By actively influencing and shaping various industries such as gaming, entertainment, education, and medicine, to only name a few, virtual reality began defying boundaries and limitations of the past and thus technology could never be the same. With the advent of the Oculus Kickstarter campaign which proved successful raising almost $2.5million and with the introduction of Oculus DK1 in 2013 by Palmer Lucky, VR was truly reborn after the failure in the 80s and 90s mostly due to limitations in technology. In March 2014, Facebook purchased Oculus for $2 billion and by 2014 companies like Sony, Samsung, Google and Microsoft were heavily invested in VR Technology. A LOOK BACK IN TIME As we take a look back in time, the history of VR is longer than you think. Invented in the 1950s, the first head-mounted display (HMD) system, The Sword of Damocles, was invented in 1968 by a computer scientist Ivan Sutherland and his student Bob Sproull. The term “Virtual Reality” was popularised by Jaron Lanier in the 1980s. In the 90s VR was used for training and simulation in the US military and NASA. Mass production of VR systems began in the early 1990s, which led to the openings of arcades dedicated to VR. Through all this development there are a few things that are common, VR was impractical, very expensive, not consumer-friendly, and not portable. There were few other developments along the way like SEGA announcing VR glasses, Nintendo virtual boy, etc. THE PRESENT JOURNEY VR is entering its second generation, which is expected to have greater appeal to consumers as well as enterprises compared to the previous generation. In 2015 and into 2016 is when all hell breaks loose, This is the period where everyone unleashes VR products that are ready for primetime with HTC VIVE and Oculus Rift leading the way. HTC VIVE especially with its partnership with VALVE, and with the introduction of SteamVR finally had all the components necessary to be a medium that can be embraced by consumers and small businesses alike. This led to the proliferation of Arcades dedicated to VR with hundreds of VR Arcades popping up around the world. In 2018 standalone headsets were introduced without the need for a smartphone or computer to work, this led to the rapid decline of Mobile VR as standalone VR systems such as Oculus Go and Quest were becoming more affordable. Synthesis VR has not just been a part of this journey but at the forefront of VR technology for location-based VR entertainment centers. The team was hard at work prototyping a flexible software solution capable of serving the Location-Based Virtual Reality (LBVR) segment in many different ways. Soon our efforts grew into establishing the very first VR arcade in Los Angeles and one of the very first in the world. From those modest beginnings, Synthesis VR has made a profound impact on Virtual Reality and has grown into a global company with offices located in North America and Europe. Our portfolio is in use by over 300 locations all over the world. Synthesis VR today delivers solutions for a vast number of business scenarios, including but not limited to room-scale, free roam, racing simulators, coin-op, online widgets and payments, education, online business VR environments, and many more. We are on an exciting journey to provide the next generation of premium Free-Roam, e-Sport, and Racing content. Our efforts are accompanied by extensive work done in the field of Room Scale experiences and the standalone Head-Mounted Display (HMD) platforms. We are focused and highly motivated to unleash the LBVR potential and to create additional value on a global scale for the Virtual Reality for the business segment. We know continuing to evolve our culture is a critical driver of our success and forward momentum. THE FUTURE Looking into 2021 and the future, VR technology has evolved significantly over the past five years, with improvements on both the hardware and software side. However, consumers have not fully embraced VR in the gaming and entertainment industry, and when compared to the console or PC gaming industry, VR is lagging fairly behind. Issues such as latency, nausea, high prices, space, and underdeveloped ecosystems have been obstacles to widespread adoption. One of the biggest surprises in all this is the proliferation of arcades and entertainment locations dedicated to VR given the failure in the consumer industry. A new industry was born where entertainment locations have been popping up dedicated to VR or existing locations allocating space dedicated to VR. The biggest reason for this success is these locations proved to be a haven for consumers in terms of space needed to play with friends and family in a safe environment and experience the latest technology and games at a fraction of the cost. Though the initial focus was heavily on room-scale or booth-type VR entertainment, the landscape is changing rapidly and locations are moving towards other forms of VR experience that cannot be easily duplicated by consumers at home. One of the more successful forms of entertainment to be born is FREE ROAM VR ARENA.
WHO WANTS TO BE THE NEXT MEDIEVAL WARRIOR
POINTY ENDS Los Angeles, CA (February 13, 2021) — SynthesisVR is proud to bring POINTY ENDS in collaboration with Alter Eyes to all the location-based entertainment centers around the world. Enter the biggest tournament of the realm where you’ll engage in ranged combat with your fellow knights using all kinds of medieval weaponry. Combine skill and strategy to fight each other in epic fast-paced battles. Entertain the crowd and earn eternal glory. Have courage, aim, dodge, and beware of the pointy ends! Check our video regarding this update and Pointy Ends Launch Here! Pointy Ends is an accessible fast-paced PVP battle with up to 4 players. Missing players? Not to worry, noble bots will fill in. Support for Vive (pro) and Oculus Rift controllers while index support is expected soon. A word from the developers “Pointy Ends is released in early access which means your experience and feedback will give us the opportunity to bring the game to ever greater heights. Our current plan for the full release includes new weapons, modes, environments, and other features. Get instant access and start playing, get involved with Pointy Ends as it develops” What Arcades have to say about Pointy Ends! “A party of 4 and 3 tried Pointy Ends, they loved it, a really fun game!” – Arcade Owner What makes Pointy Ends great for locations? Operator Launch Options Player Profiles Leaderboard Integration Thanks to deeper level integration with the game SynthesisVR is happy to announce Pointy Ends supporting Leaderboard integration. This enables the locations to create local and global tournaments with a few clicks without the headache of trying to maintain your own leaderboard, SynthesisVR updates the scores automatically on a daily basis, creating excitement and customer retention. For questions related to the game or Synthesis VR please email info@synthesisvr.com
INCREASING ARCADE EFFICIENCY
SYNTHESIS VR VERSION 3.18 Los Angeles, CA (January 26, 2021) — Synthesis VR is always hard at work. Focussing on how we can increase efficiency and make an operator’s life easier when it comes to daily operations in a location-based entertainment center. Synthesis VR was born by like-minded VR entertainment center owners who wanted to create a solution that would increase operator efficiency, features that will benefit a business, and ultimately be a tool of success. Location-Based entertainment centers have shifted focus from introducing the tech of virtual reality (VR) which was prevalent in the early days of VR Arcades, to creating experiences that are specific to locations that cannot be easily replicated at homes with the advent of various VR Headsets that become more and more affordable. Synthesis VR works with developers worldwide and our goal is to bring games and experiences that cater to enhancing LBVR experiences with multiplayer and Free Roam games that bring friends and families to locations. With this in mind, we created Synthesis VR launch options in late 2019 and have been refining this ever since. Synthesis VR has been working with developers in integrating our Synthesis VR launch options. By integrating our launch APIs at a deeper level with the games the Operator is now able to select certain multiplayer and Free Roam games, Modify player names, select characters, and other game options before launching the game. With various networks and equipment involved with VR locations worldwide, the different broadband providers and software involved, headsets, and how they function have caused various connectivity issues. and one of the biggest nightmares faced by locations is bringing multiple players together in an efficient manner without connectivity issues. Introducing Version 3.18 We are very happy to introduce version 3.18. We have been working very hard in regards to improving operator efficiency by improving our multiplayer network negotiation process. Making it much more robust to various network and station conditions. Improving Stability and connectivity. If one or certain player gets disconnected the Synthesis VR proxy module will notify all the other stations of this so players can easily join. Now with version 3.18, a multiplayer game can be started by the players themselves with the use of the VR dashboard. Please see the above video on how Synthesis VR transforms your experience and take it to the next level. Click here for Release Notes. For questions related to Synthesis VR please email info@synthesisvr.com
ZOMBIES, MONSTERS BEWARE! THERE IS A NEW BOSS IN TOWN!
PROPAGATION: TOP SQUAD Los Angeles, CA (January 11, 2021) — SynthesisVR is proud to bring Propagation: Top Squad in collaboration with Wanadev Studio to all the location-based entertainment centers around the world. Combining survival horror and wave shooting, Propagation: Top Squad will get your adrenaline pumping as you try to survive the apocalypse brought on by a mysterious virus. Though there are many zombie and wave shooters in virtual reality, only a handful of games are considered hugely enjoyable. Propagation: Top Squad is one of the very few games where you can combine your fists and weapons to eliminate hordes of zombies individually or as a team. Unlike typical wave shooters Propagation: Top Squad combines a cool storyline, in which players take on the role of a group of soldiers who have landed in a city ravaged by a zombie apocalypse. They are responsible for restarting the military ARES devices (kinds of anti-zombie antennas) placed in the city before the end of the allotted time. A word from the developers “Wanadev Studio is pleased to announce the launch of Propagation: Top Squad on the Synthesis VR platform. We are impressed by the responsiveness of the Synthesis VR team, and the ease at which we integrated our first game into Synthesis VR content store. Our studio has been very productive in 2020 despite the coronavirus crisis, and Synthesis VR is a partner we can count on. Propagation: Top Squad has already met success with LBVR operators and players in France and Belgium. Now with this partnership, we are excited to bring Propagation: Top Squad to all the locations and players worldwide to discover and play this game we put a lot of effort and love in. Synthesis VR is the game distributor we were looking for as a partner, they will make our VR games more accessible to LBVR players all over the world.” What makes Propagation: Top Squad great for locations? Thanks to amazing graphics, Varied story paths, and different endings, players can come back to replay and discover various options offered by the game thus increasing customer retention which is a must for VR entertainment centers. With SynthesisVR, locations can easily manage and license content with ease and by delivering games that cater to VR entertainment locations, launch options that make it easy for operators to join multiple players, and various other features catered specifically to increase efficiency, we believe in creating a platform that will help locations navigate the current global crisis better in terms of customer retention, management efficiency, and the latest entertainment content. For questions related to the game or Synthesis VR please email info@synthesisvr.com
Can you save XMAS?
A VERY BAD CHRISTMAS EVE Los Angeles, CA (December 21, 2020) — We are happy to announce the launch of A VERY BAD CHRISTMAS EVE on SynthesisVR Content Store in collaboration with Incineration Productions. A VERY BAD CHRISTMAS EVE – Christmas is on the Line and You’re the Only Elf Left in the Shop, It’s Up to You to Get Things Back on Track and Save the Day in A Very Bad Christmas Eve! Incineration Productions — a game studio comprised of powerhouse developers on the cutting edge of game design — is asking you to help save the holiday season in A Very Bad Christmas Eve, a virtual-reality puzzler that puts you in the curly-toed slippers of Santa’s hardest-working elf-gineer. ‘Twas the night before Christmas, and Santa just left, One elf alone, feeling bereft; All of a sudden, a beeping did sound, The machines were all breaking, but no one’s around! His workboots he donned, His toolbox was packed; ‘Twas up to him to save Christmas, His knuckles he cracked! A Very Bad Christmas Eve is a single-player action-adventure puzzle game from Incineration Productions, made exclusively for VR platforms, that tasks you with saving Christmas by fixing the various broken machinery in Santa’s workshop. As the last elf left in the shop on Christmas Eve, you’re about ready to “wrap” things up and head home for the night when alarm bells start jingling. It seems that the workshop machinery, critical to the successful delivery of presents, is breaking down, and you’re the only one left available to fix things — but the clock is ticking! Crank the Christmas playlist and check out the trailer here Contact SynthesisVR For licensing options or for more details regarding how SynthesisVR can help manage your location business and license content! Why Synthesis VR? SynthesisVR is a worldwide leading Location Based Entertainment Management Platform used by hundreds of VR arcades around the world. We increase arcade management efficiency, increase customer retention, make multiplayer hosting easy and seamless for operators, allow for business scalability, offer video recording & streaming capabilities, and deliver an awesome customer experience with our game launcher and management software. With SynthesisVR you can offer the latest games using your existing setup. For more details please contact us at info@synthesisvr.com or visit our A VERY BAD CHRISTAMS EVE GAME PAGE.
IS THERE A GUARDIAN INSIDE YOU!
GUARDIANS Los Angeles, CA (October 19, 2020) — Guardians – Take control of one of the four Legendary Guardians’ and use their unique abilities to fight your way through deadly environments and epic boss fights to make your way to the Archdemon ToR’rac and put an end to his nefarious plot to relocate his hordes to your realm in this magic powered, chaos filled, fireball slinging, hack-and slash adventure!. Guardians now exclusively on SynthesisVR. For licensing information please visit Guardians game page. Guardians VR is an arcade exclusive multiplayer experience designed by arcade owners and built from the ground up to maximize the arcade experience for novice and experienced players alike. Take control of one of the 4 Guardians’ classes and use their unique powers to fight your way through beautiful and varied environments to make your way to the Archdemon ToR’rac and put an end to his nefarious plot to relocate his hordes to your realm. Your customers can now relish the feel of the classic hack and slash experience in a whole new way without spending precious time to learn complicated inventory systems, over-engineered combat or reading a dozen menus. This is instant satisfaction that will keep them coming back for more. A message from the designers This VR fantasy adventure was designed and built by experienced arcade owners and operators. My brother and I have owned and operated our own VR arcade since 2017 and have been working with VR development since 2014. We have used our combined knowledge of VR development and arcade operation to make the game that our own customers have most requested, and we made it with all the features we personally look for in a new VR arcade title. As true believers of the industry we decided to focus solely on the development of Arcade exclusives to maximize the benefit of visiting a LBE vs playing at home and coupled that with easy to play, but satisfying games. One of the biggest problems we encounter in the arcade environment is the time it takes new players to learn and start enjoying a game. Guardians was built with industry standard teleport controls, but with a brand new type of combat casting and attack mechanic. We paid special attention to balancing a variety of attacks with ease of use. To do this we removed any type of inventory, menu, or selection system, and replaced it with a simple attack and heavy attack that can be manipulated by simply re-orienting your hand position or holding the attack. These special attacks are never required to progress in the game which allows novice players to ignore them, but gives experienced players a fantastic experience with immersive and complete control over how they play their character. To Promote a cohesive multiplayer experience the 4 playable characters are balanced to work well with each other and even include a healer for those groups who need one, the enemy health is directly tied to the active number of players to ensure a balanced game no matter if its a solo run or a group of 4. Each of the characters on their own also provide enough variety of spells/attacks to make any playthrough enjoyable. Another feature we included was an instant lobby system, this drastically cuts down on the time that operators have to handle the customers, simply start the game on up to 4 stations and those stations will appear in the same room, the first one in being designated the host. after 4 players have joined a room another room will be automatically created if more sessions are launched. We also included seamless host migration in the case one station’s time ends and the others still wanted to continue on uninterrupted. As arcade owners ourselves equipment health is a big concern, this was a major factor in designing Guardians, we chose to forgo the standard fantasy weapons like swords, axes and clubs to prevent the wild swinging and slashing that leads to premature controller death and broken TV’s and instead focused on a variety of ranged weapons and spells that are indiscriminate of dominant hand (no bows) this also allows us to remove a menu that allows players to switch dominant hands because it simple isn’t necessary. Also we completely rewrote the book on how we designed in game maps, after replacing half a dozen HMD Cords it dawned on us that the typical spirling game map design used in video game development for decades often leads to a player making 30 left turns to every right or vise-versa. so we built all of our levels in a linear design that countered every directional turn with one of the opposite directions, and enemies spawn in front of the player to help limit the number of times they have to spin around. The remaining features built into Guardians are too numerous to list in great detail, but we can say with confidence that this will be on the most operator friendly games on your lineup while still providing a unique and sought after VR experience that will be enjoyed by players of all ages and backgrounds. Creating this game has been one of the few bright spots during the Covid-19 outbreak which has kept our own arcade closed since March, and we are overjoyed at the chance to have players experience it around the world in the places that are recovering from this worldwide event. We hope your customers enjoy playing it as much as we did making it. Why Synthesis VR? SynthesisVR is a worldwide leading Location Based Entertainment Management Platform used by hundreds of VR arcades around the world. We increase arcade management efficiency, increase customer retention, make multiplayer hosting easy and seamless for operators, allow for business scalability, offer video recording & streaming capabilities, and deliver an awesome customer experience with our game launcher and management software. We are very happy to bring Guardians to VR locations all over the world. For more details please contact
Spellcasting out of thin air!
SPELLPUNK VR Los Angeles, CA (October 17, 2020) — We are happy to announce that from October 17, 2020 you will have access to SpellPunk VR – a high-octane spellcasting multiplayer game oozing with style. Don’t hesitate to give it a try as it will be completely free for you till November 15th, 2020. Take advantage of this special offer right away. SpellPunk VR is an action multiplayer game, which is set in a vibrant and abstract world that’s energized by a soundtrack composed of a wicked mix of hip-hop and electronic beats by world-renowned feature film and game composer Penka Kouneva, known for her composition work on titles such as Prince of Persia: Forgotten Sands, as well as her orchestral work on World of Warcraft: Legion, WoW: Warlords of Draenor, WoW: Cataclysm, StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm, SC II: Wings of Liberty, and Diablo III: Reaper of Souls. Players take the role of mighty-magicians who duel in fast-paced multiplayer battles. What differs SpellPunk from the already released titles is its main gameplay feature. Instead of choosing spells from a list or UI menu, players draw the corresponding magic gesture directly with their hands (controllers) in the air and upon drawing a correct gesture the spell is activated. Cool Features SpellPunk VR features offline play against AI opponents, Training Mode and a very special Shooting Range option plus two online game modes. Local Matchmaking – players can experience the game, playing an online multiplayer match versus a friend in the Arcade. Online Matchmaking – players can experience the game, playing an online multiplayer match versus someone in the SpellPunk universe. See SpellPunk VR in action https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ii5oSYRDgQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEQbguAMGG0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5qpLSgGDzM Why Synthesis VR? SynthesisVR is a worldwide leading Location Based Entertainment Management Platform used by hundreds of VR arcades around the world. We increase arcade management efficiency, increase customer retention, make multiplayer hosting easy and seamless for operators, allow for business scalability, offer video recording & streaming capabilities, and deliver an awesome customer experience with our game launcher and management software. With SynthesisVR you can offer the latest games using your existing setup. For more details please contact us at info@synthesisvr.com or visit our SPELLPUNK VR GAME PAGE.
SYNTHESIS VR INTRODUCES DEMO MODE
DEMO MODE – NOW THERE IS AN EASY WAY Los Angeles, CA (November 09, 2020 – Update) — Synthesis VR is very happy to introduce DEMO MODE. An easy way for locations to give demos on a certain station(s) instead of having to create or sell reservations and launch games. Why Demo Mode? Giving out a few minutes of free time to new customers to attract them to Virtual Reality (VR) is a great way to showcase VR and to break the fear of VR while showing them how much fun VR can be. SynthesisVR Demo Mode was created exactly for this reason. Now locations can activate this for a certain experience giving locations the ability to control the time and which content to showcase during Demo period. Attracting Customers One of the cool ways to attract customers is with game videos and trailers, customers are intrigued and showcasing these to passers by is a good way to get their curiosity, with Demo Mode you can easily have trailers playing and the moment you put the VR headset on, it will showcase all the games available and the customer can easily choose a game and start playing. The best part is the operator does not have to do a thing. Once the customer has finished playing SynthesisVR detects the VR Headset being idle and closes the game and goes back to playing the trailers. Demo Mode is now available for all SynthesisVR Customers. For more information about the setup please check our Knowledge base article. Why Synthesis VR? SynthesisVR is a worldwide leading Location Based Entertainment Management Platform used by hundreds of VR arcades around the world. We increase arcade management efficiency, increase customer retention, make multiplayer hosting easy and seamless for operators, allow for business scalability, offer video recording & streaming capabilities, and deliver an awesome customer experience with our game launcher and management software. With Synthesis VR you can offer a plethora of various experiences and customize your location according to anyway you would prefer. SynthesisVR offers many customizations and robust features to take your location to the next level. For more details please contact us at info@synthesisvr.com
EIGHT PLAYER FREE ROAM ARENA GAME AVAILABLE ON SYNTHESIS VR!
PARANORMAL PEST PATROL Los Angeles, CA (September 30, 2020) — Paranormal Pest Patrol is a hilarious family-friendly puzzle game built exclusively for free-roam VR venues, where you and your team play as a motley crew of Paranormal Exterminators. SynthesisVR in collaboration with Secret Location is excited to bring Paranormal Pest Patrol to all its VR entertainment locations around the world with this global launch. Locations that do not use SynthesisVR can now easily license the game as well with the SynthesisVR subscription free plan. Led by the brash Bill Bashley, your squad takes on an infestation of mischievous demons that have possessed a little old granny’s home. Flying books, a talking fridge; players must use observation and wits to foil the paranormal pests hijinks and send them packing in this unique and hilarious escape room style game. Paranormal Pest Patrol adds a comedic twist to escape room-like puzzles that will entertain families and friends of all ages. “We are pumped to collaborate with Secret Location in bringing Blasters of The Universe: Infinity Forever and Paranormal Pest Patrol to VR locations worldwide, Given the current pandemic situation, free-roam VR is a great way to increase ROI in a safe and fun way. Secret Location has time and time again produced amazing VR content and we believe these two free-roam games will help businesses in bringing customers back, albeit with safety in mind.” – Synthesis VR Why Free Roam in Virtual Reality? Free Roam is a wireless virtual reality experience that increases the sense of immersiveness and reality in virtual reality for the players by interacting with gaming elements in a much more physical and realistic manner. Players can now walk, dodge, weave within the game using real physical movement instead of controllers. Free Roam in VR also increases the number of players within a small space increasing ROI for entertainment locations, making it the perfect entertainment for Location Based Virtual Reality Businesses. Why Synthesis VR? SynthesisVR is a worldwide leading Location Based Entertainment Management Platform used by hundreds of VR arcades around the world. We increase arcade management efficiency, increase customer retention, make multiplayer hosting easy and seamless for operators, allow for business scalability, offer video recording & streaming capabilities, and deliver an awesome customer experience with our game launcher and management software. With SynthesisVR you can offer the latest Free Roam games like PARANORMAL PEST PATROL using your existing setup. No more expensive setups or exorbitant licenses to pay. Secret Location Secret Location is an award-winning content creator and distributor for premium immersive experiences. The studio has been developing and distributing content on emerging platforms for more than 10 years with over 250 awards and nominations for the team’s work, including winning the first Primetime Emmy Award for a VR project. Most recently, the studio’s first virtual reality film “The Great C” was the winner of the Positron Visionary Award at the 2020 Cannes XR film festival. Founded in 2008 and acquired by global independent studio Entertainment One (eOne) in 2016, Secret Location is reshaping the virtual reality industry by combining cutting edge technology with traditional storytelling to deliver powerful experiences to audiences in any environment. For more details please contact us at info@synthesisvr.com or visit our PARANORMAL PEST PATROL GAME PAGE.
ALL NEW DANCE ACTION GAME
SYNTH RIDERS – MULTIPLAYER RHYTHM GAME NOW ON SYNTHESIS VR Los Angeles – September, 2020 SYNTH RIDERS, a fan-favorite freestyle dancing VR rhythm game where the players lose themselves in the incredible music, ride the unique rails system, and can play with up to 10 friends in the multiplayer mode. Kluge Interactive is partnering with Synthesis VR in releasing this latest update specially built for VR entertainment location all over the world. Rhythm games are one of the most popular game genres in VR gaming, a genre made popular by Beat Saber. Synth Riders brings this amazing element with their unique ride on rails system, that will have anyone playing the game shaking and sweating. Now with Multiplayer and Party mode, you can play with 10 players at the same time, making it the perfect game for VR locations that are looking at cool games that can bring players again and again to their entertainment locations. BUILT FOR VR LOCATIONS Built for VR Locations with fast on-boarding, 46 songs from various genres, 10 player cross platform multiplayer, Spin Mode with 90, 180 and 360 spin support for every song, In-game fitness Tracker, Weekly Challenges Synth Riders aims to be the best Rhythm Game in virtual reality entertainment for VR Locations. For more information about SYNTH RIDERS please click this link: https://games.synthesisvr.com/games/synth-riders SynthesisVR is a premium management and content licensing platform for virtual reality locations. Use SynthesisVR to create a more efficient business model. Please visit our features page for more information. SynthesisVR supports free roam, escape room and many other games. With Synthesis VR you can manage your business in a much more efficient manner.