Mixing Realities In The Surprisingly Compelling Augmented Empire
[philip lelyveld note: this is not AR, they create a virtual tabletop for game play.]
I’m pleased to report that Augmented Empire works rather well, using VR to draw you into a dystopian sci-fi future where you play as a mysterious criminal mastermind.
As the mastermind, you don’t need to actually sully yourself by committing any crimes directly. Instead you control your empire via a tabletop AR interface. That’s right, Augmented Empire is a game that’s using virtual reality to present you with a holographic augmented reality system that lives on your virtual desk.
Coatsink, the team behind the game, say that as you progress through the game’s narrative, you’ll see changes to your home accumulate, presumably reflecting your achievements.
Having your holographic projector be table sized is a smart touch for VR, allowing the world to be broken down into bite sized chunks. Although Coatsink could have given you the ability to move around a larger area, locking off your viewpoint feels a lot more comfortable for virtual reality.
The strongest element of Augmented Empire, however, is its narrative. The futuristic setting nods towards a larger dystopian world, and combined with the mysterious woman named Ashley who you issue orders to, you’re left with unanswered questions at the end of the demo. As a result, I’m deeply frustrated that I don’t have a Gear VR to find out the answers to these questions when the full game releases later this year.
See the full story here; https://www.thesixthaxis.com/2017/04/03/mixing-realities-in-the-surprisingly-compelling-augmented-empire/