Epic Games has announced countless times that they are supporting virtual reality in any way they can, but the company doesn’t want to make a terrible virtual reality experience on their Unreal Engine.
Epic Games’ Unreal Engine, and their included resources, offers developers the tools necessary to build a virtual reality game. At the current moment the Unreal Engine supports VR hardware such as Facebook-owned Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Samsung Gear VR.
So you make an idea how much Epic Games loves the virtual reality trend, CEO Tim Sweeney said, earlier this year, that – ” It’s going to change the world. The hardware is going to double in quality every few years for another decade, to the point where, 10 years from now, it’s going to be hard to tell the difference between virtual reality and the real world.”
That’s a pretty bold statement to be honest. Virtual reality changing the world? Let’s calm ourselves a little bit and reassess our mental state, shall we dear Tim Sweeney? Probably in 50 years or so, but not now – it’s impossible.
Engadget managed to sit down, and talk with Chief Technology Officer Kim Libreri, and Unreal Engine General Manager Ray Davis, at this year’s E3 event, to talk more about the company’s stance on virtual reality, and where they believe the trend is heading.
” We wanna make sure that, whatever platform developers choose to use, they’re well supported in UE 4″ says Libreri, which notes that VR development should have a set of standards that will not only make a developers’ life easier, but they will also ensure a great gaming experience.
Davis continues, and adds that – ” It’s always been sort of our [approach] with the engine. Even going all the way back to the original Xbox [360] and pushing back on Microsoft to make sure they put enough memory in it.”
Davis also notes that sharing what works, and what doesn’t with other VR developers, and of course manufacturers, will ensure that games will only get better with time.
Take a look at the Unreal Engine experience on Oculus Rift.
Can’t imagine what a horror game with vampires, ghouls, werewolves, and other creatures of the night might feel like – wet, that’s how!
As we start to think about the evolution of the shooter game or the exploration/action/adventure game, the Uncharted for VR, I think that it’s better to experiment initially with smaller, digestible things. As a collective, we learn that language quickly.” states Libreri.
It’s good to know that Epic Games, a company which pushed forward the gaming industry, and its standards, tackles virtual reality. But can Epic Games provide a good VR experience? That Unreal Engine Oculus Rift demo looks like it was made in two, max three days. What’s up with that Epic Games?
