Nvidia created a virtual reality game that is meant to be fun and showcase the true experience users can get when they play a VR game. With the release of Funhouse a game that evolves around a carnival, where the player gets a kick out hammering moles that pop out of holes is immersive enough to feel that you-re really at a fun-fair.
Created together with the collaboration LightSpeed Studios, using Epic’s Unreal Engine 4, is meant to bring the immersive element of VR can be when physics simulation is fully integrated into an experience.
Physics is fundamental to VR, Nvidia realised that early games missed the lack of physics simulation. Because VR places you inside of the experience with the ability to touch and interact with virtual objects, it is critical that those objects behave and react in realistic ways. Unlike traditional PC games, physics in VR games is not just visual effects. It’s fundamental to immersion
Funhouse, was set out to integrate physical simulation into every aspect of the game and combine it with amazing graphics and precise haptics that make you feel like you are at the carnival.
Physics effects in VR Funhouse created with NVIDIA GameWorks SDK include:
NVIDIA PhysX Destruction to make shooting game targets that realistically chip and explode when hit.
NVIDIA FleX to make the realistic cloth on the curtains, streamers and basketball nets. It’s also used to create realistic fluids for in the clown balloon race game.
NVIDIA Flow to make particles realistically respond to moving solid objects and turbulent fluid motion. You see it when players pop the confetti filled balloons and use their swords to cut through and interact with the confetti. Flow is showcased when you use the bow & arrow to light your arrow on fire, shoot it and watch the targets burn.
NVIDIA HairWorks to make the lifelike hair in the Whack-A-Mole and Punch-A-Mole level.
Simulating physics takes incredible processing power, and we found it by applying NVIDIA VRWorks technologies, including Multi-Res Shading and VR SLI, to increase rendering performance.
Nvidia will be opening up Funhouse for developers by making the SDK available in order folks rom the VR industry and gaming industry to build mini games from the open source.To encourage developers to experiment with our SDK, we’re going to be open sourcing VR Funhouse later this summer. We fully expect that developers, enthusiasts and artists from both the VR industry and game industry will build their own mini-games.
