Tokyo Game Show 2017: VAQSO VR – Virtual Reality but with smells?!?
One of the anticipated highlights at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show (TGS) is the upcoming presentation and demo of VASQO VR, the world’s smallest virtual reality (VR) scent device.
VAQSO Inc. is the developer of VAQSO VR will be hosting attendees at their booth where may experience nine unique scent-enabled VR demos.
Each VR mini-game was created in collaboration with companies from Japan and around the world, including Square Enix.
At the VAQSO Event Stage, Palmer Luckey, Founder of Oculus VR and designer of the Oculus Rift, will also be giving his expert opinion of VR. Other influential figures from the VR industry, including GOROMan, CEO of XVI, Inc., and Prof. Takuji Narumi of the University of Tokyo, will also weigh in on the future of Virtual Reality. Through its collaborations and presentations, VAQSO hopes to make the case on the viability and necessity of scent in VR games.
VAQSO VR is about the size of Snickers bar. It attaches to the bottom of any Virtual Reality Headset and adds to a user’s sense of immersion by emitting realistic smells synced to a user’s virtual environment. It uses a system of scent cartridges and fans that can be used to precisely trigger, adjust, switch and mute scents. Developers can incorporate scent into their games easily using VAQSO VR’s open API.
VAQSO VR is collaborating with the following developers:
Square Enix (Japan): Kai-ri-Sei Million Arthur VR
Experience the world of Kai-ri-Sei Million Arthur in full VR glory and enjoy the interaction with its characters. In this exclusive TGS version of the game, the smell of characters and their environment draws you in and immerses you in a fantasy world!
AOI Pro. (Japan): WONDERFUL WORLD VR Private Tour™
Full of thrilling ambiance and enticing, inspiring views that awaken an impulse for adventure, WONDERFUL WORLD – VR Private Tour™ takes users on guided walking tours of the most spectacular sights in Japan and across the globe. The content puts sensory stimulation front and center, using 360-degree live-action video and stereophonic sound to create incredible realism. Also implemented are “walking” operations to put users in actual motion, a guide avatar with a “hand” for users to hold, and various atmospheric elements—wind, mist, and smell—to round out the immersive, fully synchronized experience.
Illusion (Japan): VR Sakura
Yuhi Sakura from the game VR Kanojou is waiting for you! Lean in closely to her for a sweet surprise.
TRICOL x XVI (Japan): Counter Fight
Counter Fight puts you in the shoes (or tabi, in this case) of a ramen chef dealing with hungry customers. Assemble different types of ramen, fry dumplings, and serve beer to your patrons while watching out for thieves! Use sight and smell to keep tabs on your food. Don’t let the food burn and don’t let people go hungry! Moreover, XVI Inc. applies the trial version of the new viewer system “Third Eye,” which enables another person to see what the player is experiencing in VR.
Mixed Realms (Singapore): Sairento VR
Sairento VR is one of the most popular action VR games in the world. You play a formidable cyber-ninja that can do double jumps, wall runs, power slides, and “bullet time” ala Matrix. Arm yourself with katanas, firearms, bows, throwing glaives, and many other weapons.
Since its launch, Sairento VR has been gaining fans worldwide with its unique traversal system. Popular gamers like Node call it their ‘favourite VR game’ and Nathie, Cix Liv, JoshDub, TimDotTV and more all give it a thumbs up.
Sairento VR was designed to be easy to pick up, but tough to master. The more time you spend with Sairento VR, the better you will perform the moves in the game and the more you will be rewarded with the unparalleled feeling of being the action hero of a big budget movie production.
Subdream Studios (USA): Dream Pet VR
Dream Pets VR is a game where you can play with virtual pets.The game will be released Early Access in September 2017 on Steam for the HTC Vive. The early access version will include 3 dog breeds that you can customize, pet, and play with.
Partnering with VAQSO, and exclusively during TGS, you can experience cutting-edge scent technology to smell your virtual environment and dog perfume.
Creek & River (Japan): Chabudai-gaeshi
Your stern father flips the dinner table at you! Dodge flying food and have dinner safely using eye movements and tapping. This game is part of a monthly project to develop new games.
Alpha Code (Japan): VRider Direct
VRider Direct is a CMS for Virtual reality that enables fast, simple precise production of VR content in the cloud. The VR editor can manipulate text, images, video, audio and links. VAQSO VR will be used to implement scent capabilities as another programmable capability.
THETA/technical cooperation_helo (Japan): tomei-shojyo
This world… A parallel world… A different world… In a seemingly ordinary room, the form of a girl suddenly appears. The distance of your hearts begins to lessen, but there is a limit to your time together and you must accept that you will inevitably part ways. This project’s goal is to allow you to experience closeness with virtual women.
The Tokyo Game Show 2017 will be held at the Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba, Japan on September 21 to 24.
