From the editor: w/c 5th September

A nascent new art form

The technologically minded might be tired of hearing about how virtual reality is the next big thing: in tech circles it’s been the next big thing for a little while now. For those who are yet to try out the new form of entertainment however, The Old Market’s #TOMTECH festival is a great place to start.

There are various events that you should look into, but my tip is vrLAB, which runs from 21st to 24th September. A selection of VR experiences can be tried out, often with the developer themselves explaining how everything works, giving friendly advice and sharing background information.

I went to #TOMTECH’s opening exhibition (Habitats), which is still running; I sadly found the laser forest underwhelming but the VR experiences in the bar area were fantastic. One, by Wevr, saw you dropped into the ocean, with a large whale floating by, staring you in the eye melodramatically, almost existentially. The sense of agency and immersion are the most striking elements of the form, and it was a thrill to be able to look around and take in the underwater scene. Even more memorable however was the same company’s second underwater scene: you started in darkness, from which luminous jellyfish sprung up around you over time, ending with a fun final surprise.

The gaming possibilities are hugely exciting too. Last year I was made a little queasy by a Wipeout-style racer, so tread lightly into particularly turbulent looking games. A point and click style adventure which saw you opening drawers and shining a torch around someone’s office was fantastic however, feeling intuitive and fun. So if you’re remotely interested in gaming, technology or new art forms in general, then head to theoldmarket.com to check out the various VR experiences on offer.

Joe Fuller
editorial@thelatest.co.uk