robinparker, Author at RobinParker.co.uk

PlayStation VR

Posted on 12th October 2016

I’ve just spent some time trying out Sony’s first attempt at mass market virtual reality, PlayStation VR. As the name suggests it’s a system designed as an add-on to Sony’s current-gen games console, PlayStation 4. It’s seen by many as one of the more affordable routes into VR but at £350, it’s still a fairly substantial investment for most people.

In the half hour or so I spent with the PS VR I tried two games, Battlezone VR and RIGS. On booting up Battlezone VR, and looking around the interior of my tank, one of the first things that struck me was how odd it felt looking around at objects that appeared to really be right there in front of me, but being unable to reach out and touch them. Once the game got going though, and I started to adjust to the experience, the sense of immersion was pretty incredible. There was enough time to familiarise myself with my (virtual) surroundings before things really got going, and after a few easy enemy battles the intensity of the gameplay started to ramp up nicely. RIGS, on the other hand, throws you straight into a bright and vividly coloured virtual arena where the aim of the game is something to do with blowing up your opponents and scoring goals. I won’t try to explain it beyond that as to be honest I really didn’t have much of an idea what was going on. It was a much more intense, overwhelming experience than Battlezone VR and it didn’t take long for motion sickness to kick in, accompanied by a slight headache.

I’d read a few comments online about the low resolution of PS VR, in comparison to higher end systems like Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. It’s understandable given the relatively low price point, and I really hadn’t expected it to be an issue, but it was actually quite noticeable and did detract from the overall experience a little. What was more problematic for me though was the motion sickness and accompanying headache. Although it may just be that, with VR gameplay being such an intense experience, it just takes some getting used to.

I think the key point with PS VR is this is really the first attempt at VR for the mainstream, and I think there’s some way to go before this kind of tech really starts to mature. I personally feel that the hardware needs to be less obtrusive – not just in the size of the headset (although it does feel very light and comfortable to wear) but the fact that at least three other pieces of hardware (PS4 console, PS4 camera and VR processing unit plus optional PS Move controllers) are needed to make it work. Personally I think I’ll be holding out for the inevitable PS VR v2 before I start trying to convince my wife we need one…

Kubo and the Two Strings

Posted on 10th September 2016

I’ve always had a thing for stop-motion, ever since I saw the work of Ray Harryhausen when I was really young. These days, there aren’t many movie studios opting to use stop-motion for special effects, but for the last few years Laika have been using it almost exclusively to tell their stories on screen.

Last night my little boy and I saw Laika’s latest stop-motion movie, Kubo and the Two Strings. We’d been looking forward to it for a while as we’d seen the trailers and were excited by the incredible visuals. The way Kubo used a musical instrument to battle mythical creatures seemed pretty cool too. Happily, it lived up to all our expectations.

The visuals were stunning throughout. Laika used various techniques to produce the character models and sets, from Origami to 3D printing, and there is real artistry evident in the end results. I spent the first part of the film marvelling at the production, and being genuinely amazed at how the animators at Laika managed to produce such incredible and moving performances from their puppets. As the movie went on I was completely drawn in by the story, and Kubo’s quest to find a set of magic armour once owned by his father. It’s an epic tale and at times surprisingly emotional, for what is essentially a children’s movie.

What’s really striking about Kubo and the Two Strings is how it manages to be a work of art while at the same time being a hugely entertaining and accessible movie.

Stranger Things

Posted on 24th July 2016

I’ve just reached the end of the new Netflix series Stranger Things, and I have to say it was the most enjoyable TV I’ve seen in a long time.

Written and directed by the Duffer Brothers, a major part of the show’s appeal (at least for me) is its retro aesthetic, which borrows heavily from a variety of iconic 80s movies; the most notable being ET and The Goonies. The overall style and execution seems to have struck a chord with many folks of a certain age, taking some familiar and well-loved themes and story beats, and wrapping them in a shamelessly nostalgic package.

As the series progressed though, the level to which the Duffer Brothers borrowed from other sources began to grate with me a little [SPOILERS AHEAD]. Kids on bikes being chased by sinister government agents, who manage to escape when their special new friend uses superpowers… I wouldn’t be surprised if that sequence alone didn’t prompt a phonecall from Steven Spielberg to his lawyers [END SPOILERS].

That’s not to say the success of the series relies solely on its more derivative elements. Even without the striking similarities to other sources there’s a great story here, and Millie Bobby Brown is incredible in the role of Elle/11.

I don’t tend to watch a lot of TV – massively popular series like Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad have so far gone completely over my head. But the initial premise of Stranger Things was enough to draw me in, and the twists and turns (not to mention excellent soundtrack) were enough to keep me hooked right until the last scenes. In fact I enjoyed it so much I’ll probably be re-watching it very soon.

Back to being the Co-op

Posted on 21st May 2016

For the past ten months or so I’ve been working as part of the newly created in-house Digital team at the Co-operative Group. There’s a lot of exciting work happening in the digital space but more generally there’s also been a major rebranding project happening, and it’s been interesting to see the work being done both in-house and by branding agency North.

The centre piece of the rebrand is the return of the classic “Co-op” logotype from 1968, to signify an intent to return the company to its core ethical values, and a renewed focus on Co-op membership.

Today was the day of the Co-operative Group’s AGM 2016, and the rebrand was finally announced to attendees, and shortly thereafter to the wider public. It’s been pretty exciting seeing the reactions to the news on Twitter, and the coverage in the media. Plus it means I can finally show my family some of the things I’ve been working on these past few months now that I don’t have to worry about breaching the non-disclosure agreement!

INKS

Posted on 7th May 2016

INKS is the brand new iOS game from State of Play, the team behind (amongst other things) the award-winning Lumino City.

INKS is essentially a pinball game (ask your parents) but with the novel twist of using your balls (oo-er Missus) to burst blocks of colour, thus creating works of art across the tables. In gameplay terms, the aim of each level is to burst all of the colour blocks. When all blocks have been burst the level is complete, however the way different colour bursts can be created on the same tables means the urge to replay levels can be pretty strong. It’s without doubt the prettiest game I’ve played in quite a while; even the progress screen is pure eye candy.

INKS is available for the ridiculously reasonable sum of £1.49 for iOS devices now.

Street Support: working to support the homeless in Manchester

Posted on 26th April 2016

Since I started working in Manchester city centre a few months back I have to say I’ve been slightly shocked by just how many people I’ve seen sleeping rough. It’s not just in Manchester either. When I’ve visited other cities in recent months there seems to be a notable increase in sleeping bags/cardboard boxes in doorways, folks begging for money and so on. I buy the Big Issue, I give change if I’m asked. I’ll also try and have a quick chat with homeless folks when I can as it sometimes seems like that’s more valuable to them than chucking a bit of change in a cup. Then whilst going through my Twitter feed the other day I noticed a retweet asking for volunteers for something called Street Support.

In their own words, Street Support is a network of charities, volunteer groups and kind-hearted folk, working together to support people experiencing homelessness in Manchester. It’s run by a collective of digital experts, working closely with homelessness organisations in the city. For the foreseeable future I’ll be trying to give a few hours a week to help out on the UI side of things – not easy with a full-time job and family life but I’ll do my best!

You can find out more about Street Support’s work by visiting the site, or via Twitter/Facebook

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Posted on 7th April 2016

So the first teaser trailer has just been released for Rogue One:A Star Wars Story. It’s the first movie since Disney bought Lucasfilm to be set in the Star Wars universe, but not actually part of the continuing saga of Luke Skywalker et al., and in my opinion it’s looking pretty bloody good.

It’ll be interesting to see how audiences engage with a Star Wars movie that doesn’t feature the characters they all know and love – although there are rumours the movie will feature a certain Jedi-gone-bad – and it’s obvious from the footage in the trailer there will be plenty of familiar elements to keep fans happy. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is due out on December 16th.

Liverpool Comic Con 2016

Posted on 13th March 2016

Today my kids and I had our first Comic Con experience, at Liverpool Comic Con 2016. Considering I’ve had some very geeky tendencies for most of my life (which my kids both seem to have inherited) it’s kind of surprising we’ve never made it to a Comic Con before, but there’s a first time for everything.

First impressions weren’t great. Our first hour was spent slowly making our way along a very big queue. Once we finally got inside it felt like there were just too many people in the room to really make the most of everything on offer, although the sight of grown men and women strolling around dressed as superheroes and storm troopers like it was the most normal thing in the world soon took my mind off any minor issues I had with the event’s organisation. My kids, who both have less of an issue with crowded places than I do, had a great time, and my son made a video of the day. Well actually, Ben made a very shaky video of the journey there then got bored of holding the camera, so I did the rest…

Entry level VR – Google Cardboard

Posted on 28th January 2016

I recently picked up a Google Cardboard viewer. I was interested to see exactly what kind of Virtual Reality experience it could offer, given that it’s probably the most accessible VR tech currently available (assuming you already have access to a smartphone).

The cardboard structure feels pretty low-tech, but for a few pounds it’ll convert a regular smartphone into a reasonably able VR device, which is pretty impressive. Obviously pressing hard cardboard edges against your face isn’t the most comfortable viewing experience, but in short bursts it’s tolerable.

After a few viewing issues (you need to calibrate the Cardboard app for your viewer, and initially the app wouldn’t recognise the QR code on mine) I was up and running and trying out the demos in the official Cardboard app. The demos serve as a reasonable introduction to VR, and my kids certainly found them lots of fun, but for slightly more meaningful experiences you need to look elsewhere. The official Star Wars app has a VR section called Jakku Spy, which features some short but pretty impressive 360 movies. You can also find 360 videos on YouTube, like Google’s own ‘Inside Abbey Road’, which you can see below – although for the full effect it really needs to be seen through a Cardboard viewer.

For a more comprehensive introduction to Google Cardboard you can check out the official page here.