REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Aug. 18, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AltspaceVR today launched a new user interface and suite of tools for virtual reality (VR) that give users more control and choice over what they do, who they are with, and what takes place in the space with them. AltspaceVR’s new approach effectively matches users with activities that interest them, and lets them find and join friends for fun, meaningful experiences in VR.
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“We’re making it easy to use VR to get together and do things with people you know,” said Eric Romo, CEO, AltspaceVR. “The new features provide social interaction tools that help users find activities and interactions they want, and avoid or respond to those they don’t.”
A problem with many social VR experiences is that users enter spaces where there may not be activities happening or people they know. This is not the way we usually connect and socialize in the real world. Now, in AltspaceVR, users are presented with a dynamic list of activities happening in real time. They can immediately see where their friends are, join an activity, or host one of their own. As a host, they have special moderating privileges and can control apps in the space, set the event to friends-only, mute or even remove a participant if necessary.
AltspaceVR has redesigned its interface and added new features that give users more control over their interpersonal interactions. Users can now friend other users, message friends directly, and invite friends to private activities. A personal space bubble can be turned on or off to essentially maintain an arm’s length between the user and any other avatar. A user can still mute another user, if they are unable to hear over them at a public event, for example. Users can also block other users, removing each of them from the other’s experience.
AltspaceVR offers the widest range of activities available in social VR, which continues to expand. Today AltspaceVR introduces Video Jukebox, a new activity where users can hangout on a desert island and enjoy their YouTube favorites. Other activities users can do together in VR include tabletop games such as Boss Monster, Dungeons and Dragons, or Love Letter; find their way through a jungle maze; sword fight in a tavern; watch videos; or play disc golf, chess, or air hockey.
The new user interface supports Facebook’s Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Samsung Gear VR in full VR mode, as well as PC and Mac in “2D” desktop mode.
For more information, please visit http://altvr.com/new-host-tools.
About AltspaceVR
AltspaceVR is a virtual reality software company building a new communication platform. It is now used by people in more than 150 countries to share a variety of experiences and interact in the most natural and fulfilling way possible online.
Founded in 2013, investors include Tencent, Dolby Family Ventures, Raine Ventures, Lux Capital, Western Technology Investments, Maven Ventures, Promus Ventures, Streamlined Ventures, Rothenberg Ventures, Comcast Ventures, Formation 8, GV (formerly Google Ventures), Foundation Capital, SV Angel, Haystack Fund, and Startcaps.