Exploring VR Ecosystems With Expanses Soon on Kickstarter

Virtual Reality games are all the rage right now, but the new technology is still testing its limits. Just strapping a television to your face isn’t enough to really feel immersed in a game world, especially if you’re struggling to navigate wires and clunky controls. Recognizing this limitation, developer Shuographics has set out to create a uniquely hands-free approach in their upcoming VR experience, Expanses.

Touch With Your Eyes, Not With Your Hands

In a world of ever looming animal extinction, Expanses gives players the power to neutralize threats and restore balance to the natural world. Players make their way through three distinct worlds, referred to as expanses. They must explore and alter the landscape of these Expanses to restore the animal communities dwelling there. All of this is done with the players eyes.

Shuographics has studied the principles of human sight to develop three distinct focus-interaction zones. In Expanses, players interact with the world by focusing on objects through visual contact. This allows them to preform different tasks. Sight is used to perform everything, from terraforming the land, to moving or destroying obstacles. Players are also able to merge with and control the animals of the world for a closer look at the individual environments.

It is an interesting concept, if a little heavy handed in its conservation message. The graphics are stylized, based on professional sketches which have been turned into vector images before 3D rendering. This gives the game a unique appearance, while still letting the natural majestic background really shine.

Development of the game will result in versions available for use on Samsung Gear VR, Google Cardboard, and Google DayDream. Shuographics will launch their Kickstarter campaign for Expanses on November 16th. The project will be seeking $100,000.

Until then, you can check out Shuographic’s YouTube channel for some glimpses into the world of Expanses. You can also follow the project on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with any news and updates to the campaign.