Definitely, board games go hand in hand with virtual realitywhether it be Demeo (see testing), Catan VR, Cards & Tankardsor in a similar register Quest Haven (role play), everything suggests that playing with friends in total immersion without having to store or install the game for long minutes is appealing. The Game Kitchen grants our lazy wishes by offering us his solution: All On Board!.
Crowdfunding (Kickstarter) made this project viableraising no less than $70,402 (out of an initial expectation of $25,000) and 1,055 backers, be a success at the height of the hype that such a project arouses. The game will allow full board games to be purchased and played in VR with his friends. Like a physical version, only one user needs to have a copy of the game for their friends to play.
here are the 12 titles offered at launch:
- Nova Aetas Black Rose Wars (promised, the editor of this article has nothing to do with it);
- Escape the Dark Castle ;
- Rallyman GT ;
- Sword & Sorcery ;
- Infinity Defiance ;
- Istanbul ;
- Steam Watchers ;
- Hamlet – The Village Building Game ;
- The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls (excellent by the way);
- Wild Assent ;
- The Breach ;
- The Hunger.
All On Board!which should support SteamVR and the Meta Quest, also comes with a solid creator tool that, as the name suggests, allows you to create and share a library of board games, play spaces, and accessories. Yes, you read that right, you can have fun prototyping your own games to test with your friends or the global communityand if you’re not interested, you can create different environments to magnify the experience, create different game tables, accessories…
There is currently no indication whether we will be able to sell our product, either in-game or outside, we will have to wait to find out. The icing on the board game, the developers specify that you will be able to create anything you want without a single line of code. And it’s not over, All On Board! will be entirely in French, including the tutorial related to the creation. Only the publisher will be in English, which is the case on all game engines, so that each country has the same references on keywords (shaders, materials, meshetc.).
Speaking of engine, it will be an overlay ofUnrealEngine aimed at simplifying its handlingas is the case with Core Games. To create, you will need to install the editor on Windowsbut don’t be afraid, you can easily import your own sounds, images and 3D models. However, and we do not doubt it, a size limit or the number of elements visible on the screen will surely be implemented, under penalty of rowing the whole thing.
And it’s still not over! Players no VR can also join the partyeven though Demeo demonstrated, they will have a diminished experience of not being able to move fully and freely in a natural and fluid way. Moreover, these same players will have as an avatar a small robot with the sweet airs of cozmo :
A spectator mode can also allow you to discover a gamewhich will be very useful to maintain your ego (don’t laugh, we all know how humiliating it is to be beaten to the hilt by an experienced player).
Regarding compatibility with different platforms, The Game Kitchen affirm that the title will be cross play (playable between different machines) and thatit will also be released on the Pico Neo 3 as well as the Quest Pro. However, you will have to be patient, because the title is not supposed to be released until July 2023them backers (those who supported the project) will be entitled to a version by the end of the year.
Being able to play board games via a screen is not newwe could already do it on table top simulator (the reference), Tabletopiaor Board Game Arena. The VR brings an increase in immersion, but also allows tricks that are difficult to achieve IRL : on the player side, environments that would change for each game or during the game; on the creator’s side, the possibility of making a name for themselves more quickly by allowing anyone to test their prototype “almost as in real life” (rather than a simple 2D screen or a webcam). Anyway, it’s for all these reasons that we can’t wait to get our hands on it. We’ll keep you posted as the project progresses, so stay tuned.
If you haven’t taken the plunge yet, you can treat yourself to a Oculus Quest 2 to the Fnac, Darty or Amazon for €349.99. You can also find good PCs for gamers there.