Minority Media Inc. (www.weareminority.com ) today revealed that Time Machine VR (TMVR) will launch on both Oculus Rift and HTC Vive in April. Time travelers who can’t wait till April to plunge into the murky depths of Earth’s primordial oceans can view a brand new trailer:
Time Machine VR was one of the first built-for-VR games to hit Steam Early Access in 2015 – rated 8/10 on Steam, 4.4/5 on Oculus Share, and 5/5 on WEARVR – and will be among the first titles purchasable on Oculus and HTC Vive. Players need only strap on a headset to come nose-to-nose with the leviathans of early Earth in a vivid, scientifically-sound reproduction of the oceans of the Jurassic period. Adrift in ancient waters, players can move around their virtual space in three dimensions and employ advanced, high-tech powers – Time Freeze, Tracker, Probe, Scan, Bait, Echo, Behavior Scan, and Exo Scan – to track and interact with the magnificent monsters around them. In addition, players get to unlock creatures by uploading the data they collect to the DinoDex, a depository of the information they collect from the prehistoric creatures encountered.
” VR triggers responses from our brains that are as visceral as those we have in real life,” said Minority CEO, Vander Caballero. “We can now create a new kind of game that inspires a true sense of wonder in players. Shooting and blowing stuff up is not wonderful in VR; it doesn’t match the thrill of seeing a living dinosaur face-to-face. This is what drove us during the making of Time Machine VR. We want to put people in a world that evokes wonder as much as adrenaline. This is the beginning of a new era for games, and we’re excited to be a part of it.”
I n TMVR, players will take on the role of a promising cadet from a time-traveling research institution, the Monda Muzeo, assigned to foray into Earth’s Jurassic oceans to observe the behavior and analyze the DNA of the ancient titans who ruled the waters of that time. Things take a turn when an ancient and deadly plague lays waste to the present, and the key to the cure lies with the formidable fauna of our planet’s prehistory. Players will need their wits, cunning, and very best scientific methods to survive Earth’s past and save its future.
Reviews
“A virtual reality Jurassic Park.”
POLYGON
“I now know which piece of software will be the first loaded up when I finally get one [Oculus Rift] in my home: Minority’s Time Machine VR.”
HARDCORE GAMER
“The only Oculus game we played that truly felt immersive”
BUZZFEED
About This Game
NOTE: Time Machine VR REQUIRES an Oculus DK2 or Crescent Bay headset. Xbox 360 and Xbox One controllers supported. Keyboard supported.
THE STORY: SAVE THE HUMAN RACE (in development, more to come with the following updates)
A plague is consuming humankind. Civilization faces extinction. As a time-travelling scientist, you must go back to the Jurassic and face dinosaurs whose DNA holds the key to our survival. Pilot your time machine through prehistoric oceans, into an ecosystem teeming with ancient creatures. Navigate a dangerous food chain, tracking, probing, scanning and baiting these beasts, and save the human race.
THE EXPERIENCE: IMMERSIVE EXPLORATION OF THE JURASSIC
◾A VR-native game about time travel, prehistoric creatures, and human extinction;
◾Explore an immersive Jurassic underwater world;
◾Play in a living and dangerous ecosystem populated by a growing range of mysterious dinosaurs: dakosaurus, pliosaurus, mosasaurus, and more;
◾Help us make Time Machine VR the best that it can be.
THE MECHANICS
◾Time Freeze: Briefly slow down time around you, then use that moment to engage with dinosaurs at close range;
◾Tracker: Visibility is limited in the treacherous Jurassic oceans. Use the Tracker to locate dinosaurs in the dark or behind rock formations;
◾Probe: Shoot it at dinosaurs to instantly collect genetic data on their species;
◾Scan: Approach prehistoric creatures and use Scan to gather intelligence on specific anatomical features;
◾Bait: The Jurassic oceans of Time Machine VR are living ecosystems, where your understanding of the dynamic food chain plays a decisive role on your ability to complete your mission. Use Bait to create situations that tilt the odds in your favor;
◾Echography (Echo): What if the vital organs of dinosaurs are a key to saving humankind? Use Echo’s ultrasound technology to understand the inner workings of these beasts of the deep. Caution: this device only works at very close range, so plan your approach carefully;
◾Behavior Scan: Take unique live snapshots of dinos in action;
◾More mechanics to come.
FREE DEMO: FEATURES
◾A condensed and exhilarating VR experience;
◾Immersive underwater navigation;
◾Advanced Time Freeze, Tracker, Probe, and Scan mechanics.
EARLY ACCESS: FEATURES
◾Three additional underwater levels;
◾Story Mode (in development, more to come with the following updates);
◾Exploration Mode (in development, with expansion to come);
◾More dinos: pliosaurus, dakosaurus, mosasaurus, and more;
◾An expansive on-land VR mission hub located in Svalbard, Norway (same place as the Doomsday Vault!);
◾A DinoDex: upload collected data, and unlock dinosaurs;
◾A full range of tech-based mechanics: Time Freeze, Tracker, Probe, Scan, Echography, Bait, with more to come;
◾Regular updates with new features and bug fixes;
◾Buy once, and get all following updates FREE;
◾Have your say: talk with our dev team and take part in the development of Time Machine VR!
STORY MODE (in development, more to come with the following updates)
Svalbard & the DinoDex
You begin your journey inside your mission hub, in Svalbard, Norway. It shelters your time machine and comes equipped with the DinoDex, a depository of the information you will collect from the prehistoric creatures you encounter. Every time you return to Svalbard with new discoveries, upload them to the DinoDex to unlock crucial data and dinos. This will help you find the cure to the epidemic devastating humankind.
The Jurassic Oceans
Travel to the treacherous oceans of prehistory, where dakosaurus, pliosaurus, and mosasaurus, among others, roam the deep. Use your high-tech equipment to track, probe, and scan these beasts, extracting the information you need. Bait dinosaurs to turn risky situations to your advantage. Freeze time and perform dangerous close-up echography as you strive to fulfill your mission. Take unique live snapshots of dinos in action with Behavior Scan.