CatsAndVR@Pocket Gamer Connects SF- VR Indie Pitch Winner VINDICTA
Recently CatsAndVR had the chance to not only attend Pocket Game Connects SF but also be part of their VR Indie Pitch. My game is still a work in progress and the feedback was great for my development. However, the winner of the VR Indie Pitch was an excellent game from Beirut based Independent Studio "Game Cooks".
Vindicta is a great VR FPS that is able to stand out from a very crowded marketplace with its innovative control scheme, smooth gun combat, and art style that seems like a mix of Portal and Half-Life. Holding down the Vive's touchpad buttons and swinging your arms allow you to move in the game. At first I thought this controller scheme was silly till I realized how creative Game Cooks really is. One simple controller scheme not only solved an the locomotion issue faced in many First Person Shooters it added a spastic level of immersion that I feel is often missing in VR games.
I got a chance to talk to Lara Noujaim, Director Of Publishing at Game Cooks.
Lara went into detail on the conscious decisions the Game Cooks team made in order to develop in to a VR studio starting with seeing the potential of the market at GDC, trying their hand at their first VR game HOVR, and then making the leap to wanting to be a full time VR studio.
I was very happy for Lara and her team but the whole field of view did not present itself until I saw Lara speak at here PGConnects panel "VR from the Unlikeliest Places"
Lara went into detail about how tough it really is to be a VR development studio in a country where is not as readily available due to import restrictions not to mention that Lara and her team have to be extremely selective in what events they are able to attend in the US due to the simple fact they are an independent studio with limited funds.
With the lack of VR Headsets in the Middle East it is very hard for them to even promote locally but the Game Cooks team makes a point of reaching out and evangelizing VR in their area.
After that talk by Lara I knew that I must push myself to be a VR developer and really view myself as lucky for the many VR resources available to me in the Bay Area.
If you have a VIVE go out and support these truly Independent team out to prove themselves despite the odds. VINDICTA is on sale now.
