#VR Design Manifesto AKA holodeck program guidelines [a work in progress] - no fail states - minimize user frustration - maximize user empowerment - maximize user awe - allow user to set their own goals - don't put words in user's mouth - don't push the user around

When pushed, we'll do what it takes to win.

Never mind where I've been. Let's talk about where we're going.

Taking a trip to the UK soon. I decided to learn how to drive in Grand Theft Auto London 1969. Shout out to @Anticleric for the map and sound design. I played using the @XREAL_Global 1S with built in Real 3D AI 2D to 3D conversion youtu.be/X74TrDbLabs

🔴 New Holodeck Program Guidelines is Live: Awe & the Cathedral of the Mind 👇 linkedin.com/pulse/05-awe-ca… The holiday season is upon us. ❄️ What better time to talk about awe, wonder, and clutter as they relate to designing immersive worlds? How can we evoke the feeling of looking out across a sea of stars in the night sky, stepping into an ancient cathedral, or being moved by music as waves of sound from a massive pipe organ or subwoofer wash over you? In this edition of Holodeck Program Guidelines, I take a deep dive into: - Scale: How to make the user feel small, in a good way. - Depth: Leveraging volumetrics, particles, and stereoscopy. - 3D audio: How awe can be achieved without any visuals at all. - Clutter: How overwhelming complexity helps sell reality. 'Tis the season to feel deeply, and to help others in any way we can.

🔴 New Holodeck Program Guidelines is live. linkedin.com/pulse/04-dont-w… Writing the player's character and putting a voice in their head is the number one way to break immersion in a holodeck experience. In this edition, I talk about alternatives, and how to build rich worlds, full of lore and interesting characters, while maximizing player agency without telling the user who they are and what they should be doing.

🔴 New Holodeck Program Guidelines is live. linkedin.com/pulse/03-main-q… Main Quest Guilt: That feeling when the world is ending, but you’d rather be fishing, picking flowers, or just vibing at a noodle stand. In VR, guilt hits the user, not their avatar. So this edition is we talk about designing holodeck-like experiences where: Calm is the default Drama is opt-in The world reacts, but doesn’t judge And how ignoring the dragon is 100% valid.

Nobody: Me on Sunday: Digging a USB bracelet out of a drawer to find I don't have my private key, but instead an encrypted key store JSON file from 2017, unplugging the internet, using Python to extract the hash, brute forcing it with Hashcat on a 3090 and a 2080ti so that I can access my ETH wallet.

🔴Possibly controversial new edition of Holodeck Program Guidelines is live: linkedin.com/pulse/fail-stat… “Game Over” screens have wasted players' time (and quarters) for decades. Loading screens, respawn timers and obscure puzzles can be painful in traditional games, but in VR they can push users away for good. In this week’s edition, I wrote about fail states and the goal of zero friction in VR: - Why death isn’t fun or empowering - How a “Game Over” screen could become a self fulfilling prophecy - Why frustration in VR is so dangerous - How to split timelines and move forward without punishing player choice I also talk a bit about LOW-FI, guns as narrative devices, and why I’d rather be a dungeon master than carve the plot in stone. If you’re interested in #VR, game design, or don't think the holodeck should punish you for playing “wrong,” I’d love for you to give it a read and subscribe for more.

Today marks the 38th anniversary of the Max Headroom signal intrusion incident. Celebrate by supporting a game made by another subversive, cyberpunk weirdo. LOW-FI // linktr.ee/anticleric ON STEAM DECK / FRAME/ VR / PS5 / PSVR2 /

Nobody ever needed a walkthrough for the Holodeck. Step through the door and the world takes it from there. No quest log. No “GAME OVER” screen. Just atmosphere, agency, and vibes. linkedin.com/pulse/what-holo… I’ve started a weekly newsletter, 'Holodeck Program Guidelines', to dig into ideas like: • Removing fail states and puzzles from VR • Reducing user frustration without killing tension • What a “cozy dystopia” means in practice • Building worlds people want to live in, not just beat

// TECHNOLUST The premier cyberpunk VR experience returns on its 10th anniversary with a next-gen multiplatform remaster in the works. // Find out more and show support 💾 patreon.com/posts/technolust…

You know what would go really well with that Steam Deck / Machine / Frame / Account? // LOW-FI 💽 linktr.ee/anticleric

The response has been incredible! Thanks for all the wishlists and support. 🦾🙏

// LOW-FI is entering its next phase. • 111k Wishlists, thousands of players • Runs on ALL Steam Hardware • Now seeking partners & investors to bring it home linktr.ee/anticleric Let’s build the future together 🦾 Reach out for the pitch.

// LOW-FI Runs on *ALL* Steam hardware. linktr.ee/anticleric Just sayin' 😉

// DON'T TOUCH THAT DIAL 📺linktr.ee/anticleric

Hey #VR enthusiast! patreon.com/posts/everything… I just posted a ton of downloadable demos spanning my 12-ish years creating VR content. From my first VR demo in early 2014, to my first game 'TECHNOLUST', through to some of what I'm working on now. We've got Robocop and Riddick, David Cronenberg and Flying Lotus. Put on your shades and step into another dimension with the 'They Live' demo and feel my love and appreciation for your support on my latest project LOW-FI. Let's build the future of VR together 🦾🚀

🔴linktr.ee/anticleric

LOW-FI DISCORD IS OPEN // discord.gg/dZUBcvY4

Major Update on the state of LOW-FI : kickstarter.com/projects/iri…