This Vortx 4D Environmental Simulator Lets Players Feel In-Game Effects While They Play

With technology the way it is today, it's becoming easier and easier for players to fully immerse [...]

Vortx

With technology the way it is today, it's becoming easier and easier for players to fully immerse themselves into the games they play. With Virtual and Augmented Reality on the rise, innovators are trying to find unique ways to bring gameplay to life. One company aims to do just that with the newly revealed Vortx 4D environmental simulator.

"Imagine feeling the effects of bullets whizzing by and battlefield explosions in Battlefield. Or what about the swirling inferno of Drogon's fiery breath in Game of Thrones?"

According to the Kickstarter page, the Vortx uses "adaptive algorithms to analyze scenes in real-time, then translates on-screen effects into reala world sensations you can feel, like wind, fire, and ice." For gamers that love to play games that deal heavy in elemental combat mechanics, this would be an impressive way to take on that feat and further dive into the story like never before.

So what makes this different than say having a desk heater? The Vortx is incredibly adaptive with more than just a singular mode. The program reads what is currently happening in-game (or in a movie) and selects the appropriate response. Could you imagine playing the latest Battlefield and feeling the heat of the flame thrower while you play? Sans the burning and excruciating death, of course.

"Built by and for gamers, Vortx was created to be easily integrated with your existing PC setup. Simply plug in and start experiencing. Vortx analyzes what is happening on-screen to create physical effects and sensations you can feel. From fiery explosions to the rush of wind at high speeds, Vortx puts you in the center of the action so you can feel what you see."

The intensity can also be adjusted for those that want to customise their comfort levels. It also is configured to work alongside VR headsets such as the Vive and the Oculus to take that immersion to the next step. This is what the CEO of Whirlwind FX, the company behind the Vortx, had to say:

"Sprung from the mind of our CEO and founder Tim, the idea arose one day as he was trying out a VR experience that placed him on top of Mount Everest; a door opened nearby letting in a rush of cool air that matched what he was seeing. At that moment, the symphony of sight, sound and touch sparked a mission to share his experience.

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Through a chance encounter via mutual friends Tim was introduced Matt, who now leads software engineering efforts. Trial and error produced many great (and some ill-advised) advances in development over the first year or so, until one day a major breakthrough was discovered.

What had seemingly stunted the growth of traditional haptic and immersive devices, was now able to be overcome. Using an ingenious approach to data manipulation and audio/video capture, real-time environmental analysis could be achieved by Vortx. Meaning that ALL content was accessible and compatible with Vortx eliminating any need for integration by developers or content creators.

From that point on, revisions were made based on feedback received from gaming hardware and consumer tech communities around the globe. This resulted in a size reduction of over 50% and heavily refined software that increased accuracy, compatibility and reduced latency among many other improvements."

Want to learn more and see how you can get your hands on one? Take a look at the official Vortx 4D environmental simulator's Kickstarter page here.

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