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Google open sources Tilt Brush VR software as it shuts down internal development
As Facebook and Apple begin to fire up more projects in the AR/VR world, Google has spent the last year shutting down most of their existing projects in that space.
Today, the folks at Google announced they had ended active development of Tilt Brush, a VR painting app that was one of virtual reality's early hit pieces of software. The app allowed users to use virtual reality controllers as brushes to construct digital sculptures and environments.
While the company will not be pushing any new updates to the app, they did announce that they will be open sourcing the code on github for developers to build their own experiences and customizations. Google also notes that the app will continue to be available in the app stores on VR headsets.
Additional coverage at TheVerge, BBC News, and Engadget.
Google's blog post about the matter.
What is Tilt Brush?
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Marand on Thursday January 28 2021, @01:46PM
Tilt brush looks cool in videos but it's basically a toy with lots of animated brushes and other gimmicky stuff that lets you make mostly-flat art that makes for cool looking promotional videos.
A more interesting bit of VR software is Gravity Sketch [gravitysketch.com], which is more like a VR-based 3d modeling tool. Sort of like Blender with a VR interface, but not exactly; a bit less capable and intended to be part of your early workflow. The idea seems to be that you use it to take the first steps toward turning your 2d reference into 3d, using it to be able to more accurately see and work with the model as you build it, and once you have a good foundation to work with you move it to tools like Blender to clean things up and add finishing touches. It's amazing to use but honestly I'm terrible at making anything with it (or 3d modelers in general) so I've mostly just goofed off with it.
Something else cool I've seen is VR sculpting. There's this "game" called SculptVR that is set up like a dumb creative mode-esque minecraft-like collaborative building experience where you and a bunch of people mold the area into objects. It's silly, but the idea behind it and its underlying implementation is really solid, basically ZBrush-lite in VR. It seems like an obvious thing to do, so there's probably more professional implementation of it and I just haven't seen it yet.
(Score: 2) by looorg on Thursday January 28 2021, @03:06PM
Another Google-project I had never even heard of before bites the dust. The list grows longer.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by jrbrtsn on Thursday January 28 2021, @05:02PM (10 children)
So far, no killer app for VR. I still remember playing Space Spuds on a Commodore Amiga in 1988 using digital shutter goggles to alternate left/right images. It was incredibly cool for about 3 hours. For actual prototyping I still prefer woodworking, fabricating, and machining. As a plus, when I get done I already have a fully functional version of my project.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Thursday January 28 2021, @05:04PM
The Iron Man VR CAD stuff works a lot better when it's backed by a superintelligent artilect.
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(Score: 3, Interesting) by Freeman on Thursday January 28 2021, @06:23PM (1 child)
The free VR mod for Portal 2 was almost worth the price of the headset. Just because, I mean it was awesome! I also played Fallout 4 VR for something like 300+ hours. Assuming, you like the Fallout universe of games. There's nothing that compares to being in an immersive VR world of your favorite Open World game. I did use the teleport feature, instead of the somewhat awkward/nausea inducing locomotion, but it was a super great experience. I also played a very fun, free Tower Defense game, with robots. It was short, but would have been easily worth $5-$10 for the free content I got. I've yet to try Half-Life Alyx, partly, because of the price tag. Partly, because I want the new Valve controllers and/or headset to go with the game. There's also some short animated movies that were created with VR in mind, which are fun, and there's something cool about watching 360° videos with a VR headset. I've really wanted to try out the HTC Vive Wireless Adapter, but I'm using AMD and there's reportedly, problems with AMD compatibility. I've yet to actually purchase a 360° video camera, but I've been sorely tempted.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Friday January 29 2021, @12:13AM
To clarify the VR mod for Portal 2 was a set of maps, not Portal 2 in VR.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Snospar on Thursday January 28 2021, @07:19PM (3 children)
I have to disagree, there's a lot to like about modern VR. Especially if you're into simulators of pretty much any kind. It's hard to express how much better it feels to be sitting behind the wheel in a driving sim, how much more immersive it is when you're driving up close to other vehicles or simply rushing under a bridge - you don't get that experience sitting behind a monitor. And when you add in flight sims or train sims you're getting to experience them from a position that most of us never get to do in real life. Again, I can't stress how good it is when you're brain is tricked and you get that level of immersion where you really believe you're at the controls of a light aircraft flying wherever you please. I remember taxiing past our local airport and for the briefest second I felt like I could get into real trouble: "you're not a real pilot!", made me chuckle, virtual guilt.
For creative people, I think tools like this could enable them to do things in a brand new way that are beyond current physical limits. Co-operative virtual sculpting, what could possible go wrong?!
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(Score: 2) by Freeman on Friday January 29 2021, @12:19AM (2 children)
I briefly tried "Project Cars 2" in VR and the immersive aspect was there, but the controls were beyond horrible. I was using a mouse and keyboard and it left a lot to be desired. I'd guess it would be a much better experience with a steering wheel + pedals, but I'm not that into racing sims.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Snospar on Friday January 29 2021, @08:53AM (1 child)
Yes, steering wheel and pedals here and it makes all the difference because the hands in the game are gripping the wheel just as you are. With mouse/keyboard or even gamepad you've broken that link and your brain is going to have a much harder time locking on to the virtual environment.
Huge thanks to all the Soylent volunteers without whom this community (and this post) would not be possible.
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Friday January 29 2021, @04:45PM
Yeah, I figured a gamepad might make it somewhat more usable, but really a racing sim game, needs a wheel. Kind of like how a flight sim, really needs at least a basic joystick. I remember back in the day getting a cheapo joystick for X-Wing Alliance, that sucker made all the difference in the world.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 2) by Tork on Thursday January 28 2021, @09:24PM (2 children)
I dunno about 'killer app' but since 2015 I've used VR for work-related stuff on five or six different projects now. I think the volumetric sensors are what pushed it past the threshold of being useful.
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 28 2021, @11:15PM (1 child)
Is this needed to work in the cloud?
(Score: 2) by Tork on Friday January 29 2021, @01:18AM
I dunno why but once that clicked into place getting ppl to learn what the various paddle/remote buttons do was a good deal easier... like people were more enthusiastic to learn how to work with it.
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