Drums Rock, the arcade game where you play drums while killing demons at rock speed, just got its biggest part (and craziest news yet) with the release of PS VR2. The Garage51 Entertainment team is excited to share what we've seen with this technology, which will be available to try at home on February 22. Let yourself be surprised.
We had been developing Drums Rock for a few months when we received the PS VR2 development pack. During that time we developed the game and fought with record companies to get great songs for the game. We've started testing the functionality of the PS VR2 headset and Sense controller.
We've tested a number of VR headsets in the past, but with the PS VR2 headset, we see that there's a lot that can be done here that's never been done before. We too: We want to take risks and succeed. Instead of being afraid to try all these new possibilities, we decided to push the boundaries and now I think it was the best decision.
Although no one notices, we are fans of the rhythm music genre. Drums Rock honors everything we love about the genre-defining game. Maybe it's just us, but you know some songs by heart and don't play without looking? I also play crazy people who play guitar tuners with their mouths like Jimi Hendrix. Well, now play Drums Rock without looking at the double note.
eye tracking
After getting our hands on the PS VR2 Dev Kit headset, the feature that impressed us the most was the eye tracking. We built the game mechanics around it and tweaked the upgrades to make them really fun. Let me explain.
Below the ticker are two switches, one for each eye. This key is active regardless of whether the eyes are closed or looking at input. They have a small freeze that prevents players from blinking or glancing at notes. When the switch is on, your score is multiplied by x2. Line converters can also be easily connected up to x8. It's a risk-reward mechanic that I personally love.
This all sounds good, but I'm sure some of you are wondering how I can see if I'm getting double if I close my eyes or don't see the post. It's sad to admit that after the completion of the design concept, this question disappeared from us, but thanks to the sound of the game, the answers came much faster. We had to work with our sound design team to create an effect that wouldn't ruin the song we love so much. Some of our relaxing reverb effects combined with volume control are enough to provide a clear response while preserving the essence of the music.
haptic feedback
With all the work we've put into games where you play drums and cymbals with eye tracks and drums, you wouldn't think we'd forget about haptic feedback, right? Of course no.
Imagine that each drum, note or snare has a different vibration. The haptic feedback of the Sense controller allowed us to recreate these differences in games. We allow players to customize the amount of feedback they receive.
earpiece vibration
You will now see that the PS VR2 headset is also responding. We could not miss the opportunity to take advantage of this opportunity. Imagine the excitement of being in a concert hall and feeling the subwoofer vibrate the floor with every beat. It's important to create this authentic feeling for this immersive experience.
To adjust the feedback of the headphones to the music, we installed an individual vibration map button for each song. Each of them is unique to attract them and not avoid those feelings.
We'd love to reveal more, like how the game runs at 120fps and true 4k, or how we've mixed all the mechanics and tracks, but I think you'll have to wait to try it out for yourself. Only a few days left to rock and roll at Drums Rock.