Tag: Fitness

HitMotion: Reloaded Is the First Fitness Game Using Pass-Through Mixed Reality on the Vive Focus Plus

If you are interested in following the goings-on in the world of virtual reality, one of blogs you should read regularly is by an Italian guy named Tony Vitillo (a.k.a. SkarredGhost), whose blog, The Ghost Howls, often has reviews of products and interesting news reports about the VR industry. I admire Tony for daring to follow his dream to turn his love for VR into a full-time business!

And recently Tony’s company, New Technology Walkers, announced HitMotion: Reloaded, the first fitness game using pass-through mixed reality on the Vive Focus Plus headset:

New Technology Walkers today announces that its first game “HitMotion: Reloaded” has been released worldwide on Viveport M. This is the first fitness game in pass-through mixed reality ever released and at the beginning will be exclusive for the Vive Focus Plus, the only device offering this functionality in a reliable way. The price is $5.59/€4.99/RMB39.90.

The game had been announced by NTW’s co-founder Antony “Skarredghost” Vitillo during the Vive Ecosystem Conference 2019 in Shenzhen, China as one of the launch titles for the Vive Focus Plus. In these months, the game has gone through a complete overhaul, passing from the free tech demo released in March to a complete game distributed worldwide now.

Here’s a 30-second promotional trailer for the new game:

One advantage of using the Vive Focus Plus wireless headset is that the game can use the pass-through mixed-reality feature to avoid you accidentally punching holes in any of your walls, or breaking any furniture! Given the rise of VR headset accidents (leading to the posting of mishaps to places like the VRtoER subReddit group), this is potentially a major selling point for HitMotion: Reloaded.

However, the Vive Focus Plus is still a newer headset, so not that many people own it yet, and HitMotion is not yet available for any other models of VR headsets. Whether or not it will be appearing on other headsets depends heavily on how much they will be able to improve their pass-through vision. I don’t think we can expect to see this game appearing for the popular Oculus Rift or HTC Vive headsets anytime soon.

This is another example of an expanding market for VR use: personal fitness. Many people are already working out, getting fit, and losing weight using VR apps such as Beat Saber. I wish Tony every success in his endeavour, and I look forward to seeing what other VR/AR/XR fitness apps will be appearing in the future.

If you want more information about HitMotion: Reloaded, here is their website, their Facebook page, and their Instagram. You can also follow Tony on Twitter.

Meet the Man Who Has Lost 200 Pounds Playing Beat Saber in VR

The popular VR game Beat Saber (available on the Oculus Store for the Rift and Quest and through Steam for Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Windows Mixed Reality headsets) has been credited by one man, Robert Long, with helping him lose 200 pounds.

One year ago, VR Focus reported on Rob’s story. At that point, he had lost 138 pounds:

After an unfortunate series of car accidents that resulted in permanent injury to both his back and neck, Robert Long wasn’t sure how he’d recover. Stress hormones at the hands of depression caused Robert to gain weight, preventing doctors from making key procedures to his damaged back.

As a result, Robert began researching realistic exercise options for someone in his unique position, eventually leading him to purchase an HTC Vive, as well as a copy of the massively popular VR rhythm game, Beat Saber.

“It worked for me because it drew in my inner child so I was able to give my all and have fun doing it,” spoke Robert in a Reddit post directed at the Beat Saber community. “If you give this workout and game your all, you will see some amazing results. Who knows you all may even fine-tune this workout better than I even have now.”

And the VR Fitness Insider website interviewed Rob at that time:

VRFI: What would you say to someone who is searching for a workout and wants to use VR for weight loss?

Rob: That the most important part of this is if you want to use Beat Saber as a workout, you have got to love what you are doing. If you label it in your mind as a routine chore you have to do. Then you will be less likely to use it. That’s why you have got to remind yourself that this is not a workout. It’s having fun! And the fun you have will reward you with better health. Because if you are not into working out and lack the motivation, then you will not see the numbers lost that you want. So I recommend in letting out your inner child to play. Clear your mind of all the adult things like stress and try to not bring them into the game. That way when you play, it’s so much fun that you can hardly stop playing. The max I have gone at once is a little over an hour at once. So if you can manage it, enjoy it. The weight will come off. But if you really want to see good numbers you got to give it 100%. None of that slow-moving and standing still. You need to keep that body active.

In his most recent update, in a response to a Reddit post of the cartoon at the top of this blogpost, made one month ago, he says:

I can confirm this is true. I lost 200 pounds so far playing. I got 70 more to go. Had to take a break due to a blown out right shoulder. Then I got better and my grandmother is now about to pass. So it’s always something I swear… So I hope to get rid of that last 70 pounds soon!.

As someone who also needs to lose a significant amount of weight, I find Rob Long’s story inspiring. Hopefully, you will too!