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Sword Art Online is soon going to be a virtual, reality if IBM has anything to do with it. The longtime technology firm announced that it is sponsoring the development of a VR MMO based around the manga/anime series known as Sword Art Online: The Beginning. It's listed with a 2016 debut date, though details remain very thin on the ground right now.
Welcome to Sword Art. Good luck leaving.
Announced in an entirely conceptual trailer, the game is shown to be in development, with some of the more iconic scenes from the Sword Art universe appearing on dev stations and within design tools. At the end we're shown a person putting on a generic looking VR headset before stepping into an unknown virtual world.
Presumably the Sword Art one. Presumably too, the game is further along in development than we might think, as the IBM website is taking applications over the next couple of weeks for a prototype alpha test set to take place towards the end of March in Tokyo. There are 208 slots open for people to join the trial. [yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcGhGEfHdWs']
Unfortunately the fact that the prototype test will take place in Tokyo, means it is only open to residents of Japan. You also need to be at least 18 years old and be happy with being photographed and videod during the demo.
When all applications have been accepted by by 4th March, the chosen couple of hundred will be chosen from the applicable by lottery.
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KitGuru Says: Heading to a bespoke location for a prototype Sword Art Online? I'm not saying IBM is going to stop people from leaving, but I wonder what it has planned?
I think log horizon is much better
Interesting, but nothing compared to a true ‘dive’ based vrmmo. Like what sword art is supposed to be.
wonder if they include the brain microwaving feature?
Hopefully we wont be able to log out just like the show.
It’s only “The Beginning”
Log Horizon >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sword Art Online
Log Horizon, .Hack , SAO Who Cares! As long as its a quality immersive MMORPG! Winning all around!
.hack was pretty bad even at the time.. I was so pumped for the concept but the game sucked even harder than the anime! I’ll have to check out this Log thing tho.
So is there any announcements what consoles this bad boy is going to be on? If it’s an actual MMORPG of Sword Art Online I will buy it even if it’s not in VR.
I just hope a real deal vrmmo played just like SAO comes out in my lifetime.
The thing that limits the ability to create a dive based MMO are the rules on invasive human experimentation. The equipment needs to directly stimulate the ocular nerves and the sensory receptors in the spinal column. As well as picking up and suppressing any motor responses from the brain.
But research around this is rather limited in scope due to laws around human experimentation. So in the end it will take far longer to create a true ‘Dive’ based experience due to those laws. Even if this kind of technology can be used in many useful situations.
I was making a joke based on the game’s name, however a discussion as such is always welcome.
It is true that human trials are… “difficult” in the modern world, however volunteers and self-experiment always is an option, of course these tech would never reach a human body without some sort of animal testing, using lab rats, for example, to test and retrieve data. Animal testing is not at all difficult, no doubt SAO, Log Horizon and similar works have invoked curiosity in the scientific world (even when not directly), so while your concern is valid, I’m positive one day we’ll see the technology. After all, we already have accurate real-world tracking from VR and AR Tech, we also have the technology to read brainwaves such as prosthetics, some can even provide some sort of feedbacks. In fact, I can confidently say we have at least half of all the technology we needed, it’s only the matter of putting them together, fill out the blanks and making the cost reasonable.
I won’t be happy until i get a FIVR equivalent. Hopefully it will happen in my lifetime