PC hardware manufacturer Nvidia enters the world of Steam publishing this week with the launch of VR Funhouse, a carnival-themed mini-game compilation featuring support for the HTC Vive VR headset and tracked motion controllers.
VR Funhouse is available as a free download via Steam, and future updates will introduce new virtual reality minigames in the months ahead.
Developed by internal Nvidia team LightSpeed Studios, VR Funhouse currently offers seven first-person mini-games that show off the capabilities of the HTC Vive virtual reality headset. Many included games feature first-person shooter mechanics at their core, giving players the chance to take down moving targets using pistols, squirt guns, or flame-tipped arrows.
VR Funhouse also includes a first-person take on the classic game Whac-A-Mole, equipping players with a virtual foam mallet in a series of timed challenges. Other mini-games focus on melee combat, challenging players to pop balloons with a sword or punch stuffed animals using boxing gloves.
The compilation is powered by Nvidia’s VRWorks developer libraries, which enable advanced physics simulation and detailed rendering. Nvidia’s GameWorks technologies further boost player immersion with destructible environments, fluid simulation, and realistic fire effects.
In addition to needing an HTC Vive headset to function, VR Funhouse also requires players to own specific models of GeForce GTX graphics cards. Players who own GeForce GTX 1070, 1060, and 980Ti cards will be able to run VR Funhouse in its most basic form, while medium-grade performance can be achieved using the GeForce GTX 1080. In order to get the most out of VR Funhouse at maximum quality, players will need a GeForce GTX 1080 or a GeForce GTX 980Ti in SLI.
Nvidia originally established VR Funhouse creator LightSpeed Studios as a porting company for its Nvidia Shield handheld game console and other Android-powered devices. The team previously produced remastered, Android-optimized versions of first-person games like Half-Life 2, Portal, and Doom 3: BFG Edition before pursuing VR development with its most recent releases.
