Quest 3 has been making big breakthroughs in mixed reality, and we recently had the chance to experience one of its latest mixed reality creations: the Astra from Atlas V and Albyon.
Astra seamlessly blends the real world and the virtual world to put you in an immersive starship. Players will travel to some of the more famous moons in our solar system and piggyback there from the starship.
As the game'sMetadescribed on the store page:
Embark on a mixed reality journey that transforms your room into a spaceship on a mission to the depths of the universe. Follow the research of your late astrobiologist mother as she roams space, visiting planets and their dark moons in search of signs of life. You will try to unravel the mystery of life in the universe and understand your loss and grief.ASTRA will guide you through a profound and universal adventure through stunning environments that blend narrative, mixed reality and interactive design.
Directed by Eliza McNitt, the visionary behind the critically acclaimed virtual experience Spheres, produced by the Emmy Award-winning Madrid Noir from Award Winning Creative Studios and featuring sound by Taylour Paige, ASTRA will open a spectacular window into the universe right in your home. Taylour Paige, ASTRA will open a spectacular window to the universe, directly into your home.
course of a game
While there is a certain element of gamification to this experience, it feels fairly lighthearted, like it was added to engage the player in a narrative that teaches them about elements found on some of our solar system's important moons. The gameplay is presented as a series of piggybacking onto the surface of the moons and collecting elements to bring back to the ship for analysis. All of this collecting is done to find the right elements needed to combine to support life. In addition to scanning and collecting, tapping on the virtual control panel screen to select the next destination is the limit of interactivity in this experience.
Here's what you'll find:
- Turn your living space into a starship and navigate our solar system.
- Hitch a ride to the satellite and use gestures to scan for elements and collect them.
- Study and manipulate virtual objects built from collected elements.
Image and sound
Astra's graphics are the main attraction, creating an immersive experience for players to feel immersed in these alien worlds. The visuals presented throughout the game's virtual reality sequences are simply stunning. Each one showcases detailed environments that display the surfaces of these moons. In addition to exploration, Astra's mixed reality sequences also look absolutely fantastic.
Between each mission, players will return to the bridge of their starship. Once there, they'll see an overlaid view of the screen and windows looking out into space, paired with the real-world backdrop of Quest 3 that the queue passes through the field of view, using crisp, bright dioramas that pop up in the real-world background. Seeing the rings of Saturn through the viewscreen, now part of my main living room wall, made me take a breath. When leaving for my new destination, I felt like my living room had just entered the speed of light. I did feel the floor seem to move as the ship turned and accelerated, and the acceleration to light speed made me feel slightly footloose.
Some highlights include:
- Semi-realistic looking highly detailed environments.
- Mixed reality sequences blend the physical and virtual worlds to create a sense of presence.
- Smooth animations bring environments and objects to life.
Sound Design
The sound design in Astra is also quite impressive, with immersive audio enhancing the overall experience and helping to deepen the sense of immersion. Relaxing ambient music and believable sound effects blend well with the evolving narrative voiced by Grammy-nominated singer and actress Taylour Paige.
Key aspects of sound design include:
- Relaxing ambient music as background music.
- High-quality sound effects add to the realism of the interaction.
- Voiceovers bring characters to life and add narrative depth.
Overall, the visual and audio design work well together to present a well-crafted way for players to explore a part of our solar system and perhaps learn something new from their own living room.
Educational potential
It will be interesting to see if this Astra is developed further for use in education. Even in its current state, there is a lot of potential to form memories and understanding of the solar system in a way that an unreadable static page cannot.
in conclusion
Overall, Astra is a standout experience that demonstrates the power of mixed reality with Quest 3. Through its engaging narrative, stunning imagery and sound, comfortable design, and educational potential, Astra sets a new standard for mixed reality experiences. Whether you're a seasoned VR enthusiast or new to mixed and virtual reality, Astra is a must-play experience.
It is worth noting thatAstra on the Quest StoreContains a new Mixed Reality Safety Risk Notice that we've never seen before: "Mixed Reality can feel very real because it combines the digital and physical worlds. Some experiences may contain realistic scenes of violence or cause strong emotions or distress. Please be aware of physical obstacles in your space and always play in a safe environment. Younger players should talk to a trusted adult before attempting.
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