At GDC, Basemark and Crytek finally took the lid off of their new VR benchmarking utility, VRScore. The two companies have been working together since August 2015 to create an unbiased benchmarking tool, independent from the hardware manufacturers. The benchmark is the fruit of a strategic partnership between the two companies that combines Basemark’s expertise in providing professional performance metrics with Crytek’s Cryengine technology.
“We share Basemark’s belief that users will really benefit from having an independent resource that checks whether their PC can comfortably run VR experiences,” said Frank Vitz, CRYENGINE Creative Director. “VRScore not only provides that service, but also shows off just how powerful VR truly is by bringing together our own first-class engine technology with Basemark’s experience in performance measurement.”
Basemark said the test has been built from the ground up with Crytek’s Cryengine and features Sky Harbor, a scene built specifically for the test using AAA game content. Basemark said the benchmark includes tests for interactive VR, 360-degree VR video and VR spatial audio performance. The software will also feature online result comparisons with performance rankings for best HMD, GPU and CPU.
“From the first moment sitting down with the Crytek team through the development of VRScore, we’ve been thoroughly impressed with their talent and hardworking,” said Tero Sarkkinen, founder of Basemark.
When VRScore is released, you’ll be able to download a free version of the test with limited functionality. There will also be a pro version that can be purchased with full functionality. Business customers have the choice between the Corporate license with basic functionality, or the Platinum edition that offers automation.
The Pro and corporate licenses of VRScore also include hardware that will test latency, screen persistence and dropped frames. Basemark designed a proprietary measurement device called VRTrek that features dual phototransistors, which the company said are used to mimic the human eye.
Basemark said that VRTrek will fit any VR HMD. It connects to a PC with a single 3.5mm stereo microphone jack.
VRScore PC is currently in development but will be available soon. The public release of the test will be in June 2016. Basemark and Crytek are also working on a mobile version for VRScore, but the companies are not discussing any more details about that version for now.
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