Cyan Adds Oculus Touch Support To 'Obduction,' Now Available For HTC Vive

The latest update to Cyan’s Obduction further enhances your immersion in the game, at least in VR. The studio launched a new update that adds Oculus Touch support. In addition, the game is now available for HTC Vive owners. Prior to today’s update, we actually had a chance to try the new interactive experience at PAX East with the Oculus Touch.

When I pushed the left analog stick forward, a small circle appeared in front of me that was connected to my virtual body by a small arc line, (those who played Epic Games’ Robo Recall will have some familiarity with the feature), but I couldn’t dictate my orientation prior to teleporting to the circle. However, Cyan had a work-around: After teleporting to the new spot (complete with fade in and fade out transitions), I turned in small degrees by pushing the right analog stick left or right. Considering the issues with locomotion and nausea in virtual reality, this solution made sense, and it actually worked. I was able to move through the level with ease because of the teleportation tool, and the turning mechanic was comfortable without giving me the sensation that the room was spinning.

The inclusion of hand controllers also means that there are interactions with the game’s many switches, levers, and wheels. During the demo, I had to turn a wheel in order to rotate a moving platform. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as immersive as I imagined. I thought I had to hold onto the wheel as it turned all the way around, but all it took was simple nudge of my hand in the right direction. I tried once again with a lever, and after I gave it a small push it moved the rest of the way on its own. It’s a bit of a disappointment, especially because it breaks the immersion, but at least Cyan’s willing to give the feature a shot in its first VR game.

As Miller said himself in our interview, “VR is hard,” but that isn’t shying Cyan away from other VR projects in the future. Obduction is a solid first attempt at virtual reality for the team that createdMyst, and the inclusion of hand-based controls is another step to making its future titles even more immersive.