The sale is not related to leadership succession, a company spokesman said. Dimon is not currently planning to sell more stock, but could consider doing so in the future, the spokesman added

JPMorgan chief Dimon to sell some of his own company stock for first tim

Prof Edmunds said he did not want to blame Eat Out To Help Out for the second wave, but said the “optics” around the scheme were “terrible”. Professor Dame Angela McLean is now chief scientific adviser to the Government (PA Video) He said he ...

Government advisers called Sunak ‘Dr Death’ during pandemic, Covid inquiry told

integrated optics, microfluidics. Conventional FLDW has the problem of asymmetric lateral and axial fabrication resolution, the axial resolution is significantly elongated, which limit the application of femtosecond lasers in 3D processing. In recent years ...

3D isotropic microfabrication in glass using spatiotemporal focusing of femtosecond laser pulses

Fiber optic communication standards are sets of rules and specifications that define how to use fiber optic cables and devices for data transmission. They cover aspects such as data formats ...

How can you integrate fiber optic communication standards with older systems?

jsei.ucla.edu Aim We tested the hypothesis that visual field (VF) progression can be predicted with a deep learning model based on longitudinal pairs of optic disc photographs (ODP) acquired at earlier time points during follow-up. Methods 3919 eyes (2259 ...

Prediction of visual field progression with serial optic disc photographs using deep learning

Rapper Cardi B celebrated her birthday on October 11th, and her boo, fellow rapper Offset, absolutely delivered when it comes to grand gestures and gifts.

Offset Went Wild with Gifts for Cardi B's Birthday

“Hamas would be sure to adopt the same simple but highly effective tactic in Gaza – while, once again, sacrificing civilians to worsen the 'optics' further for Israel,” Mr Collins said.

Former Army Commander from Belfast warns against ‘flood of Bloody Sundays’ as Israel weighs full-scale invasion in Gaza

Communications Research Institute today unveiled its latest 6G research achievements at the company's "Approaching the 6G Era" conference. The Institute released three whitepapers, "Convergence of AI and Communication,

Forging the Intelligent Future: vivo Communications Research Institute Unveils Latest 6G R&D Progress

For recommendations regarding fiber optic cables and related topics, the range G.650-G659 is provided. Each recommendation refers to a different type of fiber, hence the names of fiber types ...

Fiber Optic Standards and Recommendations

BS-Optics

bsoptics

What if I told you that the Metaverse already exists, that there is a vibrant oasis filled with hundreds of thousands of people who spend endless hours hopping across digital worlds, hanging out, drinking, falling asleep, and even falling in love together? Would you believe me? I spent the past three weeks traversing through the dark but promising cybernetic world of . This is not the first time I've spent long stints here, but this time I had a mission. To find out what it is about this massively successful “Metaverse” that has gotten so much interest from users but none whatsoever from the media. VR Chat It almost seemed like news outlets have gotten so much attention for criticizing the idea of a that any hint of its potential success might threaten their already well-positioned narrative of ridicule, and thus they deny its existence altogether. VR future To get the full experience, I strapped into all the VR gear I could muster. ✅ Oculus Quest Pro with touch pro controllers, check. ✅ Bhaptics 40 full contact vest, check. ✅ KatWalkVR Omnidirectional Treadmill , check. Source: Upload VR During these sessions, I would start my day by choosing or sometimes even building my Avatar of the day. VR Chats' meme-filled selection of characters is not for the faint of heart--an arsenal of beings that screams nothing but 4chan, ready for you to embody. If that doesn’t quench your thirst for possession, you can build your own avatars easily with the VRChat SDK using Blender. Source: VRChat There are no limitations, no default humanoid shape to confine to; you can truly be whatever you want. As soon as you plug in, there are hundreds if not thousands of worlds to explore, worlds filled with real people and activities that range from a simple scene from your favorite anime to lounge to full-flight simulators replicating the most thrilling scene in Top Gun Maverick. You can enter bars where people are drunk in real life, and you can go to strip clubs with pixel nudists or even experiment with being a furry for the first time with no judgment. Source: VRChat Source: VRChat The community, the events, and the sheer number of people and content put to shame. It demonstrates that dictating art style with an iron fist and micro-managing creativity is not what a healthy virtual world needs. Yes, there are dark places in every unmoderated part of the internet, and VRChat is no different, but looking numbers results, we can conclude that perhaps a corporation like Meta who have to worry about their public image over the utility of their product probably isn’t going to be the one who brings the Metaverse to the endzone. Meta’s Horizon World Source: VRChat Source: VRChat VRChat also delivers on the freedom that Decentraland and Sandbox promised but have yet to deliver, all without the need to sell a single piece of virtual land. It became a place where veterans suffering from PTSD could process their trauma in safety and where people could explore their sexualities anonymously without being shunned or sent to correction camps. A place where game shows are co-hosted by your favorite muppets with participants skinned in characters that frequently top the comment sections of subreddit threads. VRChat encompasses all the absurdity and obscurity of the internet, manifesting them into virtual worlds that anyone can surf through with custom avatars. There is no pressure to one-up each other by wearing virtual T-shirts or having a bigger plot of land. Everybody simply exists together. Source: VRChat Source: VRChat It is in these three weeks that I realized the business models of decentralized virtual worlds have to change. The toxic cycle of artificial scarcity and FOMO needs to end in order for true adoption to take place. While VRChat has proven the demand for a digital oasis free from corporate meddling, more importantly, it has also demonstrated that there are indeed enough users in the industry to support the idea of a Metaverse. For all the leaders in , this is an opportunity to not only learn but also take the next step toward building a better future. Web3

Why Web3 Needs Its Own VRChat

The lead image for this article was generated by HackerNoon's via the prompt "a man playing vr games" AI Image Generator My VR journey started with the Oculus Quest in 2019. It’s kind of crazy to think that I’ve been in the VR scene for 4 years now. From getting my mind blown by Beat Saber to , I’ve experienced almost everything the virtual reality video game genre has to offer. interviewing the makers of The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners I’ve , soft modded Skyrim to my heart’s content, and felt like a real soldier playing with the most expensive VR gunstock on the market. experimented with hard mods Pavlov Throughout these 4 years of hardcore VR gaming, I’ve amassed a large number of accessories, controllers, and peripherals that have only made my gaming experience more enjoyable. While some of these items I could definitely live without, there are some accessories that I consider completely essential. In this article, I’ll cover the VR accessories I think everyone needs to get the most out of their virtual reality experience. While I’ll mostly be covering Meta Quest 2 accessories, almost all these items have counterparts for all the major VR headsets out there. Note: Please note that I have NOT received payment from any of the companies listed below for inclusion in this article. However, every item I mention below was sent to me for free by the company for review and consideration. With that in mind, everything I write below is true to my real experience testing these items throughout my daily VR play sessions. Vested Interest Disclaimer: 1. ZyberVR Headset and Controller Dock & Charging Station I’m ashamed to say that I have been neglecting headset storage for pretty much the past 3 and a half years. Since I picked up my headset and played it almost every day, I didn’t think there was a point to get a fancy docking station. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong. The VR charging dock I currently use for my Meta Quest 2 is from . The company makes accessories for other headsets too, so don’t worry if you don’t own the Quest 2. ZyberVR Put simply, this is the most useful VR accessory I own. It keeps my Quest 2 headset and controllers tidy, protected, and, most importantly, fully charged. We’ve all had that facepalm moment when we are all set for our VR workout or gaming session only to strap the headset on and find that either the headset itself is out of battery, or the controllers are. Getting yourself a dock/charging station will stop that from ever happening again. One of the best things about it is the ability to charge your controllers wirelessly. This dock and many like it charges the controllers via the dock itself wirelessly. This means it’ll come with custom double-a batteries for your controllers and custom battery covers that allow you to charge the controllers without ever having to take the batteries out ever again. If you’re still sleeping on this, do yourself a favor and make sure a VR charging dock is your next gaming purchase. For more information on the ZyberVR dock, check out my full review of this product below: https://hackernoon.com/this-vr-charging-dock-is-the-most-essential-quest-2-accessory-on-the-market?embedable=true 2. Skull Caps for Sweat Absorption & Silicone Face Covers I think for most people it is physically impossible not to sweat in VR. You have a bright, hot, screen an inch from your eyes, which is strapped tightly to your face, pretty much covering your entire head. On top of that, in VR your entire body is engaged. You’re moving; you’re reacting, rather than just pressing X or A on the controller. This makes VR gaming a lot healthier (physically, at least). However, it also makes VR gaming a lot sweatier and more uncomfortable. : silicone face covers, microfiber sweat-absorbing face covers, and even complete facial interface replacements. I’ve tried everything there is on the market There is no perfect solution to the hot headset = sweat problem. Let me start with the bad news: But the good news is you can prevent water damage to the headset and wear something comfortable that can absorb as much of the sweat as you can. To this, the best solution I’ve found throughout the years is simple: Use a silicone face cover, and wipe sweat off of it during the session Wear a skull cap during more active VR sessions Silicone Face Covers The Silicone Face Cover does not absorb sweat; it does the opposite. It keeps sweat on the surface and makes it easy to wipe off in between sessions. But in my experience (as the sweatiest person on the planet), that is not enough. You also need to absorb as much sweat as you can. Skull Caps The Skull Cap is the other piece of the puzzle that will absorb your sweat as you play. The reason I chose a skull cap and not a headband is you need to choose something that is as thin as possible. Otherwise, you’ll be wearing a bulky cloth underneath an already bulky headset. For that purpose, skull caps are best. Some of them were made to be worn under bike helmets. I don’t have a particular brand in mind, but I’d recommend choosing ones that come in multiples. These are pretty much a use-once-and-throw-in-the-laundry type of item, so it’s best to have many of them on hand and ready to go every week. 3. Haptic Feedback Accessories I kept this item in the list very vague on purpose. Lots of these accessories are extras that are not essential to the VR games they were made for. However, some of the most fun and most immersive experiences I’ve ever had in VR have been thanks to accessories that provide haptic feedback. Haptic feedback is currently the pinnacle of VR immersion. It might not be Ready, Player One, but it’s damn well the best we have. For me, there are 2 haptic feedback accessories I can highly recommend: bHaptics VR Haptic Vest Make no mistake; the bHaptics haptic vest is one of the most expensive gaming accessories I’ve ever seen. Not VR gaming accessories, just gaming in general. Don’t believe me? The bHaptics Tact Suit retails for either $299 USD or $499 USD. It is expensive, but after testing it I understand why. If you get punched in the stomach in a boxing game like Thrill of the Fight, you can feel the feedback in your stomach. If you get hit in the chest, you feel it in your chest. This brings about a new level of immersion synced to your game that isn’t cheap to come by. This tech itself is early and bHaptics is one of the first to market. This definitely isn’t an essential accessory by any means, but those of you money bags that are dedicated to VR gaming should definitely check it out. Forcetube Haptic Rifle Stock Without , without haptic feedback, playing shooting games in VR is a lot like playing make believe. You hold the rifle in the game literally by floating your controllers in place (pretending to hold a rifle). It works well enough, but it definitely isn’t that immersive. VR rifle stocks But instead imagine if you held a gun up in VR and in real life you were holding something like this: I don’t have a video of the Forcetube but to show you what the haptics would feel like here is a video of me testing the ProVolver (a pistol version of the Forcetube). https://twitter.com/AmbalinaLimarc/status/1488448263925616640?embedable=true The immersion that haptic feedback offers is something every VR gamer should experience at some point. However, I need to be extra clear that these accessories are incredibly expensive. They aren’t really something the casual gamer can afford. Please shop responsibly! 4. Controller Grips: ZyberVR KNIGHT Direct-Charge Controller Grips Cover for Quest 2 If I’m being completely honest, these were items I never expected to be on this list. As a safety precaution, pretty much all modern VR motion controllers come with wrist straps. The wrist straps annoying to put on and don’t feel that great, but I do believe they are necessary. They make us feel safe and let us rest assured that if we get too immersed in the experience and swing our hands too wildly, our loved ones and the expensive items around the house won’t get hit by a flying motion controller. With that in mind, I was very skeptical when testing out these battery-powered controller grips by ZyberVR. However, I was very pleasantly surprised by how great these felt and how much I warmed up to them. What Are They? The epically named are rubber grips that wrap around the entire grip of the Quest 2 controller. They come with special battery packs and a usb-c port at the bottom of the grip that allows you to charge the controllers directly with a usb-c charger without ever having to take the grips off. KNIGHT Controller Grips The Pros: The grips make the controller much larger than the original form factor. For gamers with larger hands, this alone is a blessing and the larger grip makes the controller easer and more comfortable to handle. Comfort: The larger grip also makes the controllers heavier. And when we talk about immersion, it’s obvious to most of us that the smooth light plastic controller feels nothing like the real-life counterparts of the swords and guns we wield in games Skyrim VR or Crisis Vrigade. Immersion: The KNIGHT grip is much more believable and makes it feel more like we really are holding the hilt of a sword or the grip of a firearm. It goes without saying that a rubberized grip makes it harder for the controller to accidentally slip out of your hand. While the original Quest 2 controllers have wrist straps, the smooth plastic by its nature has virtually no traction and yes, it is easy to let the controller fall out of your hands. That’s why the wrist straps are there. Safety (non-slip): To make sure that the KNIGHT controller grips really were worth it, I tried them on two of the games in which I swing my arms with the most force: The Thrill of the Fight and Beatsaber. I’m happy to report that not once during testing did the controllers fly off my hands (despite having no wrist strap). The rubber has so much traction that it’d be virtually impossible to have the controllers accidentally slip out of your hands. Keep in mind that I was playing games in which instinctively we are gripping the controllers quite strongly; boxing basically requires us to have our hands balled up into fists the entire time. Also, I made sure to tighten the grips as much as I could without making it uncomfortable. As long as you do that, I can say that you’d pretty much have to be trying to throw the grips off to have them fly out of your hands. See video below for a demonstration. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfqVhfj3BFQ&list=TLGGKK6rEcEn3PYwNDA2MjAyMw&t=30s&embedable=true The Cons My main gripe with this item is that it is incompatible with the accessory I talked about earlier in this list that I consider essential: charging docks. Since the grip covers the entire controller and has a custom battery back, it of course makes it so that the controllers will no longer fit in any sort of charging dock (including the dock that ZyberVR themselves sell). This issue is the only thing that stops me from using the grips 24/7. I really like the convenience of just popping the controllers onto the dock after a play session. With these grips on, I need to place them somewhere else separate from the headset. Dock Incompatibility: In general, unless you’re being reckless, your VR controllers should never fly out of your hands. That is regardless of whether you have these grips or not. However, wrist straps always made me feel an extra level of ease, knowing that if I do scew up for whatever reason, the wrist straps keep the controllers from being hurled across the room. While the rubberized grip is strong, I can’t help but wonder why they didn’t just include wrist straps on these things for added safety. No Wrist Straps: At the end of the day, if you find your VR controllers too small for your hands or you hate wrist straps, these would be the perfect accessories for you. However, if you prioritize storage convenience, like I do, I’d rather not have these grips and keep the convenience of using a charging dock. 5. Headstrap Replacements/Upgrades Last, but not least, is probably the most important and most essential item on this list. When something is strapped to your head for hours, the most important accessory you can buy is one that will make that item more comfortable and put less strain on your face, neck, and whatever muscles we subconsciously use to keep the headset in place. Thee biggest issue with VR right now is how uncomfortable and inconvenient the headset design is. All VR headsets are front-heavy. This means that whatever headset strap or upgrade you invest in needs to offset that front-heaviness. The options vary depending on your headset, but most designs are similar. The two most important things to look for in a strap are: Weight (and weight distribution) of the strap Tightening mechanism For those of you that just want something simple that works out of the box, I’d recommend getting a replacement strap that has a battery pack on the back of the strap. This will ensure there is a counterweight on the back of your head that offsets the heaviness of the headset itself. Once that is taken care of, the next best thing to look for is a strap that has a dial to control the tightness of it. It’ll make it super easy to take the headset on and off. I’m sure we are all wondering what the hell Meta was thinking when they made the head strap of the original Quest 2 super flimsy and harder to adjust than a pair of ice skates. This is pretty much the only design factor in which PSVR was superior. Recommendation for Meta Quest 2: The ZyberVR Elite Head Strap The is also from ZyberVR. While they sent this to me for free, I wanted to make sure that the quality of the head strap actually stood above the rest. head strap I currently use on my Quest 2 Comparing to Cheaper Options , I decided to buy 1 from and 2 from Amazon Japan just to see if it really is worth it to spend $49.99 on a head strap, rather than $15-30 you could spend on Wish or other marketplaces. Since there are so many cheap head straps from brands no one has ever heard of Wish.com So I bought this one from a seller named TeeMars on Amazon Japan that converts to about $30 USD. And I also bought this one from a company called NiceCool (lol that’s really their name). This one was the equivalent of $25 USD. And also, I bought this terrible one from from a company called Animation around. Sadly, it also was the most expensive one as well at $33 USD. Wish.com After testing all 3 of those no-name brand headstraps, by far the best one was ZyberVR’s followed by the one by NiceCool who had a similar design. There are 3 reasons why ZyberVR won out in the end (and no one of them is not because they sent me the product for free): The 6000mAh battery adds a decent amount of weight to the back of the headstrap, offsetting the front-heavy Quest 2 The back of the head strap has a rubberized cradle for the round back of your skull. The top strap that runs along the center of your skull has a soft cushion. The NiceCool version and even the original Elite Strap by Meta themselves didn’t have this in their design. I think the winning formula here is headstraps that follow Meta’s original ergonomic elite strap design (pictured below), but also improve on it and fix its imperfections. Lastly, don’t forget that you’ll need a strap that has a dial you can turn to adjust the tightness. Most of the newer models will have it but some still don’t. Final Thoughts That’s it for my list of VR accessories that every Meta Quest (or pretty much every VR gamer) needs to at least consider. Some of these may be perfect for you, and some might not. Let me know in the comments below what you consider to be the essential accessories in your VR gaming setup.

5 VR Accessories and Peripherals Every Meta Quest Owner Needs to Check Out

The GNU Project's First Milestone

El primer hito del proyecto GNU

La première étape du projet GNU

जीएनयू परियोजना का पहला मील का पत्थर

GNU プロジェクトの最初のマイルストーン

O primeiro marco do Projeto GNU

Cột mốc đầu tiên của Dự án GNU

GNU 项目的第一个里程碑

While there hasn’t been any official crossover between the VR Beat Saber game and the Star Wars franchise, the inspirations behind the game are clear. like a bada$$ jedi, and tricks you into thinking you have real dance skills. Beat Saber makes you feel Some of us are just trying our best to clear levels on expert mode. However, some more advanced VR gamers have been looking for ways to make Beat Saber more exciting and challenging. If you’re in this camp, and think you have the Beat Saber skills to handle a bigger challenge, look no further than the Darth Maul Mode, also called Maul Saber. In this article, we’ll teach you the quickest way to start playing Beat Saber with a Darth-Maul-Style dual-blade saber (no software mods needed). Table of Contents: What is the Darth Maul Mod (Maul Saber) in Beat Saber? How to Play the Darth Maul Mod in Beat Saber (simple way) Accessories/hardware needed How to set up the game Tips & Tricks What is the Darth Maul Mode in Beat Saber (Maul Saber)? A video says a million words, so let’s take a look at a quick sample by one of my favorite VR YouTubers, Naysy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCuT0reHXNs?embedable=true the Darth Maul Mode, or Maul Saber mode, is a way to play the VR rhythm game Beat Saber with a dual-bladed saber. Rather than holding 1 controller in each hand, the VR controllers are joined into one extended controller handle. Simply, Obviously, the name is inspired by Darth Maul’s dual-bladed lightsaber in Star Wars. How to Play the Darth Maul Mod on Beat Saber In this article, I’ll explain the quickest and easiest way to set up the Darth Maul mod. I’m sure there are more sophisticated ways to do this, but my setup requires no software mods at all and works with the native Beat Saber game. Quest 2 Accessories / Hardware Needed VR Headset: I tested this with the Oculus Quest 2, but it should work with any VR headset Beat Saber Game Specialized VR controller handle: I used ’s All-in-One Fitness Handles ZyberVR The ZyberVR All-in-One Fitness Handles This accessory from ZyberVR is versatile and can be used for more than just Beat Saber. However, when testing it out, I found Beat Saber to be by far the most fun and most natural game to use the in. All-in-One Handles The handle can be taken apart and used in Double Stick Mode for games like Blade and Sorcery. It’s also been optimized to simulate a golf club grip for games like Walkabout Mini Golf. However, for this Darth Maul Beat Saber mod, we’ll be using the Long Handle Mode. How to Set it Up After you’ve attached your controllers to the accessory in Long Handle Mode, the next step is to simply set up the game. Open Beat Saber Step 1. In the options menu, click the “No Arrows” setting. Step 2. Optional: Until you get the hang of it, I’d recommend turning on “No Bombs” as well and playing in easy mode. Load up your favorite song and give it your best shot! Step 3. Tips & Tricks Secure the Controllers Tightly The most important thing to do BEFORE you play is to that the buckle on the controller is secured and locked in. be 100% sure When you really get into it, you’ll be twisting and swinging the staff around like a Shaolin monk trained in ancient martial arts. The problem with that is the controllers will be moving in high velocity and if they come lose, they’ll be thrown from the handle like projectile. I learned this the hard way and almost broke an overhead lightbulb. Give Yourself More Space You’ve learned the space needed for Beat Saber based on holding the controllers directly in your hands. That means the only room your needed was equal to a little bit more than your wingspan. The ZyberVR dual-handle controller staff accessory is exactly that: a long staff. It is around 26 inches in length and you should you normally use in Beat Saber to play with the Darth Maul Beat Saber mod safely. aim for double the space Final Thoughts We tried this mod using the ZyberVR long handle controller accessory shown above. But it can work with any similar device. Let me know what you think about this mod and if you know better or more sophisticated ways to set it up! Interested in reading about other VR peripherals? Check out my other reviews: : Haptic Feedback is the Next Step in VR Bhaptics Haptic Vest Review Provolver VR Pistol Review

How to Play Darth Maul Mod in Beat Saber (The Simple Way)

In a flash report to press attendees, the TGS 2022 press contact has announced that the event was able to bring in 138,192 Visitors over a 4-day period. . However, as I mentioned in , the number of attendees was noticeably lower than in previous years. Those are impressive numbers in a post-Covid era my last post The last time the event took place in person was in 2019, and the show brought in over 262,000 visitors. That's around just 50% of their attendee numbers pre-Covid. This is partly due to a max limit of visitors the event had to set on the event's public days, to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We've Got to Start Somewhere Konami showcase at TGS 2022 I'm sure the TGS committee knew to expect far fewer guests this year. Regardless of that, I applaud them for holding the event knowing that they'd get less of a return. In their flash report, next to the total attendee numbers, they wrote their theme for the event this year: "Nothing Stops Gaming" And they're right. If anything, the gaming industry only grew throughout the years of lockdowns and social distancing. For many of us, video games are what helped get us through these hard times. Who can forget the key timing release of Animal Crossing when everyone needed someplace to escape to, without being able to leave their homes? To revive in-person gaming events and bring a physical presence back to the industry, we've got to start somewhere. While 50% of previous years' numbers isn't great, it's a start, and I'm sure the number of attendees will continue to rise next year and the year after that. Countries and Companies in Attendance at TGS 2022 Re:Zero Infinity at TGS 2022 While the attendees may have been lower this year, we saw an impressive number of companies from various countries make it to the event. There were a total of hailing from and regions all over the world exhibiting at the event! 605 companies and organizations 37 different countries Advancements in Gaming Tech on Display What impressed me most this year was the tech advancements being exhibited. Blockchain Gaming I really, really didn't expect any at the event, but to my surprise there were many! blockchain gaming companies I had a great chat with about how they are bringing NFTs to some of Japan's most popular IPs, such as Tezuka Osamu's Astro Boy: double jump.tokyo I also met with and got to chat with a representative about all their current blockchain games and the ones they have in the pipeline. PlayMining VR at TGS 2022 Setting Meta aside (because I hate the company but love the Quest headset), there were many VR peripheral companies at the event this year. One peripheral I've been waiting for is a haptic glove that could make it feel as though you were really holding objects in VR and possibly even feel their weight and textures. Just from a quick walk through the venue, I saw not one, not two, but three companies exhibiting VR haptic gloves! One of those companies Diver-X is pictured below. Their product is called . Contact Glove Aside from gloves, we saw bHaptics showing off their newest , Kat Walk showing off their VR treadmills, and with a new take on the . haptic suits Striker VR VR rifle stock Final Thoughts on Tokyo Game Show 2022 Numbers While the numbers were lower this year, the enthusiasm of the attendees was the polar opposite. You could feel the excitement in the air from both guests and exhibitors to finally be out and mingling with their peers in the industry. I'll be contacting some of the companies mentioned in this article directly to collaborate on deeper pieces about the work they're doing, so stay tuned for that! Before I go, I'll leave you with these parting words to remember and tattoo on your arm: Nothing Stops Gaming.

TGS 2022 Suffers a Nearly 50% Decrease in Guests, But 'Nothing Stops Gaming'

TGS 2022 sufre una disminución de casi el 50 % en el número de invitados, pero "nada detiene el juego"

TGS 2022 subit une baisse de près de 50 % du nombre d'invités, mais « rien n'arrête le jeu »

TGS 2022 में मेहमानों की संख्या में लगभग 50% की कमी आई है, लेकिन 'कुछ भी नहीं रुकता गेमिंग'

TGS 2022 はゲスト数が 50% 近く減少しましたが、「ゲームを止めるものは何もありません」

TGS 2022 sofre uma queda de quase 50% no número de convidados, mas 'nada impede os jogos'

TGS 2022 giảm gần 50% lượng khách nhưng 'Không có gì ngăn cản được trò chơi'

TGS 2022 的客人减少了近 50%，但“没有什么能阻止游戏”

ProTubeVR has always been one of my favorite companies in the industry when it comes to VR peripherals. For those of us that are hardcore into VR, things like , , and even VR treadmills can bring a stronger sense of immersion to the games we love. VR gun stocks haptic vests Just when I thought I'd seen it all, I got a message from ProTubeVR about an awesome new product they had in the works: the ProVolver. Please note that I have not received any compensation from ProVolver for this review or its placement. However, they did send me the product for free to review. Nevertheless, the thoughts below contain my honest review of the product. Disclaimer: This product was tested on the Quest 2, using both native Quest games and PCVR games through VR Desktop. Table of Contents What is ProVolver? Specs What games does ProVolver work with? What VR headsets are compatible? ProVolver Review What is ProVolver? From the creators of the VR Rifle Stock, the Magtube and Forcetube, the ProVolver is a haptic feedback gunstock optimized for pistol-based gameplay. The design looks like a pistol and is weighted heavily at the front of the stock. Without even considering the haptic feedback, the weight alone makes you feel like you're really holding a pistol in VR. When connected in-game, and you fire a weapon, the device has a kickback and the 'barrel' (sorry if my pistol vocabulary is not correct) cocks back. See the video below. ProVolver Specs : Bluetooth 4.0 Connectivity : 2500mAmpH Battery (4 hours of use) 7 hours - USB type C Charging: 5 Joules max Kick Power: 10mm Slide mode: : 560gr (module + cup) Weight 25hz max Frequency: What Games is it Compatible With? Of course, the best games to play with the ProVolver are FPS games. Here is the list of it's currently compatible with: native Quest games Pavlov Onward Contractors Gun Club VR Sniper Elite VR Crisis Vrigade 2 Sweet Surrender Ark Ade Hot Dogs, Horseshoes, and Hand Grenades Aim XR Virtual Battlegrounds Clay Hunt VR Cactus Cowboy 3 GangV Recommended PCVR Compatible Games Half-Life: Alyx Pistol Whip The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners Population: One Medal of Honor While the list of native PCVR games is small, you can play almost any PCVR game with the ProVolver using their companion app. On their website, ProTube VR states: "For the games without native compatibility, we made a "Companion App", synchronizing your computer and the feedback module. When used with PCVR/SteamVR games, this application will recognize the signals sent by the games to the headset, and activate the haptic module accordingly. Note : there is no data collected and no impact on the PC or Headset performance. All information are available on our GitHub " I tried the ProVolver on Pavlov via Steam VR and Virtual Desktop and it worked perfectly. Pros of the ProVolver: The ProVolver isn't perfect, but it certainly is an excellent piece of VR hardware. Ease of Setup It is quite difficult to find a VR peripheral that I could call 'plug-and-play', but relative to other VR software and hardware I've set up in the past, the ProVolver is incredibly easy to set up. I would go as far as to call it a plug-and-play device. All you have to do to set it up on the Quest 2 is connect the ProTube to your headset via bluetooth...and that's it. No complicated menu screens to set up, no logins to do. This is one of the best things about the product making it easy even for casual gamers to set up. Strength of Feedback While this is customizable via their companion app, the default settings of the ProVolver have strong feedback. I've used the ForceTube for over a year now and the difference in strength of feedback between the two is night and day. The ProVolver is much stronger, so if you're looking for more of a kick, this is definitely the product to go with. Versatility You can use the ProVolver for more than just pistol gameplay. The device comes with an attachment that allows you to connect another magcup so that you can use the ProVolver for every firearm imaginable. I've seen some very inventive users in the ProTube Discord. But this was my go-to setup for using the ProVolver in Pavlov: By connecting both the ForceTube and the ProTube to my PC I was able to get haptic feedback from both the gunstock and the ProVolver. Gameplay Obviously, the most important thing above all else is whether or not it is fun to use. Does it make VR games more immersive? Does it make shooting games more fun to play? The answer to both questions is a resounding yes. In Pavlov, I wasn't that interested in ever using pistols, but when using the ProVolver, I just couldn't stop using pistols in my games even though that put me at a disadvantage. It made me feel like James Bond or some sort of action movie hero. Check out gameplay from Virtual Reality Oasis to get a better look at it: Cons of ProTube VR I mentioned earlier that while this is a very excellent VR peripheral, it isn't without its flaws. Design (of the controller cups) I absolutely love the design of the ProTube itself. However, the mag cup that holds the Quest 2 controller seemed like a bit of a rush job. While they definitely did the job, they felt a bit flimsy, and the way that the ProTube module connects to the cup is quite rudimentary. It is essentially held together by two clamps that tighten the bolt/screws keeping it in place. Every time I tightened the device, I wondered how many times I could disconnect and reconnect it before it would give out and I'd have to buy replacement cups. Price The other major con (as with many VR gaming peripherals) is the high cost. The Quest 2 version will run you around . That is more expensive than the Quest 2 itself. $387 USD However, this is quite staple in the VR peripheral market. Items like the . So while a high price for the casual gamer, those who are hardcore into VR probably won't be too surprised at this high cost. Bhaptics Haptic Vest will run you $499 ProVolver Review Verdict: 8/10 As far as haptic VR peripherals go, this is one of the best I've had the pleasure of reviewing. I give the ProVolver 8/10 because while the functionality was excellent, the design of the mag cup could use some work and the price is a little bit too high for most casual gamers. With that said, VR is a bit of a luxury gaming item and more VR gamers couldn't really be considered casual gamers in the first place. Those that are investing into VR headsets normally aren't too strapped for cash, which is why there are companies like ProTube VR and Bhaptics that can run their businesses selling high-priced peripherals like this. This was just my first review, and I plan to give more thoughts on the product as I have the chance to test it out even further. What do you think about the ProVolver? Let me know in the comments below!

ProVolver Review: VR Haptic Feedback at its Finest

Revisión de ProVolver: retroalimentación háptica de realidad virtual en su máxima expresión

It is a return to a long-awaited normalcy the gamers of Japan, no, the gamers of the world, so rightfully deserve. I know being invited as press to the event means that I have a duty to report on the latest games, gadgets, and great ideas the event had to offer. And I will do that, I promise. But when I sat down today, exhausted from the event, I felt nothing but gratitude, and I wanted to first report on that. When faced with a global pandemic, war in Europe, and divided nations, the cancelling of TGS 2020 and 2021 pale in comparison. However, these seemingly small events are the things we look forward to every year. We work hard and push forward, waiting for them. And when enough of the small things you look forward to in life are canceled, life itself starts to lose colour. I'm glad that today, at least in some small way, the gaming industry of Japan has started to show some colour again. TGS 2022 TL;DR HackerNoon was onsite at this year's TGS and we want to bring you our firsthand experience of the event. Tokyo Game Show 2022 wasn't as good as the last event (in 2019), but it had large shoes to fill with limited resources to fill them. 2019 was a huge year for video games and an incredible year for TGS. That year, we saw Cyberpunk 2077, , and Final Fantasy 7 Remake Death Stranding all exhibited at the event. The first year the big event returns to Japan's shores suffers from a lack of international guests. Not everyone is comfortable, prepared, or allowed to travel to Japan and we'll likely see a smaller show because of that. But despite its shortcomings, Tokyo Game Show 2022 is more than just a video game convention; it is the start of our comeback. Attendance During Business Days Ramping Up to Pre-Covid Levels On the first day of the event, there were much fewer attendees than in 2019. Most of the games were anywhere from a 15-minute to 1-hour wait. While that sounds pretty bad, many lines at TGS 2019 were a 1.5 to 2-hour wait. On the plus side, it means those in attendance were able to play more games in a much shorter time! However, it was pretty much as crowded as I remembered. In certain popular sections, it was hard to even walk through. on the second business day, Meta Quest Wait Time on Second Business DAy Some lines were so long you'd be waiting upwards of 2 hours to try to play the game. And some games like Sonic Frontiers had so many people waiting that they had to stop accepting people for the rest of the day. The Best of The Triple-A Game Showcases There were many great game development companies exhibiting at this year's event. Some of those great companies include: Capcom THQ Nordic Sega Atlus Square Enix Bandai Namco Valve Some of the Best Games Exhibiting This Year Were Sonic Frontiers FF7 Crisis Core Reunion Bomberman 2 Valkyrie Elysium Persona 5 Royal Resident Evil Village for PSVR 2 Forspoken Among the best of the showcases had to be Sonic Frontiers. Not only did they have a huge well-designed booth, they even had a life-sized Sonic waiting to take pictures with you at the photo booth. Sonic Frontiers Booth at TGS 2022 Great VR Presence As a self-diagnosed VR junkie, I was really happy to see the large VR presence at the event and the excitement around it. There was an entire hall dedicated to VR, with exhibitors such as Meta Quest, Pico, , Kat Walk, and a wide variety of indie VR devs. bHaptics What was even better to see was the interest of attendees in the VR space. Among the longest lines at the entire convention were for Meta Quest 2 (as seen in an earlier picture) and Pico. Some games for Pico had a 1-and-a-half-hour wait. What made me even more excited was the vast amount of VR game peripheral companies exhibiting. There was an awesome new haptic rifle stock company , as well as MULTIPLE haptic glove companies showing off their technological advancements. Striker VR Insane Indie Ingenuity For lovers of indie games, TGS 2022 was a dream. There were indie devs and publishers from Malaysia, Vietnam, Germany, Korea, Hong Kong, and more! It was cool to see games I'd seen floating around Facebook indie game groups in their Kickstarter phase, actually showing off demos at the event. I remember a year or two ago, seeing The Wandering Village on this Facebook group when the game was just an idea: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Unity3DGameDev/permalink/3224181020984009/ Today, I saw it at the indie booth! WhisperGames Final Thoughts This was just a short first impressions post of TGS 2022. There will be more posts to come! All in all, it was an amazing event, one that I'd been waiting for for 2 years. Luckily, it didn't disappoint. I'm looking forward to TGS 2023 and all the amazing experiences the video game industry has to offer until then.

Tokyo Game Show 2022 is More Than Just a Video Game Convention

Tokyo Game Show 2022 es más que una simple convención de videojuegos

Le Tokyo Game Show 2022 est plus qu'une simple convention de jeux vidéo

टोक्यो गेम शो 2022 सिर्फ एक वीडियो गेम कन्वेंशन से कहीं अधिक है

東京ゲームショウ 2022 は単なるビデオゲームのコンベンションではありません

Tokyo Game Show 2022 é mais do que apenas uma convenção de videogame

Tokyo Game Show 2022 không chỉ là một công ước trò chơi điện tử

2022 年东京电玩展不仅仅是一场电子游戏大会

Haptic feedback suits represent the next step towards true immersion in virtual reality gaming. Virtual reality works by establishing a space that can stimulate our senses enough to create the illusion of being in a different world. The current VR headsets on the market create this illusion by stimulating our sense of sight (through 6DoF visuals) and our sense of hearing (through binaural 3D audio), along with slight vibration feedback from the controllers. However, with the emergence of haptic feedback accessories, VR games now have the ability to activate a third human sense, our sense of touch. What is Haptic Feedback? Put simply, haptic feedback is the use of vibration to convey another layer of information to the user. In VR, we can use haptic feedback in the controllers to simulate things like the kick from firing a pistol or the impact of hitting an enemy with your fists. When we start looking at top-of-the-line accessories that can generate more sophisticated forms of haptic feedback, the amount of immersion VR games provide can increase drastically. If you’re looking to learn more about haptics, check out . this article Why Haptic Suits are the Future of VR Our sense of touch is arguably the most important sense that helps make a situation feel more realistic. I could be surrounded by zombies, getting mauled to death. However, if all I’m experiencing are a few blood spatter visual effects and zombies snarling, it isn’t enough to create a strong sense of urgency. On the other hand, if I could feel where the zombies were hitting me on my body, that difference would be enough to or at least something similar. After all, what would be scarier in a haunted house VR experience: seeing a ghost at the end of the hall or feeling a hand on your shoulder in the dark? trigger the fight or flight instinct A full haptic suit that can send haptic feedback from head to toe will greatly increase the realism of games, making horror games scarier, and action games more intense. Haptic suits are the closest we can get to a true deep-dive VR experience with the technology we have today. The bHaptics Haptic Suit Accessories Seven months into my VR journey, I began to wonder how I could make the VR games I loved so much even better. Aside from better graphics, I wondered what could make these virtual reality experiences feel more . That was when I began my research into the world of haptic feedback gloves, vests, and other accessories. real The Oculus Quest being my main VR headset, I started searching for haptic accessories not only compatible with the Quest but ones that had native support. Since the Quest itself was a relatively new platform, I wasn’t expecting to find any native support at all. However, it didn’t take me too long to find , a haptic accessories developer run out of Korea. bHaptics . However, they did send me their products for review in this article. Nevertheless, the following is my true opinion of their products. Full disclosure: I do not work for bHaptics, nor am I being paid by bHaptics in any way to write this review The Pros “Most VR content is in the first person, which means a VR user is unaware of things happening out of their sight,” said a bHaptics representative. “With haptic feedback, users have an immediate and instinctive reaction to everything happening in VR, which makes the experience far more realistic and immersive.” After reviewing the Tactot haptic vest and armband accessories from bHaptics, I am convinced that haptic suits represent the next step in VR immersion. Design The bHaptics haptic vest is sleek and well-designed, made to fit a variety of body types. The Tactosy haptic arm accessories are easy to slip on and slip off. Adjustable straps allow you to adjust the tightness of the vest and the armbandsBoth products have a removable inner mesh which is machine-washable Precision The vest works best in games like and where haptic feedback is directly linked to specific parts of the vest. For example, in enemy punches can be felt on specific parts of your torso or forearms depending on where the punch lands. Thrill of the Fight Death Horizon, Thrill of the Fight Thrill of the Fight The haptic feedback was perfectly accurate, meaning if your lower left ribs were hit, that’s where you’d feel the vibration. If you blocked the punches with your forearms, you felt the hit on your forearms. This greatly added to the realism and immersion of the game. In the game helps give you a sense of awareness, as zombies can appear randomly and attack you from every direction. There is nothing more adrenaline-pumping than feeling a vibration on your back and turning around to see a zombie flailing its arms at you. Death Horizon, Death Horizon I’m very interested to see how this technology progresses for the horror genre and how it can be integrated into haunted house games to make jump scares even more terrifying. Battery Life For most people, VR sessions don’t last longer than one to two hours. However, for those of you that can handle longer gaming sessions without feeling eye strain or fatigue, bHaptics accessories have generously long battery life. See the battery information below for the products I tested: Tactot Haptic Vest: 3.65V, 8,250mAh, 30.1Wh, up to 15 hours of playtimeTactosy Arm Accessories: 3.8V, 2900mAh, 11Wh, up to 18.4 hours of playtime Native Support So the most important reason why I chose to give bHaptics a try, was because of their native support on the Oculus Quest. Due to this support, the accessories are easy to set up. How easy? Well let me tell you step-by-step how it works: incredibly Press the pairing/power button on the accessory Load up the Oculus Quest game Hit the bHaptics icon in the settings menu Tap on the accessory you want to pair That’s it. No complicated Side Quest updates or developer mode configurations needed. Additionally, the bHaptics accessories also support an audio-to-haptic feature which is very easy to set up on your computer. After setting it up, you can use their haptic accessories to play regular PC games, watch videos, or listen to music, while the audio from these experiences is automatically translated into haptic feedback. Admittedly, it is a bit strange feeling vibration for every line of dialogue in a film. However, if movies were made to support haptic feedback and trigger said feedback naturally in action sequences, I’m sure it would improve the film experience. The Cons While there are so many good things about bHaptics haptic feedback accessories, there are some things you should take into account before deciding on a purchase. Native Support While there is native support for bHaptics accessories on the Oculus Quest, there are few games that currently support it. This is one of the biggest deterrents preventing Quest users from buying these accessories. As of July 2020, these are the games that have native support for bHaptics on the Oculus Quest: Thrill of the Fight Death Horizon: Reloaded Apex Construct (on SideQuest) Sairento VR MissionX :Lite (on SideQuest) Realms of Eternity However, it should be noted that a bHaptics representative said that they will soon be announcing that one of the most popular Quest games will provide native support for bHaptics accessories. Personally, I hope that the game they are teasing is either or I predict that native support on could help their sales and bring more attention to their accessories and haptic feedback as a whole. Beat Saber Arizona Sunshine. Beat Saber Weight While the bHaptics haptic suit accessories have a long battery life, they are also slightly heavy. Below are the weights of the products I tested. Tactot Haptic Vest: 1.7 kg / 3.74 pounds Tactosy Arm Accessories: 250g (each) / 0.55 pounds Relative to the power and battery life these accessories have, they are not that heavy. However, in order to feel the full effects of the haptic vest and armbands, you must tighten them enough to fit snugly on your body. This tightness adds to the perceived weight of the items. Wearing a tight, nearly 4-pound vest while trying to dodge enemy punches and land blows of your own can be taxing and shorten your play sessions. However, it should be noted that heavier weight could be a benefit depending on the experience. For example, I play mostly for exercise. Boxing is tough enough; boxing with a 4-pound vest on is tougher. If you’re playing VR for physical fitness, this haptic vest can help you burn calories and strengthen your muscles faster. Furthermore, while there is no support for it yet, a haptic vest for a military simulation game like could help add to the realism. Thrill of the Fight Onward Price Unsurprisingly, Oculus Quest users on Reddit said that the biggest reason they are reticent to dive into haptic accessories is the cost. For bHaptics, the price of their products reflects the high quality of their design and engineering. However, we can’t hide from the fact that the entire haptic suit (all of bHaptics head-to-toe accessories) would cost a mini-fortune. The price of the Tactot Haptic Vest alone is $499 USD which is around the same price as the 64GB version of the Oculus Quest itself. Should You Buy a Haptic Suit? As the only haptic vest on the market with native support on the Oculus Quest, bHaptics is the ideal option for Quest users who want to start getting into haptic suits. However, at their current price, it isn’t going to be a realistic option for many of you. or business that provides virtual reality experiences, then I would highly recommend you purchase bHaptics accessories to improve the user experience. These haptic feedback accessories are easy to set up and could put you over the top of your competition. that plays VR games nearly every day and you are the type of person that wants to try everything VR has to offer, then you should definitely try haptic feedback accessories. They will enhance your overall experience and with more native support to come in the future, they could be worth your investment in the long run. and aren’t that interested in the technology, then haptic accessories probably aren’t for you. If you are interested in trying the products, I suggest starting with the cheapest products on the market. Then, if you like what haptic feedback has to offer, you can upgrade to bHaptics products or other high-end haptic accessories later on. If you are running a VR arcade If you are a hardcore VR enthusiast If you are a casual VR gamer As a reference, the cheapest available bHaptics product is the Tactal haptic face cushion ($149 USD) that allows you to feel headshots in VR. The Oculus Quest itself is around $499 USD (64GB). You can check out a video review on Virtual Reality Oasis below. The Verdict At the end of the day, the most important question is whether or not haptic feedback products improve the VR experience. To that, my answer is a resounding yes. Of course for relaxing games without much action, there won’t be much room for natural haptic feedback. However, for games like where the sensation of touch could naturally be added to the game, haptic vests and other accessories change the experience completely. Thrill of the Fight With bHaptic Tactosy armbands, you can feel the kick and recoil of a pistol with every shot you take. Furthermore, with the Tactot Haptic Vest you can feel the stock of an assault rifle push into your chest every time you fire it. These sensations made every shot in feel more realistic and every bullet felt more valuable. Death Horizon I truly believe that haptic suits will change the game for virtual reality in the future. A head-to-toe haptic suit that is lightweight, yet powerful, would be the ideal solution for greater VR immersion. As a matter of fact, a bHaptics representative stated that “Building a haptic suit that covers the entire body is our final goal.” However, they would likely not begin building such a product until the market has shown enough demand for it. Hopefully, as VR becomes more mainstream, the demand for haptic feedback accessories will grow. As more and more people play VR and there are more consumers ready to try haptic suits, the overall price point should drop, making these accessories more affordable for all of us. As these haptic suits become more lightweight and intuitive, we will slowly get closer to the true full-dive virtual reality depicted in and other science fiction. Ready Player One, Sword Art Online, Originally published behind a paywall: https://medium.com/super-jump/are-haptic-suits-the-future-of-vr-c7b52d573935

Haptic Feedback is the Next Step in Virtual Reality

Because writers will do almost anything to get published A designer friend and I were discussing Medium’s recent announcement about starting a consumer subscription model during this quarter. My friend is primarily a designer, and though he does write, it’s mostly to support his design. He agreed with me that Medium has a lot of interesting reads, but he doesn’t believe people will pay to read on Medium. He says that if at all he would pay to read anywhere, it would be on Apple News or Flipboard. I had to admit he had a point. Internet content has always been free, and breaking that habit won’t be easy. That why the advertising model works. Businesses are the only ones who will pay for their stuff on the internet, as they hope to make money by hooking us with their ads. Ad nauseam. This eventually led to a stalemate between users and content providers with the latter crying plaintively, “We notice you have your ad blocker on…” Well, we wouldn’t be blocking them if they hadn’t swamped us with ads that deceptively ask us to click on the ‘X,’ and then pop up another million ads that maddeningly refuse to close, and cover what we were trying to read. So if readers won’t pay, who will? I kept chewing on this fact like a dog on a bone, hoping it would crack. And that’s when it popped up. A thought I mean, not an ad! The only people who will be willing to pay are writers. Hear me out, please. Writers like to publish stuff, and they are willing to go to great lengths to make it happen. Like this old college mate who recently wrote a book. He published it at his own cost, and enthusiastically went around marketing it. I don’t think he recovered his investment, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. And that’s the thing. If you give a writer a bit of hope to cling on to, he or she will be willing to gamble a fair bit on their writing. So why not ask writers who want to publish their stuff on Medium to pay for the privilege? Of course, writers are generally a broke species. So Medium might want to keep that fee quite nominal. The successful App Store model of micropayments like 99 cents sounds doable to me. Say 99 cents a month. Let’s say 100,000 writers on the platform pay up. That’s $1.2 million a year. Is that enough to run a company like Medium? I haven’t the faintest idea. But the way, I see it, that’s just for starters. What’s important is what Medium does (or should do) next. Medium must find some basis to reward good writers. The obvious way seems to be those who bring in the most traffic. Fair enough, but I don’t think that should be the only criteria. Again, this needs to be worked out. Let me give an analogy. It’s award season in the movie industry now, and there are many categories where people can win an award. Winning an award is a life changing event. An Oscar can make the winner’s reputation, which in turn makes it possible for him to earn his living by practising his craft. And it doesn’t have to be an Oscar for acting, or even an Oscar per se. It can be an award from the media, or from the actors’ guild, or from the critics. It can be for comedies, drama, musicals, biopics, animation… the possibilities are endless. My point is it’s not just the box office stars who shine in the movie industry. There are a whole lot of great actors whose movies may not be minting money. But industry recognition makes it possible for them to practise their craft, and earn a decent living from it. And the world is a better place because of that. The parallel is obvious. It shouldn’t just be the high traffic generating writers who get paid. Great writing which does not appeal to the everyone, does not make it any less great. Poetry, short and long stories, non-fiction, haiku, stories in different languages, entertaining posts in tech, sports, music… I think this is a mind boggling opportunity for Medium. Medium can be to writers, what Google is to search. Building on its existing base of writers, Medium can establish itself as the only platform where all types of writers can gain recognition, and eventually make a living by practising the craft they love. Once writers begin to view the platform in this light, established writers as well as would-be-writers from every corner of the world will flock to Medium. All Medium has to do to make this work, is to put the reward system into place. The details need to be figured out, but I think it’s possible. Here are some thought-starters. The obvious way is to pay certain writers, say with articles generating above a 1000 reads. The payment goes up proportionately as ‘reads’ go up. Other ways would be to get existing users to vote for the best articles in different categories. Or get panels of famous writers to choose the ‘Oscar’ winners in multiple categories. Or ask the media to vote for best stories covering a variety of topical issues. Once the momentum of writers joining the platform speeds up, the 99 cent fee can even be reduced, or even done away with, while keeping Medium viable. And it may be possible to do this without Medium being bogged down in the swamp of commercial advertising. To do this, Medium could again take a leaf from Google’s model, and have advertisers on Medium’s terms. A-la the text ads of Google on its search pages that are related to the content of the page. Of course, this will lead to the same privacy issues that Google has, and may cause unrest among Medium’s core users. To avoid that, Medium can maybe avoid advertising altogether, and instead get the industry to support writers financially by subtly branding themselves, rather than having in-your-face advertising. For instance, Medium can tie up with Amazon to publish and promote the top 25 short stories as a compilation. Or Penguin can give a book deal to the top five writers in different categories. Or Warner Brothers can adapt the three best drama stories into movies. Or McDonalds can institute an annual prize of $ 1 million to be split among the ten best health related stories. Or Tesla can give away cars for the best environmental related stories. Or Apple can sponsor cash prizes for the ten best tech stories of the year. Or Disney could sponsor cash prize for the top ten humour stories. While we are at it, why not take another trick from Hollywood? Let’s take the main image in this post. Maybe there’s a phone placed besides the writer’s hand so the company’s logo is visible, and the company pays Medium for the exposure. This means Medium will need some good designers to subtly photoshop in company logo onto images on posts that the advertiser wants to be on. I know this sounds impractical, but why not? Moving on, good writing will bring in many ‘read-only’ readers. As Medium is not using a paywall, how can it make money from them? If they enjoy an article, they may be willing to voluntarily donate, something along the lines of the Brain Pickings newsletter model. Maybe, Medium can go a step further, and insert a donate button at the end of every post, next to the green heart. And if Medium does an Apple, and sets a revolutionary fee of just 10 cents per click, it’s just possible that the reader may click on the button, provided we make it easy. Wait a minute, thinking on my feet here, but I see interesting possibilities here. Let’s say every Medium user has a voluntary option to open a Medium payment wallet on the site with a minimum of $1. Clicking on the ‘donate button’ can be set to instantly deduct 10 cents from this wallet. No further effort required from the reader. $100 for 1000 clicks is not much. But for a broke writer, it could be just enough to motivate him to keep writing. Of course, there are a lot of loopholes. The biggest one is writers are investing their time and energy to write. I believe they will pay to publish, but I also believe I am likely to get a good kick on my backside for believing this. Another issue is if someone hacks the number of reads, just as clicks were once faked on ads. Maybe the techies will sort this one out. There will definitely be many more loopholes. If I try to figure them all out, I’m going to end up strangling myself in all those loops! So I’ll generously leave it to my readers to organise a loophole search-and-plug party. I would like to add that the above are just suggestions on how Medium can generate income to pay writers. Some may have been considered and discarded long ago as being basically flawed. Some of it may be impractical. Some may be plain dumb. Some of you may completely disagree with me. That’s fine. I’m just a layman, and I’m sure those in the writing industry know a lot more about it than me. But instead of just shooting my thoughts down, why not use them as stepping stones to come up with better ideas? Because there is one indisputable fact. No one has cracked how to make online writing remunerative for writers (ignoring the ad model). So I’m sticking my neck out, and hoping my head doesn’t get chopped of. If what I say sparks off something which leads to a solution, I’ll be delighted. If not, I’ll sleep happy as I’ll know I gave it my best shot.

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