Virtual Surfing is set to take mind surfing to the next level. Capitalizing on our craving for sick pits when the weather just ain’t having it. The simulation features breaking waves in 3D boosted by ‘realistic’ lighting, foam action and splash effects. We suggest chucking on some wet baggies to give that extra bit of feel.
The brainchild behind it all -Vincent Galioit, CEO of Waveor, in Regensburg, a landlocked city located in the southeast of Germany. Now when it comes to Surfing games there has always been a common thread of failure, an Achilles heel if you will, they have never been realistic enough. Remeber Kelly Slater’ Pro Surfer, you don’t? Yeah even me, it was pretty forgettable. All surfing games through gaming history, in my opinion, have felt about as good as grabbing a piece of bark on the beach and finger surfing mini sand dunes whilst cursing the onshore. So how is this game setting itself apart from the usual console norm of surfing? With Quantum Engine Power, that’s how!
If you like me and don’t know your https from your binary 1’s and 0’s the Quantum Engine is a complex digital wave riding formula which aims to deliver dope and interactive graphics with some hot shot physics simulations.
“For the first time in a video game, the player will be able to control a surfboard according to the laws of physics and enjoy complex geometry and lighting on the water surface of a breaking wave in real-time. Quantum Engine accelerates any 3D model authentically using forces arising from the ocean and other variables like weights and motors. This allows creating games, simulations, and movies that are physically complex and graphically overwhelming” – Waveor
The video below gives one a little taste of a Virtual Surfing session at Teahupoo. The highlight has gotta be the ‘connection’ between the wave face and the board/surfer, kinda like when you on one of those stationary motorbikes at the arcade.
It’s pretty obvious that there is still an ass ton of kinks to iron out, the creators are gonna have to get elbow deep in virtual grease to really give the surfing community something next level, they have started pretty well, so I guess it’s all about the finish. The game, I’m sure, will aim to improve on the overall realistic vibe of it all, from the aesthetic of the shoreline to the surfer’s profiles etc. Waveor says that the final version of the game will allow players to surf famous breaks in Australia, USA, Tahiti, and other locations.
“We believe this is the new dimension of realism when it comes to real-time ocean rendering and simulation. The game will simulate the thickness and size of the wave, but also the breaking speed in different sections, which will give a lot of realism and challenge” – Waveor.
Players can choose between third-person or first-person views, and there will also be a virtual reality option for full in-wave immersion. Virtual Surfing is scheduled to launch by Christmas 2018. It will be released for PC, and later ported to other video gaming console systems.