“Here’s what I think, being too realistic might not exactly be a great thing.”
Qian Wenhuan suddenly switched his tone when he made this point. His expression was unable to be deciphered. “After all, most films have some mature scenes sprinkled here and there. For example, there’s the GTA series and the Witcher series, to a certain extent… Some specially designed games. Fitted with an over realistic tactile suit, there might be some certain unwanted consequences…”
“Hahaha!”
The audience roared with laughter.
“I’m just kidding.”
Qian Wenhuan brushed off the subject with a playful shake of his wrist. “Over the next few years, our company will be experimenting with more realistic tactile suit setups. Still, you won’t have to worry about not having a suitable game to complement the tactile suit after your purchase. We’ve already made sure to liaise with the relevant game departments before designing these VR suits.
“To complement our V.1 Haptic Shock Chair and V.1 Tactile Suit, we’ve designed more than a dozen of exclusive games, all of which are triple-A titles. We’ve invested a total of more than one billion US dollars. The genres include RNG, ACT, FPS, AVG, and RAC. These are games compatible with the haptic shock chair and I believe it will not disappoint any player bases.”
Everyone became bewildered when they heard this statement. Such a large amount of investment… Blackwatch had certainly committed a lot to promote this VR equipment.
It was then when a reporter below the stage raised his hand excitedly.
“It seems like the reporter from BBC over there has something to say.”
Qian Wenhuan pointed to the young man below the stage.
“Mr. Qian, will these VR games reach or surpass the quality of the era-defining game Half-life: Alyx?”
The young man was an avid gaming enthusiast. His question was direct and straight to the point. “Also, will these games be free on the new VR platform?”
“That is a great question.”
Qian Wenhuan immediately answered formally, “I can tell you without any reserve, ladies, and gentlemen as well as the audience watching from home, that we’ve invested a far more substantial amount in our games than the average traditional game. The average investment we’ve pooled into each game is around 150 million U.S. dollars. This is a heavier investment than the production for most Hollywood films, so I can guarantee that there will be no problem in terms of quality. Their quality and plot will surpass that of Half-life: Alyx, but if you’re wondering about the overarching theme and complexity of the games? Then I believe I have no say in this subject since that’s up to all of you present here to decide!”
Many people found themselves nodding in agreement with what Qian Wenhuan said. If Qian Wenhuan were to claim that the games developed by Blackwatch would be comparable to the legendary Half-life title were true, it would generate a lot of controversies immediately. After all, the legendary title was one to be remembered for ages to come.
“As far as cost, there’s no need to worry about it.”
Qian Wenhuan smiled. “All of the games released on our V.1 Haptic Shock Chair platform will be free forever!”
This sent another round of applause below the stage.
What Qian Wenhuan was not aware of at this moment was the moment he made this declaration, a swarm of messages immediately filled the screens of live streams all over the world!
[Blacklight Biotechnology the Generous] [Buy buy buy] [Hype] [Worried] [This eggy chair is going to cost at least several thousand yuan] [Several thousand yuan? More like several thousand U.S. dollars] [Hype hype hype] [This is it this is it] [I feel so upper class watching some conference like this] [Stupid little gimmick, anyone who buys this is a clown] [Trash company] [Reported] [Yikesssss] [Stop spamming, I can’t see the stream] [I’ll give an arm for this]…
“In this case, may I know how much this haptic shock chair and the tactile suit are going to cost?”
Another reporter could not wait any longer and immediately got up and asked.
Qian Wenhuan inspected the building anticipation among the audience as he smiled. “I suppose everyone is ready for the reveal now that I’ve been building up to it for so long.”
With that, he snapped his thumbs.
The price list immediately appeared on the hexagonal display above the stage — V.1 Haptic Shock Chair: 8,888 U.S. Dollars, V.1 Tactile Suit: 666 U.S. Dollars.
Although the audience had mentally prepared themselves for this reveal, they still held their breath collectively.
“I know, compared to necessities like cars and homes, it’s rather pricey for just being a haptic shock chair electronic equipment.”
Noting the crowd that had their energy drained away slightly, Qian Wenhuan gestured. “However, don’t forget that this is the very first product in the world that comes with holographic projection and brainwave manipulation technology. I can guarantee that it’s worth every dollar spent.”
Upon noting this, Qian Wenhuan suddenly shifted the topic. “Besides, if you find the haptic shock chair too pricey, we have an alternative for you.”
After he said this, he picked up the tactile suit to reveal to the audience an oddly shaped helmet hiding below the tactile suit all this time!
VR Helmet!
This successfully captured everybody’s attention. Meanwhile, the executives of the major tech companies immediately turned sour. Blackwatch had seated themselves at the head of the table. Were they not going to at least spare some crumbs under the table?
“V.1 Haptic Shock Helmet!”
Qian Wenhuan picked up a helmet to give the audience a better view. The helmet was designed with a nearly identical color palette and style as the haptic shock chair. The only difference was that it was a helmet.
“The V.1 Haptic Shock Helmet is the same as the V.1 Haptic Shock Chair. It’s molded using a traditional compression molding injection process. There’s a layer nano-level optical engraving texture on its shell which allows it to reflect a metallic luster when light is shone upon it. An ergonomically designed butterfly mask is implemented on its inside to ensure that the projected light doesn’t leak from its openings. The part that attaches to the skin is made of protein leather which allows air to breathe through.”
Qian Wenhuan declared, “As an alternative product, the V.1 Haptic Shock Helmet doesn’t utilize a holographic projection setup but instead uses two traditional independent 2.1-inch LCD screens. The full screen dimensions are 3200 x 1600 pixels and reach up to a maximum of 1058 PPI, built with interpupillary distance adjustment function.
“Also, there are sliders for both screens. After proper configuration, users with myopia prescription within a range of 700 degrees can still see everything on the VR screen without the need for glasses!”
As Qian Wenhuan said this, he suddenly paused to build suspense again. “I know, this isn’t all that impressive since most VR glasses can achieve the same functionalities as well. In that case, why does it have to be a helmet instead of easy-to-carry glasses?”
Everyone seemed to have caught his meaning when he said this.
“That’s right, the V.1 Haptic Shock Helmet is fitted with our company’s brainwave manipulation device — BWMR external nerve electrode. This means that just like the Haptic Shock Chair, it accepts the user’s thoughts as input. The only thing it needs now is to be connected to a computer!”
The audience erupted with cheers as Qian Wenhuan said this. Compared to the pricey Haptic Shock Chair, the helmet was more reasonable.
“The price for the V.1 Haptic Shock Helmet is set at 1,888 U.S. Dollars. The V.1 Haptic Shock Helmet can also be used in combination with the V.1 Tactile Suit. This means that users can put on the helmet along with the tactile suit and lay back on their couch to play VR games. You can immerse in your own where nobody will bother you!”
After that, Qian Wenhuan called for some representatives for some demonstration on stage just like previously. After a brief round of tests, they expressed that they were pleased with its performance.
“Alright, next up is the final highlight of the conference.”
Qian Wenhuan checked the time before informing, “Looks like we’ll need to speed this up.”
The mood in the venue that had seemed to wind down a little suddenly tensed up again. It was only after the host said this when they realized the helmet was not the third product mentioned. Just as the host claimed, it was merely the substitute for the Haptic Shock Chair.
If even the Haptic Shock Chair was not the highlight, then just what was the highlight of this conference supposed to be?
The major tech companies were about to lose their mind when they heard this announcement. Some of them already had despair written across their faces.
Surely enough, the dramatic entrance of Blackwatch into the fighting ring that was the VR market had disrupted whatever balance there was. Blackwatch had utterly imposed its will on all of the combatants.
If the VR market was a fine cuisine set on a table in a restaurant, then the people fighting at the table were the many competitors in the VR market. The sudden entrance of Blackwatch was akin to someone suddenly barging in and telling the waiter to pack everything to go for him to take home. To add insult to injury, he even flipped the table before leaving!
Everyone was drowning in despair at this moment.
“Did nobody notice? If the central technology implemented in the V.1 Haptic Shock Chair was our company’s patented ‘BWMR external nerve electrode’ technology, then what would be the product that fully utilizes our holographic projection technology?”
As Qian Wenhuan said this, the five platforms silently descended below the stage again. Meanwhile, he held his breath and motioned for the crowd to quiet down.
A ringing silence immediately took over the venue.
Qian Wenhuan’s stage presence was certainly something to behold.
Everyone fixed their gaze on the part of the stage behind the host as a cylindrical object even larger than the Haptic Shock Chair slowly rose from a platform and presented itself before the audience!
This entire object took on a translucent form. Inside it, there were clouds of mist that constantly emitted a blue glow. The diameter of the object was approximately fifty-centimeters only but it stood more than two and a half meters tall.
“This cylindrical device you are seeing here is the true spotlight of today’s conference — HP 3D Simulator!”
Qian Wenhuan announced at the top of his voice, “HP here stands for Holographic Projection. Its official name is the ‘Environmental Holographic Simulator’. Its functionalities are simple and elaborate, let us take a look at an introductory clip.”
As he said this, the display above flickered…
The clip started with a piece of brisk and melodic music as the display showed a standard Western-style home. A team of workers was then seen carrying four pearly white Environmental Holographic Simulator.
After that, the video was sped up. It became a montage of the workers erecting these pillars on all four corners of the room. This was also when the audience noted that these pillars could perfectly attach themselves to the floor as well as the ceiling of the room.
After that, when the device seemed to be connected to a power source, their originally milky white texture immediately transitioned into a cloud of sky blue. They immediately painted their magnificent blue luster over the canvas, which was the room.
After that, a young lady stepped inside, stretching lazily as she entered. She came to the center of the room and seemed to mouth something that was muffled by the music. While she did so, she also lifted her index finger and thumb and quickly swiped to the side!
The background music paused abruptly and at the same time, something wondrous happened!
Inside the video, something that was unmistakably a computer display manifested out of thin air in front of the young lady. The translucent display was floating mid-air. There was no doubt in the audience’s mind that this was a holographic projection!
After that, the room began to shift constantly with the young lady monitoring it. The edges of the wall and the tiles below her feet morphed into the pouring sea, there were even little fish seen swimming under the tiles. Within moments, it turned into the clouds thousands of miles above the sky. Large clouds floated everywhere in the room. It was a shocking sight.
With moments, the wall turned into a wall portrait, then into a field that stretched on forever, then it turned into a mass of skyscrapers…
In thirty seconds, the young lady continued to swipe her fingers across the air while the environment continued to shift around her. What was most shocking was that only the scenery inside the room changes, but the furniture was barely affected at all and was still visible.
The young lady seemed to still be unimpressed with all these.
The young lady continued scrolling until in the end, a dream-like sequence appeared in the room. The sky was filled with radiant rainbow colors while the ground below was an open field with hundreds of thousands of flowers blooming. Off in the distance, a mid-century castle stood mightily.
Alice in Wonderland?
This was the first thing everyone watching thought of.
The background music was building up to its chorus at this point. The lady seemed to be finally content as she laid back on her bed with a satisfied smile. It felt as if she was lying on a bed of grass!
However, the young lady did not go to sleep just yet. When she blinked again, a tiny vertical screen appeared in front of her, it was a holographic phone.
After that, the screen began moving on its own. One second, she was chatting with her friends on messaging apps and the very next second she was watching a movie on another app.
The venue was bellowing with excitement and enthusiasm with what they were seeing. People launched themselves up from their seats and cheered and applauded. Everyone was dumbfounded by what this holographic device was capable of.
“Fantasy? No, this is reality…”
The promotional clip did not contain any narration, it was only after the clip ended when Qian Wenhuan spoke, “Environmental Holographic Simulator. It allows the user to manipulate and craft a desired living environment suited to one’s preference while also receiving broadcasted holographic signals from all over the world. This is the holographic era!
“Congratulations everyone, you’re now entering the holographic intelligence era!”
