In November 2017, I joined 100 other folks at Impact Hub Austin to see what sort of Virtual Reality experiences we could create in a weekend. I teamed up with my good friend Mike and 3 strangers to work on his latest endeavor – preserving real art spaces in VR. We named our team and prototype Preservation Station, and since then it’s become MEM•VR, the Virtual Reality flagship of Make Every Media.
We arrived on a Friday evening to setup our space and meet our fellow VR Jammers.
The following morning we dug in for a weekend hackathon, ultimately creating an iPhone app that can be used on its own or with a Google Cardboard headset.
Each day, the teams were provided lunch and dinner to fuel our frenzy. Hooray for tacos!
There was an intense vibe throughout; everyone was highly focused on creating unique experiences in such a limited timeframe. The staff was super helpful and excited to be there. Despite the frantic rush to produce, the teams were also very friendly; helping each other solve tricky problems, loaning gear, and providing tips for running multiple VR rigs in a shared space.
On the last day of the Jam, teams submitted their versions to the staff via itch.io and prepared for the Monday night showcase. At the showcase following the Jam, we presented our work to the attending public and discovered what the other teams produced. My team was even invited to share our experiences at the TCEA Convention the following February!
We had a great time getting to know our new teammates, the other teams and staff, and learning lots about how to create VR experiences! If you’re interested in producing VR products, I highly recommend participating in a VR Jam, Game Jam, or Hackathon-style event near you.
For more info, check out the VR Austin Meetup:
http://www.vraustin.org
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