Hololens’ AR Game Demos Previewed, HoloBuilder Is Procedurally Generated Minecraft

Hololens was announced in yesterday’s Windows 10 event, a new headset that offers augmented reality experiences. RPS got a firsthand look at the tech, and its Minecraftlike building app, Holobuilder.

In spite of the misleading name, Hololens does not create true holograms. Instead, the headset creates AR images that only takes a portion of your field of vision. While arguably less immersive than VR, not only is the experience safer and safer for some special needs cases, but it also produces completely unique experiences. Combined with this, you can issue voice commands, and use motion, or mouse controls. Presumably keyboard and traditional controller support is possible, but not useful with the available demos.

Hololens also has several nongaming applications, including a NASA collaboration where you can tag rocks on Mars, and HoloStudio, a program to build 3D objects that can then be printed via 3D printer.

Hololens Holobuilder allows you to scan your surroundings to create a map for a game of Minecraft. Our source was given an opportunity to try out the program. Playing Holobuilder, he created a castle, and fought off an onslaught of zombies. The potential for gameplay seems infinite, as he himself attested, but he was only able to play for a limited period.

He also got to try another game, where he made a faux Skype call using the Hololens, and proceeded to help him in installing a light switch. Our source compared it to Keep Talking and No One Explodes, itself an asymmetrical Oculus Rift game. Clearly, there’s some possible overlap between VR and Hololens games, but Hololens offers new possibilities as well.

Would you be interested in Hololens? What kind of games would you play on this device? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.