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World’s first virtual reality (VR) bumper cars at German theme park

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steampunk vr

Steampunk VR Scooter, the world’s first virtual reality bumper cars attraction, is now on offer at the Erlebnispark Schloss Thurn theme park in Nuremberg, Germany.

Wearing VR headsets, players are immersed in a steampunk world where they battle each other and robots while riding retro-futuristic steam engines, navigating cliffs and abysses.

Dr Stephan Otto, co-founder of HolodeckVR, said: “The vision of VR bumper cars has been in our heads for a long time, and our tests from last year showed what is possible.

steampunk vr

“Qualisys mocap technology was the missing piece in the jigsaw. With their support, Steampunk VR Scooters has become a reality and changed the traditional bumper cars experience forever.”

Steampunk is a joint venture between Qualisys and HolodeckVR, who worked with VR Coaster, to make use of unique VR capabilities.

The perceived speed of the vehicles is much faster than real bumper cars, and the arena much bigger. Guests are able to defeat giant robotic enemies through teamwork, and can pick up extras and upgrades throughout the game.

steampunk vr

“This is a fantastic achievement for HolodeckVR, VR Coaster and everybody at Erlebnispark Schloss Thurn,” added Martin Holmberg, Senior Motion Capture Specialist at Qualisys.

“We are delighted to be a part of this groundbreaking new technology, and it shows that Qualisys continues to make great strides in the entertainment and VR sectors.”

VR attractions around the world

Elsewhere, a virtual reality experience set in the world of Peaky Blinders is being developed by VR specialists Maze Theory.

As technology becomes increasingly integral in creating unique and memorable visitor experiences, Blooloop has predicted six attraction tech trends as ones to watch in 2019.

We’ve also highlighted five key VR experiences currently drawing the crowds, from virtual paragliding to an immersive Victorian Nightmare.

Images: Qualisys

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Bea Mitchell

Bea is a journalist specialising in entertainment, attractions and tech with 10 years' experience. She has written and edited for publications including CNET, BuzzFeed, Digital Spy, Evening Standard and BBC. Bea graduated from King's College London and has an MA in journalism.

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