Last week we had a visit from Google. They were mainly here to talk to the marketing team (specialized to promote 3D configurators as a service) about search engines and the like for advertising purposes, but towards the end of the day some of us came to find out about the latest and greatest Google gadgets and developments.
You had a lot of interesting things you wanted to show us. Some we knew, like Smart Home Assistants and others we`d never heard of before, like the Google Cultural Institute.
However, my favorite was a virtual reality (VR) application called Tilt Brush. If you haven`t seen the promotional video for Tilt Brush yet, you can do it below:
Thoughout the presentation I kept asking questions and taking part in discussions, but to be honest, it was just a farce because I felt a strong inner enthusiasm all the time.
What is Tilt Brush?
Basically, Tilt Brush is the realization of my childhood dreams. I want to make that a little clearer: It`s a computer program that uses a VR viewer and two motion tracking controllers to create unique VR Content. Thanks to VR you can take digital art from the screen and fill your whole room with drawings.
Tilt Brush doesn`t stop with simple drawing either. With a range of brushes and pens in all possible colors of the RGB color model, there`s really no limit to what you can create. The special effects brushes make your strokes sparkle, glow, smoke and flash like a neon sign, run with star scales and more. Best of all, if you`re working in a 3D room, you can walk around your creation and look at it from different angles. You can save your artwork as a large VR file to upload later, or as a small animated GIF to share with friends who don`t have the software.
How can I purchase the software?
Tilt Brush has been available for a long time. Some of the hardware you need to run the software, such as the HTC Vive, is still only available as a pre-order in Australia. As one of the most sophisticated VR devices on the market, the HTC Vive is also quite expensive at $899. While Tilt Brush only costs about $30, there are other costs to consider.
While most gamers or digital artists already have a computer that is powerful enough to operate the software, the cost of building a siutable PC can easily go into the thousands if you don`t have the right configuration. It all adds up pretty quickly. If you can afford it, it`s great, but for many of us it`s just not a financially sound decision. Hopefully the price will fall after a few years.
Does anyone remember when Nintendo Wii first came out and some people accidentally threw the remote through their TV screens? I Think in that sense. While the use of Tilt Brush is probably much less energetic than the average Wii Sports game, I`m still not quite sure how to avoid hitting walls and furniture while creating a large-scale masterpiece. HTC Vive has forward facing cameras that allow them to switch between viewing VR and reality, but I still foresee a situation where someone looks a little too far back and hits something, so I`m sure there will be some embarrassing stories in the future. I just hope that nobody is stupid enough to play on the balcony.
What about the natural reaction of your brain when it thinks you`re about to hit something? How close can my head get to my own Tilt brush drawings before it starts sneaking into my peripheral vision? I`m the kind of person who was frightened by a paper clipping from a police officer because I thought I was about to ram a real person. I can definitely see myself instinctively freaking out and ducking under one of my own creations in a clumsy panic.
What would be the first thing you would draw with Tilt Brush? Let it go and know.