Archiact To Demo New VR-Based Shooter Evasion at GDC 2018

With GDC 2018 kicking off this week in San Francisco, we took some time to speak to the development team at Archiact VR, who will be on the showroom floor with demos of their new VR-based shooter Evasion.

Can you tell us more about Evasion and the development studio behind it?

Evasion is a sci-fi VR shooter that features multiplayer co-op, full-body avatars, free-running player movement, and four distinct hero classes with unique weapons and signature finishing moves. The player is part of an elite team who have been dropped into a grueling battle for survival against an insectoid race called the Optera. The game provides fierce ‘Bullet Hell’ action and can be played as a single player experience or a co-op game.

Evasion is being developed by a close-knit UE4-focused team at Archiact, a studio entirely devoted to creating high quality AR & VR content located in Vancouver, Canada. We are a passionate group of developers who want to push the limits of what can be done in VR and create the kind of sought-after AAA experiences that players want.

What new game features and/or innovations will you be showing off at GDC?

At GDC we will be featuring a slice of the finished game that includes a new tutorial, a multiplayer lobby area we call the ‘hangar’, and a new playable demo mission. The new features we will be unveiling include our two new player classes (the Warden and the Engineer), new voiceover, an overhauled UI, improved art, enhancements to the enemies and weapons, new cloth physics and particle effects… we’ve basically improved the player experience every way we can.

The Vive Pro headset will be demoed with Evasion at the show – how will Evasion take advantage of this new hardware?

Evasion was built on Unreal Engine 4 and features AAA quality graphics that look even better on the new Vive Pro. The grit and sand in the environment and the detail on the character avatars all really come alive due to the Vive Pro’s enhanced resolution. When we put on the headset, it was like seeing it again for the first time. It really provides a whole new level of immersion. The 3D spatialized audio enhances our soundscape while giving players vital clues about where enemy fire is coming from. And, speaking for those of us who demo and use the headsets a lot, the fact that the Vive Pro has better balance, built-in headphones, and is easier to slip on and off are all huge plusses.

Tell us more about Evasion’s hero class system. What should new players know and why is each class unique?

The biggest goal in creating a class system was trying to support the wide different play styles. Some players prefer to hang back and support other teammates, others like to hide under cover and pick off enemies slowly, and some people enjoy charging into the fray with guns blazing. We wanted to cater to all these preferences and create space in the game for everyone.

There are four player classes in Evasion. Each provide unique benefits to the team but can hold their own in the field. They are:

The Warden: Our tank. The Warden is ideal for players who like to charge into battle. He can take more damage than any other class and has unique abilities that allow him to get up close and personal with the enemy.

The Surgeon: Our combat medic. The Surgeon is the only class that can heal other players, making him invaluable to any team. The surgeon can also turn his abilities against the enemy in deadly ways.

The Striker: Our fast mover. The Striker is agile and deadly. Her weapons deal awesome damage, and she has unique skills that allow her to bolster teammate’s weapons.

The Engineer: Our most versatile class. The Engineer can use her tether to grab enemies and whip them around. She can also deal incredible damage and energize teammate’s weapons.

How does Evasion help to evolve VR shooters?

For Evasion, we are trying to bring everything we love about FPS into VR. This includes new approaches to locomotion that can provide an authentic FPS experience while recognizing the motion sensitivity issues that have been barriers in the past. We’ve been developing VR games for years now and are able to apply everything we’ve learned to create something that elevates the genre.

We’ve worked super hard to make sure that Evasion’s graphics and visuals are top quality, from the sights on the weapons to the fabrics on the banners flapping in the wind.

Nearly everything in the game is destructible, and it’s extremely satisfying to watch rock faces and bulwarks explode. But most importantly, it’s just a huge amount of fun.

When is the game out?

We’ve been able to take a little more time to polish the game and improve the player mechanics, so we are targeting a Fall 2018 launch. Stay tuned to @EvasionVR or sign up for latest news at evasionvrgame.com