First Look at Virtual Reality Minecraft at Xbox Showcase

Minecraft – Loved by Millions Game Lovers Worldwide

Minecraft is much loved by millions game lovers across the world and now Microsoft has revealed what the immersive world tend to look like in virtual reality. Microsoft purchased the block building phenomenon in 2014 for $2.5bn which is a massive deal that has made the fans apprehensive about its future.

The US firm has assured not to ruin its widespread formula and has instead stated that it would invest in bringing Minecraft to the next level. At the event in trendy Mission District in San Francisco, the Xbox division showed for the first time, the virtual reality version of Minecraft. Palmer Luckey, creator of the Oculus Rift VR headset commented that it makes one feel like they are in the world of Minecraft.

Similar to several VR experiences, it seems to be completely absorbing and for those passionate with addictive building process of Minecraft, it seems to be a big leap from watching it on a normal screen. As for a game focused mainly for children, there is one figure which could bother the parents which is $1,500. It is the recommend price which needs to be spent if intending to purchase an Oculus Rift headset and a PC adequate enough to power it.

PC Gaming – Fastest Growing Segment of Gaming

Minecraft on Oculus seems to be one of the many games on display at the Spring Showcase of Xbox an opportunity for journalists together with a few influential YouTube gamers to get their hands on with the forthcoming blockbusters. Several of the titles on show had been pushed as great to play on PC through Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system.

Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer had commented that if one tends to look at the numbers, PC gaming seems to be the fastest growing segment of gaming and it is natural that one focus on gaming on Windows. Microsoft had chosen not to make its own headset with regard to virtual reality; though it is developing the augmented reality focused Hololens and is rather working in making it compatible with the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.

With regards to price debate, Mr Spencer stated that he was of the belief that virtual reality would follow the path of high definition TVs, which is a luxury product to begin with though hard to resist once experienced.

Company Not a Victim of Hack

He added that the early adopter will be there to help spur the VR industry. New games seem to mean nothing unless gamers tend to get online to play them and recently it has been more of a challenge. The service Xbox gamers would play against each other over the internet which has stressed out thousands.

Displeased fans comprise of rapper Snoop Dogg had requested Bill Gates to fix the issue or he’d blemish to PlayStation and Mr Spencer had apologised for the issues. He stated that it’s obviously always regretful and the last outage was a concern and they learned from it.

They understood precisely what the issue was and it took a little more time that they would have liked.He disagreed that the company had been the victim of a hack stating that when its network was under continuous attack it was not as it was claimed, demolished by coordinated attempt to cut the gamers off. Besides this on the risk of losing Snoop Dogg, he commented that Snoop had been a long time gamer and long-time supporter of Xbox.

3D Video Games Can Improve Your Memory

3D Video Games – Improves Memory Retention

A new research published in the Journal of Neuroscience shows that 3D video games could improve memory retention in individuals.It has been observed by the researchers at the University of California Irvine – UCI that playing three dimensional video games could help people to perform better at memory tests.

The researchers trace the improvements in spatial and visual memory back to activity in the hippocampus, the area of the brain which is responsible for the spatial navigation and memory formation. When engrossed in a 3D game, the hippocampus tends to get stimulated and makes the subject more skilled at memorising spaces as well as creating mental maps of their surround.

 This discovery could be utilised in formulating new methods of preventing and treating dementia and memory loss. Researchers have encouraged that same part of the brain in virtual reality in experiments enabling mice with digital maze to run through, 3D environments, manufactured one could sharpen their memories in remembering spaces. It seems that the same stimulation tends to happen to humans while entering an immersive 3D game.

3D Performers Better than 2D Players

In order to test it, the researchers carried out a series of experiments with 3D as well as 2D games to observe if the 3D element or other type of immersion could be responsible in boosting the memories of the brain. For instance, in one experiment, the subject were engaged in playing Super Mario 3D World and Angry Birds for around 30 minutes daily in the course of two weeks.

Another group was monitored playing League of Legends – 3D and Super Smash Brothers Brawl, 2D comparatively. On playing these games, they were then given an image based memory test – MST-LDI, wherein they were asked to remember a set of images and relate whether an image in a set were included in the first. The individuals were also asked to navigate through a virtual version of a Morris water mazethat test for spatial learning as well as memory.

It was observed by the researchers that those who played 3D games seemed to perform much better on those memory tests than those who had only played 2D games. The results could be observed on how Super Mario players beat Angry Birds players on visual memory test over a period of two weeks.

Immersive Video Games – Beneficial/Enriching Experiences

The paper states that there is a possibility that by avoiding a narrow focus on single or small set of cognitive domains and by closely paralleling natural experience, immersive video games could be beneficial in providing enriching experiences which can translate into functional gains. Though the indications mention that 3D games tends to benefit memory in a way which 2D games do not, the study also cautions against bearing traditional video games in with games which are specially designed for training of the brain.

The study tends to highlight that it is still not known if the hippocampus is stimulated by the overall complication or only by the spatial exploration. They have stated that these observations could help in the development of new ways of keeping the hippocampus strong and active as the person tends to age.

The researchers have also stated that environmental enrichment such as 3D video games or real life mazes to navigate could be a system of reversing age related cognitive deficits. Professor Stark comments that `it is often suggested that an active, engaged lifestyle could be a real factor in stemming cognitive ageing’.