Valve has launched a new tool called Destinations Workshop, which allows creation of virtual reality (VR) content for free.
With the latest VR tool, creators can share content with others and view the work of others. Oculus Rift and HTC Vive owners can take advantage of the latest VR creation tool.
"Content creators will be able to use the Source 2 game engine, the same engine that Valve uses to create its own games and experiences, to create and share their own worlds with the VR community using the Destinations Workshop," says Valve. "A few example scenes made via photogrammetry will be available at launch. The application supports motion controllers as well as x-input to teleport within each world on both the HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift."
Destinations Workshop tool launch is great news for VR content creators but developers should note that creation of VR content is not an easy task. Creators should have prior working knowledge of various other programs like ReMake, Blender or Maya to benefit most from the latest tool.
VR content creators can get Destinations Workshop (currently in beta) for free form Steam's Early Access. Valve may make changes to the tool based on feedback from testers.
Steam suggests that customers who want to download the latest tools should have a computer running on Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10. The system should have an Intel i5-4590, AMD FX 8350 equivalent or a better processor.
The tool needs at least 4 GB of RAM to run properly. Customers should have NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970, AMD Radeon R9 290 graphics card equivalent or better.
VR is one of the next big things in the tech industry. The popularity of VR is also growing rapidly in the gaming industry. Tractica, a market research firm, says that more than 200 million VR headsets will be sold by 2020 globally. A number of companies such as Sony, HTC, Samsung, Steam and more already have their VR headsets in the market and many more companies may launch their VR products soon.
Tractica also estimates that VR hardware as well as content revenue will increase from $108.8 million in 2014 to $21.8 billion by 2020.
Wevr, a VR content production company, is developing a VR platform called Transport that will allow creators to publish their work for free. Reports suggest that Transport could become the YouTube of VR content when launched. The latest Destinations Workshop will help more people to create VR content and publish on platforms such as Transport.
