VR Gaming Meetup with SIGTRAP Games and Meta Developer Relations

We've joined forces with our friends at Gameopolis to bring you another fantastic event that will help you learn and grow your network.

As well as the usual news update, we'll be having a Fireside chat with long-time VRMCR community member Luke Thompson of SIGTRAP Games to talk about their latest indy project UNDER COVER – a retro-inspired light gun shooter - ahead of its release (on 15th of February).

We'll also be hearing from Neil Mehta and Brian Darst, both Developer Relations Managers at Meta. Neil explains:
"There's never been a better time to develop games for virtual reality and mixed reality. The Meta Quest platform has opportunities for developers of all sizes, from hobbyists to large studios. When we visit VR Manchester, we will cover the Meta Quest ecosytem, and dev resources such as AppLab and the Oculus Start Program."

Our venue will once again be the co-working and event space at Manchester Technology Centre, where food and drinks will be provided by our venue sponsors Bruntwood SciTech.

We're always looking for demos, so if you'd like to showcase something, fill in this form and let us know - https://forms.gle/kxKuFgzZnXBpJN929

Schedule:

• 18:00: Check-in opens, food and drinks available.
• 18:45: Welcome & VR Industry Update
• 19:05: Neil Mehta & Brian Darst, Meta – The Meta Quest Ecosystem
• 19:30: Fireside chat with Luke Thompson (SIGTRAP)
• 20:00: Community Announcements & Wrap Up
• 20:05: More demos, socialising etc
• 21:00: End, retire for chat and drinks to The Refuge

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Speaker details

Neil Mehta is a Developer Relations Manager on the Oculus Publishing team at Meta. He is a former engineer with over 15 years of development experience in the gaming industry on PC, console, mobile, streaming, and standalone VR. Neil helps support developers from ideation through development and launch on the Meta Quest platform. He is excited to speak about the VR ecosystem, and the future of mixed reality and virtual reality.

Brian Darst is a Developer Relations Manager at Meta, with a passion for building and supporting developer communities. With years of experience in the tech industry, Brian has a deep understanding of the needs and challenges faced by developers, and is dedicated to creating resources and programs that help them succeed. Whether through events, workshops, or online content, Brian is committed to fostering a vibrant and inclusive developer communities.

Luke Thompson started his career in academic physics research but, worried about job security, jumped into independent game development in 2014. A generalist coder with a passion for game design, he has gained particular experience with the ups and downs of standalone VR development, working on multiple VR games and developing the Oculus-supported comfort plugin VR Tunnelling Pro.

About SIGTRAP Games
Sigtrap creates tight, focused games both in and out of VR, with VR development experience dating back to their founding in 2014. Their debut game Sublevel Zero was released on multiple platforms to critical acclaim, and Sigtrap have since played pivotal development roles on titles including SUPERHOT VR and Swarm for Meta Quest.

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Demos:

• Under Cover - after hearing from Luke at SIGTRAP, try the game ahead of release with the potential for 2 player co-op action!
• Ziggy's Cosmic Adventures - Check out this fun recent release and chat with developer Chris Bruin of Stardust Collective.