Titans Terrors and Toys

It's been said that you can't go home again, but you certainly can use augmented and virtual reality software to re-create it. As a fan of trashy VHS cover art (see previous posts here , here and here ), I still miss the local VHS rental store experience from the '80s and '90s. It was almost like going to a tasteless art gallery that's filled with shocking, gaudy paintings. Since the VHS era has been over for a long time and video rentals have shifted to online transactions and vending machines, I took it upon myself a year ago to use AR to re-create the kind of horror movie rental shelves I remember from those bygone years. Of course, I'm not the only one who misses the VHS rental experience and I've seen a few re-creations of video stores on social VR platforms. One of the most accurate replicas I've seen is a Blockbuster video store that's part of the same shopping plaza as 77077 Arcade & Bar , which can be found on the VRChat platform. Howe...

I've been having a wonderful time in VR, with its vast selection of social experiences, unique environments, and immersive games. However, one thing that I did not expect was how much VR would contribute to the practice of meditation. Here are a few VR titles that I recommend for those who are looking for peace of mind through mesmerizing digital spaces. Personally, I've frequently found it difficult to meditate. I've got way too much intrusive clutter inside my head to quiet it on my own, so using audio and visual cues like the ones provided in these apps has successfully helped me focus on relaxation. These apps also demonstrate the biggest advantage that VR has over other mediums: its focus on engaging three-dimensional environments. Providing beautiful, relaxing spaces that can be readily accessed through a headset is something no other form of media can do, not even AR. Of the VR meditation apps I've tried so far, I've divided them into three categories: enviro...

In the many years that I've been a fan of Jaws , I'm still amazed at how often fans have stepped up with their own contributions to the franchise's enduring popularity. I've seen fans produce books , screen-accurate replicas , and even feature-length video tours related to Jaws , productions that Universal would never bother with but nevertheless keep the franchise afloat among the fan community. Adding to this sizable selection of fan-fueled content is Shark Summer , a young adult graphic novel by Ira Marcks that was published in 2021. I try to keep myself updated on the release of new Jaws content, but I didn't know Shark Summer existed until I saw it at a local bookstore a few weeks ago. Just looking at the cover, which prominently features the word "shark" and Marckus' recreation of Roger Kastle's iconic shark art looming behind the book's main characters, my Jaws junkie impulses kicked in and I bought the graphic novel after quickly ...

Here's the Crocodile 1979 movie poster as it appears in 3D augmented reality. I used Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Aero to make this AR model.