Virtual-O is a new game that brings you the adventures of Orienteering without the need of going to faraway places. Nature will be your only enemy as you will try to navigate the Unknown using map and compass.
All Reviews:
Very Positive (117) - 87% of the 117 user reviews for this game are positive.
Release Date:
Dec 7, 2016
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Publisher:
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Early Access Game

Get instant access and start playing; get involved with this game as it develops.

Note: This Early Access game is not complete and may or may not change further. If you are not excited to play this game in its current state, then you should wait to see if the game progresses further in development. Learn more

What the developers have to say:

Why Early Access?

“Early Access gives you the chance to support the development of Virtual-O. You can enjoy hours of game-play on two real orienteering maps. Run prepared courses or make your own with the in-game course builder. You will receive the full game upon release.

Be aware that there are still some rough edges and that certain features are missing. Bugs will be fixed, maps and performance will be improved, and new features and improvements will be added regularly during the next months.

If you want a full, polished experience, we advise you to wait until release. It only makes sense to play an Early Access game if, for instance, you want to support the development of the game, you want to help development with your feedback or if you want to get a taste of things to come.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“Our plans for release come as part of an ongoing process, scope is influenced by community feedback and we are constantly adding new features and content. When we feel the game is complete we will release the full version.”

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?

“The full game will play similarly to the Early Access versions.
Apart from improving core game, main target will be to deliver more maps to players.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The game is fully playable. Players can enjoy hours of game-play on two (now three) real orienteering maps. They can run prepared courses or make their own with the in-game course builder.
User created courses can be shared online. Players can compete and compare their results and route choices with others.”

Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?

“The price will not be increased upon release. But Early Access rewards will not be included in base version of game after Early Access.”

How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?

“The community has been involved already since September 2015 when an article on World of O was published. Your feedback is essential for us to make Virtual-O better.
Let us know what you think about the game, what bugs you encountered and what you think could be improved. The more you tell us, the better we can make Virtual-O!”
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Founder's Edition


In addition to all features of the full game when it is released, you will have access to special content available to Early Access owners.

  • Exclusive compass: Enjoy the world of Virtual-O with this virtual copy of Str8 Compass.
  • More to come: On the date of final release any content that is considered exclusive or special will be automatically added to your final game free of charge.

About This Game

Virtual-O is a new game that brings you the adventures of Orienteering without the need of going to faraway places. Nature will be your only enemy as you will try to navigate the Unknown using map and compass. And as you will come to realize, environment itself can be a really formidable opponent on its own.

What is orienteering

Orienteering is a sport in which the athletes use a map and a compass to navigate between checkpoints - called controls - in diverse and unfamiliar terrain.

The history of orienteering began in the late 19th century in Sweden, where it originated from military training. The actual term "orienteering" was first used in 1886 at the Swedish Military Academy Karlberg and referred to the crossing of unknown land with the aid of a map and a compass.



As an athlete you must navigate through the entire course from start to finish, visiting all the controls in order. To win, you must successfully decide on the fastest routes between controls, and do so quickly. Choosing an inefficient route can cost you valuable seconds, or even minutes. And you must execute your plan, running through the terrain while using your map reading skills to keep your bearings..

Orienteering can be a lifesaving skill

Getting lost in the wilderness can put you in a life threatening situation. Knowing how to navigate with a map and a compass is not only cool; such skills can and often do save lives.


Realistic simulation

The main objective for Virtual-O is to create a full featured orienteering/navigation simulator that will be accessible for all people – from novice to top level – to improve their navigational skills. It should be sufficiently realistic to provide useful practice even for elite orienteers. Key points include:
  • Realistic running speed model. All features of the terrain affect your running speed in a realistic manner, making the route choice an important decision
  • Full day and night cycle
  • Living and breathing environment
  • Realistic simulation of compass and map
  • Virtual terrains made from laser scans and orienteering maps of real world terrains

State of the art real world terrains

Worlds in Virtual-O are generated from real orienteering maps. They are among the most detailed of any type of map. Here are some features of the rocky map seen in the trailer:
  • Terrain is created from laser scanned data of the area (LIDAR)
  • All objects in the terrain (trees, bushes, rocks, paths etc.) are generated based on the input orienteering map.
  • Contains over 45 000 trees and bushes
All of this results in an astounding amount of detail that corresponds very well to the real world terrain.

New challenges

As your navigation skill improves, you can try new challenges:
  • Night orienteering
  • Create your own courses
  • Train without a compass
  • Special training with limited map (for instance using only contours for navigation)

Easy to learn?

Orienteering is a wonderful sport. But mastering the required skills is not easy. Virtual-O is prepared to help you. You can start with a tutorial or use the provided system of map assistants that will help you handle the map and keep your bearings while taking your first steps into the world of orienteering. It's a system similar to driving assistants in formula/car simulations. You can disable these when you feel you are ready.

Virtual-O supports three different game speed modes to satisfy all levels of players

Press or read something that was written about Virtual-O

http://news.worldofo.com/2016/02/16/virtual-o-your-only-weapons-are-a-map-and-a-compass/

References
1. History of orienteering wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_orienteering

System Requirements

    Minimum:
    • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
    • OS *: 64-bit Windows 7, 64-bit Windows 8 (8.1) or 64-bit Windows 10
    • Processor: Intel CPU Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz / AMD CPU Phenom II X4 940
    • Memory: 6 GB RAM
    • Graphics: Nvidia GPU GeForce GTX 660 / AMD GPU Radeon HD 7870
    Recommended:
    • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
    • OS *: 64-bit Windows 7, 64-bit Windows 8 (8.1) or 64-bit Windows 10
    • Processor: Intel CPU Core i7 3770 3.4 GHz / AMD CPU AMD FX-8350 4 GHz
    • Memory: 8 GB RAM
    • Graphics: Nvidia GPU GeForce GTX 770 / AMD GPU Radeon R9 290
* Starting January 1st, 2024, the Steam Client will only support Windows 10 and later versions.

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