Today we attended the launch of brand new virtual reality game, DIG VR. I received this invitation at a time when I was considering returning to blogging, and noticed it was being held at Diggerland in Kent, which is absolutely bloody miles away from me. However, it happens to less than 20 minutes drive from my sister’s house so – long story short – we are currently visiting my sister for a few days.
We are heading into Rochester tomorrow to sightsee, so I will be back with that later in the week. For now though, let’s talk about DIG VR…
Most people who don’t live under a rock have heard of virtual reality gaming. Gaming whilst wearing a headset which makes you feel as though you are literally a part of the setting of the game, and using handsets to interact within that reality.
I’d had a quick go at a VR ‘experience’ a good few years back at the Digital Kids Show, but none of my kids have ever shown too much interest in having a headset at home, and so despite all three boys being big fans of regular gaming, VR gaming has never really been a big deal in our house.
Based purely on my distinct lack of experience here, I wasn’t at all sure what to expect today.
Since the launch event was held at Diggerland, we were of course treated to a day of digging and driving! The kids and I had a brilliant time, and I was reminded how much they loved visiting Diggerland in Yorkshire several years ago (way back in 2015!). We used to go on a lot of fun days out when the eldest two were younger, and I hope I’ll be able to pick that back up with the little two.
DIG VR is the brainchild of Leo Zullo, Managing Director of Wired Productions in Watford. Whilst working on his family’s farm in Italy he wondered, as he manoeuvred the machinery through the fields, whether bringing that same experience into virtual reality would be a good idea for his next project. A few meetings later and it was agreed: DIG VR would become a (virtual) reality.
Working with game developer Just Add Water Productions, this brand new, fully immersive virtual reality experience will be released in the UK on 24th October 2024.
Playing DIG VR on the Meta Quest headset and seated in the Roto VR Explorer chair was really something else. The brain is instantly fooled into believing the body is somewhere else, and the entire experience is so utterly real that the rest of the world seems a million miles away once the headset goes on. The game works equally well without the 360° rotating chair, too, and doesn’t require a wide range of player movement which means the telly and your ornaments are probably safe…
DIG VR is set in a little town named ‘Diglington’, and it is here where you must begin, and grow, your business. Firstly you’ll learn how to operate your new heavy machinery, and then the world – or at least Diglington – is your oyster. There is nothing in this town that can’t be fixed with a digger, so get stuck in and see just how far you can take your game. Whilst you customise your vehicle and undertake quests for the local people, you can also listen to Diglington’s dedicated radio station, Dig FM.
DIG VR can be played alone or with a friend, and there are several modes of play including career, mini games and a sandbox mode.
Take a look at just a snippet of this fun, family friendly game.
Wired Productions create beautiful, engaging games but they also genuinely care about the people who play those games. Safe in Our World is a video games mental health charity founded by Wired Productions. The charity provides information and support to anyone in need, and offers games which support good mental health too. Check it out, or share with a gamer friend – the more mental health support we know about, the better we can be!
Thanks so much to Wired Productions, Just Add Water Productions, and Diggerland Kent for bringing us together to enjoy a brilliant family day out.
Have a look at our TikTok video here, and follow us on our journey (literally – we can’t stop travelling!) on facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.