Vervr Part 1: Failure is very much an option

I swore I would never pivot. Pivoting is for people who didn't start out with a plan. Pivoting is for people who don't get it right on the first try. Okay, now that I'm writing this down, it seems clear that as a non-planning buffoon, I should have reached this point sooner.

In my defense, this isn't really a pivot, it's more like a shift in focus. Vervr nee DRIVR was born out of the desire to cruise through the metaverse without a care in the world, and that's still very much what we're building. However, the real-life Mario Kart dream might have to wait for a while, since APPARENTLY people don't just write checks for you to build cool stuff (especially if you stay sequestered in your workshop because you're too scared to ask). Funnily enough, it was while building the first game for ROVR that I stumbled upon what seems like a revenue stream that could be capitalized in short order. Oh, right, ROVR is our newest vehicle platform. It's simpler, more versatile, and portable! What's important from a technical perspective, is that ROVR is capable of zero-radius turns, i.e., it can rotate in place. This allows it to simulate a wider variety of vehicles, and reduces the area required for our experiences. Your first Vervr experience will likely happen in ROVR, and hopefully soon. But let's get back to the part where I settle for less...

When I was a kid, one of the parks we'd go to had a small "backhoe" installed in the sandbox (something like the one below). Compared to all the equipment that "did nothing", this thing rocked. I could literally change the world.

Toys like this were great, because you received immediate gratification with what you were accomplishing, plus you could pretend like you were operating some giant piece of machinery. Years later, I still get excited by the prospect of driving a forklift or a tractor, which is why the first game for ROVR involves heavy machinery. During its development, I encountered the rather obvious realization that not only do these machines exist in real life, but adults get paid to operate them. And BEFORE they get paid to operate them, they have to learn how to do this without destroying people, places, or things. Gee, wouldn't it be neat if someone could learn how to drive a bulldozer without actually needing a bulldozer? And yes, I realize this isn't a new idea. There are all sorts of desktop training simulators out there. My contention is that Vervr's technology could make this type of training so effective, it would significantly reduce the amount of time and money required. I expect the results would be most notable with scenarios that were high-risk and/or high-pressure, as the degree to which one is immersed in the virtual experience would translate to their performance in a real world.

The upshot is that the go-kart (DRIVR) is parked for now while we focus on developing more customer value with ROVR. The good news is that if you live near San Francisco or San Diego and want to play with 20,000-lb toys, you might get a chance soon (some of you already have). As with many journeys, I feel as though I'm right back where I started, but with a skosh more wisdom and oodles of acquired knowledge (Americans will do anything to avoid the metric system). So here's to the next trip around the block.

-Greg