During the past few years, film festivals have gotten very good at promoting and displaying XR experiences. The Venice Film Festival, for example, has previously created a virtual hub from where you can explore a range of content. This year’s Raindance Film Festival also has an XR selection called Raindance Immersive. But it’s not exactly easy to navigate. So here’s how to enjoy Raindance Immersive’s 2023 digital selection.
Like other festivals, Raindance Immersive utilises VRChat to run its virtual event. The in-person festival ran for several days in London, UK, during October, featuring the likes of The 7th Guest VR, Tin Hearts and Max Mustard. Whereas Raindance Immersive runs until 3rd December 2023.
Unfortunately, even though the virtual festival window is big, not all the content – especially the live performances – aren’t always accessible. And there’s no central menu in VRChat to see which ones are available to you. Just like Quest’s App Lab, there’s some manual searching involved.
Raindance Immersive getting started
To start with you’ll need a copy of VRChat which is free on Steam and Quest Store. However, there is a slight caveat. Most of the experiences won’t work natively with Meta Quest, you’ll need a VR-capable PC to access most of them.
Create an account – if you’ve not got one – and familiarise yourself with the controls, create (or pick) an avatar and then you’re ready to go. Open up the quick menu and search for the project in the WORLDS tab.
Raindance Immersive’s 2023 Selection
Below you’ll find the titles that are still available during the virtual festival’s run.
- Magnetise – A multi-player puzzle adventure game for up to 80 players – Quest (Native) & PCVR compatible
- Horse Canyon – An immersive VR horse riding adventure for up to 32 players – PCVR-compatible
- District Roboto: Complex 7 –
- MormoVerse: Under the Pillow – Join kitten Mormitten on his adventures in a multi-player adventure world for up to 80 players – PCVR-compatible
- Beyond a Bit – This is a multi-player world for up to 32 players – Quest (Native) & PCVR compatible
- Project Synthetica: Symmetry – An hour-long rave experience for up to 80 players – PCVR-compatible
- God is a DJ – A multi-player audio-visual journey for up to 60 players – PCVR-compatible
- Astral Bounds: CERULIAN TIDE – Activate a musical, world-changing spectacle for up to 80 players – PCVR-compatible
- Virtual Museum of Virtual Art Presents Thickness of Calligraphy (search VMoVA)- A multi-player art world for up to 80 players PCVR-compatible
- THIS WORLD WILL BE DELETED IN 24 HOURS – A multi-player immersive world where you choose to push (or not push) a button for up to 32 players – PCVR compatible
- Rise of Atlantis (Live) – A multi-player adventure world and a live-narrated poem in Resonite – full access details here
And there you have it. We hope you find a few VR experiences you enjoy! If you don’t, let us know in the comments below.