Dragonride or Die!

Back when WIMO was trying to figure out what our first VR game would be, the company initially polled the entire team to get some "one-liner" game ideas to chew on.

In case you didn't know, ideas are cheap and no idea is sacred. The magic is mostly in execution, but that said, if an idea lights up the right imaginations, it's a win.

We had easily over 200 game one-liner ideas that came across in a day. It was then up to me and my boss to comb through these ideas and find 10 one-liner ideas that would then be christened as our top "doable and best" ideas that we could then polish into "one-pager" game pitches or ideas.

One idea that really stuck out to me from the pack was jousting on the back of a dragon. I took that one and ran with it, fleshing out the pitch into a bit more of an elevator pitch with some market research analysis, a target audience, and all the other good things that go into making a PowerPoint slide that could be shown to executives and employees alike.

The goal of any "one-pager" is to win hearts and minds as well as show how a pitch could be a profitable idea. Long story short, the "dragon jousting" one-pager didn't make the cut into a full-blown pitch for several reasons, including profitability and difficulty in executing.

Sorry. Um, that whole backstory was a long-winded way of me introducing a game I researched while making that pitch: Dragonride VR. That's right. If you've ever wanted to ride on the back of a dragon in VR, there's a game for that!

I wonder how this dragon feels about the crossbow bolts that went into his back and wing?

While there is no jousting, there is some balloon popping with swords and a bit of hand crossbow action!

I don't think I would have purchased this game if it wasn't for research purposes. That said, if you're looking at cheap VR games and you find yourself scrolling through roller coasters, maybe check the price on Dragonride VR first. I mean, it's not the greatest thing you've ever played, but it's also not as bad as a few of the bargain bin coaster games on steam. 

There are several comfort modes for you to choose from here.

1- If you just want to be in a magical environment with dragons flying around you, you can sit in any environment from a number of vantage points and do just that.

These hand models are so stiff and weird.

2- If you want a roller-coaster-esque ride on the back of a dragon, you can do that with several different paths of differing comfort levels.

3- If you want to free-fly your own path as a dragon, they got you here as well.

I never could figure out what to do with these eggs

To me the archery mode and rhythm game both felt like afterthoughts to make this more of a game than an experience. The rhythm balloons are lifeless and strange feeling. And I'm not sure if flailing my arms from the back of a dragon is the immersion I'm looking for. 

Now, give me a partner to pvp against, a seasonal rank system, and a battle pass with exclusive dragons I can peacock to other players ... I'd be in dragon-riding heaven. 

Happy Dueling!