Like the picture says, good news!  Holoseat was back at SyndCon this year and we could not be happier with how the con went for us.  This year’s objectives were all about expanding our presence, introducing Holoseat v0.4, and priming the pump for our upcoming alpha test.  Despite some last minute changes in our development plans, we scored on all three of those objectives.

Holoseat v0.3.5 (aka Demo of v0.4 for SyndCon 2017)

In addition to our traditional presentations, we added dedicated demo Space for Holoseat.  Our “booth” included two demo units and all new signage.  The demo units (shown above) showcased the v0.4 design with upgraded sensors and an all-in-one configuration.  Plus we pre-sold v0.4 builds of Holoseat to seven alpha testers!  As always, it was a great SyndCon.  Keep reading for lots of pictures and more details on this year’s con-venture.

Austin Bound

This year’s SyndCon was held in Austin, TX and getting Holoseat there presented a whole new challenge.  In previous years at least one of us drove, simplifying the transportation logistics for Holoseat.  But this year, Bryan and I flew to Austin together.

SyndCon 2017 Holoseat Flies To Austin

Our solution was to build airline approved custom travel crates for Holoseat and they worked like a charm.  Of course, TSA decided to have a look at Holoseat.  Maybe next time we will have to leave them a note with a link to our website.  😉

Feet on Demos

We ran about 50 demos this year, with 60% of those demos to first time users.  The vast majority of users, new and old, were thrilled with Holoseat’s upgrades.  Many commented on the game play related improvements.  The only group of players with significant concerns about Holoseat were FPS players who wanted to see even greater sensitivity from Holoseat.

SyndCon 2017 Holoseat Demos

SyndCon 2018 also represented the widest range of user demographics we have seen.  Young and old alike gave Holoseat a try, many playing through multiple levels of Portal 2 (this year’s demo game), well beyond the expected play time of 5-10 minutes.  While we are on the subject of Portal 2, Bryan and I were shocked by how few fellow guild mates had never played Portal.  Seriously, we thought everyone had played Portal at some point.

Project Updates

Holoseat has come a long way since last year’s convention.  Our latest version, a preview of v0.4,  is zeroing in on production design.  How so?  Holoseat is now an all in one unit with fully integrated electronics built into high quality exercise pedals.  This upgraded packaging means Holoseat is ready to use out of the box, just plug it in and start playing.

SyndCon 2017 Holoseat Panel

Holoseat also has dramatically improved response times for better game play.   And it has flexible pedal speed that automatically adjusts to a user’s play style and fitness level.  This adaptive pedaling feature means it can now take into account whether players are sneaking, exploring, or running for their lives.

#spoileralert

So, what is in store for SyndCon 2018?  Well, that is the best news of all.  We are officially targeting the next SyndCon for the launch of the v1.0 crowd source campaign.  Our fellow Syndies will have the first chance to support the campaign and pre-order their own Holoseats.  Watch this space for the complete story of the road to SyndCon 2018 and v1.0.

LLTS!