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- "These aren't even your hands. These are precision-tuned sensor-rich re-imaginings of your hands, presented in high-fidelity simulated reality."
- ―Aperture Hand Lab tagline[src]
Aperture Hand Lab is a non-canonical VR technical demo developed by Cloudhead Games Ltd., in conjunction with Valve, to showcase the functionality of the latter's Index VR controllers and headset, but is compatible with the previously released HTC Vive and Oculus Quest 2.
Plot[]
In this demo, the player plays as a robot first completing a series of hand-based tests and exercises with various cores. Once the player completes an exercise, the core is dropped into the pit below, and a new one is installed for the next exercise. In order, these exercises include waving to Friendly Frank, shaking fists at Alan, high-fiving and playing 'Rock, Paper, Scissors' with Deceptive Devin, and giving a firm "business handshake" to Bill Cunningham. After Bill tells the player to give him as firm of a handshake as they can, they accidentally break his arm off, causing the entire chassis to collapse and fall into the pit beneath them; this causes the platform the player is standing on to also drop from underneath them, causing them to fall as well. At the bottom, the player reencounters Frank, who then forces the player to obtain a key. With the key, the player is then given the option to either "free" him or "destroy" him by putting the key in the appropriate slot. The option that the player chooses does not affect the plot however, short of a voice line change. It is then revealed by the announcer that the series of hand exercises was a test of friendship, to which then the robots are put into sleep mode, thus ending the game.
Characters[]
- The Player
- Friendly Frank
- Alan
- Deceptive Devin
- Bill Cunningham
- Announcer
Development[]
Gameplay[]
As previously stated, this game was intended as a demo for the Valve Index VR headset (having a similar purpose to that of Oculus First Steps for the Meta Quest headsets), specifically to showcase the functionality of the headset's controllers. As such, the game is comprised of very brief minigames aiming to utilize both the controller's single-finger sensors (allowing the player to control each finger individually, and thus intuitively play 'Rock, Paper, Scissors,' for example) and pressure sensors. Although the game is optimized for the Valve Index, there are community add-ons that exist to allow those with Meta Quest headsets to also play it without the need for the aforementioned sensors.
Reception[]
Gallery[]
External links[]
- Aperture Hand Lab on the Steam Store
Companies | Gearbox Software • Junction Point Studios • Valve Corporation |
---|---|
Production staff | Artists • Character models • Composers • Voice actors • Writers • Other |
Software | Achievements • Compilations • Demos • Games (Half-Life • Multiplayer • Non-canon • Portal • Third-party) • Game Engines • HL HD Pack • Mods |
Other Media | ApertureScience.com • Books (Lab Rat • Raising the Bar) • Fan content (Films • Games • Mods • Series) • Films • Merchandise • Preliminary Findings • Soundtracks (Songs • Composers) • The Final Hours (Half-Life • Half-Life 2 • Half-Life: Alyx • Portal 2) |
Cut content | Prospero • Half-Life Alpha • Half-Life 2 Beta • Half-Life 2: Episode Three • Half-Life 2: Episode Four |
Misc. | Canon • Development (Commentary • Half-Life 2 • Portal • Next Half-Life game) • Mr. Valve • Retcons |