Modbox now has multiplayer as part of its latest update. The $20 creation title, which is still in development, is adding the feature on the path toward a free demo version that would let players try out any of the creations made with Modbox.
That’s an interesting direction for the title, as it turns the main Modbox software into a simplified $20 game engine that can create worlds using intuitive controls in VR. The free version, on the other hand, could become a multiplayer hangout in VR while introducing lots of people to the toolset. It is not far off from what Microsoft offers with Minecraft, but in a world built on familiar physics, toys, objects and weapons.
The feature is “very much in development,” so you should expect some bugs if you try it out. Players can join a game with up to five total players and set a password for a private game. It includes voice chat and you can mute or kick out specific players.
In an update, developer Lee Vermeulen wrote:
Our plan for multiplayer is to keep developing it over the next month, then when it’s ready we are planning to launch a free Modbox demo version. The demo version will let players play online but not edit their own creations. Hopefully this will keep the active player count higher.
The software is compatible with Steam workshop so people can share their work, and the update makes it easier to find those creations. You can also rotate and scale the world in the same way Tilt Brush does, adding an important new dimension to the creativity tools.
The beta multiplayer gameplay video shows a variety of first-person fighting mechanics, including a scoped weapon, shotgun, and other firearms. We can’t wait to see what people build in Modbox, and what sorts of multiplayer games we might see emerge from this creation system.
