Google opened the source code for its innovative art app, Tilt Brush, which represents the tech giant’s latest move to halt the development of its first virtual reality efforts.
Google acquired the developers behind the art app in 2015, as the hype surrounding VR built up before the launch of the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. It has become the preferred VR art app in recent years and a regular showcase for VR demo donors who wanted to show that the medium had potential beyond games. Google also integrated the Tilt Brush with its Poly 3D object hosting service, which the company previously announced would end in late June.
Today is my last day on Google. (!!!)
Next week I will start working with @quarkcannon and the @i_illusions team in a very, very special VR thing.
I’ll be independent again, so I would love to know if you have an incredible project that I would like to collaborate on.
2021, let’s get it !! 🎉🎉🎉
– Patrick Hackett (@phacktweets) January 8, 2021
The addition of the Tilt Brush to an open source repository on Github represents a gift to the VR development community, with other VR developers already crawling through the code for insights or ideas.
“Tiltbrush inspired Modbox more than any other project, so I will definitely be checking out the source code. I’m either going to learn something or find out that I’ve coded better than Google – anyway, it’s worth it, ”wrote Modbox creator Lee Vermeulen in a direct message.
“Tilt Brush is becoming open source, although sad to have come to the end of official development, it is the greatest gift that Google could have made for the community. There is a long list of features that the community would like to be added, such as multiplayer support and even more brushes, now we are free to add whatever we want! Personally, I’m really looking forward to the native integration of LIV into my mixed reality work, and we’ll also be able to add support for a community-created replacement for Poly, called Icosa Gallery, ”he wrote. RV artist Rosie Summers in a direct message.
Patrick Hackett, co-creator of the original software, left Google earlier this month to join the developer of Space Pirate Trainer I-Illusions “on a very, very special VR thing”. The head of Owlchemy Labs at Google – the studio behind Job Simulator and Vacation Simulator – wrote in a tweet that “we continue to grow, build amazing games for everyone, innovate and drive VR! We also can’t wait to announce our next big event! “
With the announcement of the Tilt Brush, some people asked if that changes anything at Owlchemy. It doesn’t, we continue to grow, create amazing games for everyone, innovate and drive VR! We also can’t wait to announce our next big event!
– Devin Reimer (@DevinReimer) January 26, 2021
The announcement comes a day after Gravity Sketch switched to a free pricing model for individual use on all devices. The transition from Tilt Brush to open source essentially cements Gravity Sketch as the ideal virtual reality art app.
“For some, this may seem like the end of the Tilt Brush,” Hackett I wrote. “For me, this is immortality.”