VRChat Aviation at Virtual Market 2024 Summer

Aviation continues to appear in the largest virtual market on the planet! Virtual Market 2024 Summer is quite the experience. Whether you are a known virtual reality user with full body tracking or on a desktop PC with a passing interest in the event, the largest virtual market experience in the world is still impressive. Even though it is primarily a Japanese marketed event, the fact that VRChat has been an international platform for over a decade does not make the event inaccessible. There is plenty of English language support within the event with all manner of online tools to help translate things. The attendees of Virtual Market 2024 Summer (Vket) are also from all around the world, so who knows what languages you may experience along the way. For those that do not know what this event is, the About page for it explains: "What is Virtual Market? It's the largest market festival virtual reality has to offer, where users can buy and sell 3D items/avatars, as well as real-world products like food, clothing, and PCs. Since 2018, the event sees over a million visitors from around the world and even holds multiple Guinness World Records™ as the pioneer of metaverse events. Aside of markets, visitors may engage in "experiences" exclusive in metaverse, such as riding attractions in venues, virtual receptions, music lives, and more! Visitors can also can verbally communicate in real time, enhancing the fun and atmosphere as if touring along a whole new city!" There is a lot that can be said about VKet in general. While visiting the event, I had to see "Circles" (think independent developers) and groups that represent VRChat aviation . While the website catalogs these organizations in attendance, just how they were represented at VKet is an unknown. The only way to find out is to see it for yourself. And so, with fellow Skyward Flight Media staff members and members of the Black Aces VRChat aviation community , I attended the locations where we knew these groups were represented while finding unknown locations along the way. SakuraYuki Aviation Production Until Virtual Market 2024 Summer, I knew nothing about Sakura Yuki Aviation Production. When it comes to aircraft, this circle specializes in historic aircraft mainly from the World War II era. Their recent promotional video for their He-219 night fighter has been circulating in VRChat aviation spaces on X.com. SakuraYuki Aviation Production had a modestly sized booth at Vket this time around. Forefront was a rather large scale model of their Ki-94-I; to this day it is one of the most unusual aircraft produced during World War II. Even at this scale, the detail to the aircraft model is evident. On the back wall, staple products from this Circle include the Bf-109C, Me-262C and Ki-27. Those smaller scale models were able to be picked up by event goers for closer examination. Being honest, any time you can get someone to pick up and interact with a product, it is a big step in making their experience more memorable. Cross Reality College (XRC) Until now I have never heard of this 'university', but am familiar with the concept of educational organizations in VRChat. Classes for painting, sign language, gym work outs, etc. I had briefly stopped at the Cross Reality College (XRC)  booth after seeing a poster offering a helicopter related course. Later, my research into XRC showed that they are a virtual school that specializes in seminars that last for three months or more. Their staff has teachers that specialize in specific subjects in a setting where they can take their time to teach at length. The Cross Reality College apparently has a 'Helicopter Department' where students can learn the principles of rotary-wing aircraft operations. I watched a small section of the promotional video before catching up with friends that were with me. My curiosity is piqued, that is for sure. Who is the instructor behind this course? How detailed is the course? Is this a type of ground school that leads into a flight training portion? This is something I plan on looking into. Okaeri Game Studio This studio is not VRChat aviation focused but sells something universally popular with fans of aviation. To give an idea of their products, they sell instruments, interactive pets, fishing rods, a camp site, etc. Their VKet booth had more of a toy store feel about it, including a claw grabber machine. Of interest is the Cyclone! Synced RC Plane for Avatars 3.0 . This RC plane does not rely on the Sacc Flight system like a majority of manned aircraft in VRChat currently do. Once purchased and added to an avatar, the Cyclone can be deployed by its user in any of the many thousands of worlds in VRChat. Of its features, the highlights are that it comes with three FPV cameras, has fast network sync up to 1000m so all users in its vicinity see its position accurately, can transform into a high speed jet and has a shooting mini-game installed. The shooting game is especially interesting since other people with their own Cyclone RC plane can engage in air combat with each other no matter where they are. There were other RC vehicles as well, but naturally the Cyclone was the star of the booth in this aviation focused piece. This is certainly something I have been wanting to add to my avatar. Hopefully this year is the year! Sho_Taka24 While in transit to a different VRC aviation booth, I ran into a booth displaying an aircraft model from a creator unknown to me, Sho_Taka 24 . A few web searches did not yield much information. The aircraft on display is very similar to the ASF-X Shinden II from the Ace Combat series, but information on its development or availability is also unknown as this time. Shimotsuki Heavy Industries In my opinion, this Circle is mainly known for their Su-57 for VRChat. I do like that they include proposed Indo-Russian FGFA, which would have produced other Su-57 variants like a two seat version. This Circle has appeared at other virtual market like events within the past year with their XF-23/F-23 Fighter being forefront. Shimotsuki was represented by a full booth showing large scale model size versions of their full-scale aircraft designed specifically for use in VRChat. The F-23 again displayed prominently with the proposed F-23N naval variant shown as a work in progress grey model. A promotional video played above everything on display. Unexpectedly, a diorama of an ongoing photogrammetry project of an F-4C Phantom II at a war memorial museum was also on display. This project is being done as a part of the VRC 3D Scan club. TomTom Works Shimotsuki Heavy Industries was kind enough to also include a small table for TomTom Works , another creator of VRChat aviation aircraft. TomTom is not only an aircraft modeler, but also a long-standing member of the Blue Horizons airshow team, which has been active since 2019. At Virtual Market 2024 Summer, TomTom works presented his MiG-29/35 Fulcrum and in development F-16V. SADOKIN A joint booth between Kumakichi Shoten Works & SADOKIN . In VRChat aviation, SADOKIN products can be seen beneath the fuselages of aircraft since they produce aircraft weapon model packs. Their catalog includes 3D models for aircraft carried air-to-air and air-to-ground weaponry, a Stinger MANPADS model and various full sized warships. The joint booth was eye catching because of a break dancing avatar by Kumakichi Shoten Works. That was hard to ignore! SADOKIN had two poster boards, one of them showing a single picture of a work in progress model for an aircraft that looks like an F-22 Raptor. This would be the first aircraft SADOKIN has developed for VRChat. With an August 2024 release window, I am interested in seeing it in action later this year. Virtual Sky Service This is a Japanese organization focused on hosting events to present players with realistic airline travel experiences in VRChat. The Virtual Sky Service (VSS) does not just fly short-trip VFR Cessna flights around an airfield either. Since their organization was founded over a year ago, their events include the entire experience from entering an airport, interacting with airline staff and the pilots following realistic operations while airborne. At VKet the VSS were represented by large posters in The Alter Vista; a multi-level shopping mall. The posters provided basic information to introduce the organization with contact information for interested guests to get in direct contact with them. I've heard taking an airline trip in VRChat is a memorable event. One I plan on partaking in soon. Virtual Market 2024 Summer is ongoing until August 4th, 2024. The booths mentioned in this article were seen during a single day of exploring. This article may be updated in the near future with other VRChat aviation related booths as they are found. About the Writer Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza   Co-founder of Skyward Flight Media. After founding Electrosphere.info, the first English Ace Combat database, he has been involved in creating flight game-related websites, communities, and events since 2005. He explores past and present flight games and simulators with his extensive collection of game consoles and computers.