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VR THEATRE PROJECT

Producing, Product Development, Narrative Design, User Experience Design, Game Design, Experience Mapping, User Flows, Market Research, User Research, Personas, Prototyping, User Testing

PROJECT CONTRIBUTIONS
THE SOLUTION

Through a 13-week period, we developed a technical proof of concept and developed an innovative technical, product, and narrative framework for a new type of VR product, VR theatre. We also created and mounted a production titled, The Rookie, as an HTC Vive room-scale project.

CONTEXT

This project was an industry project at the Centre for Digital Media, completed from January to April 2017. Our client was Jonathan Dowdeswell of LFE Systems, a veteran of the gaming industry who has served in senior leadership roles at Blackbird Interactive, Relic Entertainment, and Electronic Arts. Our team consisted of three programmers, one 3D artist, and two co-producers.

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Please note that this project is under NDA for some key elements.

THE PROBLEM

How might we expand the boundaries of virtual reality by creating a public narrative VR experience in a physically immersive environment? The design had to would allow a player to interact with physical props, and explore a world that feels much larger than the Vive playspace.

  • Delivery of the digital files, physical props and set for The Rookie

  • 130+ page documentation detailing product design, narrative design, art bible, and tech bible

  • A happy client, who is currently seeking investment for commercial opportunities

  • CVR 2017 Presentation on Motion Simulation

  • Selected for the SIGGRAPH 2017 Education Exhibit

THE RESULTS
THE PROCESS

From a project management perspective, this was one of the most challenging projects I have managed to date, as the scope was incredibly difficult to determine, and our resources were limited.

 

The vision for this project was tremendously exciting, but there are no experiences like this available on the market that could be used for guidance. As a result, we had both the freedom and the challenge of designing without a template.

 

Main Challenges:

  • Project Management: Creating a pipeline for experimental prototyping that still resulted in working prototypes and effective user tests

  • Design and technical challenges: Creating a sense of freedom of movement and interaction with a VR world, to immerse the user as much as possible

  • User Experience Design: creating an intuitive and seamless experience for users, guiding them through each element, including motion simulation and object interaction

  • Product Development: Turning the vision of this project into a commercially viable public experience

 

We tried to combine the best of VR gaming and video with escape rooms and live theatre. We ended up with a unique mixed reality experience, that required a lot of technical and design innovations.

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