ed up into six chapters. The game, according to Duff, is fairly straightforward narratively, but does include some puzzle problems and gaze-triggers to visually lead players.
Describing a lesson learned, Duff says the original version of Lola was much more traditional in terms of camera movement with a fully 3D camera that would turn with Lola. “We did it fairly slowly to keep the comfort level up. And 50% of the team testing it was absolutely fine, but the other 50% couldn’t deal with it and had to take the headsets off,” explains Duff. “So we ended up locking the camera so it never rotates with Lola, which has worked out for the best. It’s allowed us to focus on designing a world that you see in front of you, and all the levels of design and interaction stem off of that.”
Raising the bar
VRC is another company focused on designing groundbreaking new worlds and stories in VR. Co-founded in 2014 by two-time Oscar winner Robert Stromberg (Avatar, Maleficent) and former Overbrook Entertainment CEO Guy Primus, the studio prides itself on employing the best artists, storytellers, filmmakers and technicians to create imaginative, emotional and immersive VR worlds.
VRC’s latest project, Raising a Rukus, is the first storytelling franchise for families to hit the VR market, according to the company. The episodic, branching narrative series follows the magical adventures of a brother and sister and their mischievous pet dog, who are transported back in time to live among dinosaurs.
“We wanted to create something that hadn’t truly been done in VR which was create not just a series, but a well-told story with cinematic qualities including original orchestral music from James Newton Howard and audio from Skywalker Sound,” says Stromberg. “The other very important thing for us is that our stories have a message. In this case, the first 12-minute episode is about sharing and working together to solve problems.”
VRC recently secured a distribution deal with IMAX that will see the Raising a Rukus experience debut at the flagship IMAX VR Center in L.A. this month. The series will then roll out worldwide over the next several years to all VR platforms, including less expensive ones like Google Cardboard, as well as Daydream, Vive, Oculus and PlayStation VR.
“Not only is it a great story and environment, but you won’t get sick in it. It’s also not a parlor trick. The VR enhances the narrative, the empathy for the characters and the ability to go deep and explore different situations,” says Primus. “We chose short form because we don’t want to over-expose people, especially young people, to too much at a time,” he adds. “In terms of monetization, putting it into theaters is a critical element of what we’re doing versus what everyone else seems to be doing. We want to make sure that the business is sustainable.”
As developers continue to evolve their internal best practices and monetization models, the co-founder and CEO of new Dubit-incubated company XRGames, Bobbi Thandi, is currently working in partnership with medical professionals and a number of kids entertainment companies on a list of recommendations that could lead to the creation of industry standards. The effort could go a long way towards speeding up VR’s move into the mainstream market.
Benefits of Virtual Play
- Interactivity with virtual 3D
- lifelike characters.
- Includes social/sharing in
- virtual 3D space.
- Physical movement as essential part of game.
- Incorporates the real-world environment in AR gameplay.
- Promotes a sense of presence
- as you move beyond 2D screens to 3D virtual worlds.
- Can interact using touch,
- body and voice.
- Incorporates all benefits of digital play, plus supports gameplay that feels more realistic and lifelike.
Courtesy of Dr. Ariella Lehrer, president and CEO of Legacy Interactive and Legacy Games