There has been a lot of talk about virtual reality. It’s been called a revolution. And yes, we are excited too. The New York Times has become the latest media outlet to launch its own virtual reality app and shipped one million cardboards to its subscribers.
Possibilities are endless and the promise of VR in storytelling is grand. Animated films, documentaries and games get a completely new dimension and a more immersive experience in a 360-degree environment. But the problem is, hardly anybody – or maybe no one – knows how to do it.
The only way to explore this new medium is by experimentation and, hence, by doing. So, we organised a virtual reality hackathon and went wild with 20 creatives (mainly coders), 6 Oculus Rifts, 9 Google cardboards, cameras, audio recording devices and some serious computer gear. And – just for fun – one Gameboy selfie camera with a portable Nintendo mini-printer.
Emotional
Interactivity and non-linearity are new techniques in cinema that create the opportunity to further immerse the user in a story, and increase the story’s emotional impact. That was the reason why team 360 Wall wanted to experiment with a first person story in a 360 3D experience about the protests in Israel.
Multiplayer
The two other teams focused more on interactivity and techniques in non-linear storytelling. Imbus got inspired by the Halloween weekend and embraced our Into the Dark theme. They build a horror walking simulator. This hardcore developers team – all fanatic gamers as well – let the user create their own story.
Group Dilemma wanted more than a traditional solo VR experience. They created a multiplayer VR game where the players can turn the world upside down. An interesting experiment with changing perspectives.
Check also:
<3 -> This guide to cinema in virtual reality made during the first Hackastory hackathon in Amsterdam.
<3 -> The Story of Lon, an interactive 360 degree environment where the story of Lon, a marionettist and stagedesigner wo was captivated during WWII, it told.
Showcasing projects at Playgrounds Festival
