Starbreeze publishing, more commonly known for their work on the popular PAYDAY series of videogames, have announced their “Hero” virtual reality (VR) experience developed in partnership with iNK Stories was awarded the prestigious Storyscapes award at the ongoing Tribeca Film Festival in New York.
Hero puts the audience in the center of an air raid in a Syrian city, stepping into the shoes of a civilian where choices shape one’s own experience. The title is a combination of interactive virtual story telling with a documentary style film approach, complete with numerous sensor’s that help create a more immersive experience for the user. By utilizing 56 tracking cameras and a 32 audio DTS channel solution featuring DTSX tools, the team were able to achieve groundbreaking, haptic sound design.
The whole experience is power by the HP Z VR Backpack PC allowing for full body movement and freedom within the moment, giving users an astonishingly immersive experience that takes experiential storytelling and documentary film to a whole new level.
Mikael Nermark, Head of Starbreeze Publishing commented on the award saying: ““We’re pleased that the jury chose to recognize Hero as we feel it’s not only an important story that was deserved to be told, but it also represents a huge advancement in the way VR will enable content creators to amaze and tell immersive stories in the future”
The award winning iNK Stories, a visionary studio known for bringing authentic and impactful stories to immersive entertainment, worked on Hero to ensure that high level of immersion could be achieved. They have also worked on the BAFTA nominated and Facebook’s Game of the Year Winner, 1979 Revolution. At Tribeca Film Festival 2018, iNK Stories were proud to present the premiere of Hero, which is the latest in their Vérité VR Series. Its exhibit at Tribeca Film Festival 2018 was one of five immersive experience that were in competition for the prestigious Tribeca Storyscapes Award which recognizes groundbreaking approaches in storytelling and technology.
The jurors, Myriam Achard, Marcie Jastrow, and Nicholas Thompson, commented on the award being given to Hero by saying: “Texture. Beauty. Heat. Life. Hero is an extraordinary story of life in a country under siege. It uses ambitious technology, and pushes viewers right up to, but not past, what one’s senses can bear. It will help you understand where VR is going, but also, viscerally, in some ways where this world is going.”
VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest from Starbreeze Publishing and iNK Stories in the future so stay tuned for more.
