Wolves in the Walls Chapter 3: They’re Everywhere Out Now on Oculus Store

Today sees the launch of Fable’s third Wolves in the Walls chapter, titled They’re Everywhere. While using the medium of virtual reality (VR) the studio describes itself more as a ‘Virtual Beings’ company because of the main protagonist in the series, Lucy, who is more than just a character from a book.

Lucy screenshot

In the previous two chapters, Wolves in the Walls: We Need Proof and Wolves in the Walls: It’s All Over Lucy has been learning and forming memories of her interactions with the audience, adapting and weaving those into the final story resolution.

Lucy has a vivid imagination and as the viewer, you’re her imaginary friend. But Lucy’s imagination proves to be a reality, and you need to help her discover what’s hiding inside the walls of her house. Based on the 2003 children’s book by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean, this final chapter expands upon the mystery and you’ll connect with Lucy’s Nana.

“Having lost their house and all of their possessions, they finally come to terms with the fact that Nana is gone. It was the memories of all the things they did together that made their house a home, and something worth fighting for,” explains co-creator Pete Billington. “Lucy is the first one to realize this. Her beloved Pig Puppet is the talisman gift that Nana gave her, charged with all of that mnemonic energy. She must rescue Pig Puppet, the same way we run out of a burning house saving our photo album of irreplaceable memories.”

Wolves in the Walls

“We constantly ride the line between what is real and what is imagination. As Lucy’s imaginary friend, we see the world through her eyes, her mind and her thoughts. We are an extension of her. When she starts to doubt herself — wondering if the wolves are just her “imagination”, if it’s all “in her head”, our abilities as an imaginary friend start to come into question as well. In that moment, we start to see the world in fragments… through Lucy’s drawings. This sequence, when the wolves finally come out of the walls, was designed by Carlos Felipe Leon,” adds co-creator Jessica Shamash.

At the end of the experience, you can decide to continue being Lucy’s friend, offering an opportunity to create new memories together.

Wolves in the Walls Chapter 3: They’re Everywhere is available now on the Oculus Store for Oculus Rift. For further updates on Fable’s virtual beings keep reading VRFocus.

Virtual Being Project Wolves in the Walls Wins Emmy Award

Over the last few years, there have been several virtual reality (VR) projects nominated and even successfully taking home an Emmy Award. This week, creative studio Fable and its project Wolves in the Walls achieved the coveted award. In doing so, helping lead character Lucy become the first virtual being to win an Emmy.

Lucy screenshot

Wolves in the Walls: It’s All Over (Part 1) won the primetime Emmy Award for ‘Outstanding Innovation in Interactive Media’, a project which was a VR adaptation of Neil Gaiman and Dave Mckean’s children’s book. Originally an Oculus Story Studio project, when it closed Edward Saatchi and Pete Billington co-founded virtual beings company Fable, taking on the project with support from Facebook.

The story follows Lucy, a young girl who has a seemingly vivid imagination until events prove that that isn’t the case. She hears noises within the walls convinced that wolves are making the eerie sounds, and the only way to keep them at bay is believing they’re real. As an interactive story, you accompany Lucy around the house helping fend the wolves off while none of her family believes her.

One of the main aspects of Lucy is the fact that she is one of the earliest examples of a virtual being, an AI-powered character with which viewers can build a two-way friendship. Thanks to machine learning Lucy will interact with viewers in natural ways, helping build a greater emotional connection. Fable also has plans to introduce memory, so that viewers actions will have consequences in later instalments.

“Sometimes when you are exploring in the dark it’s comforting to know that others are not too far away, hands outstretched, searching alongside you. It has been inspiring to be part of this juried award category. We are humbled and grateful for the encouragement and recognition,” said Pete Billington, Creative Director and co-founder of Fable Studio in a statement.

Wolves in the Walls

“This is the first Virtual Being project to receive an Emmy but it won’t be the last. Virtual Beings from Lil Miquela to Mica, from Alexa to Lucy are revolutionizing storytelling and beginning to harness machine learning to create meaningful relationships with us. Eventually, a Virtual Being will win an Oscar for their performance in a live-action movie, win a Grammy for best album of the year, be your favourite celebrity on Instagram, your favourite spiritual guide and, eventually … your OS,” adds Edward Saatchi, Executive Producer and co-founder of Fable Studio.

Virtual beings are going to become more and more prominent as developers strive for greater immersion within VR worlds. To check out the experience for yourself, Wolves in the Walls: It’s All Over can be downloaded for free for Oculus Rift/Rift S. For further updates on the project, keep reading VRFocus.