TRON Legacy – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

March 29, 2018

Movie adaptations of video games are still mostly terrible. Why has no one cracked the code?

Games creators and writers give their theories on how an upcoming crop of adaptations could avoid the same pitfalls as Assassin’s Creed, World of Warcraft and Super Mario Bros

No other film genre boasts such an unimpeachable reputation for dreadfulness as the video game adaptation. Some, such as this year’s Tomb Raider film and the zombie-themed Resident Evil efforts, almost achieve mediocrity. Others are so fascinatingly terrible that they have become Hollywood legend – for instance, the baffling interpretation of Super Mario Bros proffered by edgy British directors Annabel Jankel and Rocky Morton in 1993, in which Nintendo’s bright, joyful Mushroom Kingdom was reimagined as a futuristic dystopia called Dinohattan, where everyone was dressed in fishnets and black leather trenchcoats. A quarter of a century later, it is still impossible to understand why anyone thought that was a good idea.

The ever-expanding Marvel cinematic universe is ample proof that films can do an excellent job of exploring geek culture and fleshing out the paper-thin characters that dominate it; Black Panther has just become the fifth highest-grossing movie ever at the US box office. Millions have now grown up with video games, so why is it that studios have failed to make a single video game movie that doesn’t stink?

Fantastic video game movies do exist – it’s just that none of them are adaptations

August 10, 2017

Jeff Bridges Wants Tron 3 To Be in VR

It’s hard to deny the influence that classic 80s sci-fi film Tron has had on virtual reality (VR). The neon-bright aesthetics, glowing circuitry lines and sharp edges have shaped the look of many VR titles, including Rebellion’s Battlezone and CCP Games recent effort Sparc. Oddly, there has yet to be an official Tron VR experience. Tron actor Jeff Bridges has hopes that will change.

Bridges appeared as Kevin Flynn, the maverick programmer in the original Tron who was transported to the computer world. In the 2010 sequel Tron: Legacy he reprised his role, and was also de-aged with the power of CGI to play his digital doppelgänger, CLU. Though Disney have supposedly put plans for a third Tron film on hold, rumours persist of a Tron 3.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Bridges addressed those rumours and his hopes for the film series: “Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard those rumors too,” Bridges replied. “I hope that happens. I think Joe’s got the script and everything, you know. Yeah, I don’t know that I’m supposed to talk about it or not. I don’t know. It should be the first virtual reality movie, you know? Wouldn’t that be cool…to see Tron in that world?”

Critics of Tron: Legacy noted that one of the biggest positives of that film was how well it translated into 3D, pointing out that one of Tron’s strengths was its ability to present an entirely different world to the viewer, something that VR can only enhance with its immersive capabilities.

It remains to be seen if Tron 3 will ever get made, or if it will be in VR, or have a VR tie-in. Considering the profound influence Tron has had on the VR landscape, it would be a shame if Tron never made it into VR.

VRFocus will continue to bring you news on new and upcoming VR projects.

August 9, 2017

‘Tron’ Star Jeff Bridges Thinks ‘Tron 3’ Should be the “first virtual reality movie”

Speaking on an Entertainment Weekly radio show to be aired on August 15th, actor Jeff Bridges, star of Tron (1982) and sequel Tron: Legacy (2010), suggested that a third Tron feature should be “the first virtual reality movie.” Posted in a short entry on the Entertainment Weekly website, writer Clark Collis explained that he was prompted to ask about Tron rumours by Bridges’ new collaboration with Tron: Legacy director Joseph Kosinski in upcoming movie Only the Brave.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard those rumors too,” Bridges replied. “I hope that happens. I think Joe’s got the script and everything, you know. Yeah, I don’t know that I’m supposed to talk about it or not. I don’t know. It should be the first virtual reality movie, you know? Wouldn’t that be cool…to see Tron in that world?”

CCP Games’ forthcoming VR game ‘Sparc’ has a neon-futuristic aesthetic that evokes ‘Tron’ | Image courtesy CCP Games

The original 1982 Tron, widely acknowledged as the first film to significantly feature CGI, was strongly influenced by the early video game industry. Its striking visual style has, in turn, been ingrained in sci-fi culture, with many VR experiences opting for a similar look over the years, sometimes as a nod to the franchise, or simply because its clean design makes efficient use of limited rendering performance.

While a third Tron sequel designed for VR would indeed be a milestone for the movie industry, it’s doubtful whether both the technology and audiences are ready for a ‘full-length’ blockbuster VR film. Recently, Felix & Paul Studios released Miyubi, the longest ‘VR film’ at 40 minutes, but question marks remain over the ‘3D spherical camera’ approach, compared to the ‘true VR’ experiences only possible with real-time rendering.

The post ‘Tron’ Star Jeff Bridges Thinks ‘Tron 3’ Should be the “first virtual reality movie” appeared first on Road to VR.

February 6, 2017

Mundo Pixelado Brings TRON Legacy into VR

A new studio has entered the virtual reality (VR) development scene, as Mundo Pixelado has launched its debut experience. A VR location at present, the TRON Legacy inspired Outlands Safehouse will benefit from additional mini-games and interactive content as it progresses through its Steam Early Access campaign.
Outlands Safehouse is a roomscale based VR experience currently playable on HTC Vive and also coming to Oculus Rift. The Steam Early Access version of the videogame available now includes a ‘relax zone’ in which the player is invited to explore the calm, futuristic environment. Mundo Pixelado plan to expand the videogame with additional objects and challenge-based gameplay.

Tron Legacy Outlands Safehouse VR Experience #2
“We would like to use the Early Access period to build additional interesting features like furniture, minigames and bug fixes,” reads the official Steam page for Outlands Safehouse. “This is a personal project that I modelled and programmed for pleasure in 2015, that I have decided to adapt to VR to enjoy the beautiful environment as it should, taking advantage to receive funding to make it possible to further develop.”

Mundo Pixelado suggest that Outlands Safehouse will remain in Early Access for five-to-seven months, and is currently available for £1.99 GBP. VRFocus will keep you updated with all the latest details on Outlands Safehouse and future VR projects from Mundo Pixelado.