Science World – Creative Technology Gallery
Co-Presented by RBC and Beedie
From museums and visitor centres to theme parks and hospitals, our team has forged creative partnerships with a diverse array of brands and organisations. So when we had the opportunity to collaborate with both Science World, DigiBC and Phoenix Labs on a project in our home town, we happily accepted.
Our shared goal was to create an immersive multi-room gallery, dedicated to showcasing the creative technology sector in British Columbia and inspiring a new generation of developers, designers, and artists.
As one of Vancouver’s most visited tourist destinations, Science World creates interactive, hands-on exhibits and galleries that nurture their process of discovery and inspire connection with their natural, physical and built environments.
Dauntless, a video game created by Phoenix Labs in Vancouver, BC, is a Canadian success story. Players explore the world of the Shattered Isles, teaming up in a multiplayer environment to track and slay Behemoths, the roaming monsters that threaten this world. Dauntless was the first ever game to launch with a cross-play between Windows, Xbox, and Playstation.
Working closely with Science World, DigiBC and Phoenix Labs, we developed the concept for a three room gallery with the intellectual property (IP) from Dauntless, central to the experience. Featuring large scale 2D and 3D animations, an original audio score, gesture-based interactivity, and floor to ceiling immersive projections, the Creative Technology Gallery looks to showcase the journey of becoming a creative technologist. Using a strong narrative approach and innovative technology, visitors leave the Gallery feeling excited by their creations, inspired by future career possibilities, and empowered to tell their own stories.
We structured the narrative journey of a Creative Technologist on three stages: “Dream. Build. Play.”
Beginning in the Dream Space, the visitor steps into a child’s bedroom where the walls are alive with awe-inspiring animations, eliciting a sense of curiosity and desire to explore more. Posters of Dauntless, EA’s FC 24, Molly of Denali, Lego Movie 2, and Luigi’s Mansion 3 (all made-in-BC productions), subtly suggest where this journey will eventually lead.
In the Build space, visitors take on the role of Environment Designer, Art Director and Character Artist and manipulate characters and elements from Dauntless via our touch-screen stations. Their creations are projected onto large walls as their creative choices are shown in real-time on a large scale. Fans can now feel what it’s like to be part of the creative team behind one of their favourite games.
It’s in the Play space, where the world of Dauntless comes to life. As you walk through this fully immersive environment – trees sway and grass twitches, Behemoths stomp and roar, Pufflehops burrow and unburrow, a massive flying ship sails overhead while pixie dust follows your every move.
The original audio score created by ngx and Hadron Films adds an extra layer of immersion into the world of Dauntless, further linking our experience with the original game.
The creative technologist journey becomes more than just a concept but an inspiration by seeing the real-world, local example of success that is Phoenix Labs and for the fans of Dauntless, the customization and immersion of the IP brings this beloved game to life.
Refining the fully-immersive experience in the final room presented unique challenges. Using a bespoke approach, we combined multiple gaming platforms to successfully integrate the Dauntless IP. ngx merged a variety of platforms for our solution, including Unity, Unreal, and 7th sense, making this a technically innovative and cutting edge endeavour. Working hand in hand with a game developer to craft this one of a kind IP experience at Science World has been a new approach to the industry standard immersive gallery.
partners
DigiBC
Science World
Phoenix Labs