VR Dystopia: Before the Fall
Before the Fall is a collaboration between MA VR students and staff and external partners – Luke Losey (Unit9) and Tim Harrison (Aumeta) on the development of an immersive VR experience engaging users with the realities of global warming in their immediate environment. The concept is simple: time-tours in a post-apocalyptic world, allow viewers to return to the home planet we were forced to leave in the late 21st century.
A familiar location such as Battersea Power Station is rendered in the future present – its structure crumbling, partially submerged by the Thames, swollen beyond recognition, in a landscape stripped of flora and fauna. But everywhere there are signs of a past civilisation and ghostly voices and memories linger – clues to a planetary trauma. Removing the VR headset will leave users in an abundant presence where catastrophe has yet to destroy everything we cherish. In this sense the experiences can be at once educational, moving, haunting and galvanising with the experiences leaving time tourists with a sense of what may be preserved, rather than one of inevitable devastation.
Student team:
Martyna Kowalska – m.kowalska0620221@arts.ac.uk – MA Visual Effects – VFX/3D Modeller
Nira Gonzalez – n.gonzalezsanchez0320221@arts.ac.uk – MA Visual Effects – VFX/3D Modeller
Jess Howard – j.howard0320221@arts.ac.uk – MA Visual Effects – VFX/3D Modeller
Veronika Butkevich – v.butkevich0520221@arts.ac.uk – MA 3D Computer Animation – animator
Gloria Corra – g.corra0220191@arts.ac.uk – MA 3D Computer Animation – animator
Alexa Donahue – a.donahue0620221@arts.ac.uk – MA VR – Unity developer & VR artist
An Zhou – a.zhou0820211@arts.ac.uk – MA VR – Unity developer & VR artist
Yazhe Li – r.li0920182@arts.ac.uk – MA VR – Unity developer & VR artist
At first, we weren’t sure if we’d been accepted into the project, which made us a little nervous. We sent emails introducing ourselves including our experience, skills and portfolio. I have also included Christos as my reference. Fortunately, we received confirmation of participation on January 24th and we were able to arrange the first group meeting for February 2nd. Since we didn’t know much about the project at this point, other than a general synopsis, we couldn’t prepare much for the appointment.
From the general brief in Padlet, we knew the task was to create an animated environmental landscape. The final result would be a demo version to pitch for funding. We could use any technique or platform (360, VR, AR, Games, Video, Performance, Exhibition, etc.) with animation. The focus was on having fun, experimenting and discovering what is possible within a limited time and collaborators’ needs. It should be an underwater and dystopian world with strange creatures. We created the Miro board and generated some ideas based on how we envisioned the project. I’ve scoured post-apocalyptic concept art and visual effects artists to show different design approaches and styles that interest me and might be worth exploring for the rest of the group. We focused on environment design references and colour palettes.
- David Jurek, Concept Artist (https://www.artstation.com/dawid_jurek)
- Aaron Limonick, World Art Director at Activision/Blizzard (https://www.artstation.com/limonick)
- Terraform Studios, Design Studio (https://www.artstation.com/terraformstudios)
- Andrzej Dybowski, Lead Artist at PaperGames (https://www.artstation.com/dybowski)
- Ricardo Lima, Freelance Concept Artist (https://www.artstation.com/ricardolimart)
- Fang Yi, Freelance Concept Artist (https://www.artstation.com/fang_yi)
General Meeting (02/02/23)
During the first official meeting, we introduced everyone, discussed our roles and interest in this assignment, and debated the general outline of the project. As we have been asked not to reveal too much information about the plot (to prevent information from spreading outside), I will not share the exact script. However, I would like to point out that we received “Provisional Treatment” to understand the scope and purpose of “Before the Fall”. In addition, we were asked to choose a scene we would like to work on. With new visuals and more information, we started working on assigning roles and creating a timeline.
Overview of the project:
The most important in this project are emotions and immersive experiences. Images such as stairs disappearing into the sea can show the dangers of climate change and evoke emotional responses in viewers. The VR experience will begin in a quiet indoor space, reflecting the consequences of a climate catastrophe. Participants will be able to see the hazy reflection in the window to confirm that they are in the scenery. They will then explore the outdoors (near the Thames) with disturbing sounds and visions from 300 years ago (possibly projected onto a visor in a hazmat suit).
As they continue deeper into the city, they begin to recognise some of the buildings. In addition, they will be able to interact with objects representing a past life (a storytelling device), such as abandoned toys and household items. The audience can hear a woman screaming in the distance. The ghost of man passes by them. Thus begins the story of a family from the past. The mother takes her daughter to euthanise themselves, and he tries to stop them from committing suicide. Participants follow the family through the first building and then see a recognizable London bridge.
After crossing the bridge, they see a newer building, similar to the departure lounge (non-place concept). A woman and a child are allowed to enter the building, but the man doesn’t, causing him to break down. The audience learns that he was the father (conflict resolution). The viewers go further to find the woman and child – the exploration of the place, joyful artificial voices, everything looks cosmetic. They hear the mother singing (reveal) – dead, two skeletons surrounded by artificial nature.
Other elements:
- Keeping people in a controlled space.
- The landscape reminds us of the abandoned areas of Eastern Europe.
- Nature didn’t take over, instead, it is alien, and uncanny (lots of mosses, algae, cockroaches, etc.).
- Ghostly images, we want to sense them, hear them, but we don’t want to see the features. Similar to ghost stories.
For Discussion:
- How do we move?
- Timings of 5 acts.
- Can we die? (go back to start)
- How movement instigates visual stimuli.
- Is the augmented reality info on visor switch-off able?
- Opportunities for interaction.
Emotional Keywords: Detached Curiosity, Isolation, Nostalgia, Regret, Loss, Horror.
Further research: Blade Runner 2040, Stalker, Soylent Green, La Jetée, Holocaust Tourism, Narrative spaces/Liminal spaces.
References:
Non-place (2022) Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-place (Accessed: 02 February 2023).