K-Culture Village, South Korea
THE HETTEMA GROUP
Overview
There are three interconnected, interactive attractions that provide a land-wide gamification layer to the Island of Myths. They are independent of one another, but share themes that add complementary storylines and experiences for guests to explore.
Adventure Tavern – This centralized spot is the Headquarters of two interactive game-attractions, GodStorm and the Zodiac Adventure Game. It is the prime point of connection between the storylines that run throughout the Island of Myths, and a meeting spot where guests may encounter mythical characters.
GodStorm (VR Attraction) – A high-tech, premium, multi-level virtual reality game experience that allows guests to enter never before seen mythical lands and interact with both the environment and other players. Players embark on one or more quests that extend the stories and themes found elsewhere in the land.
Zodiac Adventure Game – An all-ages, zone-wide game activity that features several different interactive technology options. Guests will become part of the Island’s story as they discover its many hidden secrets.
Adventure Tavern
The front of this facility appears as a staggered two-level, naturalistic stone cavern. Pillars and archways seem to be formed from connected stalagmites and stalactites. As guests enter the first grotto, they see a ticket kiosk, magical looking interactive stations, and the not-quite hidden Tavern tucked into another cave at the back of the first.
This grotto functions as a gaming headquarters where guests can learn about and sign up for the interactive adventures that await them in the Island of Myths. It’s also a cool hang-out, and a whole lot more.
Separated by boulders and a wall of mountain stone, the Tavern itself is inspired by the gathering places of old where adventurers from all walks of life get together to share stories. It is filled with magical relics that have been collected from their travels, some of which may even come to life. It includes stations for guests to observe and interact with friends and family members playing in the exciting GodStorm VR attraction. At these stations, guests use magic mirrors, maps, crystal balls, and other “magical” screens to watch their VR player friends in real time, cheer them on, and even help them fulfill their quest.
Overlooking everything, the Jade Record is a real-time scoreboard and leaderboard that involves everyone in the outcome of each game and is a source of bragging rights for heroes who have successfully returned from their adventures.
You never know who might wander through here, including the Island’s mythical characters who might stop and pose for a picture with you at a dedicated Meet and Greet spot in a small adjacent cave opening off the main grotto. The Tavern also includes a themed snack bar and seating area where guests can purchase and enjoy refreshments, as well as a themed retail space. Above the Tavern, reachable by winding stone steps, is yet another cave, in which we catch glimpses of adventurers preparing to set off on some thrilling quest.
GodStorm (VR Attraction)
Five dedicated arena areas allow up to eight players each to participate in a cutting-edge virtual reality experience. Each arena features a different quest, and each quest may feature multiple levels of detail to discover, providing multiple opportunities for repeat play and exploration.
Inspired by Korean mythology and role-playing fantasy games, GodStorm is based on the idea that humans who perform extraordinary and heroic deeds can become gods. Through the course of multiple quests, players are challenged to try to become the best and most powerful god in the realm. Players begin by choosing a character that belongs to an Order associated with one of the four guardian/protector gods that serve the Jade Emperor:
· Blue Dragon
· White Tiger
· Red Bird/Phoenix
· Black Tortoise
A player’s choice of the Order their character serves provides access to specific skills, weapons, magic and other attributes that can provide unique advantages in their quests.
Each player undertakes missions that allow him to earn points, which are recorded in the Jade Emperor’s Jade Record, and ultimately advance in levels. Higher-level characters will gain access to more abilities and powers, but will also encounter more difficult challenges in each successive mission. The various quests take players to different settings where they must defeat monsters, find magical objects, and explore unknown territories based on Korean myths.
All quests are multiplayer adventures and may feature both cooperative and competitive game mechanics. The different quests are themed to different guardians and feature distinct styles of gameplay. For instance, a White Tiger quest may have a combat-oriented, competitive storyline, whereas a Blue Dragon quest may be more of an escape room/puzzle-solving experience.
Adding to the challenges and the fun, Dokkaebi appear intermittently in the game to add surprises that alter the game, or in some instances, to add comic relief.
This is an upcharge attraction that requires a separate paid admission ticket to enter the arena area and play the game. There will be no charge for observing from the Tavern area, although interacting with the game players by giving them treasures or magic items may require a specific microtransaction.
Guests purchase their admission to the GodStorm VR game experience from the ticketing kiosk near the Tavern. At their scheduled time, they proceed up the stone stairway to the arena level, where they check in to be outfitted in the equipment they will need to play. Every adventurer needs a signature role to play, so guests choose their identify, symbolized by traditional Korean masks. Picking a mask from a wall lined with all kinds of heroes, villains, and mythical creatures, guests are instructed in the mask’s amazing transformative power: wearing the mask, you become the character it represents and enter their world.
The masks are actually a high-tech VR head mounted display (HMD), and headphones, as well as a small backpack that contains the laptop with the game program and power supply, and other wearables that support real-time tracking and visualization effects, all themed so guests are completely immersed in their adventures.
As guests move through the experience the virtual world that they see through their HMD is mapped to physical environment of the arena. Prominent features such as walls, benches and even certain props will be physically tangible, and may be interactive. 4D effects such as heat, wind, and mist may be triggered by show control in coordination with the game engine to generate effects in response to player action and position. The overall effect will be to transport players into a fantasy world that looks, sounds, and even feels real.
The potential components of the technology platform that will be used to power GodStorm are changing at an incredibly fast pace. It is a certainty that the available technology at the time of design and installation will be more advanced than the available technology of today. That said, below are some reference devices and solutions for discussion.
VR HMD: HTC Vive and Oculus Rift are among the most advanced VR HMD products on the market. These products are optimized for gaming/entertainment applications and have been deployed in roomscale VR experiences.
Wearable CPU: Players must be able to move freely through the arena while wearing their HMD. The HMD must be physically connected to a CPU, but it is not operationally viable for players to be tethered to a stationary computer unit. Instead, players will wear a battery-powered laptop unit that has been optimized for VR. Below are some recently-announced products:
Positional Tracking: A number of tracking paradigms are currently being explored. There is currently no industry standard best practice for achieving this. For example, a tracking solution may consist of an optical-inertial system that includes high-precision cameras that capture position data and lightweight sensors that can be attached to player HMDs, peripherals, and props/locations in the environment.
Wearables & Peripherals: There is a lot of activity in the development of wearables and peripherals that can enhance a VR experience. Ultimately, the appropriate product selection will depend on the nature of the specific gameplay. Some examples:
· KOR-FX – haptic vest
· Manus: VR glove
As the project continues through design, details of story and specific gameplay will be further developed.
At the end of their adventure, guests return their game equipment outside the arena before proceeding downstairs to the Tavern. There, they will receive a hero’s welcome as they check their results on the Jade Record and celebrate achievements with friends and family. The Tavern’s amenities allow them to unwind with refreshments, sharing tales from their quest, and purchase souvenirs and power-ups.
Zodiac Adventure Game
The Zodiac Adventure Game is a zone-wide interactive, goal-oriented experience in which guests discover clues, decipher codes, solve riddles, and unlock mysteries throughout the Island of Myths.
Based on the stories and characters of the Korean Zodiac, the game leads guests to 12 stations distributed through the land. Players will find stations in a number of unexpected places around the Island, including within attractions, play areas, retail and F&B establishments, and throughout area development. Each station hosts an activity that is themed to a specific Zodiac animal and challenges players with an activity that relates to the characteristic embodied by that animal. As they work their way through a series of adventures that explore these universal characteristics, they may discover their own noble god-like attributes concealed within themselves. The conclusion of the game brings a reward, which could be a souvenir prize, mini-show, or magical token that may be exchanged for special powers in the Tavern.
Game play is open-ended and activities do not have to be done in sequence, so players may use whatever strategy they choose, on their own timetable. As guests play, they can scour and search every corner of the Myth zone, or leisurely wander until they stumble into the next game element. Floor engravings or other markers may indicate stops along the game trail.
The game may allow guests use interactive technology such as an app on their own smartphone or an interactive game element like a magic ring or a goblin club. Each location can have different types of interactivity, technology, and clues to solve.
Examples:
· An augmented reality app on a smartphone/tablet displays an animated mythological animal as an overlay to the action in a live theatrical show.
· Guests may use a technologically-enhanced prop like a dokkaebi club to activate or engage with interactive stations. For example, the club may cause an interactive element in a station to light up, play music, or provide a spoken clue.
· Simpler props such as a map with a photo-reactive picture or text can be placed over a light-up element hidden in a tree stump, for example, to reveal a secret message.
· Interactive effects may be triggered by the mere presence or proximity of players who have been directed to stand in a specific place.
The game stands on its own, but will include parallel elements such as artifacts or magic that tie in to character or story elements in the GodStorm VR experience, cross-promoting each attraction while providing deeper engagement to guests who opt to do both.
Guests who are not playing the game will have their own park experience enhanced simply by watching players invoke magical effects. Like Universal’s Harry Potter Wands, participating guests activate the entire land in unexpected ways and become part of the overall story and show.
Like GodStorm players, guests on a Zodiac Quest can return to the Tavern and share stories, compare their adventures with other players, and show off their mythical powers.
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