[WIP] GATE-D VR, a Japanese cyberpunk multi-stream narrative

msaijo

The GATE-D software being developed is a first person choose-your-own-adventure interactive narrative “Application/Experience” based classic cyberpunk novels and films from Japan and US. This collaboration is a “Team” effort between producers/programmers from Japan and visual artist/filmmakers from the US.

The concept is an abstract homage to film-noir cyberpunk history, a “mash-up” of pop cultural references with characters based on Ryu Murakami’s novel Coin Locker Babies, classic sci-fi anime AKIRA, Tetsuo the Ironman, underscored with quotes and themes from influential writers like William Burroughs, Jean Baudrillard, Philip K Dick, and other sci-fi writers.

The process is to film the narrative using live action 360-degree video with Japanese actors (dubbed in English) within the backdrop of surrealistic modern Japan. “Unity Engine” will be used to develop the software for interactive capabilities, to "choose your own adventure" and compositing visual effects using Adobe After Effects. Some of the characters are played by professional cosplay actors.

JaninaWoods

This looks AWESOME! I am hyped! Can't wait to try! :DD

cybereality

The name Datura was used by a PS3 game and is trademarked. Just FYI.

https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/datura-ps3/

Joyhype

This is a very interesting concept! I'm really digging it because of the old school movie sci-fi vibe /appeal (Fifth Element, Mad Max, Dune, Total Recall).

cybereality

I do love the style and the concept. More cyberpunk is always a good thing.

RyuMaster

HELL YEAH! I just love this genre so much, can't wait!

msaijo

cybereality wrote:

The name Datura was used by a PS3 game and is trademarked. Just FYI.

https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/datura-ps3/

Thanks Oculus Manager for letting us know about the trademark. We will come up with another solution.

msaijo

Can anyone see the photos on this post? If not, does anyone know how I can fix it so you can see the pics?

Twitchmonkey

Only members can view attachments if I recall correctly, if you want anyone to be able to see them you'll have to include them using the img tags, which can be found just above the main body of the post during post creation or editing. Just put the URL between the brackets and it should show up for everyone. Note that this does require you to upload the pictures to a file host first like tinypic or imageshack, and you'll need the direct link to the picture itself.

msaijo

Twitchmonkey wrote:

Only members can view attachments if I recall correctly, if you want anyone to be able to see them you'll have to include them using the img tags, which can be found just above the main body of the post during post creation or editing. Just put the URL between the brackets and it should show up for everyone. Note that this does require you to upload the pictures to a file host first like tinypic or imageshack, and you'll need the direct link to the picture itself.

Thanks Twitch Monkey for the info.

msaijo

Here are few more pics from behind the scenes...more to come!

Twitchmonkey

Very nice, I love practical effects and the gorier the better. Feels a lot like Tetsuo.

msaijo

Twitchmonkey wrote:

Very nice, I love practical effects and the gorier the better. Feels a lot like Tetsuo.

Twitchmonkey, Actually, you're right on point! this character is Tetsuo, loosely based on the original character. thanks!

Joyhype

msaijo wrote:

Here are few more pics from behind the scenes...more to come!

Dang thats some rad makeup!!

msaijo

Here are few more pics from the production.
The title DATURA is a working title and will be replaced shortly due to trade am issues.

cybereality

Wow!

spinaljack

This looks amazing, regardless of what else happens in the Jam I hope this gets a full release!

msaijo

Thanks for your interest, support, and encouragement.

We've changed the title from DATURA to GATE-D due to trademark issues. Hope to stick with this one. Please let me know if there maybe be issues with GATE-D title.

Attached are couple of pics from yesterdays shoot. More to come...

Joyhype

Dang this is so cool! Looks like a labour of love. Awesome images btw. I'm super stoked on seeing what the outcome of this project is going to be like. I've never experienced a VR film / or interactive experience, so I can't wait to see how this turns out.

Thisisdanzo

Yeah, this looks really cool, guys. Are you shooting in stereoscopic 360? Mono 360? How are you achieving the technical aspects? Stuff like this would really bring people to VR.

msaijo

Thisisdanzo wrote:

Yeah, this looks really cool, guys. Are you shooting in stereoscopic 360? Mono 360? How are you achieving the technical aspects? Stuff like this would really bring people to VR.

Thanks thisisdanzo. we aren't shooting stereoscopic, using go-pro cluster, few different mounts, after-effects, unity, and practical effects as much as we can. basically whatever we can get our hands on, including existing locations, professional and non professional talent resources since we are completely independent.

I'm from LA, found a lot of great talent in Japan, built an awesome team, weird locations, and lots of enthusiasm which makes the perfect recipe for creativity, and achieve beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I just hope that some of this energy and magic thats taking place in reality can be transferred through the virtual experience.

spinaljack

Have you tried this camera?

https://theta360.com/uk/

It does 360 video and doesn't have all the stitching anomalies that you get from some camera clusters. Also has built in wifi so no fiddling around with memory cards.

£244 I think which is not bad.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_nos ... lectronics

John Carmack mentioned it on his Mobile VR talk and said it created very good results.

msaijo

I went to train station in Tokyo to research Salary Men lifestyle and environments, took some pics, and was amazed at how efficient and automated this society is and how close we are to becoming spiritual machines, if not already.

HomerS66

spinaljack wrote:

Have you tried this camera?

https://theta360.com/uk/

It does 360 video and doesn't have all the stitching anomalies that you get from some camera clusters. Also has built in wifi so no fiddling around with memory cards.

£244 I think which is not bad.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_nos ... lectronics

John Carmack mentioned it on his Mobile VR talk and said it created very good results.

360 photos are ok, not great but ok and easy to make, but video is a bit to lowres tho.

msaijo

how do you storyboard 360 video? I thought that the best solution maybe to do draw a panoramic image, break it up into three parts, with 1/3, 2/3 golden rule. with main focus in the center and peripheral content on the side, like environment. It ended up nothing like the storyboard drawings, but was a good enough departure point to start with to organize visual story content.

spinaljack

Cool storyboards, I imagine 3D audio will play a big part in this film to draw the viewer's attention to things happening.

KominAaa

I'm amazed at the level of detail you put into this

msaijo

“The conceptualization involved in cyberpunk is more of forging ahead, looking at the new global culture. It is a culture that does not exist right now, so the Japanese concept of a cyberpunk future, seems just as valid as a Western one, especially as Western cyberpunk often incorporates many Japanese elements.”[38] William Gibson is now a frequent visitor to Japan, and he came to see that many of his visions of Japan have become a reality:

Modern Japan simply was cyberpunk. The Japanese themselves knew it and delighted in it. I remember my first glimpse of Shibuya, when one of the young Tokyo journalists who had taken me there, his face drenched with the light of a thousand media-suns—all that towering, animated crawl of commercial information—said, "You see? You see? It is Blade Runner town." And it was. It so evidently was.[39]

riftopia

This looks totally awesome and could be the start of something great! I hope it will appeal to both international and Japanese audiences. One thing I didn't get was the cables in the first pic with the lady and the gear vr, but I guess that will become clear once the demo is available. ^_^

Lhun

this... is so incredibly good.

I can't wait.

Since you're using unity in part are you also going to release for the dk2?

msaijo

Lhun wrote:

this... is so incredibly good.

I can't wait.

Since you're using unity in part are you also going to release for the dk2?

Thanks for the support Lhun! Yes, we do plan on releasing this for the dk2.