Australian virtual reality (VR) studio Start VR is synonymous with creating immersive cinematic content like Awake and VR Noir. For its latest project the team has collaborated with the Australian War Memorial Museum and Boeing to create a multi-user, interactive VR experience called the Battle of Hamel.
Created as part of commemorations of the centenary of the First World War, Battle of Hamel is a 10 minute documentary combining Tilt Brush paintings rendered as 360 video with realtime assets and in-cinema audio. Visitors to the Australian War Memorial Museum in Canberra, ACT will hear how General Sir John Monash meticulously planned the battle, before choosing to witness the battle from the first-person perspective of an airman, infantryman, or tank crewman.
“On 4 July 1918 the Australian Corps, led by Lieutenant General Sir John Monash, was victorious at the battle of Hamel. Leading Australian soldiers alongside Americans for the first time in history, Monash meticulously planned out the battle to last 90 minutes – it took 93,” said Memorial Director Dr Brendan Nelson. “This immersive technology comes as close as we can today to recreating what took place at those events almost 100 years ago. I encourage everyone, but particularly young people, to book your free ticket the Hamel VR Experience and learn a bit more about what men like John Monash did for us.”
The Battle of Hamel VR experience will see up to 50 Oculus Go devices used per session in a shared, interactive VR experience.
“The Battle of Hamel VR presents a piece of Australian history in an entirely new light. By merging the Museum’s archival material with a VR rendering of the battle people can see, hear and feel history in a way never before encountered,” adds Managing Director of Start VR Angus Stevens. “To create a world first, leveraging VR technology that’s barely a few months old is in itself fantastic but to know that this experience will unlock a key moment in Australia’s history that many people are unaware of, makes it all the more exciting.”
Start VR’s Battle of Hamel at the Australian War Memorial runs from 22nd June to 22nd July 2018. For ticket information head to the official website. As Start VR unveil further VR projects VRFocus will keep you updated.
via Mint VR