Overview:

The VR experience meshes with the timeline, aesthetic, and themes of Curfew - a new 8-part street race drama - providing an immersive parallel story to the action seen in the show. Each TV episode follows a different racer's perspective - the VR experience does the same, serving as the hidden 9th episode. 

The creative aim was to parachute the viewer into the centre of a scripted universe, originally created for linear broadcast, and provide a different perspective on scenes from the show. This unique crossover is truly innovative. 

User experience: 


The interactive scripted adventure lands you on the starting grid of an illegal street race inspired by the Curfew universe. You meet your driver, ‘Eduardo’ and the mysterious ‘Helena’ who communicates to you from her hideout over CB radio. As co-pilot, the user can make choices to push on the narrative and ultimately try and survive the night.   

When users commented that they felt it was pushing towards the type of visual quality seen in AAA games, or that it was a glimpse at how good, longer VR interactive, narrative experiences could be, it felt like we had contributed something positive to the current and future VR landscape.  

User reviews: 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything in VR as good.”

“It’s one of those apps that shows the incredible potential of VR.”

“Nice to see a Rift experience that has a good narrative and dialogue.”

“It’s given me hope we can have AAA graphics in VR.”

"Amazing graphics."

Production:

The process started with discussions between all parties. It was important to stay true to the show, but also utilise the many extra layers that VR could bring through interactivity, dialogue, and sound. 

The next stage involved a traditional draft of the main script with branching dialogue ideas. User POV pre-visualisations were made to test out timings, blocking action, and audio. Concept art for environments, vehicle design, and character designs helped develop a visual style and atmosphere for the world. 

A low fidelity game-engine version of the experience was built, helping to layout the scenes and begin development of the narrative. This allowed us to do checks before moving into final development. 

Materials, style elements, design choices: 

A number of carefully designed interactions provide the player with narrative choices and real agency throughout - from talking to ‘Helena’ over the CB radio to navigating race information via the black box on the dashboard.

The levels of realism were pushed by employing on-set photogrammetry of the vehicles and locations as well as animation, physics simulation, motion-capture, and immersive sound design.