| |
| Explore the World's First Mixed Reality Theater in Kaohsiung! |
◎Written by Li Guei-sian
◎English translation by Lin Yu-ciao
◎Photos by Carter |
Building on the stunning visual experience now possible via VR technology, the world's first mixed-reality (MR) theater, called Moondream Reality, has been established in Asia's New Bay Area in Kaohsiung. The theater employs interactive technology to bring characters vividly to life in front of participants' eyes. Those who enter this domain find themselves surrounded by immersive projections that they can freely explore, while interacting with virtual characters and enjoying an unrivaled and unprecedented all-embracing experience.
In the popular work Flight of the Flamingos, participants find themselves in a colorful wetland inhabited by flamingos. When they open their hands, a bird's egg emerges. A little flamingo pops out of the egg, and it then spreads its wings. Flight of the Flamingos makes it possible for participants to experience everything from raising newborn flamingos to taking care of adult birds. Grown-up flamingos also invite gamers to join their parties, which feature incredible music.
“Mixed-reality theater treats the entire environment as a carrier and canvas for multimedia, and uses projection and laser sensing to create an integrated experience of the virtual and the real in an open space,” says Ami Wu, head of MoonShine Animation's Interactive Department. |
 |
Moondream Reality Co., Ltd., which operates the theater, is a subsidiary of MoonShine Animation, a company specializing in animation production and somatosensory imaging. Wu says that the theater serves as a venue for Kaohsiung's VR applications. Its core goals, she explains, include being a stage on which new media artists and teams can play, and a place where they can present high-quality works to audiences.
Rebirth is the result of a collaboration between Moondream Reality and FervorTaiwan Theater Troupe. The show was inspired by Dijiang, the mountain god who sings and dances in the Classic of Mountains and Seas (also known as Shan Hai Jing, a Chinese classic text). Guided by the sound of drums, participants wander into a magical forest beneath stars and a bright moon to explore the legend of Dijiang and the monsters that appear in Chinese mythology. Using the MR devices, audience members can beat drums, as cranes are transformed into the monsters and spirits that float around. The legendary world of gods and monsters thus comes vividly to life in front of the audience's eyes. |
| The MR theater is a doorway into the virtual world, and its leaders hope to collaborate with more creators. It is conceivable that, in the near future, immersive concerts featuring close-range interaction with singers, as well as somatosensory museums featuring real-time recreations of historical events, will become commonplace. Thanks to the region's advanced technologies and industries, Asia's New Bay Area is becoming a pioneer in the field of 5G interactive entertainment. |
 |
Moondream Reality 夢境現實
Location: Kaohsiung Music Center (Whale Promenade 01)
Open: 1:30 pm to 8 pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday; closed Monday to Thursday.
Website: https://moondreamreality.com/
|
| |
| TOP |
 |
|
