Interactive VR Crime Theatre

The Augsburg State Theatre continues to expand its digital division. The first episode of an interactive crime series for virtual reality has now been released.

Should the interrogation with the security guard continue? Or is it better to listen to Annette Herzog, head of the high-tech company Golden Mind? She seemed nervous, almost anxious, when she asked to talk. But the details of the murder in Herzog's office, which the security guard may have witnessed, would certainly be interesting. Inspector Alina Decker looks at you with a wait-and-see attitude. What now? An either-or question is posed to the viewer, one in which there is little to lose. At worst, they could end up with a more boring storyline. That would be kind of bad luck.

Crime series for VR and theatre

Solo is the name of the interactive crime series that the State Theatre Augsburg as a virtual reality production. The VR division has the Theatre continuously expanded, as we have already reported. Especially at the beginning of the year, during the lockdown, Augsburg played a pioneering role nationwide.

Sebastian Klauke has now written a crime thriller, interactively staged by David Ortmann for stage and VR alike. The audience has a say in how the evening unfolds. In the VR version, the audience is naturally alone and looks into the VR glasses provided by the theatre. This shows the simple form of a game, transferred into the theatre space and then transferred into virtual reality. It is therefore not for anyone who wants to play fast-paced games or is looking for the most sophisticated VR solutions. Solo is a theatre thriller with different stages that are put together differently depending on the decision. The game and the theatre are mutually dependent, and the pace familiar from both areas is not part of the concept.

The episode ends with a cliffhanger; the second part is due to be released in March

Despite modern VR technology, the production has a nostalgic charm, as it works like the playbooks that were popular in the 1980s. The VR viewer is virtually on stage with them.

The whole thing lasts around 45 minutes. The first part will end at some point, with a cliffhanger of course, and part two will continue in March 2022.

Source: sueddeutsche