A meeting of minds and disciplines UCF Themed Experience program collaborates with VR pioneer Dr. Carolina CruzNeira • by Peter Weishar

A meeting of minds and disciplines

UCF Themed Experience program collaborates with VR pioneer Dr. Carolina Cruz-Neira

by Peter Weishar

One of the most exciting and enjoyable aspects of working in a large research university is the myriad opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. I oversee a small Themed Experience graduate program at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. We must partner with industry and other academic disciplines in order to provide an educational experience that reflects the breadth of expertise and diversity of experience in themed entertainment.

One of the most important interdisciplinary relationships we have is between Engineering and VR. Virtual reality (VR) has progressed to the point where the tools have become accessible, inexpensive and ubiquitous. The next generation of themed experience professionals will be using computer graphics (CG) and VR not only for previsualization but also as an integral component of the guest experience. At UCF, CG visualization is a required course in the Themed Experience program. We see it as an essential platform for the future of themed entertainment. The technology has reached a point where it can deliver upon its promise. In education, we prepare students for the future and we see a path with deepening relationships between these technologies and the themed experience.

In 2020 UCF recruited two pioneers of VR and interactive visualization, Dr. Carolina Cruz-Neira and Dirk Reiners. Dr. Cruz-Neira is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. She created and deployed a variety of technologies that have become standard tools in industry, government and academia. Dr. Cruz-Neira is known world-wide for being the creator of the CAVE virtual reality system. She has over 100 publications as scientific articles, book chapters, and magazine editorials. She has also founded and led very successful virtual reality research centers, like the Virtual Reality Applications Center at Iowa State University, the Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise, and the Emerging Analytics Center at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She has been named one of the top innovators in virtual reality and one of the top three greatest women visionaries in virtual reality. Currently, Dr. Cruz-Neira is the Agere Chair in Computer Science at the University of Central Florida.

Here, I share a discussion that Dr. Cruz-Neira and I had about academic research and the future of VR and themed entertainment, and its importance in academic pursuits. -- P.W.

Dr. Carolina Cruz-Neira

Prof. Peter Weishar: I remember my first exposure to the CAVE at SIGGRAPH - an exciting solution for a shared experience in a virtual environment. Please tell us about the development of the CAVE system and your pioneering work in projected virtual environments.

Dr. Carolina Cruz-Neira: My first experience with VR was in 1991 at the ACM SIGGRAPH 1991 conference. There was an exhibit called “Tomorrow’s Realities” where the main technology showcased was virtual reality. Most of the applications were entertainment applications, like surfing, catching floating objects to score points, or exploring beautiful imaginary spaces. Like most people, my first reaction was “wow!” but after that, I put my engineer hat on and started to think about what exactly I had experienced and what it could be helpful for.

There were several aspects that I loved, like the ability to leave the real world and explore new worlds in ways not possible in reality - this opened creative opportunities limited only by our own imaginations. But I also noticed aspects that bothered me, in particular the fact that I was alone in the virtual space and that I lost my body. It was hard to share the experience with others, even in collaborative worlds as I could not see their social cues, such as facial expressions and body language. So when I had the opportunity to pursue a PhD in virtual reality my main motivation was to develop a technology that would allow for multiple participants to share the virtual space in the same

manner as we do in real life. So, the CAVE was born. The first one was shown at the ACM SIGGRAPH 92, just a year after my first contact with VR. It became an instant success and in the following years many industries adopted the CAVE - from engineering design, to oil & gas exploration, to drug design, to training, to virtual heritage, to art.

The original CAVE required a cluster of workstations and specialized parallel software libraries to integrate and synchronize all the components. Development was, in a sense, reserved to highly advanced computer scientists. Today, a system such as the vDen (vdenvr.com) utilizes a single workstation and other off-the-shelf components and it is compatible with the current development SDKs and engines, bringing developing CAVE applications to the same level of simplicity as developing applications for current headsets. This enables teamwork in a single virtual space, where we can maintain the social interaction needed to carry on conversations and make decisions through consensus.

The CAVE and other related technologies are not a replacement for headsets as well as headsets are not a replacement for CAVEs. VR, in order to be successful, needs to provide a range of platforms that support the context in which the users need to operate.

Since Covid arrived, we have been hearing more about “frictionless VR” where the guest does not need to wear head-mounted displays. Frictionless seems like a safer alternative that will instill more confidence in the guest experience. Do you see this as a lasting trend?

The issues of hygiene and safety when sharing headsets have now become much more relevant with Covid-19. So, when we return to a somewhat normal life, I think many people would be leery of using headsets that are accessible to multiple users, especially in public installations where it is hard to control and trace those users. A possible alternative that we are exploring is the user of room-size VR where only glasses are needed to enter the real world. Since the early days of my career I have been investigating not only new technologies, but also the logistics of deploying, operating and maintaining those technologies. As the individual components to do room-size VR, like CAVEs are simpler and affordable, we are moving away from using polarized glasses, for example. Polarized glasses are inexpensive and disposable, but the logistics of maintaining a dual projection system and the possible complexity of developing the software makes more interesting the use of active shutter glasses and single projectors per display surface. The form factor and affordability of the shutter glasses are now such that it could be possible to, for example, own your own glasses and take them with you to different experiences and installations, where there is still controlled proximity interaction among users but no sharing of the VR gear needed for the experience.

Another approach to frictionless experiences is “bring your own device” - capitalizing on the ubiquity of smartphones and tablets. This is a very affordable and simple platform for mainstream VR and AR. For example, visiting an archeological site or other historic location, visitors can use a phone or tablet as their window into the past to see the structures and even the life that may have taken there place centuries ago.

You started at UCF in January 2020, and I know you are planning for a new state-of-the-art research lab. There are exceptional opportunities for collaboration with industry here in Orlando with the themed entertainment and aerospace industries. Can you tell us about your plans for the lab and the focus of your current research?

With the popularity of VR through the rapidly growing consumer and consumer “pro” technologies, our research is focusing on the understanding on where VR (and AR) can be helpful and in what “format” or platform. I do not draw a clear line between VR and AR and other modalities of mixed reality. For me all those technologies are part of a spectrum of technologies to create engaging and useful user experiences targeted to specific tasks, whether those tasks are entertaining the user, or enabling the user to better understand engineering design, or providing a powerful training environment.

The level of immersion, the level of separation or blending into the real world, the interactive richness of the experience, the operational environment in which users need to work with the technology, the need to share the experience with other users colocated or remote are all factors that help determine the specific platform for the experience. This perspective is what drives my current research, which is focused in three main areas: investigate the context of use in which VR/AR/XR can be helpful and in what form; investigate how VR/AR/XR can be helpful for teamwork and collaborative experiences; and investigate alternative platforms that need to be developed and guided by the user, and types of applications.

I think this research is particularly relevant to the themed entertainment industry because it is all about the experiences that visitors have in the parks, museums and other venues. The desired user experience must dictate the VR platform in which each ride is built, incorporating engaging elements like the visuals, to the interaction, to the storytelling as well as some variations that may attract come back visitors. But, what I find The CG image above is a work in progress from “Pegasus Station,” a VR portal collaboration between UCF perhaps more critical for Themed Experience and Engineering. It is modeled in Autodesk Maya and rendered in the Unity engine by themed entertainment are Themed Experience MFA candidate Duncan Macpherson. All images courtesy of Dr. Carolina Cruz-Neira the operational parameters, such as ease of entrance/exit from the experience, robustness Our first project with you and your students focuses on the of the technology to operate for many hours each day as well development of a “portal” to all our VR projects. We have many as to be handled by many visitors, hygiene and health safety for groups of visitors that come to our lab to see and experience our repeated use, and costs related to maintenance, replacements, and research in a variety of fields: training, health care, engineering, upgrades. I think my wider view of what VR is opens many more science, and others. For these visits, we tend to lose time possibilities to integrate it in themed entertainment. It offers changing from one demonstration to another, so we may lose the possibilities for new rides, but perhaps even more intriguing to engagement of the visitors during the few minutes that our VR me, the possibility to upgrade and enhance long-existing rides systems go “dark” and the next demonstration is up and running. using AR techniques. For example, visitors can come back to an We had the concept of creating a portal from where all our old ride and discover “hidden” new elements of the ride’s story demonstrations are launched so the experience for the visitors is if they explore it through their cells or tablets. Maybe there is a not interrupted as we change applications. new character that travels with them through the ride, adding a forward to collaborating with you and UCF’s Themed Experience new twist to the story or keeping them engaged by adding some When I found out about you and your program, I got very surprises in unexpected places along the ride. excited, because now the portal concept has evolved to be, in a sense, a “ride” through the different projects in my group. You teach a graduate class with many of our Themed We have a double benefit because we give your students a Experience MFA candidates and have two exceptionally real environment for the design of the “ride.” It allows us to talented TE grad students as your research assistants who showcase the wide range of expertise and possibilities that a are working on developing a themed virtual environment collaboration among our groups can do and the kind of students that will be a hub for multiple projects. Tell us about the that we are graduating, with engineers and artists working collaboration. together, having a better understanding of each other’s challenges This research is really exciting for my group and we are looking therefore those students are ready for the workplace. • • • to make the ride design work under each other’s constraint and program as well as with the different industries located in Peter Weishar (peter.weishar@ucf.edu) is a Professor Orlando. We are just getting started in this new world defined of Themed Experience and Program Director of by VR in the entertainment industry, the opportunities for the Themed Experience Graduate track at the innovation in this industry are limitless. University of Central Florida (https://www.ucf.edu/ degree/ theatre-mfa/themed-experience/). He also This collaboration represents many intersecting interests as serves as an Associate Member of the TEA Eastern well as complimentary skills to open new technology-driven North America Division Board, and is chair of the steering committee opportunities in the industry and prepare the next generations of the Themed Experience and Attractions Academic Society. Previously, of themed entertainment designers. The Themed Experience Weishar was Dean of Fine Arts at FSU and Director of the Themed students have been able to bridge their creative side with the Experience Institute. He also served as Dean of Entertainment Arts technical background of my engineering students. This is an at SCAD where he founded the first MFA in Themed Entertainment aspect of learning that is hard to convey from classroom work, Design. Weishar has authored three books, Digital Space: Designing but a critical skill needed for success in the professional world. Virtual Environments; Blue Sky: The Art of Computer Animation; and CGI: The Art of the Computer Generated Image.

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TEA Thea Awards Digital Case Studies showcase technology, service and amazing experiences

TEA maintains its prestigious awards cycle in an online format

by Joe Kleiman

In our last issue (#84) Joe Kleiman reported on three TEA Thea Awards Digital Case Studies recipients. We continue his coverage here in issue 85. His entire report is available online at inparkmagazine.com

The root of spirituality: The Hebrew Bible Experience

When designing The Hebrew Bible Experience for the Museum of the Bible, Matthew Solari, Creative Director of BRC Imagination Arts, found a problem – the design of the historic building itself involved evenly placed columns throughout the floor. Embracing this as a creative limitation, Solari and his team devised a “dark ride without a ride vehicle,” a chronological tale involving five mini-theaters and highly themed, snaking corridors between them. In order to maintain a steady flow through the exhibit, certain Biblical stories were cut, particularly those that would distract from the main narrative, such as the Garden of Eden, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the sacrifice of Isaac. Because the Hebrew Bible is the root of a number of Western religions, many sections of the exhibit were designed with an artistic license. According to Solari, “Our intention was to provide an experience where people of all faiths, and no faith tradition, can engage with the narratives of the Bible on their own terms. We would do this by emphasizing universal values of faith, home, love, family, and forgiveness. But first we had to be willing to unlearn everything we thought we knew.” The adventure begins in a small theater where a narrator lays the groundwork leading up to the Great Flood. A wall breaks away and a corridor opens. As guests traverse the exhibit, they encounter the slavery in Egypt, the burning bush, the Ten Commandments, the stories of Judges and of Ruth. In the finale, projection envelops the walls of the theater as the prophet Ezra, who played a pivotal role in the return of the Jews from Babylon to Jerusalem, unfurls a scroll and the guests learn that he has

been their guide from the very beginning.

The birth of a nation: Le Premier Royaume

Puy du Fou has been awarded numerous Thea Awards over the years for its innovative approach to attractions telling the history of France. The newest attraction, Le Premier Royame (The First King), tells the story of Clovis, the Fifth Century first king of France. Nicolas de Villiers, Chairman of Puy du Fou, points out that the story of Clovis has a distinct fantasy element. “We always try to create some very realistic shows,” he says, “with scaled decors, with real horses, with real animals on stage, real people, real performers. Everything is real in Puy du Fou.”

With Clovis, Puy du Fou designed a surrealistic world, much of it based on the storied legends of Clovis and the fact that he was a polytheistic king. The dreamlike experience tells the story of Clovis’ journey to Christianity. In one scene, guests enter Valhalla, which de Villiers calls something “between Heaven and Hell for the Franks.” While traversing the set, guests notice that water is dripping up, an illusion created by the Puy du Fou team. “We have created total immersion,” de Villiers adds. “One room is upside down, you can see a big battle all around you. We also produce our own video content. We’re able to make the film exactly as we want with our own performers and our own costumes.”

The reality that never was: Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds

According to Andrew McGuinness, CEO of Layered Reality, “We’re in the memory business. We want to create extraordinary experiences that stick in people’s minds and then become part of their memories.” One such experience is the layered reality attraction Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds: The Immersive Experience, based on the 1978 musical album, itself based on the 1898 H.G. Wells novel.

Guests take in The Hebrew Bible Experience at the Museum of the Bible. Photo courtesy of The Museum of the Bible. In a five-minute synopsis of the two-hour long adventure, Layered Reality’s Chief Creative Technologist Carl Guyenette shared how various elements overlap to create a multi-textured

Le Premier Royaume. Photo courtesy of Puy du Fou.

sensorial story, including projection mapping, digital dome, live sets and actors, virtual reality (with live digital actors), motion simulators, and holographic characters. In true British fashion, the experience begins and ends in a pub. McGuinness pointed out that people want a drink or a bite to eat after going through the attraction. By offering a restaurant and bar on premises, he discovered that people will discuss their experience, thereby continuing their immersion.

“This novel and highly ambitious re-imagining of the classic story pushes past previous limits into the future of seamless

multimedia storytelling,” reported the TEA Thea Awards Committee. “It is outstanding beyond its many technical achievements, in particular its sheer ambition and duration. It even manages to add to the War of the Worlds story, making it feel fresh, with forgotten twists and turns reinterpreted. The unconventional music soundtrack makes the experience unique and consistent. This attraction brings together many aspects of our industry (and touches on some others) on a scale that challenges us to think of other complex stories that could be told on a large scale. It is a trend to encourage.”

Moving the audience: The Legend of the Gods

Last year, Huaxia Cultural Tourism Group’s project, The Legend of Camel Bells, was a Thea Award recipient [see “Legends, camels & ACE,” InPark Magazine issue 76]. This year came new honors for a different show, Legend of the Gods, with the Thea Awards Committee making special note of the site’s ecological transformation along with theatrical achievements “on a celestial scale.” The “Legends” series of shows, which also includes the indoor “Legend of Min Nan,” feature enormous sets, stateof-the-art projection, hundreds of actors, stunts, and even live animals to bring local history and legends to life at Huaxia Cultural Tourism properties throughout China.

The Legends sets are massive and elaborate and cannot be switched out, and so it was inherent to the physical production to have a mechanism for delivering the audience to them. Camel

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Bells, which takes place inside a massive domed structure, has a moving grandstand that transports the audience to various enormous stages, each showcasing a different act of the presentation. In Legend of the Gods, the audience is seated in an outdoor “auditorium” themed as a giant boat that travels a manmade lagoon to deliver them to the scenes.

Giving the presentation on behalf of Huaxia Cultural Tourism, Bingo Tso says, “This is not the kind of show you can develop like theater.” Speaking of one set featuring massive waterfalls, Tso adds, “You cannot just move five thousand tons of water.”

Legend of the Gods is one of the cultural tourism attractions located in the Huaxia scenic spot, in the mountains above Weihai, Shandong province [see “Moving Mountains,” InPark Magazine issue 79.5]. Within an area ecologically devastated by mining, Huaxia Cultural Tourism implemented a massive environmental transformation that included the planting of more than eleven million trees.

Illuminating the darkness: The Christie Eclipse Projector

During the “Special Segments” session of the TEA Thea Awards Digital Case Studies, Christie discussed its revolutionary Eclipse 4K RGB Pure Laser Projector, recipient of a Thea Award for Technical Innovation. The Eclipse was introduced in 2019 at the American Museum of Natural History’s Hayden Planetarium [see “Ultimate Contrast,” InPark Magazine Issue 82], where the planetarium designed a new show to take full advantage of the projector’s abilities.

Larry Paul, Executive Director, Technology & Custom Solutions Enterprise & Entertainment at Christie, pointed out that the six chips within the projector work together to meet Rec. 2020 color gamut, currently the highest level color gamut available on the market. “Rec. 2020,” he said, “is closest to what we see as humans. The six chips working together provide the largest contrast in the industry. “No other projector on the market has this,” Paul added.

The Eclipse isn’t designed for every environment. For example, it would not work well outside as it requires a dark space to perform at its full potential of ultra high contrast, expansive color gamut and the darkest of darks. Paul remarked, that with the Eclipse, “You can create a dark ride where the darks are so dark that people don’t even realize there’s a projector present.”

According to Bryan Boehme, Executive Director of Americas Enterprise Sales & Global Business Development for Christie, “The Christie Eclipse allows us to walk into that 3D environment without having to wear 3D glasses. Before we talked about looking through a window. Now it’s like looking through a window with the glass taken out.” • • •

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