Augmented reality maybe taking baby steps, but the same cannot be said about virtual reality. The “Live Park 4D World Tour,” cashes onto the trend of virtual reality and is a theme park that takes the technology to a whole new level.
Located in South Korea, the Live Park 4D World Tour is a Kinect-powered theme park, that has been conceptualized by new media entertainment company, d’strict, who desire to introduce a new genre of theme park adventure to the current tech-crazed generation. Utilizing 4D avatar technology, the theme park looks straight out of movies like ‘Minority Report’ and ‘Avatar’ , where the user can create an avatar themselves, to partake in an unforgettable virtual adventure with fellow visitors.
The Kinect-powered theme park is spread over 10,000 sq. foot (929 sq. m) space and impresses with its plethora of attractions, installation art pieces, and also sublime interactive displays. Currently opened at the KINTEX in Ilsan, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, the park uses all the latest cutting-edge technologies like; 3D video, holograms, and augmented reality technology.Users are required to wear RFID wristbands, which act as ID tags, and the Kinect sensors located around the park, detect their movements, voices, and even faces. All this helps in them creating an avatar of themselves and immerse themselves in an unforgettable surreal alternative reality.
Some of the highlights of the Live Park include:
The ‘Ender Mirror’- visitors create their own look-alike avatar and take photos by laughing at a mirror loaded with a ‘smile engine.’
‘Live360’- the world’s biggest interactive 360 degree stereoscopic theatre. Shouting and running together alongside their avatars, visitors can directly experience a realistic video game with multiple story endings in a huge space.
‘Live Square’ – allows visitors to enjoy the world’s most advanced avatar game in the world’s largest interactive projection square stretching over 150 meters.
‘Live Holo’ – holograms created by a collaboration between d’strict and domestic and overseas artists including David Garrett, Boxer Rebellion and 2NE1.
‘Syno Star Performance’ – visitors perform with their avatars in augmented reality on the hologram stage.
‘Mega Live Event’ – ‘Live Park’ is transformed into an evening entertainment venue providing unconventional performances, events, and exhibitions in co-operation with top Rave DJs, artists, clubs, brands and fashion magazines.
Creating something as mammoth and technologically advanced is no child’s play, and it doesn’t surprise us that the park represents an investment of $13 million over 2 years. The theme park is capable of accommodating up to 3,000 visitors at any one time or 10,000 visitors a day. Since, the park has met with resounding success, d’strict is planning to expand it overseas in countries like China and Singapore.
