GAME CHANGERS represents a collaborative odyssey delving into climate activism, accomplished through an immersive decision-making game and live performance.
The project emerges from the innovative collaboration between the interactive studio Megaverse, esteemed academics, creative minds, and cutting-edge technologists.
Three actors in motion capture as avatars, joined by a fourth as their A.I.-bot, will land on the screens of audiences nationwide to work together on a journey of climate justice in the fictional northern town of GreenView.
As we all face real-world climate concerns, GAME CHANGERS asks audiences to move beyond anxiety and apathy towards collective action.
Across 14 – 17 August 2023, Megaverse and its collaborators will screen two shows of a two-part live interactive narrative game, which empowers its audience and drives collective decision-making in the fight against the climate emergency. Each show will feature new improvisations, and be unique in that different audience choices will result in varying narratives.
GAME CHANGERS is a multiplatform collaboration bringing together remote audiences with real-time motion-captured actors in an experimental model that provokes conversation and action around climate change through gaming. Funded by UK Research & Innovation, this pilot explores how gaming and non-gaming audiences, as well as marginalised communities, and those first to be impacted by the climate crisis, can galvanise and act towards positive change.
Split into two distinct parts, the show introduces new challenges and character dynamics that gamers must come together to help resolve, with the audience having agency to shape narrative outcomes. Led by GreenView Rising – tech whiz Gwen (Julia Rogers), activist Reece (Max Crean) , artist Jamie (Bobby Wilkinson) and their A.I.-bot ECO (Shady Murphy) – audiences get to be part of a fiction which the producers hope will create positive action in the real world.
Remote audiences can select story choices in a branching narrative, vote in polls, chat with each other and with the character of ECO, as ‘data points’ in the show. The innovative format marks a new stage in digital storytelling.
Megaverse is breaking new ground by combining theatre, film and gaming created using virtual production and live multi-camera broadcast techniques. The show is made using a game engine with live actors in full-body motion capture and live camera crew. This is then streamed through a website with everything viewable at playgamechangers.com
The A.I.-robot ECO is a puppeteered avatar with a voiceover actor performing scripted and improvised content.
Key facts about the show:
- The show stars Geordie talents, emerging actor Julia Rogers (she/her) as tech whiz Gwen, and Northern Girls lead Bobby Wilkinson (they/them) as artist Jamie, with New-Zealander and ex-Power Ranger Max Crean (he/him) as activist Reece, and West-Midlands based cabaret star Shady Murphy (she/her) as A.I.-bot ECO.
- GAME CHANGERS was written by Emma Nuttall (she/her), an award-winning (BAFTA, Screen Yorkshire, XRStories) creative writer, combining research from University of York lecturer and climate communications academic, Dr Lynda Dunlop (she/her), and University of Lancaster’s Zoyander Street (they/them), expert in gaming for good and consulting on inclusion.
- GAME CHANGERS is produced by Megaverse. Directed by creative XR technologists, Ben Carlin (he/him) and John Ingle (he/him) of Megaverse, working across the theatrical and technical roles respectively.
- The production is highly innovative in making use of hundreds of virtual cameras set up in the games engine world, using custom-built real-world cameras, an adapted remote-control car, and bespoke interfaces that have been developed just for this show.
- The project communicates climate change messaging and research in an accessible way through engaging audiences in the stories of these fictional characters, a true blending of fact and fiction.
- Consultation has been essential throughout with the inclusion of climate activists, National Youth Theatre students, and focus groups featuring people identifying as underrepresented in theatre and gaming. The feedback from these groups and individuals has informed the story, characters and outcomes.
“We’re in uncharted territory which is very exciting but also slightly nerve-racking! The fact that the performers are live inside the games engine in full mocap with finger articulation and face tracking puppeteering all the characters is mind boggling – especially when you add on top the live camera crew operating virtual cameras… We’re really pushing the limits of what’s currently possible with the tech. But ultimately, for us, it’s about creating an unforgettable audience experience, giving them real ownership of the story as they play a role and have their voices heard”.
Megaverse Co-director, Ben Carlin
“Megaverse constantly seeks to push boundaries in mixed reality, interactive and live performance with the highest production values. This new show makes new connections between TV, streaming, gaming, theatre and interactivity, engaging mass audiences in a story about climate change activism.”
John Rose-Adams, Senior Creative Producer, XR Stories and Project Manager, XR Network+
GAME CHANGERS goes live with PART A on 14 August 2023 at 7pm at playgamechangers.com PART B screens on 15 August 2023 at 7pm.
The full show runs again with potential new outcomes depending on audiences’ choices, with PART A on 16 August at 7pm, and PART B on 17 August at 7pm.
The easy-to-follow and play show features a full tutorial at the start of each part so anyone can play, whether a practised gamer or not.
Audiences can sign up for free at playgamechangers.com
