The Assembly is an “immersive, interactive VR story” currently in development at nDreams, which promises to tell an intriguing tale. A mysterious organization—the titular Assembly—has been conducting experiments that go well beyond what's considered morally okay by polite society. But as those secrets are about to be exposed, two people, each with unique motivations, are given the chance to influence the future. And, as nDreams website states, “For better or worse, the impossible choices they face will transform not just their own lives, but that of whole nations.” Dun dun der!
The behind the scenes video released today highlights the depth and detail of the game world nDreams is trying to create. A realistic visual style is vital, but Art Manager Martin Field says “completeness” and consistency is even more important to making it a believable experience. That includes not just what players see, but also what they hear.
“Audio in VR games needs a complete reset,” Audio Director Matt Simmonds explains. “You could just use the same methods that you use in a traditional flat-screen game, but the biggest difference is detail. In an immersive environment, like having a VR helmet on, everything is so much more intimate. You're so much closer to the action. You can just walk right up to something, peer straight into it, and get a lot more visual feedback. So we've got to match that with the audio in order to make things feel more real.”
The Assembly is being developed for the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR. No release date has been set, but nDreams says it's “coming soon.”
