After the great acclaim it garnered at the trade fairs held in Dubai and Macao, Alterface’s new CinemAction interactive cinema title "Pirate’s Plunder" was presented for the first time in Europe, at the EAS 2008 fair in Munich, and wil also be shown in the United States at the IAAPA in Orlando
Presented for the first time at the DEAL 2008 fair, which took place in Dubai last April, and then at the AAE in Macao in July, Pirate’s Plunder is gearing up to land in Europe this Autumn before docking in the New World. This interactive attraction developed by Alterface is based on the technology used in the firm’s previous successful title, Desperados, and it can be used to update the latter’s content. With the new title the goal is to help Blackbeard, a real character integrated among the computer-generated images using a cinematic technique known as Blue Key, to retrieve his treasure stolen by the pirate-skeletons.
This CinemAction was a great success at this year’s two leading fairs and five facilities are either already up and running or are about be opened on four continents.
Pirate’s Plunder is now available, adding to Alterface’s already extensive catalogue. It can be set up as a brand new facility or be used to update the content of an existing Desperados CinemAction attraction. Based on the Belgian company’s proven technology, the new title continually emphasizes interactivity and humor, thus offering visitors a moment of adventure and lots of action. It therefore includes the features that made Desperados such a big success – with a shooting game for a group of people to enjoy, plus scenery that is detailed and full of special effects.
The new theme builds on the success of the company’s Far West title. It is also based on universal and popular imagery, this time with pirates on the hunt for treasure.
Action!
Divided into five periods and places, the adventure starts on the quay of a port where Blackbeard, whose treasure has been stolen, will choose his team. After this short introduction and training phase, two players are already highlighted on the screen with their photo: the best shooter… and the one bringing up the rear!
Aboard the pirate ship, the players will first have to defend themselves against a horde of assailants trying to come aboard. The attackers take the form of skeletons.
Saved by the crew’s accurate shooting, the players are taken on a ride to the treasure cave. They will experience a host of special effects, such as water sprays and wind, and their seat will move in synch with every tight turn.
In the treasure cave, the goal is to recover the treasure being defended by the skeletons. But these are not the only targets offering points, as crabs and bats provide secondary targets and react to the shots in a funny way.
Finally, once Blackbeard has got his treasure back, he congratulates his ship’s best lieutenant by projecting his or her photo and score on the screen.
Blue Key
One of this title’s innovations is the presence on screen of a real character. Alterface used the Blue Key technique to integrate this character into a film made in house. While he is accompanied by a friendly virtual mascot, Pedro the parrot, Blackbeard also helps to ensure that players get more involved in the adventure. This highly active approach makes the audience more reactive and, assisted by the action, the atmosphere builds in tandem with the superb soundtrack.
Customisation
Pirate’s Plunder is the result of a promise made by Alterface to expand and renew its content production, so as to build on the investment made in its ‘CinemAction’ interactive cinema. It can be customized in many different ways. New and specially designed pistols can, for example, replace the Colts. The seats can also be shaped like a pirate ship.
Going further still, it is also possible to include some temporary elements in the scenery. This can be done from a remote site, adding pumpkins for example over the Halloween period or a Christmas tree at the year’s end. If a large company books your park for a commercial event, its logo can even be inserted in carefully selected places. This proves a success with visitors every time!
Success on an already global scale
Five Pirate’s Plunder facilities are already or are in the process of being installed, at sites around the world. The new content, which is even more dynamic and attractive, has made believers out of visitors in Dubai, Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), and Fort Lauderdale (Florida, USA), and will soon be part of the program in Bakken (Denmark), as well as in Singapore. Like all the CinemAction titles, Pirate’s Plunder is available in many languages. However, the focus is still on action and the scenes featuring speech have been deliberately kept to a minimum. For international clients, the English content is still easily accessible for all visitors.
Come and see Pirate’s Plunder for the first time at a place near you. Alterface will present its demonstration version at the:
• EAS fair in Munich, Germany from 30 September to 02 October – stand 1551
• IAAPA fair in Orlando, USA from 18 to 21 November – stand 5610
To see a demo video of Pirate’s Plunder, click here
Founded in 2001, Alterface develops, markets and implements interactive entertainment and/or education solutions. Initially a spin-off from the Université catholique de Louvain (Louvain-la-Neuve), Alterface today has 25 employees at its site in Belgium and has an office in Los Angeles (USA). Its exclusive technology and expertise enable Alterface to position itself as a key contact for its many clients, theme parks and museums, located all over the world.
Images: (© Alterface)
