The genre known as reality television sprang into existence
thanks to a drop in camera costs and increased digital storage,
editing and effects capabilities. Now, as we enter the acceleration
era, consistently dropping technology costs and new software
capabilities will enable a radical transformation in in the sorts
of reality shows we see on broadcast television and on YouTube.
One particularly potent reality TV catalyst will be nascent
virtual worlds technologies like Second Life, Multiverse and There which will not only
make possible high-end machinima (animation
via virtual world action capture, which is already taking off), but
also totally new, ultimately genre-busting, broadcast worthy
physical/digital behavior.
Back when I lived in LA and worked in reality television and at
the same time encountered virtual worlds for the first time, I
would often image the amazing reality shows that will soon be
possible as production technologies and practices evolve. For your
enjoyment and as a demonstration of just how crazy television
programming is about to get, here’s my current top 10 list of
future virtual world enabled reality TV shows that I’d love to see
developed:
1. U-BOAT: 25 contestants live aboard a submarine set and
engage in the historical experience of a lifetime. They must
quickly learn to navigate the craft through a virtual ocean
simulation and a string of dramatic WWII
battle scenarios. To both the contestants and the viewer at home it
looks and feels as if these modern day Americans are actually
piloting the submarine and narrowly staving off infamous Nazi
U-Boat fleet.
2. THE BOARD ROOM: The new
flagship marketing vehicle for Milton Bradley is an augmented
reality game show that allows contestants to literally step right
onto their favorite all-time board games. To the audience at home,
it resembles The Price is Right in game structure, but visually
looks like the participants have jumped into a Tron-like world with
their favorite games all around them.
3. REQUIEM: Each episode of
Requiem features one near-death person (young, old, terminal,
famous, interesting, compelling life story) as they leave behind a
3-D “plot” of land for the world. Each individual is given the
opportunity to create a 3-D world in which they deposit memories,
images and descriptions of loved ones, candid descriptions of
historic and historical events, favorite memories, renderings of
their dreams, final farewells, and warnings to society. (cont.)
4. VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOL REUNION:
Each episode features a different graduating class of High
Schoolers as they reunite virtually in a recreation of their town
and school. This is inter-cut with interview and video/photo
materials dating back to their High School days.
5. CREATION: Teams of virtual
designers compete to raise the slickest new Creation in 3-D virtual
world Second Life. Each episode has a different theme, such as The
Wonders of the World, The Animal Kingdom, or Coolest Super-Hero
Lair. Once the islands are completed, other virtual residents are
allowed in to determine, based on popular vote, who has built the
most impressive simulation.
6. MASTER PLAN: Teams of
architects and developers compete to create the coolest 3-D
simulations of what a certain real-estate development or town
should look like. The winning design is manifested in reality so
that we see the every phase of the process from idea to
execution.
7. MIRROR WORLD: Seven people
live in a house riddled with secret chambers, hidden passages, and
code-protected doors. Computer terminals scattered throughout give
them access to a virtual representation of the house in which they
locate clues that will help them escape. They scurry back and forth
between the virtual house and the real house to solve the
Myst-style puzzle at the heart of the show.
8. CELEBRITY DEATH MATCH 3-D:
It’s now possible to create a graphically rich Celebrity Death
Match that can incorporate more players and be shot in real-time.
By using the new Arena Feature in City of Heroes it’s 4-on-4 and
that it’s not scripted. However, it’s much cheaper to make (while
looking just as good, if not better), quadruples the celebrity star
power, encourages teamwork and other interesting group dynamics,
and can be played at home. It would be very simple to play this
game hundreds of times and take the best takes. And it could all be
“shot” in a weekend.
9. WAR: The first broadcast
1st-person shooter. Massive multi-player 3-D spaces are rapidly
usurping military training that has classically been accomplished
in painstakingly re-created real-life scenarios. Military behavior
and strategy can now be meaningfully accomplished in immersive
virtual spaces. This also means that the drama from such events can
translate into a TV show unlike any other. In “War” two teams of 20
people go head-to-head in a strategic guerilla scenario. Each team
has a defined command structure and communicates in real-time via
head-sets. The action is compelling and graphic. The contestants
range anywhere from reunited teams of SEALS to B-Celebs who quickly find that they need to
take the game seriously or perish. Game Engine: America*s Army
.
10. PORTAL SHOWS: As America’s
favorite bands play live shows, their fans get a chance to appear
on the projected display behind them via Second Life. Fun games and
a constantly shifting POV allow for the
real-time creation of a dynamic new backdrop that increases the
visual quality of these shows. A win-win for concert-goers and
producers alike.
What sorts of future virtual world enabled reality TV shows
would you like to watch over the course of the next decade?
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