Explore AI and tech’s influence on humanity in this interactive, branching narrative experience
November 4, 2024
[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Game Developer and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press]
Signal Space Lab :
Montreal, Canada, November 4th, 2024 - Signal Space Lab and Actrio Studio are proud to reveal their multimedia sci-fi interactive VR project Human Within. Coming to Meta Quest 2 and 3 on January 9th and coming soon to SteamVR, Human Within is a one-of-a-kind VR interactive experience that explores the profound influence of AI and advanced technology on society, highlighting the potential threats if misused.
Watch the Human Within announcement trailer
Directed by Avi Winkler and Anne Weigel, Human Within unfolds in a modern world where Nyla, a cyber engineer, and her sister Linh, are employed at Forward Industries. Together, they pioneer a groundbreaking supercomputer by harnessing the human brain's processing power. However, when Nyla seeks to disengage from the project, both sisters are detained, compelled to continue their work amidst suspicions of their employer’s hidden motives. In a daring bid for freedom, Nyla is forced to connect the technology to Linh, and use it in the very way she feared it would be.
Human Within combines a thrilling branching storyline with video game playability. Its blend of original storytelling and gameplay features offer players a distinct interactive experience. It differentiates itself with a unique integration of technical features that includes:
User Involvement: Experiencing the story from Linh's consciousness within a virtual internet space provides a unique way to observe the events taking place and have a level of participation unlike anything else.
Point Cloud Interactivity: Explore environments in digital recreations. These sequences serve as pace-breaking moments where users engage with the story even further, bringing a whole new degree of interactivity to the mix.
Choice and Consequence: At key moments in the story the events that take place are defined by the user's choices. These moments define how events unfolded in the past and determine how it all ends in the present.
Style Variety: The story is told across a unique combination of three distinct visual styles: The Internet Space blending 2D film and 3D graphics, Flashback Scenes with interactive 360 degree stereo film, and Point Cloud recreations with 6 dof 3D environments.
Signal Space Lab began pre-production of Human Within, in 2019, including script writing and prototyping the experience under the creative direction of Avi Winkler. Director Anne Weigel and award-winning German producer Actrio Studio joined the project and wrapped principal photography in December 2023. Human Within then began its festival tour in October premiering at FIVARS in Toronto on October 3rd and Beyond The Frame Festival in Tokyo on October 25th-27th, 2024. Supported by Meta, Canada Media Fund, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, and Filmstiftung NRW Germany, Human Within aims to raise the bar for interactive narrative VR experiences.
“We wanted to explore how advanced tech affects the human experience, and how we connect to one another,” said Avi Winkler, Creative Director at Signal Space Lab. “Launching at a time of rapid advancements, like ChatGPT 4.0 and Neuralink, Human Within no longer feels like science fiction, but rather a timely reflection on the shifting realities of modern life. We felt it was important to use VR to tell this story, as it immerses viewers in the reality of now - and where we’re headed - in a more immersive, nuanced way than through a traditional film or video game. Technology can be both terrifying or connecting. Ultimately, it’s what we do with these tools that matters.”
For more information on Human Within:
Pre-Order on Meta Quest: https://www.meta.com/experiences/human-within/6218357148255323/
Wishlist on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1546070/Human_Within/
Signal Space Lab website: https://signalspacelab.com/
Follow Signal Space Lab on Twitter: https://twitter.com/signalspacelab
Follow Signal Space Lab on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/signalspacelab/
Follow Signal Space Lab on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/signalspacelab
Follow Signal Space Lab on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgAUIL9nehvdBueA-Fdx3dg
Actrio Studio website: https://actrio-studio.de/
Follow Actrio Studio on Twitter: https://x.com/actriostudio
Follow Actrio Studio on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/actriostudio/
Follow Actrio Studio on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ActrioStudio
Follow Actrio Studio on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@actriostudio
About Signal Space Lab
Founded in 2014, Signal Space Lab is an award-winning interactive creation studio specializing in immersive XR entertainment, video games, and audio production. Our goal is to advance the art of interactive media by imagining and producing original, innovative, and memorable experiences that materialize into sound, visual, and gaming environments.
About Actrio Studio
Actrio Studio is an award-winning film, games and XR producer in Germany, that focuses on impactful storytelling and innovation. Founded by Michael Geidel, the studio has over 20 years experience in the media industry producing and co-producing projects ranging from comedy to thriller, animation and documentary. Projects have premiered at A-festivals and been released in cinemas, on Netflix and HBO and broadcasters worldwide. As a development and innovation partner we help clients create outstanding and innovative content.
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