Responsive Storytelling Experience
Microsoft Envisioning Center: Interactive Storyworld
Client:
Microsoft Strategic Prototyping Group
Venue/Location:
Microsoft Campus, Redmond, WA
Browse:
Media Experiences
Interactive Storyworld, presented in the living room space at Microsoft's Envisioning Center.
The boy collaborates on a bedtime story with his grandma.
The boy holds up the lion—a stuffed animal to be scanned and added to the Storyworld experience.
The tablet interface is used to collaborate on the story.
The tablet creates a digital copy of the collaborative experience.
The boy decides that instead of traveling in a plane, the lion travels by train.
Tablet tracks story choices and saves them.
The tablet uses augmented reality to follow the footsteps of the lion as he wanders through the blizzard.
The tablet is tracking and saving the story.
The lion finds himself at the top of the mountain.
The lion falling from the mountain top.
The lion is buried under a pile of cherry blossoms; kicking away the blossoms projected on the floor will help to free him.
The boy interacts with the projected content.
The tablet tracks and records the story.
The living room space at the Envisioning Center.
Client:
Microsoft Strategic Prototyping Group
Browse:
Media Experiences
What is the potential for immersive storytelling in our not-so-distant future? Or—perhaps more relevant now than ever before—for connecting over video?
Microsoft’s Strategic Prototyping Group asked Belle & Wissell to help them explore what the future of a family’s story-time might be like, with the resulting media experience presented at Microsoft’s Envisioning Center.
The original story comes to life through a series of seamless interactions made by its participants. The choices made along the way result in a dynamically-generated story world.
The responsive environment centers around active participation of a child, grandmother, and a stuffed lion (who becomes the central character).
Belle & Wissell’s content development team worked in close collaboration with Microsoft’s internal programming group to create an innovative interactive experience that tells a thoughtful and timeless story about the lion’s adventure in search of his beloved cherry blossom.
The team utilized unique interactive methods and Microsoft’s latest technologies to explore the potential of storytelling in the future–a truly theatrical and immersive experience.
Project Accolades:
Seattle Business Magazine “The Power of Design,” 2014
CNBC “Can gaming consoles change the way we chat online?” 2013
BBC “Inside Microsoft’s house of the future,” 2013
HGTV “Home of Tomorrow…” 2013
Seattle Times “Microsoft debuts its new concept of the future,” 2013
KOMO News “Microsoft unveils its new Envisioning Center,” 2013
Wired “Design Fiction: the Microsoft Envisioning Center,” 2013
Belle & Wissell Team Credits
Design Director: Gabe Kean
Art Director: Thomas Ryun
Senior Designer: Edrea Lita
Junior Designer: Jing Wu
Operations Manager: Sarah Trueblood
Illustrator: Steven Henry
Animator: Jed Bursiek
Animator: Eugene Kong
Writer: Pat McKay
Additional Project Credits
Director, Strategic Prototyping: Jonathan Cluts
Director, Office Envisioning: Anton Andrews
Senior User Experience Designer, Strategic Prototyping: Ana Pinto da Silva
Principal Program Manager: Reena Kawal
Programmer: Sven Pleyer
3D Character Animator: Mike Stravides
Architect: Olson Kundig Architects
Interior Design: NBBJ
Product Design: General Assembly
Belle & Wissell Team Credits
Design Director: Gabe Kean
Art Director: Thomas Ryun
Senior Designer: Edrea Lita
Junior Designer: Jing Wu
Operations Manager: Sarah Trueblood
Illustrator: Steven Henry
Animator: Jed Bursiek
Animator: Eugene Kong
Writer: Pat McKay
Additional Project Credits
Director, Strategic Prototyping: Jonathan Cluts
Director, Office Envisioning: Anton Andrews
Senior User Experience Designer, Strategic Prototyping: Ana Pinto da Silva
Principal Program Manager: Reena Kawal
Programmer: Sven Pleyer
3D Character Animator: Mike Stravides
Architect: Olson Kundig Architects
Interior Design: NBBJ
Product Design: General Assembly
What is the potential for immersive storytelling in our not-so-distant future? Or—perhaps more relevant now than ever before—for connecting over video?
Microsoft’s Strategic Prototyping Group asked Belle & Wissell to help them explore what the future of a family’s story-time might be like, with the resulting media experience presented at Microsoft’s Envisioning Center.
The original story comes to life through a series of seamless interactions made by its participants. The choices made along the way result in a dynamically-generated story world.
The responsive environment centers around active participation of a child, grandmother, and a stuffed lion (who becomes the central character).
Belle & Wissell’s content development team worked in close collaboration with Microsoft’s internal programming group to create an innovative interactive experience that tells a thoughtful and timeless story about the lion’s adventure in search of his beloved cherry blossom.
The team utilized unique interactive methods and Microsoft’s latest technologies to explore the potential of storytelling in the future–a truly theatrical and immersive experience.
Project Accolades:
Seattle Business Magazine “The Power of Design,” 2014
CNBC “Can gaming consoles change the way we chat online?” 2013
BBC “Inside Microsoft’s house of the future,” 2013
HGTV “Home of Tomorrow…” 2013
Seattle Times “Microsoft debuts its new concept of the future,” 2013
KOMO News “Microsoft unveils its new Envisioning Center,” 2013
Wired “Design Fiction: the Microsoft Envisioning Center,” 2013