BRADBURY’S “VELDT” MERGING VIDEO GAMES AND MOTION PICTURES

Posted on November 2, 2009 by Jeffrey Newman

In the 1950’s, when Ray Bradbury penned THE VELDT, about a futuristic play room where children interact with realistic videos, he envisioned that they could walk in and shout -River Nile! Pyramids! and they would appear, surrounding the player in full color, sound, smells, odors. Africa, hot sun, vultures. Lions. Bradbury’s prescience is evident today as we now have the technology and artistry to create a completely interactive personal experience which melds video games and motion pictures at once. This technology exists today and are the segway to a new revolution in a stagnant motion picture industry and an exploding video game industry. Imagine walking into a personal holodeck into the lives of screen stars, action and adventure in far off lands? In addition the opportunities for education and cognitive development will be limitless. The question is now who will be the first company to embrace this new experience and lead us to new horizons and when?