Wētā Workshop Brings the Robot Invasion to L.E.A.P.
Portholes opened left, right and in the ceiling as Wētā Workshop’s army of invaders from the Robot Planet infiltrated the inaugural Magic Leap conference in Los Angeles on October 9.
Within the belly of the convention centre, Dr. Grordbort’s Invaders, Magic Leap’s flagship game from the creative minds of Wētā Workshop, was launched to an exclusive audience of developers and media. During the two-day event, the retro sci-fi world of Dr. Grordbort’s was fully fleshed out, both in reality and in augmented reality.
The custom-built Wētā Workshop space allowed notable guests to shoot robots in the comfort of Dr. Grordbort’s living room; complete with raygun displays, leather armchairs, and imposing, ornate mantelpiece. Actors dressed as characters from the world of Dr. Grordbort’s added to the fanfare, creating a carnival-like atmosphere for attendees.
Joining a host of fellow game developers from around the world, the creators of Invaders shared their unique stories of how the game was brought to life. Programmers, artists, designers, and audio specialists discussed the challenges of working with a whole new medium, one that did not come with a prewritten instruction manual.
Together, Wētā Workshop’s Co-founder and Creative Director Richard Taylor, and Game Director Greg Broadmore, illustrated the game’s journey from conception to what you see today. Says Richard Taylor:
Having journeyed with Greg and witnessed the extraordinary development of the world of Dr. Grordbort’s over the past eight years, it is incredibly exciting for me to now see Greg’s imagination blast off into new and magical frontiers via Magic Leap’s technology. Working with the exceptional creatives and technical team at Magic Leap has led to a collaborative process in which we have all challenged each other, and together we have driven forward the potential of the platform which has led to the successful outcome of this wonderful game.
Delighted to share Dr. Grordbort’s Invaders with the community of game developers, Greg stated:
It’s been my lifelong ambition to start a robot war and sell rayguns for profit. At long last I’ve been able to achieve that. You can now blast a robot in the butt with a Righteous Bison – Indivisible Particle Smasher from the comfort of your own couch, using Magic Leap One. That’s progress.
Having launched the game during the convention, anyone with a Magic Leap One can now grab a virtual raygun and experience Dr. Grordbort’s Invaders for themselves. The game is free to download from the Magic Leap store.
Dr. Grordbort’s Invaders
Set in the retro-science fiction universe of Dr. Grordbort - a world of rayguns, rocket ships and deadly robot miscreants. Dr. Grordbort’s Invaders is developed by Wētā Workshop's Interactive division, built in partnership with Magic Leap. Wētā Workshop's Interactive division is a purpose built gaming studio.