Release Date: 6th December 2018
Venue: The VOID, Genting Highlands
Price: RM130 per person
Premise: 4 Rebels soldiers have infiltrated Vader’s Castle at Mustafar disguised as Stormtroopers. Their mission is to retrieve an item that is heavily guarded by the Empire that is rumored to change the tide of the entire war drastically.
Attending the Preview
I had the privilege of going for an invitation-only pre-launch event of Star Wars: Secrets of The Empire, the VR (Virtual Reality) Experience that happened on the 5th of December at The VOID, Genting Highlands. Here are the need-to-know details of this amazing VR Experience.
Me, along with members of the Star Wars Malaysian Fan Club had the chance to be the first few ones to try out the game before the launch date on the 6th of December. The entire experience is definitely something everyone must try at least once in their life.
It is a lot different from any other forms of VR like the Oculus Rift or the HTC Vive. Unlike other conventional VR units that require a headset and controllers, the VOID uses cameras to track your every movement, similar to how the Vive works. However, the tech is a lot more advanced.
Along the entire play area, the cameras above motion-capture you and your teammates without the need for a bulky mo-cap suit so everyone can see each other rendered out in real time. The attention to detail is so precise that you can see your every minute finger gesture as if you were wearing a Stormtrooper’s gauntlets right before your eyes.
The chest rig itself adds another layer of realism with haptic feedback sensors adorned all over. It served to further immerse me in the game and every hit I took from enemy fire was satisfyingly robust but not to the point of pain.
Last, but certainly not least, since the premise of the game is set at Mustafar (a volcanic planet), The VOID had heat and wind generators and also the faintest scent of (artificial!) sulfur to amplify the experience. After we were done, I was constantly wondering whether I was still in the simulation or not.
Source: Woon Irsen. (2018). From left to right: Irsen, Han.
Speaking with The VOID’s General Manager of China
After my session, I had the opportunity to talk to The VOID’s General Manager of China, Han Lin, regarding the tech, why Malaysia was The VOID’s first choice in Asia, and what the future holds for them.
Han was very excited about Malaysia being the forefront of introducing this new generation of VR Experiences to Asia, quoting Malaysia’s Tech Universities and Industries as the deciding factors. He plans to then expand to other regions like Macau, Shanghai and Singapore from their current foothold here.
He also wished that the experience could last a lot longer but he ensures that new Star Wars VR Experiences that they have planned down the line are going to be much longer in duration.
Overall, Star Wars: Secrets of The Empire is a must-play. It brings you as close as possible to another dimension entirely with a feast for all your senses. So, bring your friends, family or even your go-to squad for co-op gaming. Though it may be pricey for most, I can confidently say that it’s worth it. You will never experience gaming the same way again.
Star Wars: Secrets of The Empire is available now at The VOID, Genting Highlands.
