video game remake Archives

January 26, 2024 In Blog

‘7thGuest’ VR Game Making-Of

Greg Shapiro appears in 7thGuest VR Game Making-Of

26 January, 2024

One year ago – in January 2023 – I spent a week in a 360-Green Screen studio to help create a remake of the classic 1990s video game The 7th Guest. This time for VR! Which meant a LOT of very ambitious recording. High / Middle / Low cameras in 360-surround, with every second of footage generating approximately 10GB of data. It felt like shooting on film again.

Vertigo Games teamed up with 4DR Studios in Eindhoven for the shoot. Here we are: Guests 1-6 in front of a 2-D green screen.

But – the actual 360-degree VR studio looked more like this…

…like The Void from Stranger Things – complete with surprise void-dweller.

Yes, there were stunts – which meant I had to work with the stunt coordinator in a green suit.

Thank you, Rouke Pouw. I can think of no better name for a stuntman.

THE STORY

As one of the 6 guests in the storyline, I can tell you it felt like a cross between Disney’s Haunted Mansion and a remake of Clue: the Movie. The story takes place in the early 20th century, hence our period costumes.

Some costumes needed more help than others. Here’s Claire King getting the Dorothy Gale ‘Emerald City’ treatment.

(Actually, ‘Emerald City’ would be a great name for a green screen studio, if 4DR Studios ever need a rebrand.)
And here’s the baddie, played by Carl Wharton:

THE SHOOT

Here are all 6 of us on set, but with the 360 recording, we could only record 3 of us at a time.

Our takes were uploaded to the servers, and on the monitor they looked like this:

And then – after 6 months of data-crunching and editing – the finished product looked like this:

CREDITS

Credit to Vertigo Games and pioneer Paul van der Meer for bringing back The 7th Guest.

Great working with director Ruwan Heggelman…

… thanks to Ron Groenewoud the producer…

…and thanks to Costume Designer Isabelle Croon !

Photo 1 from L-R: Alexander Baggett, Marnie Baumer, Greg Shapiro, Claire King, Daniella Down, Robert Paul Taylor. Casting by International Native Casting.

From Vertigo Games:
“Explore The 7th Guest VR foreboding mansion, solve challenging puzzles, and uncover dark secrets. The 7th Guest VR is the ultimate mystery adventure, and it’s almost time for you to experience it for yourself. Wishlist Now →”

http://the7thguest-vr.com

Reviews of The 7th Guest:
https://gregshapiro.nl/blog/shapiro-shares-7thguest-reviews/

For more Greg Shapiro as Actor & Voiceover:
https://gregshapiro.nl/greg-shapiro-actor-voiceover/

October 16, 2023 In Blog

Shapiro Shares ‘7thGuest’ Reviews

Shapiro Shares ‘7th Guest’ Reviews – from the remake of the classic video game

16 October, 2023

This week I’m in the premiere of a classic video game remake – The 7th Guest. As one of the 6 guests in the storyline, I can say that it was super fun to make… And early reviews are saying it’s also super fun to play. Well done Vertigo Games – I can’t wait to play it myself!

Here’s an updated preview:

And here are some early ‘7th Guest’ Reviews.

Review: GamingTrend

The 7th Guest VR hands-on preview — A Virtual Reinvention of a Classic

“Equal parts reinvention and homage to the past, this new version is everything my brain remembers the original to be, only now it’s real.”

https://gamingtrend.com/feature/previews/the-7th-guest-vr-hands-on-preview-a-virtual-reinvention-of-a-classic/

Review: Screen rant

The 7th Guest VR Preview: A Potentially Groundbreaking Title For VR Gaming

“Often when titles are translated to a new platform or play style, there is a concern that what makes the game special will be lost in the process. For something that began as a point-and-click to be adapted for VR, this is even more of a pressing worry. All those worries for The 7th Guest VR should be cast aside, however, as this version of the game handles its modern upgrades excellently.”

https://screenrant.com/7th-guest-vr-preview/

PREVIEWS AND BEHIND THE SCENES

Preview: Easy Allies (warning: her outfit is scary.)
Is The 7th Guest VR Scary Good? – Hands On Demo Preview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNg7J2Jw7BQ

And here’s a Behind-the-Scenes blog from the screenwriter Claire Downs, on Steampowered:

“The plot of The 7th Guest reminds me of those great stories that blend horror, mystery, and witty banter, like Clue or The House on Haunted Hill (1959) starring Vincent Price. In these stories, you have this big, mysterious place and these more minor, personal mysteries woven throughout.

Shirley Jackson is a hero of mine. And, her ability to bring together horror elements and social issues was groundbreaking and so influential. It is such a fantastic opportunity to play in that kind of sandbox. Not to spoil too much, but I think with Stauf’s story, we’ve channeled some of that, touching on themes of mortality and humanity in a fresh, fun, and frightening way.”
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2456960/view/3741984674872329502

From the producer:
Explore The 7th Guest VR foreboding mansion, solve challenging puzzles, and uncover dark secrets. The 7th Guest VR is the ultimate mystery adventure, and it’s almost time for you to experience it for yourself. Wishlist Now → http://the7thguest-vr.com

THE 7TH GUEST VR – PREMIERE 19 OCTOBER, 2023