Evans & Sutherland Computer Corp., best known for its flight simulators, is using that expertise to branch into the entertainment business and plans to unveil its first "virtual reality" product in November.
The Salt Lake-based company recently joined with Los Angeles-based Iwerks Entertainment to develop a new virtual reality product it calls "Virtual Adventures." On Wednesday, E&S said it bought 210,526 shares of Iwerks for $2 million.E&S spokesman Jeff Edwards said Virtual Adventures is expected to be ready for installation by next spring, but orders are being taken now. He terms it a "high-capacity virtual reality attraction geared toward the out-of-home entertainment market." The attraction will be a "real-time, 3-D, interactive adventure - an underwater fantasy adventure."
Iwerks Entertainment is one of the leading producers of movie-based specialty theaters. Based in Burbank, Calif., Iwerks has designed and installed more than 50 special-venue movie theaters around the world, chiefly in theme parks, world fairs, educational institutions and visitors centers.
Company founder Don Iwerks is the son of the legendary Ub Iwerks, an early artist with Walt Disney and the purported "father" of Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters. Don Iwerks also worked for the Disney organization.
Edwards said E&S has been working with Iwerks Entertainment for two years and began work on Virtual Adventures last year.
He said the two companies decided to forgo the "helmet and glove" version of the virtual reality products currently available in arcades and being developed for home use, in favor of something more akin to an amusement park "ride."
"It's location-based entertainment," said Edwards. "We will put them in malls, theme parks, that sort of thing.
The Virtual Adventure "vehicle" will hold six people, said Edwards, and each rider will have a specific task as the vehicle simulates moving through an environment like space, the ocean - Virtual Adventures environment - on land or even through time.
With Virtual Adventures, four vehicles will go out together. Each will be able to see the others and compete to reach objectives in the manner of a video game.
"We wanted it to be challenging but nonviolent," said Edwards. "This is to be a family oriented adventure game, challenging but a lot of fun and without any violent elements. It's an exploration."
While the game will not be available until spring, the first production model will be displayed Nov. 17-19 at the IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) show in Los Angeles.
E&S is acting as the technical partner in the project, supplying most of the software and the image generation hardware, said Cliff Cox, market development manager.
"This is a whole new deal for Evans & Sutherland," said Cox. "We are expanding into several different markets, and entertainment is kind of an obvious one."
Robert A. Schumacker, president of E&S's simulation division, "Our strategic investment in Iwerks further reinforces our commitment to the continued development and applications of high technology for out-of-home entertainment."
"We are very proud to be affiliated with Evans & Sutherland and look forward to a long and mutually benefiting relationship," said Stan Kinsey, CEO and co-founder of Iwerks Entertainment.