Buzludzha VR

We're excited to finally launch version 1.1 of Buzludzha VR. Over the last months we've been busy implementing some highly requested features such as: Smooth Locomotion, Accessibility Settings, Night-time on demand, Save settings, Redesigned Main Menu UI, Overall UX / UI improvements and more!

By the end of May 2020, 6 months after the November 2019 launch, more than 175 people have downloaded and experienced Buzludzha VR on Steam and through Viveport's Infinity program. Within this period, we have also received numerous positive reviews and feedback. Starting today the project is also available on GumRoad: https://gum.co/FBKUK

We officially released Buzludzha VR on the Steam Store, in the month that marks the 30th anniversary since the fall of communism in Central and Eastern Europe. Over the last 12 months we’ve rebuilt the entire Buzludzha VR experience from the ground up. Now you can experience an environment that pushes the limits of interaction, real-time graphics, non linear storytelling and entertainment.

Throughout the development of Buzludzha VR, the experience was regularly tested at events around the UK, Germany and Bulgaria. Thanks to the invaluable feedback we have received and the observations we have made during the exhibitions, we were able to continually improve the spatial user experience and accessibility of the product.

The project was rebooted with a different approach towards the end of 2018, after a growing interest to add support for more VR headsets and include more interactivity. Over the following year, we rebuilt the experience from ground up and focused our attention on areas such as:

• Overall user experience and mechanics
• Quality of real-time graphics
• Storytelling
• Expansion of the explorable environment
• Performance Improvements
• Extra layer of interactivity

We are super excited to share with you that the current (work-in-progress) version Buzludzha VR is a finalist at the VR NOW AWARDS 2017 in the category “VR Impact Award”. The award that supports projects aimed at making a difference.

VR NOW CON & AWARDS is a conference and award show for Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality that will take place Potsdam and Berlin.

Media Convention Berlin has become one of Europe's most important media congresses. Companies and people from all over Europe applied with their products and services to get their chance to present at Berlin's largest Media Convention. Buzludzha VR was one of the 14 projects that got selected to take part in Germany’s first VR Tech Rally and had the opportunity to present at re:publica and Media Convention Berlin 2017.

We showcased the first conceptual version of the project in May 2016 and managed to successfully restart the discussion around the restoration of the monument in Bulgaria. The project was met with a positive reception from across Bulgarian media, the public and Buzludzha's original architect - Georgi Stoilov. Buzludzha VR was featured on some of the biggest Bulgarian TV channels, magazines and newspapers.

We traveled on site to the Buzludzha monument in Bulgaria to capture essential reference photographs and to experience first hand the size and scale of the structure. We took a series of spatial measurements to further aid the design and development process.

Our initial idea was to create a real-time architectural visualisation of the abandoned Buzludzha monument in Central Bulgaria that suggests a new purpose for the derelict mega structure, and raises awareness about the current state of the monument.