BRE08 Thalatossa

You wake up stranded between blackened beaches and a sinking tanker leaking crude oil into the sea. However, you quickly realize the disaster is not entirely natural : the surrounding waters are haunted by the restless ghost of a common murre, a seabird altered by the spill that claimed its life. As the contamination spreads, your only hope of escape is to dive nearby the bleeding wreck and confront the apparition at the source of the catastrophe. The prototype of Thalatossa is an immersive diving experience that places the player at the center of an oil spill. The goal is to defeat the spirit responsible for this anomalous event. For this purpose, the player will be able to freely dive underwater and exorcize the otherworldly presence. Care must be taken to monitor your health, oxygen supply and the oil’s toxicity. Key information about oil spills will be delivered in-game for educational purposes. The aim of this prototype is to create a proof of concept of a larger game that will feature exploration of marine habitats and survival against ghosts of sea creatures. On top of being entertaining to play, it aims to showcase a wide variety of ecological threats to marine biodiversity, alongside affected species and habitats. The interactive quality of the medium directly implicates the player, transforming marine data relative to ecological threats and habitats into memorable encounters to survive to and habitats to explore.