Waltz of the Wizard: The Magic of Natural Interactions
Waltz of the Wizard is an experience from Aldin Dynamics and fulfills a fantasy many of us have had: to be a wizard, à la Harry Potter. Really more a toy than a game, the experience allows players to play around at a magical workbench. Cast spells, mix magical potions, shoot giants with crossbows, and open dimensional portals with a magical glockenspiel. It’s all here.
Aldin has spent a considerable amount of time working on the interactive elements, using its Ghostline Analytics tool to design its user interactions. Everything within reach of the player can be picked up and played with — often in multiple ways. Place the magic orb in the pot to cast a spell, or chuck it at the giant peering in the window. Spells are fun, and allow you to do things such as grow to giant proportions, or turn everything you touch into a butterfly.
The feel of the interactive mechanics is top notch, and there’s enough to do to occupy a player and encourage them to explore the different potions and spells. The game makes excellent use of natural input mechanics, and the gameplay is intuitive (although a snarky skull is there to give hints if you are stuck figuring out a mechanic).
It really feels like Aldin Dynamics have spent their time thinking through the things people would want to do with the items in the environment, and made those actions available. There was no moment where I wanted to do an action and found I couldn’t. If this is the level of good feeling interaction Ghostline opens up for developers, it may well become a staple in the VR Development industry.
If there’s one thing lacking it’s that the experience is in need of a story, and at least a minor player goal. I found myself wondering if I had indeed done everything. I longed to actually achieve something with my wizard powers, and to be able to reach a proper ending. It also would have been nice to have a context for the work I was doing at my workbench (an apprentice who snuck in and is messing around, perhaps).
That aside, the experience is well worth a try, especially given that it is free. Check it out, along with Ghostline, and see the possibilities for natural magical interactions. And maybe Aldin Dynamics will expand out the game: something I for one would love to see. As it is, the game is a great lesson in natural interactions and game feel in VR games.
Genre: Adventure, Indie, Simulation
Developer: Aldin Dynamics
Publisher: Aldin Dynamics
Release Date: May 31, 2016
Price: Free
Website: http://www.aldindynamics.com/
Headsets: HTC Vive
Input: Motion Controllers
Play Area: Standing, Room Scale
