The World’s First Incredible Multi-Sensory-Augmented Game “Time Detectives: The Mystery of the Mary Rose”

Posted by BK on August 1, 2022 in Arts, Events, film, premiere, Showcase | Leave a comment

The world’s first incredible multi-sensory-augmented game from the Mary Rose Museum and Picture This Productions. Launching timed to the nearly 500^th anniversary on July 19^th of the sinking of Henry VIII’s favourite ship, the Mary Rose, in 1545, the Time Detectives: The Mystery of the Mary Roseapp will immerse players globally on their smartphones in the sights, sounds and even smells of life on board the ship almost 500 years ago. This is an unparalleled gaming experience from the smartphone in the palm of your hand. We are happy to offer app download codes and interviews with the incredible women behind the Time Detectives: The Mystery of the Mary Rose.

Created by Picture This Productions’ revolutionary director Charlotte Mikkelborg, in consultation with the Mary Rose’s Head of Research, Dr Alex Hildred, the game turns players into Time Detectives, investigating the sinking of the Mary Rose, which claimed the lives of almost all the 500 soldiers and sailors on board. When most people imagine Tudor England, they think of a homogenous society of white Englishmen and women.  Scientific research has shown that approximately a third of the 173 skeletons found in the wreckage were non-English, with many from the Mediterranean and North Africa. A key storytelling goal in the game design was to reflect the true diversity of our world then and now.

 Using a mobile phone as a magical spyglass to reveal secrets from the past, you will follow a trail based on your chosen character, collecting and interrogating clues to solve the mystery and complete your mission for the King. In addition to the sights and sounds, you’ll experience the smells of the ship as you’re transported back in time, eavesdropping into conversations of the crew and gathering clues.

 This roller-coaster journey through history is a one-of-a-kind experience, whether you are within the museum or anywhere and we would love for you to come and experience it for yourself from the museum. The app is available with scent at the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and for remote play (without scent) on iOS App Store and Google Play Store here: https://maryrose.org/time-detectives/

 Time Detectives was born in June 2020, when the first lockdown was in full swing. The project’s Director Charlotte Mikkelborg was selected as a StoryFutures fellow, to explore her idea of pioneering a new form of multisensory engagement for key cultural heritage sites. Time Detectives: The Mystery of the Mary Rose is the first in a series of multisensory Augmented Reality games from Picture This Productions, bringing history to life at key cultural heritage sites across the UK and overseas.

 Time Detectives: The Mystery of the Mary Rosewas created by Picture This Productions, Directed by Charlotte Mikkelborg; Produced by Charlotte Mikkelborg and Siobhan McDonnell; Lead Developer Grigor Todorov; Consulting Academic Dr Hannah Platts (Royal Holloway, University of London); Casting Director: Mandy Steele; 3D asset creation Anakin Ryan; Audio Producer Jake Lee Savage; Scent device company: Emanuela Maggioni, Owidgets; in collaboration with the Mary Rose Museum, Portsmouth, Lead Historian Alex Hildred and Commercial Director Zoe Colbeck.

Time Detectives: The Mystery of the Mary Rosefeatures the cast Michael Ansley, James Ashton, Ludovic Jean-Francois, Tim Henley, Chris Robb, Phil Deguara, and Roberto Vivanco.

Time Detectives: The Mystery of the Mary RoseStill Art Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1u8XAnhpo01uR8rgL6j—gC4WOsQf832/view?usp=sharing

Time Detectives: The Mystery of the Mary Rose Trailer Links: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1FoyGItAzfYys8LpYQiUR_R4TkI0lUA10?usp=sharing

Time Detectives: The Mystery of the Mary RoseExperience running time: approx 30 minutes (remote game slightly faster than on location game)

 Time Detectives: The Mystery of the Mary RoseLogline: Become a time travelling detective investigating the mysterious sinking of Henry VIII’s favourite warship, The Mary Rose, that claimed the lives of almost all the 500 soldiers and sailors on board.

 Time Detectives: The Mystery of the Mary RoseSynopsis:A first of its kind multisensory augmented reality game aimed at engaging family audiences in diverse stories from history.Launching during the anniversary month of the sinking of Henry VIII’s favourite ship, the Mary Rose (that sank on 19^th Julyin 1545), this first episode of Time Detectives examines the mysterious circumstances surrounding the sinking. Using a mobile phone as a magical spyglass to reveal secrets from the past, you will follow a trail based on your chosen character, collecting and interrogating clues to solve the mystery and complete your mission for the King. In addition to players experiencing the sights and sounds of life onboard a Tudor warship and having the chance to eavesdrop on conversations among the crew, those playing at the museum location, will have the option to wear a scent backpack that releases scent at certain key points in the game, to experience the smells of the ship as they’re transported back in time. 

About Picture This Productions:
Picture This Productions is an award-winning immersive entertainment studio – creating film, 360 film, virtual reality, augmented reality, and multisensory experiences that harness fast developing interactive technology for more emotionally resonant storytelling. The studio is a pioneer in XR storytelling—creating groundbreaking original immersive experiences in collaboration with world-renowned companies and organizations.Previous work from Picture This includes the multiple award-winning interactive VR experience ‘Fly’ created for British Airway’s centenary. This had a sell-out run in London’s Saatchi Gallery and was awarded Best Immersive Experience UK 2020by the UK government. www.picthisproductions.com

About The Mary Rose Trust: 
Upon becoming king in 1509, Henry VIII immediately commissioned two warships with his own money, one of which was the Mary Rose. Five and a half wives later, in 1545, his heart broke as he watched her sink outside Portsmouth harbour. Dramatically raised in 1982, you can now see the Mary Rose, a ‘must-experience British icon’, and thousands of authentic, everyday Tudor objects displayed in the award-winning Mary Rose in Portsmouth. ‘Henry VIII – 500 years. A heartbeat away’ emphasises the emotional connection for visitors, the focus on the crew’s stories and the immersive journey into Tudor life.

The story of the Mary Rose in numbers

•1510 – the year the Mary Rose was built

.•1545 – the year in which the Mary Rose sank on the 19th July during the 3rd French War.

•500 men on board, only 35 survived.

•5 foot 7 inches was the average height of a crew member

.•1971 – the year the Mary Rose wreck site was rediscovered and excavation of the ship began.

•27,831 dives were logged from 1971-1982 during the excavation of the Mary Rose.

•22,710 hours were spent excavating the seabed between 1971-1982.

•437 years the Mary Rose spent underwater.

•1982 – the year the Mary Rose was raised from the seabed.

•19,000 artefacts have been recovered from the site so far including: 1,635 cannonballs-257 shoes and boots (including 70 pairs)-86 chests-172 longbows and 2,303 complete arrows

•1 – The Mary Rose is #1 on TripAdvisor for things to do in Portsmouth.

Downloadable app codea available upon request for interview, review and what to do/experience coverage. Many thanks for your continued support of independent creators!

We would like to thank Annie Jeeves, Cinematic Red PR for the press release and artist profile