Buzludzha VR

I wish there was a series like this in VR. Exploring abandoned buildings while learning about how they used to be before being left to rot. I had literally no interest in this building before finding this, but this was still an interesting and unique experience. Seriously, I cannot stress how much I'd love a series like this with this level of detail and interactivity.

As someone with little to no prior knowledge of Buzludzha and the wider region of Bulgaria, Buzludzha VR was a beautiful medium in which to learn about and explore this significant piece of Bulgarian history. The experience is immersive and informative from start to finish with many excellently voiced information points and translations that really make your journey through the structure in its reimagined form interesting and engaging. The attention to detail is a testament to the passion behind this project and provides insentive to thoroughly inspect every nook and cranny of the structure for things to see and do. I really enjoyed this experience; learning about the history of Buzludzha and the surrounding region has definitely sparked my curiosity and put Bulgaria on my wishlist of countries to explore. Being able to peek at the current state of the building throughout really put into perspective how neglected the Buzludzha monument is and I really hope that soon there comes a renewed push to preserve this stunning structure.

Now do this but with all the abandoned noteworthy Soviet buildings.

[h1]VR作ってみたはいいが維持することも解体することもできない建物探訪。[/h1] [h1]■概要[/h1] ブルガリア共産党政府がTNTで山頂を吹き飛ばし無理矢理平地を作ってまで建設したが、落成からわずか10年で共産主義の崩壊とともに保守管理を行う予算が捻出できなくなり、かといって解体撤去する意義も予算もないまま放置されている「Buzludzha（ブズルヂャ）記念館」の内外を歩き回れる、ゲームではなく体験型のVRソフト。 当然、ゲーム性は皆無。 物を掴んだりドアを開けたりエレベータのボタンを押したりというインタラクト要素は一応あり、テレポート/スムーズ移動を使って各所におかれた解説が聞けるボタンを押して回るのが主なプレイ内容。 基本的には新築当初の姿が再現されているが、懐中電灯で照らすとラクガキや改変された放棄後の姿が浮かび上がる仕掛けが随所にあり、形あるものはいつか壊れる、盛者必衰の理を感じられる。 おおよそのプレイ時間は……、なにかしらの達成目標があるわけではないのでなんとも言い難いが、1時間くらいは暇が潰せる。 なお、元ネタ(?)の記念館はヨーロッパにおける七大「絶滅の危機に貧した遺産」の一つにも認定されたとかで、その特異な外見も相まって、一般人の立ち入り許可さえ取れるなら欧州界隈の廃墟マニアが押し寄せる観光スポットになっていたであろうことは想像に難くない。周りなんにもない山頂でアクセスすごい悪いけど。 現在は石油王ジャン・ポール・ゲティにより設立された美術品収集を目的とする私的財団・ゲティ財団から派生した、視覚芸術の理解と保全を掲げるゲティ基金からの助成金獲得に成功し、建物の倒壊やモザイクタイルの剥落を防ぐ保全修理が行われている模様。オイルマネーはペンよりも剣よりも強い。 [h1]■感想[/h1] はじめに断っておくが、ぼくのブルガリア知識は「ヨーグルトの名産地(?)」止まりである。ブルガリア社会民主党設立会議が行われたり、なんかの戦争でオスマン帝国からのブルガリア解放に寄与した云々とかいうブズルヂャ山頂の歴史的な価値に関してはまったく知らないし興味もない。 でもこのソフトはなんか知らんが面白い。もちろん笑える方ではなく興味深いの方。ひたすら歩いて解説を聞くだけの、どこかクリア後のオーディオコメンタリー地味た印象を受けるが、こういうの世の中にあっていいと思う。 現物を保全するお金はないけど、3Dデータにしちゃえば安上がりな上に世界中の人々が自宅でヴァーチャル訪問できるっていう、ゲーム以外のすごくまっとうなVR有効活用な気がする。 元ネタの建物はドローンかなにか飛ばしてレーザーで現物をスキャンするなんて試みも行われていて、このゲームにもそのデータが反映されていたり参考にされていたりしたらいいなぁって思う。願望。 あと、ストアのどこかに「このソフトの売上の一部はブズルジャ記念館の保全費用に充てられます。」の一文があれば話の種としてはパーフェクトだった。

I was given a copy of Buzludzha for free for commenting on a reddit post, I have no relationship with the developers beyond that. So this review is unbiased, and is entirely my reaction to playing this game for the first time; TDLR; Should you buy this game; Do you like to travel? Does history and soviet architecture interest you? If you said yes to those 3 questions then buy the game now. Otherwise, take a look at my review and others and see if it's worth it for your particular interests. Wow wow wow, this was so much better than I was expecting. I'll give you my thoughts from memory as I played through. 1) No free locomontion was a bummer, I find that the visual paralax of moving through an environment adds a lot to the scale of the environment. And considering you have a flyable helicopter in the game ... could you please add an option for free locomotion? :) 2) The grip on the torch doesn't snap to your hand, which is an interesting take on torch handling. I can see why, considering that there are many types of motion controls these days, snapping to a particular angle could be uncomfortable for some controllers. 3) I dropped the torch once in a hard to reach place, I feel like this could benefit from either a) the torch, once in your inventory will reappear in your inventory when dropped, or b) you can pick it up telekinetically. 4) Graphics were very very good. In fact, the 2d nature of the graphic you're using in the marketing materials made me think this wouldn't be so realistic. The interior architecture was really well lit and designed, and the integration between the contemporary and the brutalist concrete was really well done. 5) I didn't know anything about Buzludzha except that I'd seen the monument in articles about old communist architecture. So I had no idea the state of disrepair that the place is currently in. When I got to the dark gallery, I felt incredibly sad. I didn't realise it was so far gone, as your experience shows it in such a wonder light. It did make me wish for a toggle to transition from your incredible unreal work to something like a photogrammetry scan of the crumbling decay of the real world Buzludzha monument. 6) You put fluid physics in the toilet faucets and soap dispensers that collide with the hand meshes? and made most drawers and doors interactable? Such attention to detail! 7) The torch reveals were a great feature. As mentioned above, i wish there was more of this transition between current and your ideal. 8) I really loved that I could go and see the Shipka Pass monument in the distance that was mentioned. 9) All up, it really made me want to go and experience this place, but when i realised how far the place has decayed in reality, it made me really sad. Then it also made me happy that your team has had the passion to create this experience to keep the place alive and perhaps even inspire convervation of places like this in the future.

[h1]Experienced on the Oculus Quest 2[/h1] You can view my review & gameplay here: https://youtu.be/b4QIQRl7CdE Buzludzha VR is basically a travel destination app ... to the past history of this site in Central Bulgaria (and a peak into the current state of the structure). While this is mostly an educational / historical app, it does have some nice mini-activities that will keep you entertained. There are some nice audio tidbits of information about the history of this unique location. It took me approximately an hour to uncover all the secrets of Buzludzha. It took me the longest to finally find the secret room to call for the helicopter ride. Flying the helicopter is one of the highlights of this app and I would strongly recommend you not exit this app until you find it. Also, you can climb the high tower and jump off (if you're using full locomotion). Buzludzha is running on the Unreal Engine. On my RTX 3080 I was getting steady frame rates even on high visual settings (although only 60 when super-sampled to 140). You have full locomotion or teleportation as well as a snap turning option. I did not experience any serious issues or bugs. The climbing mechanic was a little janky and you could clip through some objects. The normal walking speed was just a bit too slow for my taste as well, but I ended up using teleportation to close long distances faster. I enjoyed this app. I had fun exploring & learning about Buzludzha. While this app doesn't have the visual quality of some of the best VR tourist destination apps (no photogrammetry), it makes up for that by bringing a cohesive whole with decent side activities & entertaining educational information about the monument. [b]Rate 7/10.[/b] [quote]Please note: I received a free Steam key through the Steam Curator Connect program. You can join my Steam Curator group here: https://steamcommunity.com/groups/Oculus_WMR [/quote]

Buzludza VR von Augmade ist ein touristischer Walkingsimulator zum berühmten und verlassenden Monument in Zentralbulgarien. Wir können das verlassene Buzludzha-Denkmal tatsächlich zu Fuß erreichen. Glücklicherweise steht aber auch ein Teleportfunktion zur Verfügung. Das Gelände auf dem sich der UFO mitsamt Turm befindet ist sehr weitläufig. Und vor allem wunderschön anzusehen. Die Landschaft in Zentralbulgarien ist von den Machern von Buzludza VR wundervoll eingefangen und wiedergegeben worden. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2599312864 Haben wir den mühsamen Aufstieg aber dann geschafft, werden wir mit einem intaktem Denkmal belohnt. So wie es heute aussehen könnte steht es stolz vor uns. Wenn die Bulgarische Regierung nicht das Interesse oder eher das Geld verloren hätte, dieses tolle Gebäude wieder zu renovieren und neu aufleben zu lassen, könnte dies eine sprudelnde touristische Geldquelle sein. Nunja, jetzt verdient das kleine Entwicklerteam, indem es Interessierten, diese VR-Reise verkauft. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2599315251 Sind wir einmal im Gebäude werden wir von der schönen Architektur überwältigt. Es gib, genau wie auf dem Weg nach oben, Interaktionspunkte, die uns mit interessanten Informationen über die Geschichte des Gebäudes versorgen. An bestimmten Orten können wir eine gefundene Taschenlampe auf Objekte halten, um den jetzigen verwahrlosten Zustand zu sehen. Sehr interessant. Es gibt ohnehin sehr viel zu sehen – ein Museum im fiktiv renovierten Gebäude zeigt z.B. Fotos vom aktuellen Zustand.. Oben auf dem Turm, ist die Aussicht über die Bulgarische Landschaft, vor allem bei Nacht fast atemberaubend. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2599315578 Interaktionen gibt es für ein Touristenprogramm erstaunlich viele, aber über alberne Spielereien, wie das Schießen mit einer Weinflaschenkanone oder Klavier spielen geht es nicht hinaus. Als Informationsquelle ist das Programm aber dennoch gut zu gebrauchen. Auch die gesamte Präsentation ist sehr professionell gestaltet. Es macht wirklich Spaß sich das renovierte Gebäude anzusehen. Es gibt, nachdem wir einmal an allen Orten waren, per Schnellreise die Möglichkeit zu ihnen zurück zu kommen. Auch per Hubschrauber oder sogar Feuerlöscher-Jetpack können wir uns die Umgebung frei ansehen. Allerdings ist der Preis für diese lustige und informative virtuelle Reise für das Gebotene und aufgrund des Alters nur noch im Sale eine Reise wert. 👀[url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32170554/]Architektonische Rundreisen[/url] auf meiner Kurator Seite. 👑 Powered by HoI 4 Deu Curators group in German / English 👑 [list][*] [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/30388691/] Follow Main group [/url][*] [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/40282064/] Follow Second group [/url][/list] [u]English:[/u] -----------------------------------> Buzludza VR by Augmade is a tourist walking simulator to the famous and abandoned monument in central Bulgaria. We can actually reach the abandoned Buzludzha monument on foot. Fortunately, however, a teleport function is also available. The area on which the UFO including the tower is located is very spacious. And above all, beautiful to look at. The landscape of central Bulgaria has been beautifully captured and rendered by the makers of Buzludza VR. Once we have made the arduous climb, we are rewarded with an intact monument. As it might look today, it stands proudly before us. If the Bulgarian government would not have lost the interest or rather the money to renovate and revive this great building, this could be a bubbling tourist money source. Well, now the small team of developers earns by selling this VR trip to interested people. Once inside the building, we are overwhelmed by the beautiful architecture. There are, just like on the way up, interaction points that provide us with interesting information about the history of the building. In certain places we can hold a found flashlight on objects to see the current neglected state. Very interesting. There is a lot to see anyway - a museum in the fictitiously renovated building shows photos of the current state, for example.... At the top of the tower, the view over the Bulgarian countryside, especially at night is almost breathtaking. There is a surprising amount of interaction for a tourist program, but it doesn't go beyond silly shenanigans like shooting a wine bottle cannon or playing the piano. However, the program is still good to use as a source of information. The entire presentation is also very professionally designed. It is really fun to look at the renovated building. There is, after we have been once to all places, by fast travel the possibility to come back to them. Also, by helicopter or even fire extinguisher jetpack, we can freely look at the surroundings. However, the price of this fun and informative virtual trip is worth it for what it offers and due to its age, only in Sale. 👀[url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32170554/]Architectural Tours[/url] on my curator page. 👑 Powered by HoI 4 Deu Curators group in German / English 👑 [list][*] [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/30388691/] Follow Main group [/url][*] [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/40282064/] Follow Second group [/url][/list]

Gorgeous game for VR centered around exploring a real-world landmark with historical importance. It's an amazing museum-like experience that's relatively short to play through with easter eggs that make exploration a lot of fun. Highly recommended to anyone with a VR headset interested in short historical tours, definitely well worth it! 👍

This was a great museum / educational experience and a must buy for anyone interested in that type of thing. It's the first that I have been truly satisfied with. I didn't know anything about Bulgaria before this and now I've learned quite a few things and makes me want to visit. I probably wont end up going in real life, but I would love to pay to experience the other places mentioned in the Buzludzha museum in VR. I wish there was faster smooth locomotion and grab animations for your hand, but there are very small things that don't take away from the experience.

Wow, a hidden gem! The developers did a fantastic job creating the environment and it is fun to explore. There are a lot of facts about the site's history that you can find in and around the building, all nicely narrated and I'm pretty sure I missed some on the way. There is plenty of stuff to find that you can interact with, my favourite one is the wine gun, so satisfying :D You can even fly a helicopter which I'm surprised didnt make me sick, other vr games werent so gentle on me in the past. My arms will probably be sore tomorrow from the ladder climb, shame I didnt find the lift sooner!! I still can't believe this building actually exists in real life. I'm adding Buzludzha to my bucket list of places to visit, once we can travel again of course. Definitely give this one a go!