Inception App Reaches 3M Downloads; Co-Developer Robert "Dizzy Banjo" Thomas Talks About the Future of Reactive Music In Virtual Worlds & Beyond

Inception, the quintessentially cool "augmented sound" iPhone app based on the Oscar-nominated movie and soundtrack of the same name, just reached 3 million total downloads. That's an impressive milestone for such an esoteric app, which merges the sounds of the world around you with hypnotically throbbing samples from Hans Zimmer's soundtrack. (Or as the co-developer puts it: "The app induces 'dreams' which are essentially a context aware augmented sound layer over reality. They are unlockable with events and activities in your life.") Even more impressive for New World Notes readers: That developer is Robert Thomas, known in Second Life as Dizzy Banjo, a UK musician whose innovative SL projects helped connect him to RjDj, the app's maker.

"It was really amazing to work on this project," Dizzy tells me. "The story and general tone of Inception, as well as Hans' great music, is perhaps the perfect setting for an augmented sound project. All of the people involved in this project have been really great to work with on it. Obviously it was a great honor to work with Chris Nolan and Hans Zimmer, and working with RjDj's Michael Breidenbrücker is always great. I'm very proud to be part of such a great team at RjDj."

Dizzy tells me he sees parallels to his work on this project, and in creating audio projects for virtual worlds. Get Dizzy Banjo's duly fascinating thoughts on the future of reactive, augmented/virtual world music after the break:

"I have often thought about the similarities between creating this augmented virtual layer experience and creating experiences which exist entirely virtually -- in virtual worlds or games. It's also very similar to making a pervasive game, ARG or LARP, i.e. by adding game mechanics and story elements to the physical world.

"While working in the mobile app development world, I see a lot of links between the innovative thinking involved with virtual worlds / games and the recent directions of some mobile app experiences. I think Raph Koster's recent post really discusses this well. In many ways this project involved the same processes -- creating engaging immersive experiences, game like but quite open ended mechanics, reward structures and a social element -- in this case a fervent discussion that happened on Twitter and Facebook.

Parsec, a Second Life interactive audio project co-developed by Dizzy -- read about it here

"I think the key difference is in the mode of engagement. Virtual worlds or conventional video games require the user to 'go to them' through the cerebral process of immersion and avatarisation - something like Inception the App is a visceral experience that 'comes to you'. In fact it's tailor made for your exact physical experiences. For example if you sit down you will enter the [app track] Still Dream, if you go for a jog you will enter the Action Dream. Some users have really taken this to extremes by actually sleeping with the app on all night and reporting back to us detailed accounts of their dreams!

"While this project has been amazing to work on and we have a lot of other things coming soon, I do hope to find time to do another Second Life project soon. There is one I've been storing up for years now, it's kinda to do with Synesthesia. It feels like some virtual worlds ( and Second Life in particular ) have had a tough time over the last year or two, somehow become the uncool uncle which the current cool wave of AR and social gaming tech doesn't really want to recognise as 'part of the family'. I think this will change, although it may take some time. I was very interested to see Rod Humble appointed as the new CEO."

But to really hear Dizzy's thoughts in action, try out the Inception app already. A recent update has added some extra coolness: a tribute to the "kick" from the movie. "The kick is a special hidden feature which lets the user 'escape to reality' by taking the kick in the same way people do in the film, when they hear the approaching BRRRRMMs etc.," Dizzy tells me, smiling. "We dont want to reveal exactly how as of yet, as it's a sort of easter egg."

Comments

[Ann Otoole InSL]

OK now i wish I had one. :(

I really like things like this.

Awesome!

[Adeon Writer]

Just bought it. Hoping to have some quiet time soon :D

[Arcadia Codesmith]

Audio is a killer app for augmented reality because we have the tech to layer it fairly easily. Visuals are still lagging for want of consumer-friendly HUDs.

But if and when we can electronically augment taste/smell, I predict a breakthrough market for dieters.

[Bettina Tizzy]

From the moment I understood what augmented reality was, I began to encourage SL's top content creators to look for ways to collaborate with AR developers. I still am. There's an exhilarating (and likely lucrative) future waiting them there.

However, I had not imagined that augmented reality might incorporate audio, so Dizzy and Inception (the app's) successes have taught me once again that there is no limit where there is talent coupled with determination.

You surprise me always, Dizzy. You AMAZE me. Proud to know you.

[ColeMarie Soleil]

Good job twatwaffle. I mean Dizzy.

[Jamesh Reddy]

I have LOVED watching the Inception movie that was then I became huge fan of Leo DCaprio. What an art the movie is. And ofcourse Dizzy created a brilliant app sure deserved such huge exposure great work!

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