Gaming Gets Theme Parks

ITWEB – December 13, 2007
By Paul Vecchiatto

JOHANNESBURG — Theme park development company SpacePortLeisure literally wants to take local software developers for a ride, by creating places for them to showcase and test virtual reality gaming, says CEO Danny Naidoo.

Naidoo, who was, until March, Microsoft SA's director for development platforms, says the company he is involved with has identified a number of sites around the country to build “mini-theme park” areas. Games and virtual reality software can be tested in these areas on the local population before being exported to other countries.

“This is all part of our overall vision to get the public involved with our overseas theme park developments that emphasise high-technology, but provide an experience that is beyond entertainment. We can combine that with local development and encouraging the growth of the South African software industry,” he says.

Yesterday, SpacePortLeisure, which is Cape Town-based, announced it has secured the contracts to develop two space theme parks, one in Spain and the other in China.

The Spanish park, called SpacePortGranScala, will be part of a larger development to be called GranScala, and is worth 550 million euros (about R5 billion). The Chinese park will be located in Shenyang city, and is worth about $330 million (about R2.2 billion).

Lead developer

Naidoo says the reason why SpacePortLeisure is taking the lead in developing these parks is because it has the ability to create the vision and then pull together various experts in making it happen.

“These theme parks will have a strong emphasis on the development and encouragement of maths and science, but will also provide a strong family experience. We also want the experience to extend to off the park's premises by leveraging the Internet,” he says.

Raoul Katovsky, SpacePortLeisure's executive chairman, has been driving the business development since 1997, and founded the company five years ago.

The company is planning the production of four-dimension animated simulation rides and other proprietary special effects content in Cape Town, by using the city's developing film and software industries, and with the support of the Cape Film Commission and economic development agency Wesgro.

Naidoo's vision

“A major issue for developing such parks in SA is the population. For instance, around Shenyang there are about 31 million people living on the park's doorstep, meaning that we will easily get three million visitors per year. We don't have that in SA.”

Rather, what Naidoo envisages is a number of smaller entertainment centres in various locations around the country that have selected attractions. As new software is developed for them, this is loaded and the audience's experience tested.

Naidoo also believes that technology and entertainment can be combined to bring people from the far corners of the world closer and so bridge cultural divides.

“For instance, we could have a replica of the Mars Rover in the Kalahari desert being controlled by people at our theme parks in either China or Spain, or even having local gamers competing or interacting with people at the theme parks overseas.”

View the original article at: http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/business/2007/0712131042.asp?S=Gaming&A=GAM&O=FRGN