【 XR INDUSTRY EVENT 】Virtual Platforms: Strategies for Artistic Creation and Showcase

• Panelists

1. Director of Keep Moving Forward  Good Morning, Gumball Dream | Screaming Color
2. Director of NAXS Studio | Han-Yu FENG
3. Content Planning Director of VIVE ORIGINALS | Nai-Chen YANG

• Moderator
  Independent Curator | Grace LEE

Virtual Creativity in the Post-Pandemic Era

During the pandemic, virtual platforms gained significant attention due to their freedom from spatial and temporal limitations. But in a post-pandemic world, what potential do they still hold? Moderator LEE noted that all three panelists are veterans of virtual platform creation. What makes these platforms so compelling that they continue to devote themselves to the medium?

Screaming Color, director of Good Morning, explained that VRChat is a highly open platform that allows for honest, uninhibited self-expression. Since virtual platforms transcend physical boundaries, he has been able to create forms of co-performance that would be impossible in the real world. For example, in Uncanny Alley: A New Day, where he served as technical director, actors based in Boston and Los Angeles performed live with audiences in Taiwan. It was the platform’s flexibility that made such a production possible.

VIVE ORIGINALS, which in recent years has partnered with third-party IPs, began exploring a range of virtual presentation formats during the pandemic in hopes of reaching broader audiences. Content Planning Director YANG shared that their team discovered fans of virtual idols are especially eager for more diverse forms of interaction. In response, they developed real-time motion capture technology that allows fans to interact one-on-one with virtual idols during online meet-and-greets, greatly enhancing the immersive experience.

NAXS Studio, known in recent years for creating Sunset Town, held the second Sunset Town Music Festival this April, inviting artists from across the globe to perform. FENG explained that his team, being passionate about video games, aims to bring gaming’s imaginative energy into virtual performance formats, exploring new forms of narrative possibilities.

Virtual vs Physical: Challenging the Traditional Stage
 

FENG noted that one of the greatest advantages of virtual platforms is how they unlock creative imagination. His team has built concepts that would be nearly impossible in the physical world. In the Sunset Town Music Festival, for example, they introduced a racing competition that occurred simultaneously with live performances. Players could enjoy music while participating in a game. Moreover, because the production cost structure of a virtual music festival is relatively simple, more energy could be directed toward world-building and cross-genre collaborations to craft a fresh, immersive experience.

Screaming Color discussed his work at the Sanrio Virtual Festival. In the virtual concert environment, he created interactive elements like laser lights and bubbles, allowing players to generate melodies through their actions. Musicians could then respond to those melodies with live improvisation. He believes that using virtual communities to host concerts offers dual experiences—both a collective celebration and an intimate, personalized moment.
 

Future Exploration: Expanding Experiences on Virtual Platforms
 

To conclude, the moderator invited the creators to share their visions for the future of virtual platforms. What areas remain to be explored as technology continues to evolve?

YANG shared that VIVE ORIGINALS has recently begun bringing virtual content into physical spaces through exhibitions and film screenings, using different formats of interaction to offer audiences different emotional experiences. Additionally, the team is developing their own virtual idols, aiming to elevate the platform and draw attention back to the potential of XR technologies.

NAXS Studio, now preparing for the third edition of Sunset Town, is currently building a more interactive music platform. They plan to expand the story content of Sunset Town on a regular basis to maintain player engagement through ongoing updates and enhanced interactivity.

Screaming Color concluded by saying his current focus is on promoting the works he has already completed, in the hope of drawing more people into virtual worlds and sharing the distinctive narrative power of virtual platforms.