RIA Novosti to launch VR reconstruction of Russia’s first cruise around world Launch

The Russian news agency, RIA Novosti, an arm of the Rossiya Segodnya media group, would team up with the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives to launch a reconstruction of Russia’s first cruise around the world in November. The launch of the reconstruction would be using virtual reality (VR) technology.

The project was inspired by the first Russian circumnavigation on the sloops: Nadezhda and Neva under the command of Ivan Kruzenshtern and Yuri Lisyansky from 1803-1806, which constituted a synopsis of a historical VR-reconstruction game.

Putting on a VR headset, the player would be transported to the late 18th and early 19th centuries when the first Russian circumnavigation was planned and carried out.

Simulating original acts by its captains, Kruzenshtern and Lisyansky, the player would experience the key moments of the journey.

Notably, the player would be able to take part in the war with Sweden onboard the ship Mstislav, inspect and bought sloops, which after repair would become expedition ships Nadezhda and Neva.

It would arrange a natural exchange with the natives of Nuku Hiva Island, secretly explore the coast of Japan and try to establish trade relations with China.

All these events, the player, would perceive not as an outside observer, but as a first-hand participant.

“This historical story in itself is like an exciting adventure novel. I hope that our experience and unique competencies in VR will enable us to make an interesting project for Russian and foreign audiences,’’ Rossiya Segodnya Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Natalia Loseva, said.

The game would have an educational function “recounting the under-studied pages of history and geography,’’ General Director of the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives, Roman Karmanov, said.

“The project was highly appreciated by independent experts of the 2021 contest,” Karmanov added.

According to the organizers, the project is aimed at the widest audience possible with a keen interest in Russian history.

The project is expected to be publicly launched in November 2022 using several platforms, including Steam, a fast-growing global immersive technology platform, and will be available in English, among other languages.