Univerzita Tomáše Bati ve Zlíně

FMC

Air Battle over the White Carpathians in Virtual Reality – Thanks to Designers from TBU

The museum in Slavičín is preparing a unique exhibition to mark the 80^th anniversary of a significant aerial battle that took place over the White Carpathians on 29 August 1944. To bring the project to life, the museum’s management invited students and teachers from the Game Design Studio at the Faculty of Multimedia Communications (FMC) of Tomas Bata University (TBU) in Zlín. Together, they created a unique simulator that allows visitors to experience the battle first-hand. The exhibition is set to open at the end of August, coinciding with the anniversary of the event.

A legendary battle. Visitors have the opportunity to experience that fateful day’s proceedings, specifically as part of the bomber crew that fought in the air-space above Slavičín. They get to hear the intense firepower of air defence weaponry, and have to fend off attacks by fighter planes, experiencing the dropping of aerial bombs in the process.

The lecturer and digital creator behind it, MgA. Michal Ščuglík, who expertly supervised the project, stated the topic was very close to his heart. “I have been visiting the Slavičín museum since I was a child. Thanks to my many years of experience with virtual and augmented reality environments and their installations, I was able to fulfil my boyhood dream and ‘fly’ in the B17,” he added.

Under the guidance of experienced teachers, students learning about game design at one of the latest studios at the FMC were able to contribute to realistically rendering the interior of a B-17 Flying Fortress, making for an unforgettable experience for visitors. The Head of the Game Design Studio, MgA. Pavel Novák, commented: “We believe in the power of experience and interaction that the world of games offers for education, and virtual reality is an amazing medium for historical reconstruction.” This unique project was made possible thanks to the support of the town of Slavičín in collaboration with Tomas Bata University in Zlín.