7 Days Brand Launches Bakery Theme Park in Second Life

(full press release with photos in PDF format)

ATHENS (16 September, 2008) – The big European baked goods brand 7 Days enters virtual space this week as it opens the “7 Days Magic Bakery” themed village in the virtual community of Second Life.

A rich, whimsical environment modeled with great detail in Maya and imported into Second Life, the town makes use of the best art and technology of game design to create a transporting fantasy experience. The designers began work on the attraction by developing a comprehensive story line and narrative and have populated the town with quirky characters that include master bakers and rebellious, overworked robots.

Inside the factory itself, guests can design and produce their own pastries on a Wonka-like assembly line that allows them to customize delicacies such as a Chocolate Symphony Cosmic Satisfaction Croissant or Oregano Grated Cheese Electric Burst Pita Bakes; and get sucked up into the catwalks to view the working guts of the factory while “croissanthopters” buzz around their heads.

Once they’ve created their customized pastries, guests can “eat” them for an animated magical experience, store them for future consumption or share them with their friends. The baked goods are at the heart of the 7 Days experience, and they are indeed designed for guests to play with, make and trade, both onsite and using portable vending machines that guests can take home.

The attraction utilizes a broad multimedia approach, including a web presence, video, interactive 3D virtual settings, 2D animation, audio effects and voiceover by professional actors. The underlying database allowing the pastries to be virally shared and traded makes use of Amazon Web Services to optimize data transfer in and out of Second Life.

7 Days is a brand of Vivartia, one of Europe’s largest food manufacturers. 7Days Magic Bakery was designed and produced by Involve, Inc., creator of such popular Second Life destinations as The Weather Channel’s Weather Island and the virtual Tech Museum of San Jose.

The 7 Days Magic Bakery attraction opens at 9:30 a.m. SLT (Pacific Time) Saturday, Sept. 20, with live performances by magician Tuna Oddfellow and singer-songwriter Juel Resistance. Live musical events will continue for the following three weeks and include popular Second Life artists Lyndon Heart, Cylindrian Rutabaga and Jase Banner.

Questions? Contact: Drew Stein, Involve, Inc. 917-771-0766

High rez photos available on request