Is it a Game? Is it an Album? Is it a Trip? Yes!
Welcome To The Future (WTTF) is a mobile reboot of Blue Sky Entertainment's enigmatic 1995 CDROM adventure game and concept album by the same name. Originally published by Broderbund, WTTF was created by digital artists over the course of a year and half while living at the beach in the jungle section of Playa Del Rey, California. At this time, multimedia was still in it's infancy. Video on computers was brand new.
Three intrepid guys; Matt Green, Duce Vines and Lisle Engle, spent countless sleepless nights experimenting with a vast array of 3D animation tools and panoramic photo techniques to create a gaming environment unlike any other envisioned. To this day there has been nothing created that provides such a different approach on what a game experience should be.
WTTF is unique in that it is the first interactive concept album ever made. In a 1995 world of 8-bit blocky graphics and bit-crushed sound, WTTF was made using full 24-bit color and 16-bit CD quality surround sound. Even decades later, the beauty of the WTTF graphics and sound hold up incredibly well on todays mobile platforms.
Entertainment Weekly Magazine described WTTF in it's 1995 review as:
"If you pine for Pink Floyd at Pompeii or long for the days when space rock was a prominent musical genre, then you'll love this disc. Future is a cosmic treasure hunt along sun-drenched mountain paths and glittering animated subterranean worlds. Once you've gathered all of the game's silver and gold artifacts, you are allowed to enter nirvana – if you can find the door. The iridescent artwork and animation are generally first-rate, and the sparkling New Age soundtrack should appeal to those who appreciate floating asteroids and watery mammals". —JRQ, Entertainment Weekly
WTTF is a welcome respite from the frantic, 1st person shooter approach that is so prevalent in the gaming market today. WTTF is Rated-G and appropriate for all audiences. There are no scores, no shooting, no danger and no death. WTTF is a zen-type, relaxing experience for the user. Put on your headphones and fall away into the surreal landscape, enjoying the serene and cerebral journey of the music.
The player finds themselves walking down shimmering, translucent trails overlooking the ocean. They explore the landscape to find strange symbols resembling alien crop circles. These signs are actually keys that unlock hidden areas along the trails, enveloping the player in collections of psychedelic rock and imagery... painting a surreal vision of ancient alien visitation and challenging the player to find their way through a vast underground labyrinth. The ultimate goal of WTTF is to gather the lenses and lens holder, unlock the pharaoh's tomb and eventually be allowed to hear the final message left for mankind, which is presented at the game's conclusion in the form of a visually inspiring rock video called The Voyage.
WTTF has an appeal for various audiences. The most obvious is retro gamers and fans of 90s CDROM titles, like MYST. WTTF is a bit of a hidden gem for those who fondly remember the CDROM genre from their childhoods. Fans of ancient aliens theory also connect with this title in that it is filled with imagery and lyrical content relating to the subject. Many players describe their love of the trail imagery as it is based on the REAL hiking areas in Malibu, California, specifically Coral Cave – for any Jim Morrison (The Doors) fans out there!
If you are looking for a much more relaxing and introspective type of gaming experience, WTTF certainly IS a game for you.
Welcome to the Future... the incredible quest of music, art and discovery!