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Do you spend time making toys or sculptures and
wishing they could have a life of their own? Well, BAMZOOKi, the
new show from CÂ鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú, brings this idea not quite to reality, but to
virtual reality.
CÂ鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú presenter Jake Humphrey is really excited
about the programme: "There has never been anything like it
before," he told the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Norfolk website.
"The computer generated creatures, the Zooks,
that you will see competing on the show really do have a mind of
their own!
"Once the team have chosen their Zook it's
a case of sitting back to enjoy the mayhem!"
BAMZOOKi has taken around five years to develop
from an idea by the show's co-producer Paul Tyler.
The creativity was then placed in the hands of
the children who've designed the virtual
creatures on computers at home and at school using the Zook Kit
software.
For the CÂ鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú show, the Zooks are brought to virtual
life and put into competition against the creations of other teams.
There's a real Norfolk flavour to the programme.
Not only does presenter Jake Humphrey come from
the county, but you'll also be able to cheer on the team from Cromer.
Will the idea of a Zook which walks like a crab
from Dominic, Ruth and Matthew - known as The Animators - win them
a place in the BAMZOOKi final?
Playing the game
The Zooks compete by running relays, kicking penalty
shoot-outs and clambering over obstacle courses in a virtual-reality
Superstars.
"Each team has spent the previous few weeks
designing four of their own Zooks with certain characteristics and
special skills," explained Jake.
"Then they have to use these Zooks on a series
of different challenges! Once the Zook has been used, it is out
of the game, so as well as a top design the players also have to
choose their creatures carefully."
Jake admits, he's not quite
sure how it all works, but it's all very clever: "It's to do
with using some new software and a special virtual studio.
"During the show we can see the Zooks running
around the gaming area, but the TV cameras see them in 3D. It's
sometimes really hard to be quite certain what's happening.
The Zooks play better when they get a good cheer. |
"As I've said, the Zooks have a life of their
own and can be unpredictable little critters!"
Zook mischief
Never one to quite be on his best behaviour when
on the studio floor, Jake reveals he was a bit naughty during BAMZOOKi.
"Let's just say there's rivalry on the show
between me and the commentator Rich. We both designed our own Zooks
and became genuinely competitive!
"Also, BAMZOOKi is filmed at the Elstree studios
which is where they make EastEnders! One lunchtime I went for a
sneak around Albert Square with the BAMZOOKi crew and we promptly
got frog-marched off the site and told not to return… erm... we
did!" [laughs]
BAMZOOKi starts on CÂ鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú ONE on Monday 8 March at
4.35pm. You can also see the show each weekday evening at 4.45pm
on the CÂ鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Channel.
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