
On the surface, Los Angeles-based Gentleman Scholar’s short cartoon Truffle Pig is just another story about a guy and his mushroom-sniffing pig.
That is, until the guy, named Gustav, uncovers a magical jewel and the surreal 2D/CG-hybid VR immersion kicks in. Once it does, the viewer transforms into the existential hero of either a passive viewing experience or a free-play game, created for Facebook’s Oculus headset. Both choices promise a series of natural and supernatural settings and juxtapositions that are as visually interesting as they are evolutionary.
“We wanted to blend this traditional narrative with a gaming narrative, so that when you switch from third person to first person you really get this strange shift in perspective that lets you have power and take control over the story,” said Gentleman Scholar co-partner William Campbell in Truffle Pig’s behind-the-scenes explainer. Campbell along with studio co-partner Will Johnson were the creative directors of the project.