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Accounting+ might be the weirdest experience ever to grace your eyeballs. What starts out as a simple job at Smith & Smitherson accounting firm becomes a surrealist odyssey that will test your resolve, your stomach, and possibly your very sanity.
Interview by a very troubled Nathan Ortega, Vive
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzmmlwGJ50k?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&w=730&h=411]
Hello! I’m William Pugh, one of the 3 co-creators of Accounting+, a nightmare adventure come-
First question: What the hell man?
Oh uh- I’m sorry? Do you want to do the introduc-
Second of all: How dare you?
[Laughter] Oh I see! You’re doing one of these. I get it.
Now that we have that out of the way, tell us a bit about Crows Crows Crows and your surrealist VR experience Accounting+.
Well as I was saying, it’s a “Nightmare Adventure Comedy” which basically means that it’s an adventure that has a lot of laughs, and a lot more dread. You descend through layers of virtual reality in an attempt to fi-
What sort of rigorous accounting research was done to make this the most authentic accounting simulator ever?
Okay if you’re going to keep interrupting me I am NOT going to play along. My answers are going to be long-form and in dire need of context. I get that Accounting+ can be pretty silly or nonsensical at times but I have dedicated over a year of my life to bringing it into existence. I’d like to take this opportunity to seriously deconstruct the artistic process behi-
Did you live amongst the number crunchers like some sort of math nerd Jane Goodall?
Alright. Alright. I can play this game you cheeky bastard. Yes. We did. We all went out and we got married to accountants. We take research really seriously and we drowned ourselves in numbers in order to make the game more true to the spirit of accountancy.
…
More? Okay! We all went to a small island in the sout-
Making a surrealist comedy VR experience is a relatively untapped concept. How did the idea for Accounting VR come to be?
F*CK! Oh my god! Seriously??? Have you never done an interview before???? You’re just- This is just all over the place. I asked for these beforehand because I knew you would- STOP LAUGHING! Don’t- is he transcribing this? This better be edited down because I do NOT parse well when I am-
Crows3 specializes in experimental, surrealist interactive experiences. What are your thoughts regarding VR’s place in providing these kinds of unique experiences to players?
[incomprehensible muttering]
[40 seconds pass]
[through gritted teeth] Crows Crows Crows is the official name. Crows3 isn’t anywhere in our brand guidelines. It’s Crows Crows Crows. Not 3Crows. Not CrowsX3. Imagine if I started throwing around THC Vive or The Oculus Vive or The PS HTC VR 4?? One of your truncheon wielding brand enforcers would come and bash me on the hea-
How is Justin Roiland?
Safe from you, hopefully.
Seriously, how?
[sighing] He’s well? I suppose? The amount being thrown at him work wise is enough to make anybody’s head spin, but I believe he wants to be doing this and I hope that he’s finding a healthy release from the pressur-
Tell us a bit about how Crows3 worked with Justin Roiland and Squanch Games to create this fever dream of a VR experience.
It was a collaborative experience from the start. Dominik Johann and I flew out to LA in 2016 to jam out a prototype and Justin flew out to Berlin in 2017 to continue that work for Accounting+. The production and marketing work was handled by Cr-
There is SO MUCH DIALOG in Accounting VR. How many hours of Roiland insanity did you record to complete this experience?
Well it’s over 6 hours definitely- not counting what we cut. But more importantly nowhere in our brand guidelines did we say Accounting V-
I’m almost afraid to ask, but were there any segments or bonkers tangents that were TOO out there that had to be left on the cutting room floor?
Yes! There were loads! But based on how this interview is going you’re likely to cut me off before I even have a chance t-
Is there really a King of VR? How was he appointed the role? Please provide excessive details below, and answer in the form of a question.
What?? The character in the game? Seriously?? He- He’s always bee-
How many crows did it take to make Accounting+? More than three right?
no no- I’m staying on the last question. The King of VR is one of the oldest creatures in Virtual Reality. He’s the son of “The Mother” who is a legendary creature who is said to exist at the very lowest layer of VR. Many-
Also how long did it take said avian developers to peck out the game?
2 years! Jesus! Please just- you’re giving me heart palpitations. What’s that smell?
What’s next for Crows Crows Crows?
Getting out of here. Please. Just- why isn’t the door working?? Is this locked???
One final question: Was this all ultimately about that teriyaki szechuan sauce? Did-did you make Accounting + all for that… M-McNugget sauce? Your studio arc? If it takes nine m-more sequels, it’s all about that sauce? For 97 more years Accounting+ and their adventures, Accounting+ for a hundred years Accounting+… some… things.. Running around and… Crowc Crows Crows time… a-all day long forever.. Forever a hundred times… over and over Accounting+.com www dot at account plus dot come…www… every minute AccountingPlus dot com…
*the interviewer passes out from lack of oxygen*
Accounting+ is now available on Viveport. Buy it or Harold Jenkins gets it!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlsWaMkKMtM?start=54&feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&w=730&h=411]
Website: LINK
