As part of their Construct: 10061 program, US outdoor brand Timberland is offering gamers a glimpse into the hidden realms of footwear innovation and design using 3D technology. The program is a collaboration with the footwear design platform Conceptkicks, which brings together a team of creatives and innovators in the global footwear industry every six months to rethink the process of footwear production.
In partnership with Epic Games’ Unreal Engine, the two collaborators in the latest iteration of the project offer Fortnite users the opportunity to look behind Timberland’s innovation process and visit a virtual design lab on an island of their own.
“This immersive gaming experience takes place on a custom-made Fortnite island with distinct arctic, desert, and forest biomes. After visiting the design lab, players will take on challenges and obstacles and unlock special effects as they reach the metaboots and bring the samples back to the lab,” Timberland said in a statement.
In collaboration with digital innovators from BeyondCreative, a design workshop took place entirely in the virtual Timberland design lab in Fortnite. The result was four metaboots, namely a replica of the iconic yellow boot and three original boots inspired by user-defined outdoor biomes.
Other immersive experiences include a parkour path for players to overcome hurdles and challenges, and earn rewards for reaching the metaboots and bringing them back to the lab. There is also the “Forest Metaboot” recreated in high fidelity with Unreal Engine and viewable and accessible in augmented reality via Sketchfab.
There are also eight physical prototypes from a recent real-life workshop that were scanned and placed against bio-inspired backgrounds using Unreal Engine-powered Twinmotion and Quixel Megascans. These are also accessible in augmented reality via Sketchfab. “Timberland was built on the foundation of footwear innovation. Our partnership with Epic Games’ Unreal Engine allows us to explore new dimensions as we envision the future of boot and shoe manufacturing,” said Timberland CMO Drieke Leenknegt.
“We brought the collaborative model to the metaverse by inviting innovators like Daniel Bailey, Zixiong Wei, and Aisha Kujk to co-create Metaboots with our own ACE designers in Fortnite. At the same time, we invite consumers into the world of design innovation as part of an amazing Fortnite experience. The possibilities for connecting in the Metaverse are endless.”
The Construct: 10061 Fortnite experience will be launched at Timberland’s flagship store Orefici11 during Milan Design Week, where guests will be able to examine physical prototypes, experience live gameplay and participate in real-time as a fifth metaboot is created in Fortnite.