FUGU – Immersive Fine Dining on the High Seas

When TUI Cruises with Michelin-starred chef Tim Raue set out to create FUGU, a fully immersive restaurant experience aboard the new Mein Schiff Relax cruise ship, it was clear from the outset that technology would play a central role. The concept: to blend fine dining with immersive projection, dynamic lighting, and spatial audio to craft a multi-sensory experience unlike anything else at sea. To bring this ambitious vision to life, the technical team chose Vertex by ioversal as the backbone of the multimedia system.

Planning and Challenges
The development of FUGU began as early as 2020, when TUI Cruises’ Berlin-based Entertainment department envisioned a new kind of dining venue—one that would merge haute cuisine with immersive media design. To turn this concept into reality, the team brought in renowned creative studio 3deluxe for architectural design and Chris Moylan (Optikalusion) as technical consultant and system architect.
From the start, it was clear that the project would demand not only creative vision, but also technological precision and adaptability. The media system had to support a mix of pre-rendered and real-time generative content, work across multiple synchronized outputs, and remain stable and serviceable within the constraints of a cruise ship environment.
In parallel, the venue’s physical layout presented logistical challenges. With the ceiling infrastructure above the restaurant already packed with technical equipment, precise coordination was required to integrate the projection system. Projector positions had to be finalized and locked in as early as 2021 - years before the venue’s inauguration - leaving no room for later adjustment.
Given these constraints and ambitions, choosing a robust, scalable, and future-ready media platform became critical. The team required a solution that would allow for both long-term reliability and day-to-day creative flexibility - and that solution was Vertex.

A Scalable, Multi-System Vertex Environment
At the technical heart of the experience is a distributed, high-performance media architecture powered by seven Vertex systems:
• One director system managing the global timeline and coordination
• Four playout servers handling playback of high-resolution projection content
• Two specialized servers rendering Notch generative content and LED-Pixel outputs
This system drives a total of 12 synchronized video outputs, distributed across a carefully designed projection and LED setup.
Projection Surfaces
The projection system includes:
• Eight projectors forming a 360° panoramic canvas surrounding the dining area
• Four additional projectors illuminating a dramatic centerpiece table structure
All projectors are synchronized with frame accuracy across the server cluster via Vertex, ensuring perfectly smooth playback and seamless edge blending in every scene.
Real-Time Generative Content
Unlike traditional shows that rely solely on pre-rendered content, FUGU places strong emphasis on real-time generative visuals. Using the Notch engine, content such as atmospheric visuals, animated textures, and data-reactive effects are generated live.
Vertex orchestrates these Notch blocks across multiple systems. The result is a visual environment that is not only rich in detail, but adaptable in real time - reacting to changes in sound, light, and scene flow with cinematic precision.

Integrated, Synchronized, Immersive
FUGU is designed as a fully integrated multimedia environment. Vertex sits at the core of this setup, ensuring tight synchronization between video, lighting, and audio elements.
Custom-designed LED fixtures, such as table lamps and linear strips, are dynamically controlled via Resolume, which is tightly linked to Vertex through network protocols and clock synchronization. Lighting reacts in real time to the visual narrative, making these elements feel like an organic extension of the content rather than separate effects.
Control logic for projector management and show triggers is integrated via Q-SYS, allowing operators to initiate or change shows with minimal effort. Meanwhile, audio signals and playback cues are precisely timed with the visuals, and in certain scenes, real-time audio input is used to drive Notch-powered generative content, creating immersive, synchronized responses that are both technically complex and emotionally compelling.
All video signals are routed through a Lightware 16×16 HDMI matrix, ensuring stable signal distribution across the venue and enabling a robust, repeatable setup.

Why Vertex?
The choice to use Vertex was made early in the development phase. The team required a platform that could handle both linear playback and interactive, generative content, with maximum stability and minimum operational overhead.
“Vertex gave us a powerful yet intuitive platform to manage a highly complex multiscreen setup. Its session-based architecture and timeline flexibility provided certainty during planning and allowed for a much more efficient execution during production.”
— Chris Moylan, Optikalusion
Key benefits that stood out during the project:
• Real-time media generation and control with Notch integration
• Intuitive session and timeline structure for creative flexibility
• Reliable synchronization across multiple servers and outputs
• Reduced personnel effort thanks to centralized, automated operation

Partnership & Support
“Working with ioversal felt like a true partnership. Their team was responsive, knowledgeable, and committed to finding the best solutions - even for our most unconventional ideas.”
— Andreas Schindler, Vertex System Engineer
From initial consulting to final implementation, the collaboration between ioversal and the technical team was marked by quick response times, open communication, and a shared vision for what the system could achieve.

Conclusion
The FUGU restaurant on the Mein Schiff Relax redefines what’s possible in immersive dining. Powered by Vertex, this venue delivers a tightly orchestrated, visually stunning experience that balances creative ambition with technical precision. From real-time visuals to synchronized lighting and integrated control, Vertex enables storytelling that’s as seamless as it is spectacular.
Vertex by ioversal – making immersive experiences possible.