Abstract

A Ludic Spacial Narrative

Charlotte Gould, Andy Nisbet

This project draws together creative practice-based research from The University of Salford’s Creative Technology Research Centre
(http://www.adelphi.salford.ac.uk/adelphi/p/?s=25&pid=40), with advanced technical R&D in locative and pervasive media developed at the Manchester Metropolitan University, Department of Computing.

Ludic Spatial Narrative is a temporal and spatial location based public installation that utilises wireless mobile (phone) technology and large format urban screens within public spaces. The narrative is designed to encourage playfulness and interaction amongst public audiences who’s presence is represented as ‘flash’ driven avatars that are monitored via handheld Bluetooth devices.

The installation functions by placing a cluster of Bluetooth enabled PCs at known locations in the urban space. These computers issue commands to sense the location and the name associated with each Bluetooth enabled device within the viewing range. The location of each device is then calculated using received signal information between PCs and Bluetooth devices.

The large urban screen displays a visual representation of the urban space that displays the active Bluetooth names of the devices at the (x,y) coordinates, representing their respective locations on the virtual landscape. Each user passing by with Bluetooth on their phone will be invited to take part and assigned an avatar. The avatar will be customisable via Bluetooth communications between the phone and the networked PCs. Users are able to customise the appearance of their avatar, with the ability to use images and movies as textures for their own face. They also have the opportunity to down load images/graphics that act as a record of their interactions with the urban screen and its users.

This project encourages the concept of creative urban play. This open narrative requires the user to complete the work, creating their own narrative and providing the user opportunity to upload their own images. It encourages users to interact with each other, experiencing the urban space through telepresent technology and creating a unique narrative each time. The game offers the opportunity for the users to create and play out a role on the big screen and become party to the development of a live one off drama.