This is not a game

State
Developed collaboratively in the scope of the curriculum of the Greek-French Master, in the academic year 2012-2013 (2nd semester), by students and instructors, in Athens School of Fine Arts.

Concept
This_is_not_a_game is a multi-player artwork-game, in which visitors-players navigate inside an abstract space of 3d words-concepts from different languages. They can target and shoot any word in first person, which reacts physically (e.g. falls, explodes, rotates, stays still) according to its predefined meaning. In this way, the conceptual space is rearranged collaboratively by participants.

Educational approach
In the curriculum of the Greek-French Master games engines (e.g. Unity, Unreal) are treated as contemporary interdisciplinary laboratories, concentrating the latest finest achievements (e.g. real-time graphics processing, physics simulation, artificial intelligence), as well as interfaces for developing different experiences (e.g. embodied interaction, viewing scales). Moreover, the conceptual framework of games is investigated as to its expressive capabilities (see here and here for more details). My role in this project was to teach students the technique of First-person shooting (FPS) adopted in games and its expressive range, in conjunction with simulation of actions of destruction (e.g. explosions) and multiuser interaction in a shared space. An abstract prototype structure of the game mechanics was constructed, that is transferable to other scenarios, as well.

Technology
Unity game engine, multiuser setup (PCs, gamepad).

Actions and presentations
This_is_not_a_game has been setup in a real-time participatory installation (3 simultaneous visitors that could alternate) in the scope of the International Exhibition Thesis@Metamatic: Taf, by Create an accident, 28 March 2013, Athens, Greece exhibition. The installation and, thus, that peculiar dialogue was active for a whole night.

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