Intrigue E

Inspiration:
The project questions the role of simulation in our everyday lives, and tries to reverse the simulation back into reality. Computer games are full of expected banality, and their main content is violence. It's always the same; killing the enemy. The player is in a safe position, while the danger action is simulated. The player can by controlling the avatar* simulate violence, without himself getting hurt. By taking the idea from a computer game one step further, we change the avatar into real people who can represent the player in real life.

*) Movable icon representing a person in a computer game

Further inspiration resources:
Invisible Theatre by Augusto Boal
The Glass Wall by Dora Garcia
Teleactor by Ken Goldgerg and the team
Girlfriend Experience by Martin Butler

Concept:
Hidden in the crowd, the avatar is attending a social event. He is like anyone of us, but connected to him via mobile networks you can control his actions and influence the social game at the event. By using a mobile phone with the Intrigue application, the player can send different commands to the avatar. When the avatar hears these commands, he has to do them, but still act natural. Now a surreal and fun social game is about to begin.

Commands:
go, stop, turn left, turn right, turn back;
take, drop, use, kneel, get up, jump, laugh, hug, kiss

Technical description:
J2ME client software is running on the player's mobile phone. This allows him to send basic commands through an Internet server to the avatar's mobile phone, which is kept hidden. The avatar client software understands the commands and translates them to audio messages. They are played discretely via headset to avatar's ear. Each player has limited time to enjoy the game. When the game is over, a short message will appear on the mobile screen. This is information of the CO2 consumption caused by usage of mobile networks.

E
In these days, everybody is engaged in the environmental issues. It’s a trend, and media is pushing information on us every day. After a while, people do not even care about these threats and suggestions on how to solve the problem. People might think twice before they drive their car, but the big problem remains.

When the player has ended the game, the short and absurd message with the CO2 consumption could make people think.

"ok, you are walking through marienstrasse and suddenly somebody wants to hug u ? this somebody even try to kiss u out of nothing ? what are u doing ? start screaming and running away ? ok, either you met a person with mental disorder or you are in the middle of a performance ? alright, it´s ARS Electronica, so it has to be a performance ! so, where is the camera ? ah, no camera, just a guy with a mobile laughing about your reaction. and the person just kissed you turns around and keep on walking like a robot…. it´s Intriguee, a project by silver & hanne rivrud, it questions the role of simulation in our everyday lives, and tries to reverse the simulation back into reality…. who is the avatar actually ?"
Mukale, 13th September 2007

Developed in collaboration with:
Vodafone GROUP R&D Germany
artcircolo, Munich, Germany
Atelier Nord, Oslo, Norway
Ars Electronica, Linz, Austria

Installation software:
Nokia Symbian v.3, custom made Java MIDlets
Red Hat Linux, Apache Web Server, PHP, MySQL, custom made scripts

Thanks:
The Intrigue project would be impossible without the help and participation of many people. We would like especially to thank:

Serafine Lindemann for intellectual support and organization
Bernd Wiemann, Martin Richartz and Martin Pamler for technical help
Regine Debatty for inspiring feedback
Kelly Dobson and Martin Butler for sharing their experience related to their work
Erika Dobesova for introduction to the world of discipline
Anja Brinich for help with texts