Looped Play: 360 Degree Interactive Computer Games

Following the proposal for multiplayer interactivity by Co-I Nelson in the Future Cinema project outline, Looped Play invited three artist teams to prototype multiplayer collaborative computer games for the 360 Visualisation Research Centre to investigate how the bonds created by play and social experience function within this immersive enclosed audiovisual environment. These games used the structure of the 360 cylindrical cinema as the primary theme, where the concept of loops, anamorphosis, group viewing/interaction and recursivity branched out into experimentations with ilynx, spatial remappings, strange loops, surround sound and surround play. Playing the role of game-master, inspired by Bernie De Koven’s theories of ‘playing well together’, Nelson hosted 60 guests separated into groups of eight for 15-minute sessions. Before entering a play session, audience members were asked to pass one of eight themed flags to another guest whom they didn’t know, marking which group of eight would have the next turn. Most guests returned for a second or third play session. Each 15-minute play session consisted of two games, typically starting with ‘Ping’ by Patrick LeMieux, Stephanie Boluk and Carlin Wing, then followed by either ‘The Waiting Game’ by Optillusion Games, or ‘Mario Tag’ by the Plunder Ludics Working Group. Looped Play was produced by Peter Nelson in collaboration with game designer and curator Yang Jing.