Realtime Narratives – 2024

Projects BA MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN

Realtime Narratives – 2024

During the Realtime Narratives course, second-year students had to create a real-time narrative experience using Unreal Engine software.
The aim of the project was to raise students awareness of the use of 3D realtime engines and the various links with other software specific to each stage of development.

Studio project (2024) with Valerio Meschi

Students
Valère Zen-Ruffinen, Thomas Gaudin, Emilie Maier, Baptiste Godart

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Firefly

This project explores an alternate reality where human dominance and omnipresence over the natural world have given way to a new balance—a harmonious coexistence between technology and nature. As the player journeys through this mysterious landscape, they absorb the atmosphere and search for answers. Where have the humans gone? Where do all these fireflies come from?  

This journey invites reflection on the increasingly blurred boundary between nature and technology. Does this distinction still make sense in a world where humans have delegated so many of their abilities, tasks, and even dreams to machines? Through the lens of this world, the project questions our tendency to offload responsibilities onto technology—both as a tool for emancipation and as a potential trap leading to our own obsolescence. By portraying a world where humanity seems to have reached the peak of its aspirations for technological delegation, it urges us to consider whether the path we are currently on will lead to our fulfillment or if we are heading toward a reality where our very essence might be called into question.

 

 

Par Baptiste Godart

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This interactive experience questions our relationship with technological obsolescence. Through the lens of emerging technologies and their relentless evolution, we constantly seek ways to maximize hardware and software capabilities, driving our devices to undergo an increasing number of updates. With each update, individuals face the necessity of these upgrades, the reality of planned obsolescence, and the fear of becoming technologically outdated. However, this process doesn’t always go smoothly and can, ironically, also lead to the device’s obsolescence. This project explores the stress and pressure experienced by those compelled to perform these updates, highlighting the tension between the desire to stay at the cutting edge of technology and the fear of being left behind.

 

Par Valère Zen-Ruffinen

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Dimmuborgir

Dimmuborgir explores the convergence of various elements that collectively shape a legend. Set in a Nordic-inspired environment to evoke an eternal and mysterious atmosphere, the game presents three puzzles, each inspired by traditional video game mechanics, offering a distinct form of reflection. Solving these puzzles sequentially leads the player to create the myth. The first puzzle symbolizes deep contemplation, driven both by clarity of mind and the altered perspectives induced by psychoactive substances, opening the door to radically different thinking. The second puzzle delves into logic and investigation, requiring precise organization of discovered information into the correct locations and sequence. This fosters a more structured and logical thought process. The final puzzle concludes the quest by using the metaphor of the cave, representing the focused trajectory of thought once set in motion. It signifies the completion of the search, where every discovered element is restored to its rightful place, breathing life into the legend.

 

Par Thomas Gaudin

Unlocked

"Unlocked" is a video game-inspired experience that critiques societal norms within the education system. The main character is a girl who hasn’t yet found her place in the world. She has pink skin and horns, symbolizing her alienation from her environment, and constantly wears a melancholic expression. As players explore the game, they encounter the gendered characteristics of schools, represented by color-coded lockers and a classroom scene symbolizing public scrutiny. The library highlights the pervasive culture of bullying, forcing players to confront societal pressures.  

The narrative deepens in a garden adorned with grotesque sculptures embodying beauty ideals. Players must destroy these symbols, exposing the school’s attempts to conceal the influence such standards have on students. This game serves as a commentary on societal expectations, gender norms, and the subtle coercion present within educational institutions.

 

Par Emilie Maier

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