Critical Hit was a 10 week incubator held by  Technoculture, Art and Games Research Center’s Critical Hit: Games Collaboratory through the support of Concordia University and Dawson College and financial contribution of  the Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur, de la Recherche, de la Science et de la Technologie.    Me and 15 other people explored wearable games in 3 cycles.

Cycle 1

PUFFPUNK

The year is 2083. Earth has been overtaken by a contingent of small, furry, self-aware robots known as PUFFPUNKS. Originally developed by humans as children’s toys, the PUFFPUNKS advanced their learning capabilities beyond what humans could have imagined. Now, the PUFFPUNK seek to dominate humankind by transforming humans into meek and docile subjects by removing feelings and assuming control over our fleshbag bodies.

Designed for 1-4 future Puffborgs, half-human half-puff, players must attempt to please their robotic overlord PUFF6 by responding to its commands and submitting to its will. PUFFPUNKS uses Interaxon’s Muse headset to measure the level of calm, focus, blinks, and body movement of their subservient species.

Dawn Hang Yue Wong >> Robot Design
Kara Stone >> Writing and Design
Nicole Pacampara >> Programming
Peter van Haaften >> Procedural Music Engine Design

Cycle 2

(un)done

(un)done is an intimate non-linear narrative game following a couple as they meet, fall in love, fight, and fall apart. Embody a relationship as you tie and untie yourself with another person.

The game consists of two capes with macrame braids and a generative video projected onto a woven screen.

Amanda Tom

Kailin Zhu

Tobias Wehrum

Kara Stone

Cycle 3

UTOPIA

Utopia is a four-player game about personal experiences with oppression and injustice, and the navigating hope for the future.

To play it, four people gather in a circle around a projection on the floor. Each person sticks on two conductive stickers to their body in a place they are comfortable with, or in a place near their body. The game is activated by a person touching someone else’s sticker, which in turn activates a video or audio clip of someone talking about their experiences with sexism, racism, mental illness, poverty — or other factors that make life unbearable.

Some stickers activate audio clips about a person’s version of utopia: what they’re hoping for and working towards.

Nicole Pacampara

Kara Stone

Raoul Olou

Owen Bell