I had the opportunity to exhibito "Void of Memory" at various venues including Interactive Futures, The Leftfield Collection at EGX Rezzed, Bonus Stage and A MAZE. Some of these venues were geared toward audiences that were interested in mainstream AAA games, while other venues focused more on niche audiences which sought out unconventional and alternative controller games. Regardless of the venue, I noticed that the audience reactions had a common theme: confusion as to what the object was and how to play the game.
Given that the enclosure for Void of Memory is supposed to represent an ornate server from the future, I don't think that a confused reaction is unwarranted. Although, this feeling of confusion might have made the audience apprehensive about playing the game, it also sparked a great deal of curiousity. Audience members were curious about how te various elements of the structure were related, what their functions were and they particularly enjoyed touching them and stacking them together to see if it would trigger any change in the game.
Although I feel that in some ways the level of confusion detracted from the player experience, I do like how the wtf-ness of my piece sparked curiousity and also ensured that Void of Memory was unlike anything else the audience had encountered before. I would like to find a way to cultivate that feeling of confusion at first glance so that it inspires curiousity when players see the game for the first time, but so that it becomes demistified as players pick up the controller and begin to use it.
