Wayfarer v1
After meeting at the hybrid performance laboratory Time Place Space 3 in Adelaide, 2004, Kate Richards and myself began development of Wayfarer Version 1.0.
The initial thematic referenced post 9/11 paranoia through use of ‘agents’ accessing the internals of an unknown site or building to carry out a rescue of some sort. Live point of view cameras and live mixed audio fed back instantly to large screens. This referenced the US military’s own technological communications from their wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Wayfarer 1 also co-incided with the popularity of locative technologies like GPS and wifi positioning systems like that employed in Blast Theory‘s Rider Spoke. The locative media elements also drew strongly on Guy Debord and the situationists ideas of psychogeography and derive.
As we began to work with performers and partner Performance Space, the idea of audience control of the agents became appealing to us. In subsequent testing we found that the experience of talking to someone through this technology – the lags, metallic interferences and speed ups created a long distant lunar transmission feeling.
The control of avatars in virtual space also is reminiscent of first person shooter video games which we drew from to fill out the gameplay and competitive elements. The grey corridor-like feeling of Carriageworks added to this flavour. The flipside of an audience using an ‘avatar in virtual space’ was that the avatar was a real person and the virtual space was actual real space.
Within our own gameplay existed ‘failsafes’ for our performers, for example – what would happen if someone asked them to do something illegal, dangerous or compromising? Although these rules were written into the gameplay like backgrounded software none of these scenarios played out. Instead of potential ethical dilemmas, a deep bond was formed between the players and avatars through the experience.
This complex system of technical operation was created using off the shelf technologies hacked together to create the Wayfarer 1 software and hardware. Our software programmer Jon Drummond and hardware/technical producer Mr Snow worked closely together to mesh the different elements together.
The use of simple tasks and basic rules means that the strength of the game is in the quality of the interactions: between the performers, between performers and audience, and between audience members. The collective fulfilment of tasks means that the relationship between performer and audience is equal, making the interactions strong, direct and meaningful. Gail Priest, Realtime 81
Wayfarer was performed over 4 nights – September 5-8, 2007 at Carriageworks.
Artists – Martyn Coutts and Kate Richards
Software Programmer – Jon Drummond
Technical/Hardware Producer – Mr Snow
Supported by New Media and Theatre Boards of Australia Council
