Lulu Cao

1.Name it: World of world.

Description: This is a world with many “mini” controllers. There are worlds in one world, and this “one world” as well as other worlds belongs to (not only geographically) a bigger world. That means, the worlds in different levels affect and even control each other.

Genre: surrealism

Media: game/interactive narrative

2. Place it:

It’s hard to define the external boundaries for this world system. The boundaries of each single world differ depend on the nature of it. For example, the boundaries of the flower world are the edges of every petal of it.

The external and internal forces are both “control”. The main world, if define one, itself is a normal world, the difference between it and our real world is the self-adjustment is faster. Besides that, more outer effects as well as interactions are happened.

3. Define your audience.

It could be a first-person perspective (to the world is third-person perspective) as an explorer who enters this world system, or the audience could considers himself/herself as part of the world—a controller.

As a visitor, the audience can explore how the world system works, how each world affects and controls each other. As a controller (one world), the player could play god for other worlds, and found mysteries happens on his/her world because of chain reactions.

4. Motivation

I am fascinated by the butterfly effect, and thinking about what if all the effects happen in real time instead of long term. Also, I am always curious about what the “boundaries” of our world. Where is this whole universe is in. If everything happens from a dense and hot state, where was it? If nothing was outside it, what is “nothing” then?

As in world of word, there are visible worlds and invisible worlds. The smallest world which accommodates the player is the visible world to him/her. The smaller worlds in it, and the bigger world which this visible world belongs to are invisible. People can see things happening either because of the actions that are taken in this world, or they are reflections of the control from invisible worlds.

The 2nd sketch shows that there are no real external boundaries of the world system, as it is an infinite loop. However, the worlds in my world system are not just copies like this.

I’d like to consider the territories as how far the “control power” could work, and the exit as how to stop this crazy control.

Player Experience and Goals:

The goal of “world of world” for visitors is to let them experience the unpredictables of life. The visitors would meet unexpected things happens as the result of actions from other level of worlds. Also, they would found they themselves sometimes have the magic power to control.

The “sample” world of world is a circulate system includes three main levels of worlds and several “side worlds”. When a player enters one world, he can tell which world he is in, but it takes time to figure out which level that world is at. When more than one players enters the “world of world”, they are not able to know which world their friends are in, they also could not see or talk to each other. However, they can communicate by applying the rules among these worlds. Once they understand the system, the experience began to become more fun.

The players could be assigned to several tasks that they need to finish with other people in other worlds. Thus they first need to make sure each other gets a clear idea of the system. To clarify it, the players would try something out (for example, throw a stone), and analyses what happens following. They have to be sensitive to the changes of the environment. Then they may need to create their own way to communicate with each other. After all of these prework, players could begin their main task.

Definition of the Atlas:

Players would get:

1. Three maps of the main worlds.

These give the players basic idea of the structures of the worlds. However, to understand the whole system, they have to try out and create their own map of mechanics of the system.

2. A list of DON NOT DO actions.

As any existed programs, this system also has some infinite loop that users may not want to try. Also there are actions would lead to no result (null function). So visitors will get a list of actions that may lead to these kinds of situation.

3. A guide of resources.

To help the visitors survive in this system, they could get a detailed list of all the resources in the whole system.

As the design document, there will be a guidebook of how things are related and work in this system. The book may be not available to players.

For a playable prototype, the portion of my world system will be three related worlds. Tasks that I plan to present of “world of world” will be:

1. The maps of three worlds.
As there are three related worlds that visitors can get access to, I will draw three geographic maps, which indicate the arrangement, environment, resources of each world.

2. The instructions of related actions.
This is the core mechanic behind this world system. Things related in different worlds are sharing the same moment and the fact that an action is done. Although I’d like the players to try around and figure out their list, a detailed official list is essential for reference and give out hints.

3. A list of DO NOT DO.
As this system also has some infinite loops and null functions, there will be a list of actions that visitors are not suggested to try.

4. Prototype.
This prototype would be an installation that gives player some idea of how this world system works.

5. A walk-through
As the prototype may only indicate one situation that happens in the world, a walk-through could allow players gen better sense of the mechanic behind this world system.

Visual Style

I would keep the idea that each player could only be in and see one world, and he has to find ways to communicate with other two invisible worlds. The style would be mysterious and Fairy tale-like.

I tried to find some pictures are like my world system, and got to a artist called Su Hsin-Tian, whose cyclical space paintings are very interesting:

Space within space

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cyclicspace/510652727/

1. CIRCULATION STUDY depicting:
a) P.O.V. Native/Inhabitant & Visitor/Viewer
Fixed Focal Point vs. free range of vision
The residents of the three worlds all know there are other worlds besides the one they live in. However, people in different worlds are not able to see or communicate directly with each other. As the three worlds exist for quite a long time, people already get used to their special way of communication. Their behaviors indicate that there are unique relationships among the three worlds, which have important influence on the residents’ lives. However, no one has given out an believable explanation yet.

The visitors are lack of the knowledge of the world system. Although they also know there are two other worlds, they need time and practice to learn how these worlds are related.

Perimeter / Boundaries
Actual vs. Apparent (Berming)
As people in one world are not able to watch other worlds, the boundary of each world is the physical boundary of it. For the world system, the boundary is the area that worlds are not related. In other words, the boundary of the world system starts when people's senses stop.

There is no visible bermings among the three worlds. However, the invisible bermings exist everywhere. Every action is the cause of another action in another world. Thus the three worlds seem like parallel, but closely connected indivisibly.

Sense of freedom/expanse vs. constriction
On one hand, people are quite limited on their behaviors, as they have to do certain things in order to reach some purposes. However, since this has already been their life styles, they already feel comfortable about it. On the other hand, there are still rules and relationships hidden among the worlds, so the system provides space to explore and take practice.

b) Entrances / Exits
External & Internal
Explicit & Implicit
As no direct communication happen among worlds, there are no explicit entrances or exits. However, the special relationships among the three worlds suggest the possibilities of crossing worlds. Each world is the external one for the other two worlds. As mentioned before, the edges of the whole system is where people's senses stop. The geological provinces create natural internal entrances and exits in every world.

c) Paths
fixed vs improvised paths
“as the crow flies” vs. respecting topography & habitual routes
Each world is an independent running system. There are normal paths that divide the world into natural zones. The three worlds are forest, river and mountain, which differ in topography and habitual routes as well.

2. LAWS / RULES / AUTHORITY
1) People in one world have to respect people in other worlds.

2)Do not take the actions that are already claimed harmful to other worlds.

3) Follow the instructions to avoid negative results and trouble to others.

For the forest,
4) It's not allowed to cut down trees without permission.

5)Fire is not allowed.

6)Plant a new sapling whenever a tree fell down.

For the river,
7) Do not throw everything into the river.

8) When something unknown comes out of the river, get them and record.

9)Do not move the stones in and around the river.

10) When flood comes, run.

For the mountain,

11) Protect animals on the mountain, including the dangerous ones.

12) As avalanches happen a lot, it is recommended to do energetic exercise very carefully.

The rules are all discovered by ancient residents from their experiences. They are passed from generation to generation; some become laws, some work as reference. People who breaks laws will be warned or punished. For each person, he/she only has access to the rules of his/her own world, unless there are people cross the worlds successfully. However, as visitors and new residents join in, the rules and laws change in many perspectives because of new situations and discoveries.

3. BLANK SPACE
As mentioned above, the blank spaces exist in where people have not yet figure out rules, and the places that people have no sense of being related.

Great thanks to Scott, below is the one I was looking for a long time, which I think is fantastic:



Fischli and Weiss, "The Way Things Go"