Jamais-Vu

A game about dissociation and zen. 

About the Experience

Jamais-Vu is an analog game where as play begins players begin to forget about everything else. The game aims to create its own micro-space for the players to inhabit. In this game world, there is no talking, outside potential shuffling- the only sound that can be heard is a metronome. This metronome is set to 20 bpm, which is also the rhythm of a resting heart.

The repetitious beat being played is in sequence with repetitious gameplay. The play is divided into three parts. Throughout the play, the game changes from being competitive to cooperative. The game features a lot of repetitive motions in order to create a sensation of Jamais-Vu, or a feeling of doing something familiar when you’ve forgotten what you are doing. Experiencing this sensation is the primary goal of this piece as it ties to an anxiety ridden dissociation I’ve experienced. A feeling that is extremely hard to put into words- as it feels as if you are a duplicate layer of yourself- slightly offset and transparent. I’ve aimed to induce this mindless numb, while also adding in a commentary about the nature of how we succeed in life. We competitor and leave others behind, we then learn to work together and create something we couldn’t do alone, alone to repeat the cycle of competition- only so that we can “win”.

My artistic influence of Josef Albers, Frank Stella, and Bridget Riley can be seen, especially within my use of color. The full piece is made to build a sensation and tension within the board itself. I have made use of color to help inform the player where they can move on each pattern board and to have them get lots within it.

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Shown At:

2018 - Pixelpop Festival, St. Louis, MO
2017 - Game Happens, Genoa, Italy
2017 - Southwest Games Showcase, Phoenix, AZ
2017 - ManicFest, Glendale, AZ
2017 - GilrGeekCon, Seatle, WA

Roles:

Designer/Creator