You Are Near #1

What?

Digital maps on mobile devices continuously construct a universe around you; positioning YOU always in the center of the map. What happens to the user of the map when YOU are not in the center anymore? In this game, the subjects are only able to ‘find themselves’ on the map through collective navigation. Only by moving around and by paying attention to one’s physical surroundings and to other players, do a sense of scale and direction emerge.

How?

The prerequisites for playing the game is that you are outside and carry a mobile phone with 3G. Two apps are used for this game: A compass (you can use/install any compass app) and the browser. Use Safari browser for iPhone and Firefox for Android. Each player's mobile phone has to be set as follows:

When all players have set up their phones the game administrator creates a new game with a timer for when the game will start (this will be between 10-15 minutes). After doing this (not earlier!) each player goes to the browser and selects "play the game". The screen remains grey until the game starts. Now players switch to the compass app and start walking in different directions. After a couple of minutes of walking the players switch back to the browser. As players continue to walk in the same direction they wait patiently for the game to start. It can take a while, but if you think it takes much longer then it should you can refresh the page.

At some point, various coloured dots appear automatically on each player's mobile phone (each dot representing a different player). As the player moves (s)he leaves traces of his/her walked track on the grey background. A player has to find out which dot corresponds to him/her. For instance, (s)he can do this by making a GPS drawing to see which dot corresponds to his/her movement or pace of walking. If a player recognises the corresponding dot (s)he selects it by choosing 'set who I am' after which (s)he selects the right color. A player can make up to two mistakes after which (s)he is disqualified from the game. After selecting him/herself the player chooses a color (s)he wants to follow (by selecting 'follow'). The first player that is able to get as close as10 meters to the dot that (s)he selected to follow wins the game. A message will appear on everyone's phone when this is the case.