CO-EXIST:POLAR

AN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMAL-CENTERED GAME DESIGNED AND DEVELOPED FOR WILDLIFE

Coexist is an interactive installation that frames the game, POLAR. While the installation depicts the evolution of human technology since the beginning of civilization, POLAR is a "first-bear" perspective game of animal survival in the Arctic. Displayed on a large screen, it's intended for one player, as well as an on-looking crowd. The crowd represents the effect of by-standing: Humans witnessing the denigration of precious wildlife without actions or capabilities to stop it.

The project aims to create a social impact by increasing awareness and empathy of the user through narrating the untold story that is currently Arctic area. This project is the starting point of investigation on possible solutions to improve human-wildlife coexistence.

INTRO

While human population is continuously increasing, wildlife species population are gradually decreasing. By 2020, we will lose two-thirds of the number of wild animals living on Earth. Industrialization and urbanization pushed human to an advanced living and separate us from the potential wildlife threat. Since when have you seen wildlife or a wildlife animal living beside you? Can you imagine our modern lifestyle with wildlife animals?

FROM HOLOCENE TO ANTHROPOCENE

Anthropocene is a geological new epoch that describes human as the main force and influence of geological change. In 2002, Paul Crutzen suggested moving from Holocene to Anthropocene epoch.

BIODIVERSITY LOSS

The term H.I.P.P.O which represents habitat loss, Invasion species, pollution, population, and overharvesting are the major threats to biodiversity loss. In the age built upon technology innovation, human formulates multiple human-centered frameworks for their convenience which contributed to biodiversity loss and nature destruction.

“How might we use technologies to build player’s system thinking on wildlife-conservation and human-wildlife conflict management?”

Game Design approach allows the user to play through the eye of wildlife animal to experience their struggle of living in their habitat. It targets to evoke players empathy by shifting their role from human to other living species who are sharing the same resources on the same planet.

FINAL PROTOTYPE