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Crossroads

admin — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:51:02 +0000

Crossroads: the Reality Games Engine

Imagine adding the magic of fiction to the streets that surrounds us. Turning the physical environment into a mystery to be unraveled. Never knowing for sure what is real and what is not…

On this edge between reality and fiction there are games to be played. Stories to be told. Crossroads is a toolbox for exploring this new direction in urban entertainment, where the player is immersed in actual surround sound and the best 3D engine of them all: The real world.

Crossroads is the flexible solution for storytelling across multiple media channels, using technology already a part of the player’s life, such as cell phones, web pages and news feeds, to make the story come alive. Literally.

Player tracking
The Crossroads engine tracks the player’s progression through the game, and serves up the right dialogue or media asset at the right time and place:

Dialogue-driven interaction
The player’s interaction with the game is in part based on dialogue between the player and the fictional characters of the game. This pushes the momentum of the story literally out in the streets, where the player’s tasks are played out. SMS is used for this communication, allthough MMS, email and voicemail is also supported.

Common Technology
This use of common technology strenghtens the game’s grip on the player, and makes it accessible without installing any software or hardware.

Mission control
A game can also be provided with a web-based dashboard to help the player keep track of current missions, real-time story progression and character profiles. Utilizing a user-friendly interface the mission is visualized through innovative use of Google maps, and media playback and management. This dashboard can be provided for both browser-based and mobile platforms.

Live events
Crossroads also enables scripted in-game events and live performances. These events can be triggered by the player’s presence in a sertain location, by using RFID and AR-technology to track the player’s movement in the physical evironment.

See more:

Credits:
Concept & direction: Jon Skivenes
Lead back-end developer: Jo havik
Lead front end developer: Victor Nystad

Currently released Crossroads prosjects: Fall of Varg Veum

Fall of Varg Veum

admin — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 19:01:36 +0000

The private eye Varg Veum is in serious trouble. He is charged with a murder he did not commit, and needs your help to clean his name. You are heading towards an unique experience, where you must step outside, into the narrow streets of Bergen, to solve this crime mystery on your own.

You are investigating the crime scenes in person, and follows suspicious clues throughout the city, by cellphone, and on the Internet.

The Fall of Varg Veum is an exciting Reality Game that combines mysterious action in the streets with interactive challenges by cellphone and the web. The game is strongly connected to the geography and culture of Bergen, and represent a totally new way of experiencing the city.

Within the framework of a Varg Veum mystery, the player is investigating the utban landscape looking for clues. These clues are places in physical locations as well as in local media such as news stories and art galleries. The player interacts with the game through sms-dialogues with fictious characters, and by inverstigating online sources such as websites, intranets, email accounts, blogs and surveillance footage.

The game is developed by Mediacircus E in cooperation with Bergens Tidende, Gunnar Staalesen and Mediecenteret HiB.

Read more at bt.no
developed for mediacircus

Image gallery:

Websites
Task map-view
Character profiles
Mediabank
MMS dialogues

Video:

Video presentation

Credits:
Concept & direction: Jon Skivenes
Lead Programming: Jo Havik
Lead Graphic design: Frode Nilsen
Lead Front-End developer: Victor Nystad

Krimkommisjonen

admin — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:32:39 +0000

Med Krimkommisjonen bragte Mediacircus en ny type kiminalteknisk kompetanse til Norge for å se på uløste drapssaker: Eksperter på gjerningsmannsprofiler. Mediacircus E har bidratt med seriens visuelle identitet, vignett og andre grafiske elementer.

Bakgrunn

En profiler jobber med å tegne et psykologisk bilde av gjerningsmannen, ofte basert på funn fra åsted, labtekniske funn, etc. Et slikt helhetsbilde skal kunne si noe om hva som motiverer gjerningsmannen, hvilke ofre han velger, og hvordan han opererer. Tilsammen gir dette profileren en anledning til å forstå hvordan gjerningsmannen tenker, og ideelt sett også kunne tenke som gjerningsmannen.

Konsept

Utgangspunktet for det visuelle uttrykket for Krimkommisjonen er idéen om at etterforskning av spesielt drapssaker er en kamp mellom to personligheter, forbryter og profiler/etterforsker. Deres roller er tilpasset hverandre, og de deler ofte en dedikasjon og et manisk detaljfokus på det de holder på med. Den gode og onde tvillingen som jager hverandre.

Disse to personlighetene gir basis for to distinkte uttrykk: Profilerens trekk uttrykkes gjennom en blågrønn, kjølig, klinisk stil , mens forbryterens synsvinkel vises gjennom sepia-toner, uforutsigbarhet og kaotiske flater. Dette gjenspeiles i seriens to modus, nåtid, representert ved etterforskerens synsvinkel, og rekonstruksjon av hendelsen, representert ved forbryterens synsvinkel.

Logo og typografi

Ved utformingen av Krimkommisjonens grafiske profil har det også vært viktig å underbygge seriens saklighet og autoritet. Dette er blant annet gjort gjennom refereranser til ulike etterforskende institusjoners formspåk og symbolbruk, og gjennom bruk av fysiske objekter fra etterforskningen som tavler, kart og mapper for å presentere visuell informasjon.

Krimkommisjonens logo henter sitt uttrykk fra moderne skandinaviske riksvåpen. Typografien er handlekraftig og moderne, et uttrykk som er typisk for genren.

Client TV Norge
Developed for Mediacircus

Image gallery:

Concept HQ
Concept Manila folder
Concept Map

Video:

Krimkommisjonen intro

Credits:
Concept & direction: Jon Skivenes
Graphic Design: Frode Nilsen
Motion Graphics: Lasse Michelsen

Krafttaket

admin — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 10:57:52 +0000

Krafttaket (Power Play) is a 6 episode TV-series produduced for NRK. The show is a competition between two of Norway’s largest cities in reducing carbon footprint, represented by two families, the local soccer clubs, and the city councils.

A team of experts provided good advice on reducing power consumptions while maintaining quality of life both at home and at work. During the show it became apparent that bad habits can change, and that the participants was more content with their new low-emission lifestyle.

The accompanying interactive aspect on the web made the effort to reduce carbon footprint national, with the challenge of reducing the carbon emissions equal to a coal-based powerstation during the course of the program. This collaborative effort was visualised online by an animated carbon calculator, deconstructing the powerstation piece by piece as the national footprint diminished.

Visit krafttaket
Read more at nrk
Developed for mediacircus

Image gallery:

Logo design
Carbon calculator: Intro
Carbon calculator: Input
Carbon calculator: Visualize

Credits:
Concept & direction: Jon Skivenes
Lead Graphic design: Frode Nilsen
Illustration: Frode Holst
Lead Front-End developer: Victor Nystad
Flash development: Petter Sundnes

AGR Group

admin — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 10:57:14 +0000

During 2006, AGR went through the strategic process of focusing their brand as they approached listing on the Oslo Stock Exhange.

The new corporate identity for the AGR Group captures the modern, dynamic and innovative spirit of the company, and reflects the global nature of their operations.

The fresh new design, embracing their global aspirations, will influence how they are seen and appreciated. As CEO Sverre Skogen puts it,

“It is a badge of pride – for the way we work, the services we provide, and the benefits we bring to the world’s oil and gas industry, as well as the wider community.”

But a new identity is much more than a new logo and corporate colours. As a fast growing company they require a brand that is easily recognisable for all our activities and clearly distinguishable from other companies. AGR is very much their own brand. It was clearly the identity of choice.

Read more at agr.no
Developed for Oktan Publicis

Image gallery:

Logo
Website
Annual Report
Profile manual I
Profile manual II

Credits:
Concept & direction: Jon Skivenes
Communication strategy: Christian Overaa & Jon Skivenes
Photography: Tom Haga
Web development: Avenir

Silence Variations

admin — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 11:03:14 +0000

August 22, 2004. About lunchtime: The armed robbery of the Munch Museum in Oslo. International icons ‘Scream’ and ‘Madonna’ are picked like candy from a kid. The world is stunned by the simplicity, as the robbers walk away without interference.

Silence plays out endless variations on this theme, as a two-player computer game installation: Wave your guns, find the paintings, and get the hell out. If nobody gets hurt, all is well. It’s the classic heist story, but with a twist: There is no flaky partner, no smart-ass heroes, and no wise-cracking cops. Too simple? Well, this time that’s the tune.

Silence variations was commisioned by Bergen Kunsthall – western Norway’s authority on contemporary arts – to headline their ‘Game Dump’ exhibition, part of the month-long Bergen Art Festival 2005.

read more at the silence variations post mortem site.

Image gallery:
Coffee
The Scream
Gunpoint
Contact
CCTV

Credits:
Concept & direction: Jon Skivenes
Lead programming: Fredrik Breien
Lead GFX and Animation: Petter Sundnes
Programming Consultant: Daniel Patel