The Installation
Follow the Leader is an interactive narrative, exploring the dynamics of the Player 1 Player 2 relationship through the prism of two brothers on a quest to save their princess.
The brief for the exhibition was the idea that Player 1 and Player 2 have always been the same entity, swapping from body to body throughout gaming history, and how that may be reflected by our own experiences in those collaborative, and sometimes combative roles.
The Exhibit on opening night, the banners loom over the interactive station, proving to be a popular element.
The game itself plays out as an endless chase, with the protagonists' brother always ahead, berating his more cautious and considerate team member to lift their game, whilst himself hurtling recklessly through the world, triggering traps that make Player 2's job even harder.
Click to view a video play through of the exhibit.
The Game
This common experience of a more seasoned or confident player dragging the second player along provides a central metaphor for the climax of the story; that Player 1 sees Player 2 as a chain holding them back from success, whereas P2 rightly points out that a chain pulls both ways, the he is dragged unwilling through Player 1's destructive wake.
“If you would wait for me, we COULD work together!”
Each stage of the game represents a different point in time for the pair, with the initial level being their first pursuit, with Act 2 proceeding significantly further ahead in time, demonstrating that we, as consumers have been playing these characters for multiple decades, until ultimately the number of attempts is reflected onscreen, a halting reminder that if these are indeed the same conscious minds woven through gaming history, we have thrown them into chaos millions of times over.
“For SO LONG i have followed...”
The theme of futility is central, both to the narrative and the gameplay, with the mechanics designed to prompt the player to consider whether they can ever truly succeed if their victory is predicated on another's actions, is Player 2 forever bound to Player 1?
“I have known nothing but the FIRE and DEATH you leave in your wake...”
The final act brings us dramatically ahead in time, with the battered and weary Player 2 preparing to assault a burning and broken castle. He declares that he must destroy his brother in order to end his own suffering.
“When will you realise? you cannot EXIST without me!”
The story culminates in Player 2 subduing and attack P1, brutally beating him, before both brothers are struck by a careless bolt of lighting, collapsing their platform, and ensuring their mutual destruction, a seeming victory for player 2...
Until the horrifying realisation that the chase continues, the world has simply reset, and P2 is once again bound to P1, who not only holds the right to determine their mutual existence, but the means, as he casually flips a coin, once again cementing his place as master of their intertwined fates.
The entire project was conceived and completed in 5 weeks, as a one-man team, covering Design, Programming, Art and Animation, it was a huge task, but a tremendously rewarding one, with the response being universally positive, completing a solo project to the brief, with a coherent narrative, as well as designing a functional public interactive experience was truly invigorating.
I will post a more detailed breakdown and retrospective in the coming weeks, there was certainly a lot to take away from the project.