Desert Rain

From: tamsin drury (tamsin.drury@mcr1.poptel.org.uk)
Date: 10/03/00


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[inter:face] presents

Desert Rain by Blast Theory

Upper Campfield Market, Campfield Avenue Arcade, off Deansgate, Manchester
Thurs 5 - Mon 9 October, every 30 minutes from 12 noon to 9pm
£6/4.  Groups of 6 - £6 discount
Box Office:  0161 200 1500  Advance booking essential - to get the most
from this event book with a group of friends or family.

a co-promotion by Digital Summer, Cornerhouse and green room

Be Tom Cruise or Arnold Scwarzenegger for the day as Blast Theory bring
Desert Rain, the interactive Gulf War event, to Upper Campfield Market,
Manchester from 5-9 October for [inter:face].  Part game, part performance,
part art installation - Desert Rain combines virtual reality and computer
gaming in an experience that is the first of its kind.

Participants are given headsets, zipped into a fabric cubicle and sent on a
mission into a virtual world.  Travelling in teams of six, through real and
projected spaces, they explore hotels, deserts and bunkers.  As the clock
ticks each player must locate a target, complete the mission and get to the
final room.  Here fiction, reality and the imaginary are further entwined.
Video reveals each target to be a real person - soldier, reporter, aid
worker - with their own distinct account of the Gulf War.

Desert Rain uses Nottingham University's immensely sophisticated MASSIVE 2
software system.  This creates a virtual world which is projected onto a
huge screen of water spray and then negotiated using headsets, footpads,
travelators and live video links.  Experienced by most people via the
television, the Gulf conflict has been called the first virtual war.  This
unique meeting of game and art examines the dehumanisation of war that has
occurred through media portrayal, action simulators and computer games.
Visit Blast Theory's website - http://blasttheory.co.uk

Suitable for adults and children 10+

Digital Summer
c/o hÅb
Unit 27
41 Old Birley Street
Manchester   M15 5RF

http:www.digitalsummer.org/interface

NB - for ongoing updates subscribe to the digital summer mailing list:
http://www.onelist.com./subscribe/digitalsummer



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