Compasses

Compasses is a series of conversations with a series of NPCs (non-player characters), in which players are presented with a range of optional responses to each twist in the ta(i)l(e). These options presented use the Zoomer’s logic of political compasses (libertarian -> authoritarian, left -> right) and Dungeons & Dragons character alignments (chaotic -> lawful, good -> evil) to elaborate upon the ramifications of different semi-fictionalised methodological approaches to love, care, romance, value, connectivity and longing. Speak to monsters, ghosts, salesmen, ex-lovers and people. Align yourself, and see how they respond. All names, characters, places and incidents are partially fictional. Any resemblances to actual events or locales or persons – living or dead – is entirely intentional.

Benjamin Hall (UK)
Benjamin Hall is an artist, gamemaker, animator, filmmaker and writer. He looks to facilitate the creation of immersive and accessible interactive worlds both independently and in supporting other artists, using open-source game development tools. This can mean offering his technical skillset to others in order to direct, curate and world build collaborative environments. Or; creating personal works using the nonlinear, agential experience of playing games to affect and critically engage players in folksy oblique narratives – both from the (suppressed) British legendarium and ones rooted in a contemporary understanding of the internet as a space caught between its capitalist architecture and people-powered folk artefacts/ knowledges. He graduated from Fine Art at the Glasgow School of Art in 2020, and with the cancellation of his degree show led the development of ‘DS2020 Simulator.’ The project recreated the cancelled show as a game, featured work by 136 graduates and was shown on BBC One. He has continued this practice of digital arts and accessible virtual programming as a core. Μember of Chaos Magic’s first SPUR programme, cofounder of online arts community CherriHarari, DAAD Futurism’s worldbuilder and a selected artist for Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2021. His recent collaborative virtual world ‘Wretched Light Industry’ showcased 33 immersive environments, and featured on It’s Nice That, Hypebeast, a-n and more.