pinkdiamond//selfportrait

self portrait. // sound on.

controls:

wasd to move. up/down to change positions. space to press.

right stick to move. up/down on dpad to change positions. right trigger to press.

statement:

Modern technology often saves us from missteps. Whether it be autocorrect, or a forward facing camera, we have become reliant on course corrections and separated from the pleasure of making a mistake.

In “pinkdiamond//selfportrait” I wanted to highlight the play that can be born out of friction. Inspired by “pink diamond” by Charli XCX, a covid-era anthem about a relationship taking place over video chat, I wanted to capture the awkward joy of trying to take a good selfie, all while using tools available to me in my bedroom. With these tools, I wanted to highlight the universality of play, and the fact that games can be created anywhere, with any medium. All images in the game were taken by me, and edited in photoshop. All sounds were recorded in my bedroom, and then cut and spliced together in order to create the sonic feedback of the in-game camera.

Feature digital camera “toy,” “pinkdiamond//selfportrait” asks the player to rejoice in the difficulties of a bygone era, of taking a selfie without a smartphone and all of the ridiculous mistakes that come along with it. The difficulty of trying to turn on a camera on while it faces away from you, and navigating the buttons using sound alone. The fun of turning the camera around and realizing that your face was completely out of frame. The world of art is a world of happy accidents, of minute mistakes and corrections, of discovering the end product along the journey.

Now in a post-covid world, I invite players to enjoy “pinkdiamond//selfportrait” together. No social distancing required. Take pictures with your eyes closed, pose badly, and enjoy every moment of failure and success.

shader credits: mia hellman //  https://miahellman.itch.io/