The [Queue] Is Present
September 16, 2011 1:33 PM   Subscribe

Marina Abramovic's 2010 MoMA exhibit, "The Artist Is Present" (previously) meets 1980s Sierra adventure games. (No word yet on whether the game has made anyone cry.) Thoughts from the creator.
posted by naju (25 comments total) 10 users marked this as a favorite
 
Great. A "game" about waiting in line. Does something else happen later, or is this just another occasion to observe that these "serious games" appear to be using the wrong definition of the word "serious," thinking that making games no fun is what they want rather than making them thoughtful and interesting?
posted by RogerB at 1:49 PM on September 16, 2011


Great. A "game" about waiting in line. Does something else happen later, or is this just another occasion to observe that these "serious games" appear to be using the wrong definition of the word "serious," thinking that making games no fun is what they want rather than making them thoughtful and interesting?

I mean it's a game where you wait in line, I don't know for a fact that this is intended to be particularly serious.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 1:50 PM on September 16, 2011


Meh, not really a fan of the "waiter" genre. As for making things into Sierra-style adventure games, I'd say The Room has an upper hand.
posted by StrangerInAStrainedLand at 1:50 PM on September 16, 2011


Some assole with a mullet cut in front of me!
posted by Threeway Handshake at 1:51 PM on September 16, 2011 [1 favorite]


This is wonderful.
posted by The Whelk at 1:52 PM on September 16, 2011


Some assole with a mullet cut in front of me!

Was it the blond guy? Because fuck that guy.
posted by saladin at 1:55 PM on September 16, 2011


Anybody know how to get out of the dungeon without using the wizard's key?
posted by albrecht at 1:56 PM on September 16, 2011 [5 favorites]


Indeed, the queueueueueueue does NOT move, and you can't even walk past her "installation" to check out the rest of the pixellated masterpieces. Love the van Gogh, love the concept of 8-bit high part. I remember the effusive NYT praise, Flickr ocean (won't call it a pool), etc during the time of the actual event. But a game where you "losing" involves losing your place in a seemingly non-moving line is....easier to program? Touché Mr. Barr. But, I was hoping at least one of the people in line would be wearing a leisure suit...

Safety Instructions, by the same creator, is an eminently more "serious," practical and sardonically fun game. Perhaps I just thought it was fun, as I have recently been subjected to several "typing tests" to assess my fitness for office support duties. 70WPM, wouldn't you know...
posted by obscurator at 1:58 PM on September 16, 2011 [1 favorite]


I've been waiting in line for seven hours.
posted by mrbula at 2:03 PM on September 16, 2011 [1 favorite]


and you can't even walk past her "installation" to check out the rest of the pixellated masterpieces. Love the van Gogh, love the concept of 8-bit high part.

I came in to say exactly this. The art on the walls is quite genius.

I also think he's missed the point of the event. Thousands more people watched the seatings than stood in line to actually sit inside the tape. Standing in line was part of the experience for some people (who chose that option) but for the vast majority of people it was about much more than that.
posted by anastasiav at 2:03 PM on September 16, 2011


>oops, 8-bit high part
posted by obscurator at 2:08 PM on September 16, 2011


is this just another occasion to observe that these "serious games" appear to be using the wrong definition of the word "serious," thinking that making games no fun is what they want rather than making them thoughtful and interesting?

For what it's worth, the game seems to be directly anticipating and commenting upon observations like yours. This is a game about games, a game about art, an art game, and either serious, a sadistic joke, or both at once. Quite a bit to unpack for something that's basically unplayable!
posted by naju at 2:18 PM on September 16, 2011 [1 favorite]


I typed idspispopd to skip the line.
posted by Foci for Analysis at 2:25 PM on September 16, 2011


Ken sent me.
posted by Kabanos at 2:34 PM on September 16, 2011


Village Voice Q&A with the creator
posted by naju at 2:40 PM on September 16, 2011


↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← → B A start
posted by steambadger at 2:46 PM on September 16, 2011


So I'm at the MOMA and it's closed and nobody else is there, so if I have this game open in another window and I leave that window open all weekend long until opening time on Monday and go in immediately the moment the doors open then I should be first on line, right? Right?! Because otherwise fuck this guy.

(Other questions will I pee my pants? Become dehydrated? Get mugged at 3 AM?)
posted by nanojath at 2:52 PM on September 16, 2011 [1 favorite]


I can't get in? Bullshit. Everyone knows that MoMA is open late Friday evenings, and offers free admission after 4 p.m. With a complimentary, even longer line to wait in.
posted by evidenceofabsence at 2:56 PM on September 16, 2011 [1 favorite]


It's interesting how much was lost in translating the MoMA exhibit into a game. At the actual MoMA exhibit, you knew perfectly well what was happening and what to do, the guards would even give you instructions if you were participating. Playing the game is a totally different experience. The intimate yet very public and exposed face to face isn't just absent, it probably would have been impossible to convey in any meaningful way. Still, I wish the game designer could have done something... more.
posted by Foci for Analysis at 3:04 PM on September 16, 2011


My new goal in life is to build an entire game based on going to a musuem. You can;t leave a room until you're Appreciation meter goes up.
posted by The Whelk at 3:12 PM on September 16, 2011 [2 favorites]


if I have this game open in another window and I leave that window open all weekend long until opening time on Monday and go in immediately the moment the doors open then I should be first on line, right? Right?!

That's my plan as well. We'll see. It's a shame it doesn't account for time zones. It's only 3:30 here but the museum is already closed.
posted by mrgrimm at 3:24 PM on September 16, 2011


The Whelk: The "visit the museum" game could have an "Opposing Force" mode, where you press the space bar if people try take pictures, talk too loudly, or touch stuff.
posted by The River Ivel at 3:39 PM on September 16, 2011


You are the security guard
posted by The Whelk at 3:44 PM on September 16, 2011


Nice to see Lou Reed and Rufus Wainwright showed up.
posted by newmoistness at 4:21 PM on September 16, 2011


It might not account for time zones, but it *does* still pull time from your PC clock. So just crank that back a bit.
posted by gracedissolved at 4:43 PM on September 16, 2011


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