i_hope_i_haunt_you.p5js

National University of Ireland, Galway

2022

p5js

Generative art and interactive piece coded with p5js. A lonely creature that follows the cursor and if clicked on, randomized sentences appear.

In the mid 90s, Japanese game developing company Bandai struggled with an economic crisis but were saved by releasing a hit device - a Tamagotchi. It is a virtual pet, you need to take care of it: feed it, clean it and monitor its health.

Tamagotchi could die if the user forgets about it. The toy could create genuine feelings of loss and grief.

In psychology, the term “Tamagotchi effect” appeared - when a person is so strongly attached to an inanimate object that they begin to perceive and consider it as if it is a real creature.

For this project I programmed a lonely digital creature stuck in cyberspace, that follows the cursor of the mouse that is controlled by the user. The creature appears isolated from everything on the screen and "craves" interaction, even with the cursor. Every time the user presses on the mouse button, randomized sentences appear from the creature's point of view.

Mankind continually has been fascinated by different monsters as stories about them can be found in every culture, in every tragic fairy tale and myth. In the last decade we have learned how to create artificial monsters. It seems that we must continuously create monsters for entertainment and maybe for something much deeper. These kinds of creatures serve as a skewed mirror that makes us question ourselves.