Sandpit 13: The Following

(Continuing from my earlier post, introducing Sandpit 13)

The Premise

It’s a familiar part of many films: one character is attempting to follow another. They must avoid detection, as the followed, should they become aware of the tail, will attempt to elude them. It seems like it would make a fun game, but it’s not at all clear how you might do that. But regular Sandpit contributor group Coney seem to be very, very close to having solved this challenge.

Two teams: the Following, and the Followed. Increasingly useful clues to find the ‘Basekeeper’ are texted to the leader of the Followed at set intervals; the leader of the Following receives these texts 5 minutes later. The game would end a precise 42 minutes after the start, at which point the Followed team would receive one point for each of their 11 members that found the Basekeeper, while the Following team would receive two points for each of theirs.

Under these conditions, the game of following and being followed emerges.

[Read the full write-up of my experience of the game at this post’s new location, Tower of the Octopus]

-metatim

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Experimental pervasive games at Sandpit 13

Note: the title is not actually a random collection of words.

Whats going on here? Quite a lot, as it turns out.
What's going on here? Quite a lot, as it turns out.

On Wednesday 24th June 2009 I attended Sandpit 13, one of the many events organised by Hide & Seek. It was incredibly varied, persistently fascinating, and a bunch of fun.

[Read the full intro to this topic at this post’s new location, Tower of the Octopus]

– metatim