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Chinese Cyberpunk Manifesto

Project details

Programme
Cluster RC12
Year 1

This project is an interrogation of the cyberpunk science-fiction genre, which frequently amalgamates spatial and cultural elements from different Asian countries to construct fictional worlds through a Western lens. While cyberpunk remains a popular fictional genre, it faces accusations of orientalism that is particularly prevalent in the spatial design of its worlds. The game proposes a new future for a Chinese Cyberpunk City, that more authentically references architecture from China as part of a new Cyberpunk language, combining past, present and future urbanism. The game draws inspiration from fictional visions of the future, contemporary Chinese cities and historical public space depicted in the famous scroll painting 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival' (Zeduan Zhang, 1085-1145). Players navigate through three versions of the same city in different time periods, moving buildings back and forward through time and space in order to curate their own vision for a new city that combines nuanced readings of traditional, contemporary and future Chinese architecture. Players create a city as a ‘manifesto’ based on their personal desires and readings of spatial culture.

Students

01

A New Vision for Cyberpunk

Chinese Cyberpunk Manifesto Game Trailer

Chinese Cyberpunk Manifesto Game Trailer

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The City as a Scroll Painting

The city of the game recreated in the style of the scroll painting 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival' (Zeduan Zhang, 1085-1145), that inspired the spatial design of the world.

Cities Across Time

Cities Across Time

The game uses a system where three avatars are controlled at once, one in the past, one in the present and one in the future.

Each world is a separate environment in real-time communication with each other as the player moves through the city.

Self-Contained Worlds in Conversation

Each world is a separate environment in real-time communication with each other as the player moves through the city.

Dragging Elements Across Time

Dragging Elements Across Time

The main mechanism of the game allows players to 'drag' buildings from the past into the future and vice versa. Buildings become dynamically changed through this anachronistic process.

Different elements of the cities that are passed back and forth between history and future.

Elements

Different elements of the cities that are passed back and forth between history and future.

Through playing across the past present and future, players can reshape the contemporary city by establishing a uniquely Chinese Cyberpunk identity.

Four Concurrent Cities

Through playing across the past present and future, players can reshape the contemporary city by establishing a uniquely Chinese Cyberpunk identity.

02

Realising a Chinese Cyberpunk

Comparing the visual aesthetics of the past and future by rendering the cities in the style of a Chinese landscape painting.

The City in the Style of a Landscape Painting

Comparing the visual aesthetics of the past and future by rendering the cities in the style of a Chinese landscape painting.

Contrasting the visual aesthetics of the past and future by rendering the cities in the style of Cyberpunk cinematographic angles.

The City in the Style of Cyberpunk Cinematography

Contrasting the visual aesthetics of the past and future by rendering the cities in the style of Cyberpunk cinematographic angles.

Viewing a player-created city from above demonstrates the different urban densities created through the hybrid of past, present and future architecture.

Above the City

Viewing a player-created city from above demonstrates the different urban densities created through the hybrid of past, present and future architecture.

Drawing exploring how blending between the three worlds that occurs as players journey through the city.

Triptych of Time Periods

Drawing exploring how blending between the three worlds that occurs as players journey through the city.

The Complete City

The Complete City

The new Chinese Cyberpunk city draws from the aesthetics of past and future to create a new form of Chinese urbanism.

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