FAQ

What is DOTRED ?

DotRed Project's aim is to create a multiplayer on-line game, using web social networking utilities to bring users together for humanitarian and social purposes, focusing on the transition from the virtual world to the real world.

DotRed?s first mission is to simulate real estate market and housing project issues by giving users the opportunity to buy a part of "Virtual Paris", shared in one million 100m² parcels, each one of them worth 2 euros. This corresponds to inner Paris' surface area, i.e. 100 000 000 m².

In a graphic and playful interface, in 3D and using Google Map principles, this social game's aim is to collect around 1 million euros, to be redistributed to a specialised and recognised charity.

This project was warmly welcomed for a production residence at the Pompidou Center, as part of the Web Flash Festival that started there in September 2007. It has been granted financial support by La SCAM, which rewards innovative, artistic and digital related projects every year. This financial aid allowed me to obtain the required equipment and to hire a team. I was also given the opportunity to exhibit my work in the Pompidou Center on 24th-25th May 2008, during the Flash Festival.

The goal is to develop the idea for several European and international capital cities as a follow up to the first exhibition in Paris in May 2008.

The Project

The DotRed Project arose from two observations:

1) More and more Web 2.0 users unite, often for specific reasons (family, work, gaming, dating), via utilities such as myspace, facebook, linkedin. Why wouldn't they be interested in uniting for humanitarian, social or environmental projects?

2) Multiplayer online gaming as it exists at the moment could be reshaped to change from role games or war games to eventually give more serious or meaningful extension that would have an impact in the real world.

DotRed's ambition is to create a playful application by creating multiplayer games that would allow users to unite for real humanitarian or environmental issues.

What is there more symbolic and sensitive than housing and all the issues related to accommodation accessibility?

For its first mission, DotRed will give users the opportunity to buy a "Virtual Paris", i.e. a symbolic Paris that is victim to a frantic race for real estate capitalisation.

By offering to sell for A 2 EURO's any part of Paris in the form of a googlemap divided into 1 million 100m² parcels, DotRed is willing to gather a one million euro donation, which will be given to an official charity specialised in this field.

A playful and dynamic viral device had to be created in order to efficiently spread to the maximum number of people.

New types of networking utilities such as facebook, myspace, orkut relying on the "friend of a friend" dynamic, were the starting point of this idea to use a graphic interface that represents the map of a city.

As soon as he/she subscribes, the player can choose to buy one or more parcels of 100m² on the map of Paris for one euro per parcel.

Instantly a 3D cube appears on the map, at the address the player bought the parcel.

This cube has a standard size but by asking his friends or acquaintances, the player will accelerate sales of the city thus now promoting the game.

As a reward for spreading the word, his/her 3D cube will then rise, like a sky scraper.

Moreover, each cube can be customised and various graphics allow hyper navigation from cube to cube using an astonishing teleportation system.

In partnership with a charity, 80 per cent of each euro will be transferred onto the charity's account.

DotRed's purpose is also to create an installation along the same line as the website :

The installation

For an exhibition in an art center, a gallery or a public space, the installation would include a screen or a wall of screens, connected to several computers online where the website with the current state of the city in 3D would be displayed.

In center pompidou i will made a little house made from lego brick

3mx3mx2m(high)

where i will receive visitors to challenge with them ideas developped around the dotred project and propose them to buy cube in the game.

Perspectives : NEXT MISSIONS

This project is the fruit of a residence of creation in partnership with the Pompidou Center and the Flash festival (regart.net). It will end in May 2008 with its exhibition and a presentation during the festival.

I wish to pursue its development, its promotion and exhibition.

My ambition is to make it travel to several capital cities, changing each time the charity involved, the public sponsors or the private premises as well as the production and exhibition site (museum, art center).