What if Singapore had a zombie infestation?

When I started designing the Play Singapore alternate reality game (ARG) last year, the original concept involved stuff like time travel and alternative future scenarios, and getting players to submit stories and faked photos which could lead to an utopia or a dystopian future.

One of these scenarios was a hypothetical outbreak of a zombie virus in Singapore in the near future, possibly due to chemical leak into one of Singapore's water resources (Newater?). When I did this photo collage below in Feb 09, I took pains to include a SAF soldier in the new digital camouflage uniform, complete with a gas mask hastily 'Photoshopped' over his face.

















The highway, trees & rubbish truck were from an acutal photo but I added in the 'Road Closed' signages, the hazard clean up crew in blue and the pile of zombie bodies awaiting incineration. Note the faked Bionix armoured fighting vehicles behind the rubbish truck. :-)

Play Singapore alternate reality game (ARG)

I am developing an alternate reality game (ARG) called "Play Singapore" which uses a mix of puzzle-solving, treasure hunts and new media to let Singaporeans and foreigners explore and discover facets of Singapore's culture, heritage and attractions.

Players have to locate secret checkpoints in Singapore by solving puzzles found in cards or pages from a 'lost' diary which was supposedly written in the 1950s and 1960s .

Tying everything together is the >"Play Singapore" ARG blog which is written by a yet-to-be-named protagonist in this evolving story. The library is also running a competition which will run till Mar 2010, with prizes to be awarded to individuals or teams who discover each checkpoint first,.

The beta site is at http://playsingapore.wordpress.com, so please try it if you wish and let me know if you have any constructive feedback.

Chickenman

I was buying chicken rice at one of the coffee shops along Purvis Street (in the Bras Basah area for those who don't know where that is) sometime last week and here's an interesting scene in which a young man - who was manning the chicken rice stall (whom I'll call Chickenman) - was busy slicing the chicken breast meat when I spotted his head moving up and turning to the right.

I traced his gaze and realised that his eyes were 'locked on' to a girl who was walking past. At a glance, she looked like the typical 'ah lian' type dolled up in Taiwanese style make up and dressing.

Then I realised that Chickenman was still chopping the meat while his eyes were tracking that ah lian as she walked from the right end to the left end of the five foot way.

Me: "Hey, you might chop off your fingers you know."

Chickenman (still gazing afar): "It's OK... I experienced" (and he smiled)

*chop chop chop*

Me (sarcastically): "Wah... your stall window is wiped so clean."

The girl then walks past a pillar and vanishes from Chickenman's line of sight.

Chickenman (turning to look at me as he flips the slices of chicken into the styrofoam box): "Ya lor. Must wipe clean clean. This area got lots of nice chicks."

Chickenman then realised that the girl was taking a seat in the coffee shop with her boyfriend, and 'locks in' once again. And he proceeds to slice more meat for other patrons.

Me: "Oh? This area also got a lot of ah kuahs." (or, transvestites)

Chickenman: "Really?"

He continued to stare at the ah lian.

Just then, a colleague of his shouted from the ah lian's table:

Coffee shop assistant: "Two roasted chicken breasts.... have or not?!"

Chickenman: "Have, have"

* Chop chop chop*

The coffee shop assistant walked over to collect the food, "Eh? How come it's white (steamed)chicken breasts? I thought you say got roasted chicken?"

Chickenman: "Eh? Did I say that?"

Coffee shop assistant (tracing Chickenman's gaze): "Si lang tow! You must be looking at girls again, right?"

The coffee shop assistant then takes another look at the ah lian, and slaps Chickenman lightly on the head, "Wah lau eh! She really looks like the boss's wife... and you stare at her."

Chickenman: "Oy!"


I decided I had seen enough....

Geylang

You may have seen this ad in the papers earlier this month, promoting events at the library in Geylang East:



This was subsequently picked up by the media but fortunately, I am still able to walk around unrecognised by the majority.





... or so I thought this morning, when a colleague from another site bumped into me greeted me with, "Hi, Mr Geylang".

:-)