We built a museum exhibit about a 1990s game hint line, with a physical binder
17 days ago
- #museum-exhibit
- #game-development
- #nostalgia
- ACMI commissioned microgames from Australian developers for the Game Worlds exhibition, focusing on compelling world-building and playability.
- The team pitched 'Hint Line ‘93', a unique game simulating working at a 1990s video game hint line, complete with a physical 300-page binder.
- The game features a fictional company, Damocles Interactive, with a convoluted corporate history and a series of intentionally obtuse games designed to require hint lines.
- Real research was conducted by consulting former Sega tip line workers, adding authenticity to the project.
- Mars Buttfield-Addison created four handcrafted copies of 'The Compendium', a detailed, chaotic binder filled with game hints, notes, and artifacts.
- The game includes diverse caller archetypes, each with unique personalities and dialogue, portrayed by Tasmanian actors through still images.
- Developed in just two months, the project utilized a mix of custom tools and assets, with no generative AI involved.
- Hint Line ‘93 serves as both a nostalgic experience and a historical document, highlighting the pre-internet era of gaming support.
- The game is playable at ACMI in Melbourne, with physical elements central to the experience.