My game involves collecting the songs people listen to when they’re feeling down. I created a questionnaire and placed it in public places (restrooms, etc.) using QR codes for people to fill out. I received responses for about 30 songs, ranging from humorous edits to melancholic tunes to optimistic ones. People listen to songs reflecting various emotions when they’re feeling down.
Concept / Intention
The participatory artgame When You’re Down allows people to share their emotional experiences from sad moments. The project allows people to share their songs for low moments through a basic survey which appears as QR codes in public areas including restrooms and hallways. The collected responses function as both statistical data and individual disclosures which turn individual music listening into a shared display of emotional exposure. The project aims to discover various emotional coping methods which people use to deal with their feelings including melancholic thinking and humorous responses and hopeful attitudes.
Mechanics as Expression
The game exists through the process of participant involvement. The game mechanism requires participants to share their emotions through music instead of competing for points or winning. The submission of each song serves as both a game move and an empathetic expression. The QR code system together with anonymous participation design creates a simple way for people to join without facing social obstacles while preserving personal connection. The resulting playlist demonstrates human emotions through diverse musical expressions because sadness produces different sounds for different people. The playlist contains songs that use ironic editing to hide pain through comedy and other tracks which present authentic emotions that express personal struggles and determination.
Process & Influence
The project developed from my belief that games function as emotional exchange systems beyond their traditional roles as competitive or simulated activities. The Night Journey and dys4ia served as inspiration for my work because they use interactive elements to study personal experiences instead of pursuing external objectives. The project aimed to bring this interactive approach into physical public spaces by uniting digital elements with traditional participation methods. The project spanned multiple weeks during which I distributed printed QR codes containing the question “What do you listen to when you’re down?” throughout campus buildings and public areas. The project received thirty responses which combined to form a musical representation of shared emotional experiences.
Reflection
The experience of When You’re Down exists to be felt throughout different times rather than being played only once. The game transforms play into empathy through musical shared emotional experiences. The project showed me how music functions as an individual healing method which also connects people at a universal level. The participants used two different approaches to handle their sadness by either using humorous songs or listening to peaceful music. The combined responses from participants establish a detailed depiction of emotional strength and diverse emotional responses. The game reaches its conclusion by establishing a musical bond between participants who discover they share a common musical experience through their song exchanges.