Gridsearch

Gridsearch was developed in 2005 as an interactive 'event' that took place in Bristol.

The idea behind Gridsearch is simple, yet unique. Members of the public 'play' the game as a modern day Murder Mystery - players are given a PMC (Portable Media Center) device, along with a crime solving kit containing genuine crime solving apparatus (the cool stuff you see in CSI - detection sprays, UV lights...).

The players use their kit to solve the crime, interacting with technology (using the PMC by simply plugging it into workstations to download maps, autopsy videos and interview tapes automatically using sync technology) and interacting with actors (who are present in person and also in the syncronised media) to solve a story involving the death of a teenager on a university campus.

For example, you could download crime scene photos and autopsy videos from a Crime Lab workstation and then question suspects in real time (interacting with actors). You'd download a map to the apartment of the victim and travel across Bristol. You could then explore the apartment of the victim, and download photographs and videos from their computer, and investigate the crime scene using UV Lights, detection sprays and evidence gathering kits and process your media in real time using web technology.

The result was a 'next generation' murder mystery but without the dodgy costumes.

The project is on hold, but it is something we would like to come back to - the time seems right to explore the idea again, as the technology we were using in 2005 has made its way into smartphones.