I Can Read You

I Can Read You is a game based around QR Codes and mobile phones that was developed by Simon Poulter in conjunction with the Watershed and HP Labs. The game consists of a large puzzle board in the shape of a QR code. At the beginning of the game, key segments of the board are removed which reveal additional QR codes underneath. These revealed codes when read by camera phones provide clues to the location of codes hidden around the environment. The players need to find these hidden codes in order to discover where on the board the removed code segments must be placed. When all the code segments have been pieced together it forms a large QR code. This code can then be read by the camera phone to reveal a quote from a famous novel in Glass’s pop up text box.

The game has been played a number of times in Millennium Square in Bristol where 2 teams would compete against each other to complete the puzzle in the quickest time. The players in each team work together to figure out the puzzle and organise themselves to most effectively gather all the coded clues positioned around the Square. In a clash between Art and Technology the Watershed Media Centre fielded a team against the technology boffins at Hewlett-Packard Labs. On this occasion technology came out on top with the team from HP victorious. Watch out for the rematch.

For further information about the project including Simon’s online journal tracking its development, visit http://www.dshed.net/icanreadyou