Wristwork Announces Upcoming Simulation Game ‘FACEMINER’ Exploring AI, Surveillance, and Biometric Data Harvesting in 1999
Wristwork, a small artist-led gaming studio, is excited to announce the release of its first game to the public. Titled ‘FACEMINER,’ this upcoming simulation game delves into the intriguing world of AI, surveillance, and mass biometric data harvesting, all set in the year 1999.
FACEMINER is a narrative-driven simulation game that takes place within a suite of vintage corporate software. Players will engage in the classification of harvested biometric data, upgrade their mining infrastructure, and expand their AI surveillance empire, all while being immersed in a captivating hardcore thriller clicker experience.
The game’s backdrop is a captivating blend of 90s techno-optimism and experimental narrative. FACEMINER tasks players with building a biometric processing empire from scratch, requiring them to efficiently manage hardware and software upgrades, warehouse infrastructure, and navigate through crooked carbon offsetting schemes. The objective is to carve out a biodata empire amidst a world filled with internal bureaucracy and external market forces.
FACEMINER aims to illustrate the intricate mechanisms involved in data harvesting and the creation of machine learning models. Through the game, players will become facial classification tycoons, navigating a world of planetary-scale data management. Challenges such as storage shortages, server meltdowns, and global climate catastrophes represent various obstacles on the road to achieving data supremacy.
The development of FACEMINER stems from an extensive research project focused on investigating the ecological impact of planetary-scale cloud computing, particularly its role in training AI models. The game incorporates the concept of exponential growth as a game mechanic, highlighting the winner-takes-all nature of cloud computing. In this digital world, datasets and the server farms hosting them experience dramatic year-on-year growth in both size and value.
At its core, FACEMINER is an exploration of how the simulation game format can effectively simplify complex topics related to surveillance, AI, and the deployment of physical infrastructure on an extreme scale. Often, the digital landscapes where these technologies are constructed and the virtual clouds from which they are deployed obscure their connection to the physical realities of raw computational power. FACEMINER aims to bridge this gap, making these connections tangible for players.
Key Features of FACEMINER:
- Detailed simulation of data center operations: Players will manage various aspects, including RAM, processing power, memory, cooling systems, software upgrades, and more.
- Engaging internal messaging system: Players can keep track of office gossip while unraveling the story of FACEMINER through this lively communication tool.
- State-of-the-art 3D visualization tool: Players can visualize their data center in three dimensions using the cutting-edge ‘Visualiser’ tool, reminiscent of the technology available in 1999.
- Immersive vintage operating system: FACEMINER presents players with a meticulously crafted tribute to the beloved vintage operating systems of the past.
- Authentic period soundtrack: The game’s soundtrack features true-to-period MIDI music, carefully unearthed and restored from the archives.
Wristwork’s debut game, FACEMINER, offers players a unique and thought-provoking experience within the realm of AI, surveillance, and biometric data harvesting. By combining a narrative-driven simulation with a compelling storyline set in 1999, players will navigate the challenges of managing a biometric processing empire while exploring the impact of cloud computing on the environment. FACEMINER serves as a bridge between the virtual and physical worlds, shedding light on the complex realities of data management and computational power.
Platforms: Microsoft Windows
