Portal was originally inspired by our generation’s overwhelming digital presence.
We spend more than half the day with our eyes glued to a screen.
You check your phone when you wake up.
You listen to music or play games on the commute to work.
You stare at a computer all day at your job.
You finally go home and relax in front of the TV.
Some may consider the screen a prison. Others herald it as an escape. The perception of the screen is completely subjective, but there is no denying that the screen itself is a portal.
Portal hence exists to serve as a quick ‘vacation’ from the monotony of everyday 'screen life'.
It takes you away.
I don’t consider myself a gamer, but I am drawn to the beautiful aesthetics and environments of certain games like No Man’s Sky, FireWatch and Far Cry 4. I love the experience of just running through these fantastic worlds and looking at all they have to offer, without feeling shackled to the ‘responsibility’ of narrative and gameplay. In short, I don’t really care about beating the game, I just want to be transported to the magical places in which they occur.
Portal hence presents the user with a journey through several fantastical environments. Players are invited to engage in a guided exploration of these worlds and immerse themselves in the mood and emotionality of each environment, depending on aesthetic elements like color, placement, theme and setting.
Portal is all about accessibility. This is why it uses Google Cardboard instead of a more expensive option. Moreover, it is a mobile application designed for a versatile user. It is compatible for iOS and Android phones, but it can also be used on a desktop. The project will be shown as an immersive installation as well simply because it aims to make people feel as if they are entering a portal.