Retoid: Toys with computational agency

So what can happen when toys gets (computional) agency? Retoid is a digital prototype, moving the interaction between toys out of the hand of the players and into the toys themselves.

As soon as the toys connect with each other, they will either become friends, best friends or enemies, and the players have no influence on the outcome. Becoming friends means the toys have a short talk. Best friends keeps jabbering forever and it breaks their heart the moment the owners disconnect them, making them cry. Enemies will insult each other at first, before it escalates into a fight to the death, if the players is not fast enough to disconnect them.

The players can change the look of their Retoids and name them, but is then only given the option of connecting and disconneting them from each other.

Retoid is used in a Critical Technical Practice (CTP) approach to reflect upon computional agency in toys.

Credits:

• Emily Louisa Laue Christensen - Persona design & Character design
• Michail Matalliotakis - Programming
• Niels Ørner Nørup - Persona design
• Tobias Damm Buhl Schamaitat - System design & Visuals