An attraction created during Eniarof #19 Moscow.
“Освободитель номинала” (Osvoboditel’ nominala) is a massive, colorful game arcade machine inspired by Constructivism. It pits two players against each other, who can watch each other through glass sections of the machine. The first player inserts a Russian coin to play, and their goal is to retrieve their money by traversing a wooden maze with the coin held on the other side of the wall by a light-sensored electro-magnet. The second player’s goal is to make the first player lose their money by controlling a UFO that can shine light on the electro-magnet, causing it to retract and drop the coin into the machine’s belly.
Objective of the game: Player 1 must retrieve their coin to win the game. Player 2 must drop player first player coin into the belly of the machine.
Instructions: Player 1 takes their place in front of a large glass window on which pieces of wood are glued, and takes hold of an electromagnetic magnet. Player 2 is on the other side of the machine and can observe player 1 through a porthole. Player 2 controls a spaceship using a joystick and can occasionally activate a light by pressing a button.
Gameplay: Player 1 inserts their coin at the bottom right of the glass window. Their coin is magnetized, so they can try to move it to the top left of the glass window to retrieve it. However, their path is not linear, as they must pay attention to the obstacles on their way – a wooden maze – and especially avoid the light of the spaceship controlled by player 2. If player 2’s light shines on the electromagnet, it retracts and drops the coin, lost forever for player 1.
Project completed as part of the Retrocompatible Museum Moscow, May 2016 – 10-day intensive workshop (partners: Labex Arts-H2H, EnsAD, EnsADLab, Paris 8 University, ATI/INRéV, French Institute of Russia, Polytech Museum, HSE Lab).
