The Book Ritual

An interactive narrative art-game played using a real-world book and a modified paper shredder.

Your book is a person. Write in your book to tell it about yourself. Deface its pages in creativity exercises, so that your book can understand you. Tear out pages to keep the conversation going, as it reveals to you how it came to be and why it wants to know you. The paper shredder is connected to the computer and the story will not advance until a page has been destroyed.

To continue you must accept that the life of your book is fleeting.

The Book Ritual is about dealing with loss and accepting grief. The process of tearing up a book allows players to live out the experience of loss and examine the emotions that arise. The book and shredder invite the player to become their friend, allowing them to share their feelings within the pages and shred everything they want to keep secret.

Alistair Aitcheson
Alistair Aitcheson is an independent game developer working in Bristol, UK. His games are made using unusual devices and objects repurposed as game controllers. He also performs interactive stage shows using these devices, as well as playful performances where he allows the audience to pilot him in acts of creativity such as painting, poetry-making and dancing. Alistair takes inspiration from the world of theatre clown – a performance style rooted in connection with the audience, and in mindfulness. He uses real-world objects in his work to encourage players to engage with emotions as physical sensations, and to engage with their creativity and let them express themselves as individuals.