Edward Mansius

URBN 1230 Bloch

12/13/2014

Decoding Thayer:
An Augmented-Reality Experience
Disclaimer: This game is location-based and can only be accessed within 50km of Brown University.
Furthermore, as of December 13, 2014, there is a bug in the program that does not display both the 257
Thayer and New York Times elements. To access these, simply enter the QR codes provided in the table
below.

Set-Up
To set up the game, install the ARIS application on your iOS device from the App Store. Make a free
account and log in. Then, select the game called Decoding Thayer from the options (or follow this link
if you are reading this on an iDevice: aris://games/20656). Click New Game to begin the experience.

Stationary Play
If the player wishes to play the game indoors or remotely, it is possible to use the Decoder option
(under the More tab in the dashboard) to enter four-digit codes in lieu of actually traveling to the locations
that unlock items and tasks. The master list of the codes is printed below:
Item:
Introduction to Redevelopment
Thayer Street Planning Study
Spatially Marginalized Individual
"Parklet"
257 Thayer
Blue State Curb Extension
Officer Policing Redevelopment
New York Times Article
Bibliography

QR Code:
2636
3133
7645
3556
6345
6536
4221
5257
3444

Simply enter the code of the item or location you wish to visit next, and the game will take you there
accordingly.

Artists Statement
This game uses the Thayer Street redevelopment project as a framework to explain authoritative
contestation of space that contributes to an understanding of the way the public milieu is policed.
By using procedural rhetoric, I hope that physically moving through the space of Thayer allows
the player to gain a deeper understanding of the implications of the Thayer Street redevelopment.
This game was created using ARIS, an open-source software developed at the University of
Wisconsin, Madison. More information about this innovative educational tool can be found at
arisgames.org.