Dear Esther is part of a research project, creating experimental game mods, based at the University of Portsmouth, UK. The aim was to use Source to create something radically different from normal: an interactive story that dispensed with traditional gameplay and focused instead on an open-ended, semi-random narrative.

More information about the mod and its aims, and the overall project can be found on the website. Also look out for two more mods coming soon: Conscientious Objector (Doom 3) and Antlion Soccer (Half Life 2 Deathmatch)

Thanks for looking - any feedback would be fantastic.

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Blog RSS Feed Report abuse Latest News: Live performance project by thechineseroom

12 comments by chineseroom on Nov 20th, 2009 digg this super bookmark


The Second Death of Caspar Helendale by Jessica Curry and Dan Pinchbeck has been selected by The Royal Opera House and will be performed live at the Linbury Studio Theatre as part of the Firsts 09 season, "showcasing some of the most talented and genre-defying artists in the UK today."

The performances will be taking place simultaneously at the ROH and in Second Life on
27th and 28th November at 9.15pm GMT / 1.15pm PST
The Second Life avatar Caspar Helendale invites you to attend his death; a funeral service held simultaneously in the real and virtual worlds. He has been exploring mortality since he was first created, and in his last twenty minutes of existence he will share his thoughts with collected mourners. He will be accompanied by his widow-to-be, Trixiebelle Landar, whose requiem will be performed live and streamed back into the virtual world over the course of the service. Via live onstage musicians and a giant projection screen, the theatre audience will join Second Life residents to reflect and mourn, as the real and virtual worlds collide at the point where Caspar's light is forever extinguished.

If you cannot attend in first life then we would be delighted if you and your avatar would join us in Second Life for the duration of the performance. Teleport to http://slurl.com/secondlife/2ND%20LIVE/180/223/23 , on the night, or to book a place, please email, or IM either Dan (dan.pinchbeck@port.ac.uk) or Jessica (jessica@jessicacurry.co.uk) beforehand.

If you want to attend the event in London, tickets are only £5 and are available from the Royal Opera House - Roh.org.uk

And to the Gods I tell you this: we shall outlast you all...

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Dear Esther v1.1 (fixed)

Dear Esther v1.1 (fixed)

Jan 22, 2009 Full Version 38 comments

Updated Dear Esther with fixed link to level 4. This fully replaces v1.0, please delete that and unzip this into your SourceMods folder

Dear Esther - Soundtrack

Dear Esther - Soundtrack

Jul 11, 2008 Music 18 comments

Jessica Curry's soundtrack for Dear Esther: 8 tracks as MPEG4s.

Dear Esther script

Dear Esther script

Jun 30, 2008 Guides 14 comments

This pdf contains the script for the interactive story Dear Esther, as requested...

Dear Esther.zip

Dear Esther.zip

Jun 27, 2008 Full Version 12 comments

Zip file for the Dear Esther mod. Unpack it into your source mods folder, restart Steam and it will show in the games list.

Comments  (320 - 330 of 456)
Shrue
Shrue Oct 5 2008, 11:41pm says:

Well, I have to rate this fairly low. In that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, to do but walk. I have no idea why this character went to this island and then committed suicide.. I appreciate the piano score, and I appreciate that there was some vaguely something that happened in the past.. however.. it was really pretty boring.

0 votes     reply to comment
babadiboopi
babadiboopi Nov 28 2009, 8:58pm replied: Online

thank god someone here thinks of this mod the same way i do. i am stunned by how many people are convinced this mod is a godsend, when it really is just boring boring boring...

+1 vote     reply to comment
chineseroom
chineseroom Oct 7 2008, 1:58pm replied:

Well... it's not for everyone I guess :)

+3 votes     reply to comment
Lurgen
Lurgen Oct 4 2008, 3:05pm says:

Thanks you "Chinese room" for making this mod I really like this style of the game. I only had trouble in the beginning, but I solve the problem. Like the soundtrack to, thank you Jessica. Thank you Chinese room. 10 of 10

+2 votes     reply to comment
MerlinTHP
MerlinTHP Oct 4 2008, 2:51pm says:

Truly beautiful. Very moving. Many thanks. 10/10

+1 vote     reply to comment
doonbugie2
doonbugie2 Oct 4 2008, 11:04am says:

Brilliant!

+2 votes     reply to comment
Solombas
Solombas Oct 2 2008, 10:36am says:

Wow, I have not been so enraptured, intrigued and mystified by a game for a long, long time now. Playing this was inspiring and reaffirmed my faith in the development of art house games. The script was deep, the narration, poetic; and the music was transcendental. Games with this kind of artistic, emotional, psychological, intellectual and spiritual depth is rare indeed. Well done, and thank you for the unforgettable experience :)

+3 votes     reply to comment
Solombas
Solombas Oct 2 2008, 10:46am replied:

are* rare indeed.

+2 votes     reply to comment
Sanjuaro
Sanjuaro Oct 1 2008, 3:31pm says:

This mod is truly a work of art. Every bit of it was just pure beauty. Thank you for this experience.

+3 votes     reply to comment
SupaNinjaMan
SupaNinjaMan Sep 29 2008, 8:31pm replied:

nevermind, i decided, when the silhouette to appeared i noclip'd my way up there.

it's a woman.

+2 votes     reply to comment
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Released Jun 19, 2008
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