In November I headed out to the Big Smoke (That’s country talk for Dublin…🍀🇮🇪) for the day to assist in the running of a TRANSMIXR Performing Arts Workshop! The event was hosted at Trinity College Dublin’s Stack B venue. Led by Tupac Martir, the Creative Director and Founder of Satore Studio, the session offered a fascinating deep dive into the use of an AI-driven NPC within a virtual reality experience to attendees.
Although I was originally attending to capture content and help with the running of the event for TRANSMIXR, I took the opportunity to try out the final version of CAI (Cadence of Altered Illusions) as a participant. The experience brings forward a unique an innovate way to experience a story. Unlike passively watching a story unfold as we would through film or television we stepped inside it within VR. The result was something far more immediate and personal, a sense of connection shaped not just by narrative, but by interaction, presence, and immersion in a genuinely innovative storytelling format.
What is Digital, What is Real, What is Theatre, What is This?
The experience unfolds in mixed reality, merging real world (physical) spaces with an immersive journey. The story bridges a perfect balance as we experience a life journey first hand, and as a fly on the wall across multiple stages of Christian Aiken Isaacs’ (CAI) life. We witness the highs of rockstar fame, the intimacy of falling in love, and the gradual, heartbreaking decline as Alzheimer’s takes hold.
But this is no passive retelling – the story is fully interactive, taking story telling to the next level. The AI-driven character responds to your questions in real time, adapting to your presence. Rather than observing from a distance, you are acknowledged, engaged, and woven directly into their world.
"The concept of CAI (Christian Aiken Isaac) is the creation of a mixed reality (MR) experience that immerses users in the life journey of Christian Aiken Isaac, known as Aiken, as they engage with him across various stages of his life. The piece is a narrative exploration of Aiken’s transformation from a young, idealistic man into a reflective and complex individual facing the challenges of ageing and memory loss. Through a series of interactive scenes, users—referred to as interactors—step into Aiken’s world, becoming part of his story as they experience his memories, dreams, and emotions."
Blurring the Line Between Stage and Story
A core element of the experience was the seamless merging of the physical and virtual worlds. At one moment you’re seated at a real piano, and as your fingers move across the keys, the surrounding visuals respond and come to life. The boundary between stage and story begins to dissolve and pull you in unlike any other media experience… đź“ş
Tupac’s attention to detail extends beyond the headset. The carefully designed physical props reveal fragments of the AI character’s life. They don’t just exist to fill the stage, the artefacts that allow you to explore his past and present in tangible ways. The result is very personal. You don’t feel like an observer, you feel like a friend. When he offers you a beer from the fridge, it feels entirely natural to accept and open the door! 🍻
At a later stage within the experience Christian suggests to leave a note. What was mesmerising was seeing how many people prior to my experience had done just that! By the end of the day, the wall had been covered with personalised messages to a person that did not exist, but each one read like it was written to a close friend..Â
