Richie Hawtin Presents: Proof of Performance & SYNC CITY
Year
2022 - 2023
Type
Web3, Gaming
Role
Creative Direction, UI/UX Design, Project Management, User Research
Since it began in 2022, this ongoing initiative envisioned by Richie Hawtin has grown into a collection of interconnected projects that merge live performance, blockchain technology, and interactive gaming. At its core is:
A live NFT Minting platform & revolutionary revenue model for real-time royalty splits
An interactive universe built in Unreal Engine
A DJ game where the game mechanics are controlled by Richie Hawtin’s live DJ performance
Live Minting and Real-Time Royalties
Proof of Performance is a preview of Richie Hawtin’s new concept which integrates Live Minting on the Tezos blockchain into his DJ performances.
The Live Minting platform allows audiences to mint moments during a Richie Hawtin DJ set. These time-stamped moments are transcoded and cut into a mintable format, before being uploaded to IPFS alongside track, artist and wallet details, creating an immutable and collectible memory.
The first iteration took place at Proof of People by VerticalCrypto Art at Fabric in July 2022.
Proof of Performance at Proof of People, Fabric, 2022
This proof of concept also explores how to issue real-time music royalties, direct from Rich’s system straight into the crypto wallets of the artists whose music he plays.
For these shows, Rich asks producers to submit unreleased music and demos with their Tezos wallet address included in the metadata of the audio file.
This experiment proposes a new revenue model for the music industry, redistributing earnings transparently and efficiently.
Each mint encapsulates:
A small audiovisual file captured in real time
Metadata detailing the tracks, play state (loop on/off), volume, and other technical details
Artist wallet addresses & split %
Connecting the Virtual and Real Worlds
The visual element of Proof of Performance uses Unreal Engine to create a live, interactive universe in real-time, driven by data from Rich’s physical interactions and movements with his machines.
Built by Parametric Programmer VanTa and 3D Artist Marc Houle, this interactive universe is constructed of virtual versions of Richie Hawtin's IRL Playdifferently MODEL 1 mixer, a Launchpad and two K2 Controllers.
All of Richie Hawtin’s physical actions on the mixer and controllers during a live performance are reflected in the virtual world version in real time via MIDI data, which is sent into Unreal Engine and mapped to the sliders, knobs, and LEDs.
The Playdifferently MODEL 1 mixer he uses is a customised MIDI version modified specifically for this use case.
The visual direction went through numerous iterations, drawing inspiration from James Turrell’s immersive lightscapes, the futurism of Tron, minimalist grid-like spaces and atmospheric surrealism.
Game Evolution: SYNC CITY
Building on the foundation of the interactive universe, SYNC CITY expands the concept into an interactive gaming experience.
Real-time information from Richie Hawtin’s live DJ performance is used to influence and manipulate the gaming environment.
The game mechanics are controlled by live performance data, altering the virtual world dynamically.
Developed in Unreal Engine, the game is accessible via web browsers for select players.
A live Twitch stream showcases a player’s perspective, creating a spectator experience.
Game and Stream Test
In October 2023, we tested the game with a small group of fans recruited from Richie Hawtin's Discord server. The game was hosted remotely and accessed via a web link, making it easy for players to join.
With Rich performing live from his Berlin studio, this test pushed technological boundaries, streaming synchronized audio and performance data directly into Unreal Engine and through the browser to users in real-time.
The session gave us valuable feedback and insights, validating the concept while uncovering opportunities to refine the experience further.
Credits
Envisioned by Richie Hawtin
Creative Direction - Joëlle Snaith
Programming & Unreal Engine Development - VanTa
Unreal Engine World Building - Marc Houle
Backline - Kostas Richter
Sound Engineer - Johannes Kraemer
Media Architect - Joris Röling
Networking & IT - Bryan McDade