Description
Nonadecimal Creative is a collaboration between imaginative minds to produce satisfying stories and emergent interactions.
Focus areas include generative narrative, simulating human behaviors and emotions, modeling complex systems, and social impact games.
History
Two experiences in its founder’s life inspire Nonadecimal Creative:
– Working in autonomous robotics created a drive to translate human decision-making into simple systems of rules and recreate personalities in software.
– Designing stories, puzzles, and ARGs for The Matrix Online MMO revealed storytelling as a language for altering perceptions to cause conflict or cooperation in a virtual world, leading to a passion for social impact games.
Nonadecimal Creative’s mission expands these ideas (and other ambitions) in the simulated worlds of videogames while trying to inspire others.
Projects
Black Ice [early 2024]
a cyberpunk FPS in a cyberspace open-world RPG: hack greedy corporations and help struggling people survive capitalism
Jovian Nights [2025]
an episodic & systemic narrative for up to 4 players set in a space station orbiting Jupiter
Automata Empire [released April 8, 2016] (press page)
a cellular automata strategy game about governing unruly monsters with feedback loops
Social Justice Warriors [released May 12, 2014] (press page)
a satirical role-playing game about dismissive labels and the pitfalls of online interaction
The Matrix Online [2005 – 2009]
designed ARGs, ongoing story arcs, and weekly events for the MMO while improv acting story characters live
Generative narrative and simulating human emotions in virtual agents
Press
“Social Justice Warriors fascinated me because it shows the potential that video games have beyond entertainment: to be instruments of education, and conduits through which ideas can be disseminated, shared, and discussed.”
Why We Need Games Like Social Justice Warriors – IGN
“I love this, I think. I’ve been a fan of Conway’s Game of Life ever since I first read Levy’s book, and it’s so interesting to see how little of a nudge it needs to be transformed into something like Automata Empire – and how much it in turn brings to a genre that I thought I understood.”
Automata Empires: An RTS Based on Conway’s Game of Life – Eurogamer
“In fact, for some, he was The Matrix. It was his job to write in-game scenarios and puzzles, and actually perform as NPCs in the massive multiplayer online game. The lines between reality and internet, and between playing the game and being the game, were often paper thin.”
The Matrix Online, internet fury, and being an empathic robot with Eric Ford – Destructoid
Automata Empire featured in PC PowerPlay issue #252 (page 32)
Trailers
Black Ice Trailer
Automata Empire – Release Trailer
Social Justice Warriors – Steam Release Trailer
Interviews
IGN Interview for Social Justice Warriors at PAX South 2015
Sup Holmes Interview about Social Justice Warriors and The Matrix Online, 2015
Logo/Icons
Collaborators
Eric Ford = creative lead, code, art, sound
Justin Aftab = music, sound (Jovian Nights, Automata Empire, Social Justice Warriors, Afterdeath)
Garrett Cooper = code, design (Black Ice)
Cédrine Pradier = art (Jovian Nights)
Justin Courson = music, sound (Jovian Nights)
James Hostetler = art (Automata Empire, Souls & Accounting)
Maarten Boot = art (Social Justice Warriors)
Madeline Jacques = art, marketing (Souls & Accounting, BIKE GAME, Afterdeath)