Chao Bing: A Read-Only Memory Experience

Chao Bing: A Read-Only Memory Experience is an interactive memoir in the style of a 90s CD-ROM storybook game.

The game features narrated storybook scenes and mini-games based on moments from my childhood to tell a larger story about time, memory, and transformation. Chao Bing is a game––and also about the performative and poetic act of making a game.

Chao Bing takes place as a web-based game on itch.io, and also has been presented in an exhibition format and a live-performance.

Gameplay

Credits

Design, art, programming: Jackie Liu

Soundtrack: Don Hanson

Exhibition

I exhibited Chao Bing as part of the Art & Code group exhibition at Dunkunsthalle (an art gallery out of a former Dunkin Donuts) during NEW INC's DEMO2023 Festival. To adapt the game to be suitable for exhibition, I displayed a playable demo of the game in a Raspberry Pi computer in kiosk mode and connected it to an early 2000s monitor--all within my "childhood bedroom".

Photography by Isaiah Winters

Performance

In December 2023, I adapted the story of Chao Bing into a live-performance during my 1-week residency at CultureHub. You can learn more and view the recording on CultureHub's project page for the event.

Photography by Eric Leong

Acknowledgements

I'm so thankful for the friends and mentors who have seen me through making this piece and/or given me critical feedback and support.

Special thanks to NEW INC for supporting this project and the team at CultureHub for giving me the space to develop it further.