The Skatable City
New Media, Workshops | 2023
The Skateable City is a spinoff of the project What a Mess and combines the original project’s ethos to “explore the untapped narrative potential of the urban fabric” with the DIY spirit of creative appropriation of space both found in the skateboarding and game modding communities. All this while exploring topics of creative appropriation, accessibility and urban (in)hospitality in the public space.
This is done by using 3D scans of real locations or physical objects (using Polycam) and transposing them into modded versions of popular skateboarding videogames (such as SkaterXL or Tony Hawk series).
Importing custom assets to SkaterXL is made possible by XLObjectdropper mod by MCBTay Using the Tony Hawk series games is made possible by the mod THUG PRO and its devoted community at THPSX.
PSS x Tears Skate Obstacles
During a PSS (Robin Rosbak aka Part-Time Skatespotter) and TEARS event, I had the opporunity to 3D scan obstacles designed and built by @adri_adri_a3 and @roccoflego, and collectively painted during an event at Warmoesstraat 67 and later skated in a jam at Skatepark Noord in Amsterdam.
3D scanned using Polycam and then re-modeled and baked original textures in Blender. Here you can check the original scans: Scan 1 | Scan 2 | Scan 3a | Scan 3b
After that, the models were imported to a modded version of SkaterXL and digitally skated. Get the SkaterXL assets here: https://mod.io/g/skaterxl/m/pssxtears
Arles x Tony Hawk Pro Skater
Recently, we’ve tried to integrate real-wold locations in the iconic Tony Hawk Pro Skater game series using the community-run mod THUG Pro. A particular challenge considering it’s a game with over 20 years.
This is a short demo/ proof of concept integrating Place de la République in Arles into the videogame to be skated
