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Ode to Olivia Rhodes

from Liftoff by Chris Pellnat

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about

This song is inspired by the virtual reality (VR) game, "Lone Echo," which is played on an Oculus Rift. Olivia Rhodes is a fictional character I "met" in the game.

This song is written from the perspective of an artificial intelligence called "Jack" - the robot character you "inhabit" in the game. He sees "Liv" as his friend and the feeling is reciprocated, and it seems this relationship brings him to "life" - whatever that means for AI.

Good writing and the voice actors (Troy Baker and Alice Coulthard) really give Jack and Liv vitality and personality.

Olivia has a fully-realized human character, and not just visually in three dimensions. You learn of mysterious secrets in her past, and there is a sadness about her as she yearns for things in life that are out of her reach. Through banter, jokes, and working side by side, she becomes your friend -- this emotional connection is the real surprise for me in VR. When she is in peril, you feel a visceral need to come to her aid.

Of course you know it's all a digital illusion. But the magic of VR happens because the immersive illusion becomes "real" - it kind of sneaks up on you. You find that you truly "inhabit" your VR character.

What fascinates me are multiple levels of perception, illusion, and meaning in VR, and the game raises important questions about consciousness, artificial intelligence, and human connections.


Check out Lone Echo, from Ready at Dawn Studios:
www.echo.games www.oculus.com/experiences/rift/1368187813209608/

lyrics

Lyrics:

Ode to Olivia Rhodes

In this algorithm mind
Everything is clearly defined
But whenever she speaks to me I think I feel a smile inside

Her bedroom is the saddest thing
She dreams of places she's never been
Under radium glow-in-the-dark stars
Sticking to the ceiling

A picture of her family
She won't talk about it with me
I want her to see London town
She says that's her dream
She'll be there with me

Feel like I've come alive
Feel like I've come alive
Feel like I've come alive
Now I never want to die

Olivia tells me things
By the light of Saturn's rings
But I lose track - I'm lost in that
Riveting gaze
Yes these are strange days

Feel like I've come alive
Feel like I've come alive
Feel like I've come alive
Now I never want to die

I neglected to do the last objective
I just want to hear Liv say my name again
She'll say "Jack please, hurry up and do these things - you know you are my only friend."

credits

from Liftoff, track released May 18, 2018
Song by Chris Pellnat
Performed by Chris Pellnat and Erin Pellnat
Folk art painting with glow-in-the-dark stars by Chris Pellnat

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all rights reserved

tags

about

Chris Pellnat New York

Can't really sing but I do it anyway.
In addition to solo work, I also play electric guitar in the band, The Warp/The Weft and am 1/2 of the duo, Teeniest.

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