Flat Eye presents a possible future which may be neither desirable nor avoidable.

To create this world and make it credible, MONKEY MOON took inspiration from the present. There is no lack of sources: online articles, social media videos, scientific journals and more. On the team's private chat, one observation came up again and again: ""when reality goes beyond fiction."" Things that may seem a long way off or even impossible in the game may in fact have already happened, and some of the game's narrative threads were directly inspired by these true stories.
As archivist for the project, my mission, toward the end of the development process, was to gather all of these articles to create this coherent bibliography. It provides a closer look at what inspired Flat Eye, of course, but also at our present--a time of such rapid, constant change that we don't even realize it's happening anymore.
The goal of this snapshot of the world is to place Flat Eye's major themes (artificial intelligence, the future of work, social change, etc.) in their context. The bibliography sorts articles into several different categories (with frequent overlaps) and provides a summary for each. If you're only after the links and references, you'll find it all at the bottom of the page.

September 2022. The archivist.

A crisis? A problem? No need to panic: people will find a technological solution. Not a realistic, easily rolled out, effective or existing solution, no. But an innovative, expensive, modern or even futuristic solution that inspires people and leaves them in awe, an invention that raises capital and builds a reputation for its designers. In short, a new product, because a problem or a crisis is first and foremost an opportunity.

Drones could help us Plant more Trees to help reduce Carbon Emissions

Published on December 18 2019

Seen by Flat Eye team on December 24 2019

{Content in English}

Video about start-up Dendra Systems, which makes drones that shoot beads full of seeds at the ground. These "sky tractors" aim to optimize planting.

https://imgur.com/gallery/jnO6Byc

[SOL-5] See reference details

Hope Frozen: A Quest To Live Twice (trailer)

Published on August 19 2020

Seen by Flat Eye team on August 31 2020

{Content in English}

A documentary about a Thai couple who decided to crypreserve their daughter who died of an incurable brain cancer in hopes that future technology will be able to revive and cure her.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vecjCWsrhww

[SOL-7] See reference details

What is THE LINE?

Published on July 25 2022

Seen by Flat Eye team on August 17 2022

{Content in English}

Saudi architecture firm Neom has designed a city in the middle of the desert that is 200 meters wide, 500 meters tall and 170 kilometers long. They're calling it: The Line. The city would have no roads. Instead, a train would take passengers from one end of town to the other in 20 minutes. Public services would be no more than a five-minute walk away. The project aims to house 9 million people in 34 square kilometers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kz5vEqdaSc

Note from the archivist: "What could go wrong?" asked a member of the Flat Eye team. Another thought the idea would be perfect as the basis for Spec Ops: The Line 2.

[SOL-21] See reference details

References