Tenerife Space of the Arts (TEA) will host the Tech Noir segment next Tuesday, 25 March, and Wednesday, 26 March, as part of the Santa Cruz Technology week. This segment will offer a series of discussions centred on innovation, video games, and interactive storytelling from the Noir genre perspective. The presentations will be led by composer Sara López, who specialises in video game music and streaming. José Manuel Bermúdez, the mayor of the capital of Tenerife, announced this initiative, emphasising that “we are enhancing our commitment to technology in order to continue exploring the realm of innovation.”
Bermúdez also highlighted that “for the first time, we will have a specific focus on Noir themes related to technology in this fourteenth edition of Santa Cruz Technology” and assessed that “we aim to investigate how the Noir genre influences interactive storytelling and video games in collaboration with the Tenerife Noir festival, which has maintained this line of work for several years and incorporated it into technological programming.”
Carmen Pérez, the CEO of the Development Society, remarked that “with these talks, we will officially commence Technological Week, featuring presenters of very high calibre in both training and experience,” adding that “attendance to these events is free until full capacity is reached.”
On Tuesday, 25 March, the cycle will begin at 11:00 a.m. with Joan Pons, a Game Design Professor and Coordinator of the Design and Production of Video Games degree at Pompeu Fabra University, who will discuss “Noir and Neo Noir in Video Games: Mechanical and Narrative Evolution.” He will examine the genre’s evolution in notable titles ranging from Grim Fandango (Lucas Arts, 1998) to Cyberpunk 2077 (CD Projekt Red, 2020). This presentation will explore some of these “narrative mechanics” and illustrate their origins, development, and application in the video gaming field.
At 12:00 p.m., Oscar Sahun, a prominent game designer focused on independent development, will deliver the conference “Strategic Game Design: Market and Player Psychology,” scrutinising the significance of strategic design in attracting and retaining players. His experience includes participation in the development of nine video games as a Game Designer and/or 3D artist. “In this talk, we will discuss how successful game design must strike a balance between creativity and strategy, aligning the developer’s vision with market expectations,” Pérez elucidates.
On Wednesday, 26 March, at 11:00 a.m., Modesto García, a graphic designer and content creator, will present “Interactive Criminal Stories: Designing Plots That Are Investigated, Not Just Read,” focusing on how the audience becomes an active participant in digital narratives. Councillor Carmen Pérez notes that “she has created content for platforms such as Netflix, Penguin Random House, Universal, Disney+, and Max, among others.” García, alongside Manuel Bartual, is behind #ElgraSecuestro (Playz de RTVE) and #Silustrados.
At 11:40 a.m., Daniel Candil, art director at Alkimia Interactive (THQ Nordic) and a Doctor of Fine Arts as well as a university lecturer, will give a talk entitled “Shadows That Narrate: The Art of Noir in Video Game Art Direction,” illustrating how visual techniques enhance the narrative within the Noir genre. “We will explore how an artistic direction inspired by Noir cinema can amplify the dramatic essence of a narrative video game, reclaiming essential elements of chiaroscuro, composition, and atmosphere,” Pérez explains.
To conclude the day, at 12:20 p.m., Meri Palas and Jorge García, founders of Ckolmos Narrative – an independent narrative development studio dedicated since 2018 to crafting Oniria World – will present “Interactive Noir,” sharing their experiences in creating narrative-driven video games like “Oniria Crime” and exploring how to construct complex and transmedia narratives that actively engage the audience.
During this presentation, Meri and Jorge will discuss the interplay of crime, investigation, and immersive narratives in constructing a story where the player not only discovers but also makes choices.
Santa Cruz Technology is organised by the Development Society of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council and receives backing from Tenerife Tourism of the Insular Cabildo, the General Foundation of the University of La Laguna, and Promotur Tourism of the Canary Islands.
