''Puppet Motel'' is a 1995

CD-ROM A CD-ROM (, compact disc read-only memory) is a type of read-only memory consisting of a pre-pressed optical compact disc that contains data. Computers can read—but not write or erase—CD-ROMs. Some CDs, called enhanced CDs, hold both comput ...

developed by The

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and released exclusively for the Apple

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. Written and featuring by American singer-performance artist Laurie Anderson and designed by Hsin-Chien Huang, the CD-ROM is a mixture of video, audio and interactive digital artwork. The title comes from a song on Anderson's then-recent album, 1994's '' Bright Red''. The song is among numerous Anderson compositions performed on the soundtrack, which features the first release of the song "Down in Soho". Anderson appears in digitized video form, both as herself and (using a vocal modulator to lower the pitch), as the voice of a ventriloquist's dummy. The CD-ROM contains many

Easter eggs Easter eggs, also called Paschal eggs, are eggs that are decorated for the Christian feast of Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. As such, Easter eggs are common during the season of Eastertide (Easter season). The oldest tra ...

: hotspots that trigger video or audio segments. For example, clicking in the correct spot will trigger a video of the dummy performing the song "Puppet Motel". Among features/activities on the CD-ROM (as promoted on the app's packaging): * Leave messages on an answering machine. * Play a celestial version of

connect the dots Connect the dots (also known as connect-the-dots, dot to dot, or join the dots) is a form of puzzle containing a sequence of numbered dots. When a line is drawn connecting the dots the outline of an object is revealed. The puzzles frequently c ...

to create one's own constellation. * Play a digital version of an electronic violin. * View Anderson discussing set design and other aspects of her recent "Nerve Bible" tour. * More than an hour of music. It was a non-mass-market CD-ROM, and along with ''Who Built America?'' had only middling financial success and could not prevent the company from a round of lay offs. As of 2022, ''Puppet Model'' has yet to be reissued or made available online. The original CD-ROM runs on an early version of the MacOS that is no longer supported by modern Apple devices (which also lack CD-ROM drives), making the work difficult to access, though video excerpts have been posted to

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Critical reception

''The Obscuritory'' felt the title gave the player an experience "all at once dark, confusing, desolate, and beautiful." CDM acknowledged that the work was self-aware as "media recognizing the demise of the CD". Digital Culture felt the title went beyond a game to become a "freestanding work of art".

References

{{Reflist

External links

Laurie Anderson Interview 1995 CD-ROM Interactive

Electronic Entertainment interview
1995 video games Adventure games Art games Classic Mac OS games Fictional hotels Fictional puppets Video games based on musicians Video games about toys Video games developed in the United States Windows games Works by Laurie Anderson