OP here: I think so! I didn't cover it in the essay but Evreinov had an essay about "The Theatre of the Future" where he imagines something very similar to VR.
"Five years ago, a mysterious disaster unleashed lethal, invisible storms across the world. Today, you've joined a scientific expedition to Edinburgh that hopes to put humanity back on its feet. You have three hours to deploy prototype spatial computers across a park and investigate the storms – but not everyone will get what they want, and no-one will emerge unscathed."
Strandfall is an orienteering-style live action role playing game (larp) for 20-30 people, inspired by Stalker, Death Stranding, Eclipse, Station Eleven, and solarpunk, made in the Nordic larp tradition.
It might, if we weren't planning to put prominent stickers on the tripods making clear they're part of a larp, and also getting permission from the park and council and consulting with local parkgoers.
My friend and I are building Strandfall, a highly physical outdoor larp (live action role playing game) that uses custom spatial computers: https://strandfall.com
Players are survivors of a global disaster that has unleashed mysterious, deadly storms. For three hours, they investigate the origin of the storms and make fateful decisions about their future as individuals and as a community.
We received Immersive Arts funding, which means we can run it in Edinburgh later this year. Here's an excerpt from our 2025 grant application about exactly what those are:
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Our “storm sensors” are novel spatial computers designed for outdoor usage over long distances. They will house ePaper displays, LoRa (long range) radios, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and GPS chips in a 3D-printed enclosure to provide a low-tech way to augment the reality of the park. These computers will be cheaper, more rugged, longer-lived, and more capable than smartphones, deployable to locations with zero cellular service and no battery charging options.
The sensors will be mounted on top of camera tripods for deployment. Runners will carry them through the park, then position and aim them in the correct direction, as co-ordinated by “operators” using walkie talkies. This will let players feel like they are really setting up important equipment, scanning historical sites for clues (like surveyors), and establishing laser communication links. Lacking colourful touchscreens, the sensors will be less distracting for runners, helping them focus on their surroundings. Essentially, they are a highly tactile and deeply realistic way of immersing players in a post-apocalyptic setting, since such devices – not smartphones – are the most likely to be used.
Author here: Genuinely not sure how this appeared again today, but I’m glad to see it!
I have not affiliation with the team, but I really like what they do. They are currently crowdfunding €850,000 to build a permanent installation for the larp and are about a quarter of the way funded: