THE DAM x UCLA (2026)
village market tycoon
This work is an interactive market simulation made with code. It places the viewer inside a small village marketplace where they can move around, visit different shops, and collect items. Each shop has its own theme, such as flowers, books, pastries, herbs, jewelry, and more.
The goal of the simulation is to build a valuable collection by exploring the market and buying items from different stalls before time runs out. As the player moves through the space, they also encounter wandering characters, decorative objects, moving banners, and occasional coins that appear for a short time.
I wanted the market to feel active and playful rather than static. Even though everything is built from simple coded rules, the combination of movement, interaction, and visual variety creates the feeling of a living environment.
Medium:
This work was made using generative code and creative coding.
I used p5.js as the main tool to build the simulation and create the visuals, interaction, and animation. I also used Juno / Transient and the p5.js editor while developing the project. In addition, I used ChatGPT to help with coding ideas, structure, and revisions during the process.
Artist Bio:
Seyoon is a first year student at UCLA majoring in environmental science. She is interested in exploring emerging tools that combine creativity and technology. While her academic studies focus on understanding environmental systems, she is also curious about how digital technologies can be used as expressive mediums. Through learning generative coding and experimenting with AI-assisted art, Seyoon hopes to develop new technical and artistic skills.
Artist Statement:
For this project, I wanted to explore how much I could generate and recreate simple game simulation features using Juno Transient and p5.js. I was curious about how interactive mechanics like player movement, shop interaction, collectible items, timers, and UI elements could be built through generative coding.
I was also interested in experimenting with how screen space and layout could shape the experience of the environment. By generating stalls, characters, and decorative elements through code, I wanted to see how a small market world could be constructed and organized within the screen.
At the same time, I did not want the project to feel overly complicated. My goal was to create something simple and approachable that could feel like a small leisure experience rather than a complex game. The result is a playful interactive environment where the viewer can explore, collect items, and experience a small generative marketplace.
- ArtistSeyoon Jeong