BEZOS on Base

I had been building a 3D world designed to help people visualize a swarm of externally managed quant agents: agents that read the tape, execute algorithmic trades, run backtests, and more. Then the NIO meme took hold, and I realized I could use that same world to produce a short film, a kind of easter egg hidden inside it. One idea led to the next: rats storming the beach in a U-boat, headed for a rave. Then it hit me that the rats could actually attack the island, and the quants would have to defend it. In 48 hours last week, I made three films: Orchestra, Rave, and War. Then I decided to turn the battle for the island into a massive online FPS game. That’s what I’ve spent the last three days building. It’s strange to think about how many forms human creativity can take, and how one project can quietly turn into something you never planned to make. You can watch the video capture I made of the 3D world, or see the live animation on the quant website. Soon, you’ll be able to fight the war yourself in OPERATION NEEGY: IT’S OVER. And it all started because I saw a video of a rat orchestra performing a song based on a Theo Von meme about the end times: neegy, it being over, and trynna smash bro’s booty. It sounds absurd, but that’s the point. A rat video built on a meme somehow captured the zeitgeist perfectly: the feeling that it’s all over, and the urge to keep going anyway. Nothing lasts forever. Learning to embrace change, and even to enjoy it, is the best way to protect your mind and keep you not dead.