FAQ

Downonly is a performative art installation that combines digital and physical elements to explore themes of ephemerality and inevitability. Participants can interact with the installation by bidding in a Dutch auction to choose combinations of characters, objects, and environments, which are then simulated to form a falling sequence. The physical setup includes a computer pushed by a motorized broom at the top of a staircase. The computer is moved towards the edge until it ultimately falls, concluding the simulation.

The physical Installation of Downonly is on display at Espacio SOLO in Madrid. It’s interactive phase, during which the broom pushes the computer until it falls, can be experienced live at the space from Wednesday 20th of November 7 pm (CET) on. The fall of the computer will happen, depending on the level of participation in the online-auction, 16,5 - 24,2 hours later (between Thursday, 11:30 am and 7:40 pm). Be aware that access to Espacio SOLO is limited. For the 20th and 21st you can book a slot here. For visiting Espacio SOLO after the performance and see the whole collection including the remaining Downonly-installation, you can book a slot here.

Besides visiting its physical space, you can watch a live feed of the installation on the "Webcam" section of downonly.xyz. You can observe the computer's position on the staircase in real-time, as well as the ongoing falls being simulated.

To participate, you'll need to connect your Ethereum wallet to the Downonly smart contract through our website. Once connected, you can join the Dutch auctions to bid on and mint your preferred fall combination.

Yes, you are free to select any combination of character, object and environment for the creation of your digital artwork. But be aware, that each character, object and environment is only available 3 times. So your options become fewer over time.

A Dutch auction is a type of auction where the price starts high and decreases over time until a participant accepts the current price and thereby ends the auction. In Downonly each round of auction starts with a maximum price of 1.1 Ethereum and decreases after every minute by 0.1 Ethereum until the minimum price of 0.1 Ethereum is reached. Your bid determines how far the computer is moved to the edge by the broom for that round.

The amount you bid in the auction directly influences the distance the computer is pushed by the broom. A maximum bid of 1.1 Ethereum moves the computer 1.1 cm, accelerating its approach to the edge, while the minimum bid of 0.1 Ethereum moves it only 0.1 cm, slowing the process.

If no participant bids during an auction round of 11 minutes, the computer is automatically pushed by the maximum penalty distance of 1.1 cm for that round, speeding up the progression towards the end of the simulation.

Auctions are scheduled to occur continuously throughout the performance, with each auction followed by a 33-minute break. The duration of each auction can vary from 0 to 11 minutes, depending on when a bid is placed, making the total time from the start of one auction to the start of the next range from 33 to 44 minutes.

The minimum runtime of the performance is approximately 16.5 hours for 30 falls if all rounds end immediately after a participant has bid on the highest price. The maximum runtime possible is 24.2 hours for 33 falls if all are ended by minimum bids at the very end of each auction period.

The auction process in Downonly is governed by a smart contract on the Ethereum blockchain, which guarantees fairness and transparency. However, it's important to note that the dynamics of bidding allow for immediate closures of an auction round by higher bids. Participants with the financial capability to make higher bids can influence which characters, objects, and environments fall next, introducing a hierarchy within the experience. This mechanism ensures that while the auction process itself is fair in terms of transparency and opportunity for participation, the influence on the sequence of events can be significantly swayed by those willing to spend more. Higher payments accelerate the movement of the computer towards the edge, shortening the duration of the installation. Conversely, lower bids slow this progression down, but any lack of bids during one round results in a penalty push that moves the computer the same distance of 1,1 cm a bid for the maximum price does. Thus, the computer's inevitable approach towards the edge is continuous and unavoidable, with the pace variably controlled by participant engagement.

Yes, all minted falls are recorded and can be viewed in the "Minted" section of downonly.xyz. They can also be found on IPFS and on major NFT marketplaces, e.g., OpenSea.

Each fall sequence is uniquely recorded as a GLB and an mp4. The data is stored on the blockchain and displayed on the website. This includes also details about the character-object-environment-combinations, and the distance based on the overall sequence. All assets are tied to the minter’s address.

Yes, all minted fall sequences from Downonly, along with associated data such as GLB and MP4 files, are permanently stored on the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS). This decentralized storage solution assigns each piece of content a unique, persistent hash, making it accessible indefinitely and immune to data loss typically associated with central server failures. Even in the event of a breakdown or discontinuation of the Downonly website, this data remains accessible on IPFS, providing eternal, tamper-proof storage. This ensures that participants and viewers can access the fall sequences at any time in the future, regardless of the status of our primary platform.

Once you mint a fall in Downonly, it typically takes a few minutes for the transaction to be confirmed on the blockchain. However, during times of high network congestion, there may be delays. Downonly has a built-in grace period to wait for network congestion to decrease and transaction costs to lower. This grace period aims to optimize the timing of uploads to ensure cost efficiency and speed. If the network remains congested beyond this grace period, Downonly will proceed to mint the fall regardless. Generally, you can expect your minted fall to be visible on both the website and IPFS within 10 to 15 minutes after the minting process is complete, depending on network conditions. This ensures that participants can access and share their unique digital artifacts in a timely manner.

Every fall is part of a continuous sequence, and while combinations of characters, objects, and environments can be repeated, each is unique due to the unpredictable nature of the simulation and the ongoing narrative of falls. When you mint a combination, you can see it being simulated via the live webcam. The sound is also generated in real time and is unique to every piece.

The sound is generative, meaning that every fall and its sound are unique; both are simulated and generated in real time.

Yes, we have noticed issues when using MetaMask with Firefox, where users may encounter difficulties connecting their wallets or seeing correct website content. To avoid these problems, we recommend using MetaMask with browsers like Google Chrome, Edge or Vivaldi.

The smart contract governing the auctions and interactions within Downonly is open source and available for public review on GitHub. This allows for community verification and audit, which helps maintain high standards of security. Additionally, the contract follows established Ethereum development best practices to ensure that all transactions are secure, and the data integrity is upheld.

Downonly has been carefully tested to minimize bugs and software errors. However, the system is still an experiment, so things can go wrong. In the event of an error or hack during the auction, our team can halt and restart the process, providing a temporarily layer of security to protect the integrity of the platform and its participants. Should there be any unexpected technical issues during a live simulation, our team is able to address and resolve these issues quickly to minimize disruption.

To guarantee that the computer falls off the edge without hindrance, the cable connecting it is prepped to easily disconnect when the computer reaches the critical point of falling.

When the computer reaches the edge and falls, it marks the end of the installation. The final simulation will be recorded and available for viewing, and no further auctions or simulations will take place.

In this case the system will automatically activate the force-push. This ensures that the computer is pushed to complete the 33 cm distance to the edge and falls down the stairs, concluding the performance.

If the Ethereum gas prices are excessively high, participants may choose to wait until the transaction costs become more favorable. Downonly does not automatically adjust or pause auctions due to fluctuating gas prices, so participants should monitor gas prices and bid accordingly. Planning your participation during times of lower network activity may help in reducing these costs.

There are no additional fees charged by Downonly for participating in the auctions or viewing the falls. However, standard Ethereum network transaction fees (gas fees) apply when making bids and minting falls.

The bid amounts are fixed in Ethereum and do not change with fluctuations in market price. Participants should be aware of the current exchange rates and manage their bids accordingly to optimize their participation costs.

In Downonly, if two participants place a bid at the same price, the bid that is registered first on the blockchain is given priority and the later bid will revert. This is due to the nature of blockchain technology, where transactions are timestamped as they are added to the blockchain and processed sequentially. Participants are encouraged to place their bids as early as possible within the auction time frame to secure their desired bid level.

Yes, the smart contract for Downonly includes provisions for royalties on secondary sales of the NFTs. However, whether these royalties are enforced depends on the specific NFT marketplace where the resale occurs. Some marketplaces honor the royalty mechanisms defined in the smart contract, while others do not. Participants should verify the policies of the marketplace they intend to use for secondary sales. 6. Contingency and Support.

In the event of an electricity or Wi-Fi outage, the Downonly system is designed to pause and resume from the exact point of interruption. Once power and connectivity are restored, the installation and all associated processes will continue from where they were halted.

In Downonly, the simulation computer is a unique and irreplaceable component of the installation. While there are no backups that can replace it, we have conducted multiple tests to ensure its stability and reliability throughout the performance. Should an unforeseen system failure occur, an automated mechanism is triggered to push the computer down the stairs, ensuring that the installation reaches its planned conclusion. This measure is part of our commitment to maintaining the integrity of the performance.

Downonly is managed by a small team and as such, we are unable to offer dedicated support. The project is experimental in nature, and while we strive to ensure it runs smoothly, there may be unforeseen issues for which we cannot take responsibility. Participants are encouraged to approach Downonly with an understanding of these limitations. For minor issues or queries, you may consult this FAQ section, which provides guidance on common questions and challenges.

While all transactions are public on the blockchain, personal information is not required to participate in the auctions. Participants can use blockchain addresses that do not link directly to their personal identities.

Once a fall is minted, the transaction is final. There are no refunds or exchanges possible as each minted fall is a permanent record on the blockchain.

Once a bid is placed and accepted as the highest bid at that moment, it cannot be withdrawn. Participants should bid carefully and ensure they are committed to the selection and payment.