Games and Playfulness for Communities

Games and Playfulness for Communities

Dr. Kate Raynes-Goldie

Icebreaker game

• What was fun?

• What was not fun?

• What would you change?

Who am I?

now that you’ve all met each otherfirst off, been car free since 2007 (hurrah!) and a living smart facilitator, so this is close ot my heartbeen making community focused games since 2007, gentrification, gaming privacy and also teach game design and run workshops

This morning

• Community games intro

• Examples of game-supported behavioral change

• Play some games

• Game debrief

• Making our own games

Questions please!

left time for questions as we go

What are community games?

Urban games

Street games

Pervasive games

Locative gamesBig games

Alternate Reality Games

thinking beyond video games as games

board gamesexertion games and exergaming

social and casual games

immersive and interactive theatre

Phygital gamesgames for change

Community focus

• In communities

• For communities

• With communities

• World as the game board

Supporting behavioral change with games and

play• Rewards

• Spectacles

• Simulations

• Combination of one or more

Some examples

• Wide variety of genres, but more focus on physicality, community and accessibility

• Playful experiences

• More than just video games!

Thinking like a game designer, inspiration from many sourcesgames as games

Rewards

Why?

• Gamification (game elements to make boring things fun)

• Behavioral change uses game elements

• Feedback, encouragement, progress, rewards

My QuitBuddy

Chromaroma

• Uses Oyster card (like TransPerth card)

• Collect and own places, like Foursquare

• Rewards for various activities/behaviours

Simulations

Why?

• Get over initial hurdle

• Empathy, an alternative perspective

• Spectrum of realism

Situation Rooms

•

Zombies, Run!

zombie simulatorother end of the spectrumobviously has rewards toocombination rewards and simulation

Gentrification: The Game

combination spectacle and simulation

Spectacles

Why?

• Get attention for message or cause

• Accessible

• Intriguing, gets pass cynicism

No Pants Subway Ride

• A social game of flouting conventions

• viral spread of message

• Agents, missions and an App

Train Mafia

combination spectacle and simulation

Let’s play some games!

Gargoyles

• Fun?

• Not fun?

• What to change?

Spaceteam

• Fun?

• Not fun?

• What to change?

A bit more on Gargoyles

• Jaime Woo’s first game

• No technology

• Low entry barrier for creation and play

• Spectacle and game

similarly space team was created by one indie dev. obviously you need coding and game skills, but it isn’t a triple A game which have budgets in the millions.

Making our own games

• A game like Gargoyles or Spaceteam, but for promoting public transport?

• Simulation, rewards, spectacle?

Some tips to get you started

• Start with experience, goal or story (rather than tech)

• Work with stakeholders and communities

Playtesting

• Effective, fun games

• Co-creating with stakeholders and communities

Start making games

• Game Design Workshop

• Adapt existing games

adapting existing games, being inspired by existing games

Thinking like a game designer

• Highly interdisciplinary

• Kids in the playground

• Is it really any different than writing, making music or filmmaking?

a bit on my story

“I am a game designer”(Schell 2008)

Resources

Ludocity.org

• Free, open source pervasive games

• Can be adapted

Let’s Make Games

• Perth-based

• Workshops, events, Facebook group

• Largely video game based: letsmakegames.org

Playup Perth!

• Free

• Every 2 months

• Next one this Saturday (March 1, 1pm in Fremantle: playupperth.eventbrite.com.au)

Emotional Play

• March 4, 6-9pm, FTI (Fremantle)

• Workshop and lecture: emotionalplay.eventbrite.com.au

Thanks!

kate@atmosphereindustries.com

atmosphereindustries.com

@oceanpark