Hide&Seek · Project!Implementation!Considerations! Game!Methods! 4!! Figure2.1 Hide&Seek,in,the,Normal,game,mode., 2.2.3 SpaceDshifted, To!exploit!the!possibilities!offered!by ...

Hide&Seek

1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1

2. Project Implementation Considerations .......................................................................................... 2 2.1 Gamification and Player Discovery ............................................................................................ 2 2.2 Game Methods .......................................................................................................................... 3

2.2.1 Basic Purpose and Objective .............................................................................................. 3 2.2.2 Normal mode ...................................................................................................................... 3 2.2.3 Space-‐shifted ...................................................................................................................... 4 2.2.4 Time-‐shifted ........................................................................................................................ 5

2.3 Universal design ........................................................................................................................ 6 2.4 Alternative Input and Feedback Methods ................................................................................. 6

3. Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 8

References .............................................................................................................................................. 9 List of Figures ...................................................................................................................................... 9 List of Tables ....................................................................................................................................... 9

1. Introduction

The availability of mobile, handheld computing and communication terminals with a variety of

sensors and wireless technologies have paved the way for a host of applications for both utility and

entertainment. Many of the entertainment applications that have seen success are based on classical

or otherwise well-‐known games or game concepts. As an extension of this, we propose a mobile

entertainment application called Hide&Seek.

"Miniaturized sensors and actuators are advancing rapidly, communications networks

are becoming ubiquitous, and standards for wireless networking are being established.

Above all, technology and design are breaking down the wall that has historically

separated computing from the rest of life." (Agre 2001, 178)

Project Implementation Considerations Gamification and Player Discovery

2

Throughout the paper, the term Hide&Seek will be used to refer to the proposed application

development, while the term hide-‐and-‐seek will be used to denote the classic real-‐life children’s

game of similar concepts.

2. Project Implementation Considerations

2.1 Gamification and Player Discovery While one may view the Hide&Seek application as a modernization of the traditional children’s game

of hide-‐and-‐seek, we would also like to propose an supplementary interpretation of the setting of

the application as a gamification of friend locator services like Apple’s Find My Friends or Google

Latitude. Deterding et al. (2011) explains the process of gamification as the introduction of ludic

game-‐elements in a non-‐game setting to achieve gamification:

"We believe that “gamification” does indeed demarcate a distinct but previously

unspecified group of phenomena, namely the complex of gamefulness, gameful

interaction, and gameful design, which are different from the more established concepts

of playfulness, playful interaction, or design for playfulness. Based on this observation,

we propose the following definition: “Gamification” is the use of game design elements

in non-‐game contexts." (Deterding et al. 2011, 10)

Deterding et al. (2011) in this way claims that there is no implicit restriction of what non-‐ludic

activities that can be turned into entertaining games, since it is the structure, reward system and the

game elements themselves that provide entertainment value – not the activity of the game in itself.

Many games are based on activities that are not in themselves of any entertainment value (Diner

Dash, FarmVille, Sally’s Salon). Gamification refutes the need for entertainment value in the process

itself: "Why didn´t every single one of them get laughed out of in the building? The answer is simple:

it is the mechanics of a game -‐ not the theme -‐ that make it fun" (Zichermann and Cunningham 2011,

2-‐3). The interpretation of Hide&Seek as a gamification of friend location services then gives us the

ability to defend the attempt of creating such a game – by adding structured game elements to the

fairly day-‐to-‐day task of locating other people, an entertaining game can be created.

"In other work Larissa Hjorth and I observed that of the 21 female students surveyed in

July 2008 at RMIT and Murdoch University in Australia, the 11 who played casual mobile

games most often did so while waiting for friends in public places or while travelling on

public transport, revealing how the mobile game becomes co-‐opted by the ‘body-‐in-‐

waiting’, in situations of solitary co-‐presence" (Zichermann and Cunningham 2011, 423)

Game Methods Project Implementation Considerations

3

"If “context” means “place,” then a place might have “house rules” that limit the

potential range of functionality of devices that are located within in." (Agre 2001, 184)

2.2 Game Methods

2.2.1 Basic Purpose and Objective Taking the game structure and rules from the children’s game hide-‐and-‐seek, we have developed

four different game modes that we envision will act as gamificating factors that will help make the

game an entertaining success on a mobile platform. In its most basic implementation, hider will be

able to lock in to a geographical position, while the seeker will be shown some abstracted indicator

of the remaining distance between the seeker and the hide.

However, to provide engaging elements, several other game modes have been developed to

provide alternate ways to engage with the game while increasing accessibility. The two dimensions of

time and space were selected to axially create game modes across. The combinations of game

modes, together with the intention behind their creation, will be explained below.

Table 2.1 The four possible game modes in Hide&Seek.

Real-‐time Time-‐shifted

Same space Normal Time-‐shifted, same space

Space-‐shifted Space-‐shifted, real-‐time Space-‐shifted & time-‐shifted

2.2.2 Normal mode This game type is the most similar to the classical game of hide-‐and-‐seek, since the game is played

simultaneously and within the same confined space. The seeker will have some an abstracted display

that indicates the remaining distance to the hider, or will receive feedback from the system in other

ways as will be discussed in 2.4 Alternative Input and Feedback Methods. The hider will lock his or

her location into the mobile device. The hider will then be shown the current, real-‐time position of

the seeker, and can thereby choose to relocate if she feels that she is in immediate danger of being

found. The new location will then be sent to the seeker, whose feedback will change to reflect the

new position of the hider.

Project Implementation Considerations Game Methods

4

Figure 2.1 Hide&Seek in the Normal game mode.

2.2.3 Space-‐shifted To exploit the possibilities offered by the mobile platform that the game is intended to run on, we

chose to expand the game modes with a spatial axis. The game of hide-‐and-‐seek is already inherently

a spatial one, however, we chose to build a feature that enabled the entire playing field to be

physically relocated so that two players can play even though they are not occupying the same

physical space.

There are primarily two uses for this game mode. Firstly, gamers can participate in play even

though they are located such that it is impractical or impossible to play in the same physical space –

the players might be in different areas, cities or even countries. For example, a part of Hyde Park in

London can be mapped to parts of Central Park in New York City, and movements in one space can

be mirrored in the other as if the counterpart has a presence there.

Secondly, this game mode enables players who might otherwise be prevented from

participating in outdoors activities to take part in a game of hide-‐and-‐seek. For example, a person

with physical disabilities who is bound to a wheelchair might not be able to move about in an open,

outdoor space in the way required to normally take part in this game. A large outdoor space can

therefore be mapped to an alternate smaller space that might be indoors. In this way, a wheelchair-‐

bound person can seek or be found for another person that is located outdoors, as can two people

who are both located indoors in different environments. We hope that this game mode will entertain

and engage users who might otherwise not be able to play this kind of game.

Space-‐shifting presents the obvious challenge of impossible spaces, that is, spaces that are

possible to occupy for one of the parties but not for the other – for example, the hider might be

hiding in a living room which can correspond to the middle of a lake in a park where the seeker is

looking for him. We have not yet discovered any obvious solution for this problem, save for the

Game Methods Project Implementation Considerations

5

eventual discovery by the seeker that he or she cannot get to where the hider is hiding, which might

provide some entertainment value in itself. Further, as of the writing of this paper, there are limited

options available for sensing or registering a precise position in an indoor environment, since GPS

signals are usually blocked by ceilings or other structures. We have not addressed this issue.

Figure 2.2 Hide&Seek in the Space-‐shifted game mode.

2.2.4 Time-‐shifted Like with space-‐shifting, we believe that there might be an interest in exploring the possibility for

time-‐shifted play. As has been seen by many successful gamifications of popular concepts – for

example Scrabble, the board game, and its gamified mobile app Wordfeud – a key to success is

letting opposing players play in a turn-‐based manner at a time chosen at their own discretion. We

believe that letting Hide&Seek users hide and seek for each other without necessarily being present

at the same time can be an important success factor.

This functionality, reminiscent of geo-‐caching, can also be used in other creative ways such as

to direct friends to interesting positions in parks or public areas, perhaps a place with a nice view or

with great coffee.

Project Implementation Considerations Universal design

6

Figure 2.3 Hide&Seek in the Time-‐shifted game mode.

2.3 Universal design Our initial idea was to create a game that would include disabled people and remove them from their

physical obstacles. But as Plos states that might not be a good idea as most products that have been

developed with disability in mind tend to be rejected.

“If the product states that it has been developed with disabled people in mind it will

most likely be rejected by the users. The product should then be design for most people.

Universal design benefits people of all ages and disabilities.” (Plos and Buisine 2006, 2).

We therefore changed our initial idea to include everyone and have less focus on the disabled and

more on universal design. By focusing more on the overall user experience and incorporating

feedback tools that can be applied by any user we might reach a broader audience. Feedback can be

delivered to the user through visual output, sound, vibration, and light. This should be sufficient for

most users both disabled and fully functional humans.

2.4 Alternative Input and Feedback Methods One of the more basic game feedback systems would be an on-‐screen number showing the distance

in meters between seeker and hider, sans direction, or visualized through effects such as a

temperature gauge or other abstracted display. Such a display could gauge the remaining distance by

dividing the currently remaining distance to the hider with the initial distance to the hider at the

beginning of the session. For example, if the seeker began seeking 200 meters away from the hider,

and the seeker is currently 150 meters away, the gauge would visualize a reading of 25%, informing

the seeker that she has come about one quarter of the way to the desired target.

However, the use of the suggested game application could also encompass usage scenarios

where hands-‐free use could be desired. In an outdoor game setting, the desire to interact with the

Alternative Input and Feedback Methods Project Implementation Considerations

7

outdoor environment might overcome the desire or ability to be aware of what is displayed on the

handheld device used to run the application. As such, Hide&Seek might utilize means of providing

feedback to the end user that does not interfere nor compete with this desire. In their paper

“BlindSight: Eyes-‐Free Access to Mobile Phopnes” Li, Baudisch, and Hinckley (2008) present a

prototype of a solution where an auditory feedback solution replaces the need for visual feedback

from the phone system. Contrary to the solution presented in their paper, where the interaction

would take place during a call – a situation in which the user would have the phone placed at her ear,

the Hide&Seek application does not require the end user to keep the phone in any specific place or

orientation, negating their finding that end users experience discomfort or annoyance with the need

to constantly compare visual feedback from the phone with information exchanged in the phone

conversation being held.

We would claim that in the setting of Hide&Seek in an outdoor environment, the need to

keep oneself oriented with the physical surroundings present a distraction not dissimilar to the one

experienced when one needs to do a context switch between a phone conversation and looking at

the phone display. As such, we feel that the inclusion of other means of communication or feedback

from the handheld device to the end users are not only possible but appropriate in such a use

setting. Li, Baudisch, and Hinckley (2008) argue that auditory feedback is a satisfactory delivery

mechanism for feedback while in a phone call. Hide&Seek does not imply use of the device’s

earpiece, and as such, any delivery system for alternative feedback is to be considered for

implementation. For example, vibration XXXX.

Further, Li, Baudisch, and Hinckley (2008) found that while skilled users could operate a

touch-‐screen display if the device is in a known location, eyes-‐free access to the hard, or tactile,

buttons on a mobile phone makes for good interaction when the device is in an unfamiliar

orientation or in a new context.

“Many skilled users can operate their phone eyes-‐free if the phone is in its standard

position in front of the user. Unfortunately, we found that these skills do not always

transfer when the phone is held by the ear.” (Li, Baudisch, and Hinckley 2008, 5)

Further, the authors found that such feedback would be most appropriately given only on the

request of the end user. This latter restriction might not be relevant to the setting of the Hide&Seek

application, as the enjoyment of a game or recreational activity might seem to stem from the

discovery of unknowns or other surprises – in this setting, on-‐demand-‐feedback might not be the

only appropriate kind of feedback. As such, we claim that in the Hide&Seek application, we might

employ a mixture of feedback delivery methods, such as the obvious visual aid combined with other

Conclusion Alternative Input and Feedback Methods

8

mechanisms such as vibrations, auditory delivery, lights, triggering of external monitors/terminals

etc.

This feedback might be provided on-‐demand by the end user, or it might be given at regular

interval or when certain thresholds are reached, such as when the user is 5% closer to or further

away from the hider than at the last given feedback. For example, iterative 5% distance thresholds of

vibration or audio will give an increasing frequency of feedback delivery, in that the intervals

between the feedbacks will increase the closer the seeker comes to the hider, which might lead to an

elated feeling of excitement or suspense as the feedback signal nears continuous operation.

As such, in addition to delivering such non-‐visual feedback automatically, the end user might

be able to trigger some form of feedback through the use of tactile buttons on the device, as shown

by Li, Baudisch, and Hinckley (2008). For example, in one implementation, the click of a button might

trigger a series of vibrations that rapidly increase in frequency, or a sound with an increasing pitch to

denote success or decreasing pitch to denote failure.

Figure 2.4 Example abstracted indicators that communicate the remaining distance between the

seeker and the hider.

3. Conclusion

We believe that there might be a market for a gamification of the classical children’s game hide-‐and-‐

seek. Providing playability as both real-‐time and as a turn-‐based system, an enabling access for the

physically challenged, we aim to include a vast number of users while still catering to casual and

novice players.

List of Figures References

9

References

Agre, P.E. 2001. "Changing places: Contexts of awareness in computing." Human–Computer

Interaction no. 16 (2-‐4):177-‐192.

Deterding, S., D. Dixon, R. Khaled, and L. Nacke. 2011. From game design elements to gamefulness:

defining gamification.

Li, Kevin A., Patrick Baudisch, and Ken Hinckley. 2008. Blindsight: eyes-‐free access to mobile phones.

In Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human factors in computing systems. Florence,

Italy: ACM.

Plos, O., and S. Buisine. 2006. Universal design for mobile phones: a case study.

Zichermann, G., and C. Cunningham. 2011. Gamification by Design: Implementing Game Mechanics in

Web and Mobile Apps: O'Reilly Media.

List of Figures Figure 2.1 Hide&Seek in the Normal game mode. ............................................................................. 4

Figure 2.2 Hide&Seek in the Space-‐shifted game mode. ................................................................... 5

Figure 2.3 Hide&Seek in the Time-‐shifted game mode. ..................................................................... 6

Figure 2.4 Example abstracted indicators that communicate the remaining distance

between the seeker and the hider. ............................................................................... 8

List of Tables Table 2.1 The four possible game modes in Hide&Seek. .................................................................... 3

Hide&Seek · Project!Implementation!Considerations! Game!Methods! 4!! Figure2.1 Hide&Seek,in,the,Normal,game,mode., 2.2.3 SpaceDshifted, To!exploit!the!possibilities!offered!by ...

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