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MINDSITE

Goal: Create a real-world adventure game for 2 or more people at CCA that generates meaningful social interactions and integrates into their daily routine.

Team members:

Amanda Larson (MFA Social Practice),

Yao Zhou (MFA Film),

Teesta Das (MDes Interaction Design)

Project Advisors:
Catherine Herdlick, Gabe Smedresman

Duration: 3 weeks

Tools:

Multiverse, a platform for immersive narrative-based experiences

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It was a lot of fun to work with a multidisciplinary team and come up with an idea to connect 2 people through play.

 

Using the principles of game design, we prepared a script for what the conversation might look like with a facilitator.

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The scenario we came about through our research was that Advisors tend to be in their room the whole day and do not always enjoy being in the same spot talking to students back to back the whole day and students need an outlet of support all the time from advisors. Talking to an advisor we realised that he was actually feeling so frustrated with his work that he was planning to just quit. Developing this game based on the interview we had with him, really made us feel that such kind of immersive experience possibly need to be better integrated into any work environment as well. 

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Here are some of the learnings from our Game testing based on metrics of genuine human connections fostered:

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  • Did it Deepen Ties?

    • Advisor- Was interesting to hear about students special or important places on campus, where they go. She didn’t know of a lot of the different locations on campus and found it to be interesting to hear about different experiences. 

    • Student-Was interesting to be using a machine to communicate between two people and knowing that there was another player being asked the same questions on the other end. 
       

  • Did it Create Shared Meaning?

    • Both- Interesting over a computer/cell phone application. Trying to connect to the other player's story. Was fun to see the different players interpretations of their answer and how they choose to draw it. 

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  • Does it Recognize Others?

    • Both- Maybe, especially at the end when you meet in person. 
       

  • Does it Establish and Utilize Trust?

    • Both- Especially when talking to someone one-on-one. Stressing the importance of communication. Was fun to establish similarities between the two and their stories and locations. 
       

  •  Did it Show Sincerity?

    • Both- Yes. By asking simple questions is left it open and welcoming, not too personal or intimidating.

 

  • Other notes: 

    • Can people answer with more than one response? For example: with the questions about what people are doing...maybe people can respond with multiple activities. 

    • Make it more clear about how to draw the person’s answer

    • Make clear if the player can choose their own word or just one of the words listed

    • Question 5: Can the object be described with more than one word? 

    • What if someone doesn’t know the campus very well and was trying to guess the other player's response….maybe we have a link to the map of campus as a reference? 

 

Student & Advisor enter the game at the same time but start at different locations. We will set up the time for them to start the game, and will/can show them how to enter into the game or the number to text to start it.    

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