Week 4 Development

Rules for our play space

Ideate / Reflect / Define

As a group, we noted down a quick summary of the rules involved in our game/ activities as we need to think about how to encourage free play and imaginative play within our narrative but also within some set boundaries. 

We also tested our ice breaker post it note game with our peers in class to see how effective the game was, as well as how fast they figured out what animal they are and where their buddy was. 

Some feedback we received from the post it note ice breaker included:
- It was too fast and too easy
- Maybe no talking, only acting out animal movements and noises
- Maybe use pictures instead of words on the post it notes
- Some little kids might not be able to read the post it notes 
- Could also use strange animals - ones that the kids aren't familiar with
- How could we tie it back to our context of translocation?

Week 4

Development of Ideas

Define / Ideate

This week I have been looking at what types of way-finding we could use to show the course of our game that is fun and easy to follow for children. I looked into bird footprints and using them to show the way between each challenge, as well as  birds eye view map of the course.

After talking with the group about the course of our game, we decided that we might narrow down the amount of activities we have, and re-think which games relate to the process of translocation. 

We also thought about what materials the way-finding system could be made out of. Sam had an awesome idea to create them out of fused material, which would be more durable than cardboard and light enough that the KCO wouldn't struggle transporting them to the location of the game. The fused material would also work for the shapes of the Sea Crossing game as well. 

Sea game

Sea Game

Aim:
to get across the river without falling in

you will have to use teamwork to get across the river successfully

Rules:
you can only step on your own color/shape
there are certain color/shapes everyone can step on
you can move color/shapes that are not yours (one at a time)
once everyone gets across the river you win

there will be cards with various color/shape formations, there will be a few cards to choose from ranging from difficulty and number of players.

to make the game even more harder try these rules:
someone must be blindfolded at all times
someone may not touch any shapes/colour
egg/spoon
3 legged
1 leg only

Hunter mode:
Hunters will be off the side trying to hit you with a ball, if u get hit u must all start again

red - player 1s shape

pink - player 2s shape

orange - player 3s shape

yellow - everyones shape

white line - 1 step away

black line - 1 jump away 

blue - river

green - land 

video of our small Mario kart game

Week 3

Rules, Strategy and Tactics

Define / Ideate

In class today we learnt about the importance of rules, strategy and tactics within a game/ play space. In order for our game structure to run smoothly we need to think about the rules of play within the game to keep the children interested.

One of the exercises in class involved everyone writing down rules for a game and we were then given a random context for the play space. With the context and the rules we came up with, we have to create a game to present to the class next week.

The rules we had were:

• Everyone must act as an animal at all times
• Everyone can only hop on one leg at all times
• No talking - only animal noises
• Everyone must be touching one person in their team at all times

The context for our game is Mario Kart 64.

Group Meeting

Brainstorm

Define / Ideate / Research

Today we discussed the possible ways to go about the project. In the session today we talked about:

• Large scale vs small scale
• Cost and resources
• Digital - wanting to stay away from technology
• Give the kids of this generation the opportunity to have basic childhood experiences
• Pretend Play - stories and characters
• Free Play - give the kids objects and let them make up something
• NZ Wildlife - Birds and plants
• Pollution - water, beaches, plastic and recycling
• Pest control
• Team work and team building exercises
• Our target audience and how to engage them
• Having kids making and building things
• Activities where KCO's can step back and watch

We then thought about specific games and activities we want to include in the KCC experience. We narrowed the categories down to Physical, Puzzle and Strategy, Collaboration and Communication.

• Physical - orienteering, clue finding, maze, treasure hunts, obstacle courses, maps
• Puzzle and Strategy - puzzle board games, figuring out clues, problem solving
• Collaboration - working as a team to make/ solve something
• Communication - discussion, name games, game plan, choosing characters

From our brainstorm of possible activities, we decided that we wanted to create a story line game that the kids will follow - completing challenges from the physical, puzzle, collaboration and communication categories to receive clues to the story. 

Topic/ Meta Context: 
Teaching kids about native NZ Birds + extinct birds?

Mode of Engagement: 
Story structure/ Physical/ Puzzle and Strategy/ Communication/ Team Work and Collaboration/ clue reward system - complete each challenge to move onto the next

Activity to initiate: 
Story line with characters and a collection of challenges to complete the story/ find the missing character/ clues from parents or KCO

Target Audience: 
Children aged 5-12 

Play Theorist Research

Eric Zimmerman

Research / Define

• Game designer/ game theorist
• Co-founder and CEO of the computer game development company Gamelab
• Each year Zimmerman hosts the Game Design Challenge and the Game Developers Conference
• Co-author of 'Rules of Play' (2004) with Katie Salen
• Large scale games for art galleries and public space
• Examples of physical games - Sixteen Tons, Cross My Heart + Hope To Die, Starry Heavens - shown at the MoMA in New York
• PLAY futurestates short film - explores the future where the lines between the game world and reality are blurred - makes you wonder who are the players? Who are the game designers? What is the purpose of these games? Can you win? Can you lose? Are the games never-ending? Where is it all leading? How do they stop playing? Is there a score? Are there games inside games? Allows people to live different lives - but causes identity crisis

• Zimmerman focuses more on physical games and installations, paper games and digital games - as well as writings and essays
• The large scale installation Cross My Heart + Hope To Die is based on the myth of the Minotaur, Theseus and Ariadne for the Come Out and Play Festival in New York 2010
• Follows The Magic Circle concept of play - meaningful and a safe play space to explore and leave the outside world in the back of our minds
• Believes in meaningful play - Ludology

Eric Zimmerman play theory

Eric Zimmerman, a game designer who has been working in the game industry for two decades. co-founded Gamelab, an independent game studio based in NYC that created online games like Diner Dash and Gamestar Mechanic. Gamelab spun off the nonprofit organization The Institute of Play(co-founder) , which has created public schools in NYC and Chicago based on play as the model for learning. has taught game design for many years at places like MIT, NYU, SVA and Parsons School of Design and with Katie Salen I wrote Rules of Play, considered the standard textbook for game design.

Institute of Play
"We create learning experiences rooted in the principles of game design—experiences that simulate real world problems, and require dynamic, well-rounded solutions. We support teachers and other learning leaders in making learning irresistible—creating for students a powerful need to know, and a hunger to learn more. We believe in making learning relevant—to the technologies that shape our kids’ lives, the passions that fuel their ambitions, and the demands of life in the 21st century."

http://ericzimmerman.com/

Games, stay away from art. Please

Opinion by Eric Zimmerman

http://www.polygon.com/2014/9/10/6101639/games-art