Light Saver: Wearable LEDs to Hunt, Reward, Show Off and Equalise

Abstract

Differences in children's skills and physique can impede their enjoyment of physical games. In this paper, we present a wearable system for playing tag in the dark. We intended the LEDs on players' vests to balance differences in children's abilities by increasing the visibility of more successful players. Initial tests with 64 children suggest that lighting effects may have indirectly produced an ability equalizing effect through prompting in-game communication about cooperation. In our design, very simple lights functioned as a distributed on body scoreboard while simultaneously offering other effects such as providing reward, motivation and illumination. We hope this design may give inspiration to developers concerned with playing balancing and wearable game platforms. Body games. Wearables. Ability balancing. Children.

Sneaky Were-Bees: Dynamics of an Augmented Dodgeball Game Played In The Dark

“…For instance, Altimira et al (2017) offered useful distinctions between altering play styles and impeding the performance of more competent players. Worm et al (2018) proposed a wearable system to discretely provide ability-balancing mechanisms in physical games via a mechanism in which players going more points would automatically become more visible to opponents. In a similar vein Van Delden et al ( 2014) used projections to increase the visibility of particular players in an interactive installation for playing tag, and in a later iteration challenged faster players to approach those chasing them by offering an additional layer of expressive gameplay.…”