Redefining toys, games and entertainment products by teaching about playful interactions

Bekker, Tilde; Hummels, Caroline; Nemeth, Sam; Mendels, Philip

doi:10.1504/ijart.2010.030491

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 8 publications

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“…For instance, students can choose a specific target group or form of play to design for. All students have their own style and vision and their interpretation is key in our educational system (see also [2]). Most of the projects were coached by one of the authors.…”

Section: Interview Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leaving room for improvisation

Valk

Bekker

Eggen

2013

Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children

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Open-ended play with interactive objects provides children with the freedom to construct their own rules, goals and meaning. Instead of games with strict rules, open-ended play designs offer interaction opportunities as a trigger for creating personalized games. The process of developing these designs differs from designs with predefined use. This paper presents the further development of a design approach on how to design for openended play. We give an overview of related work and analyze eight existing open-ended play designs. Next, interviews with design students are discussed that illustrate the process of developing open-ended play designs. As a conclusion, we describe our design approach for open-ended play, including an improved definition of open-ended play, an overview of which design parameters have to be considered and advice for tailoring a design process to consider these parameters.

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Section: Interview Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leaving room for improvisation

Valk

Bekker

Eggen

2013

Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children

Self Cite

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Human Behavior Analysis in Ambient Gaming and Playful Interaction

Schouten

Tieben

Ven

et al. 2011

Computer Analysis of Human Behavior

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Gandalf on the Death Star: Levels of Seriality between Bricks, Bits, and Blockbusters

Nørgård

Toft-Nielsen

2014

EJCGC

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Over the past 65 years millions of fingers have constructed their own worlds of wonder with LEGO bricks, and thousands of fingers have controlled LEGO figures through franchise-designed gameworlds of wonder with LEGO bits. Typically these tangible user-created story designs and kinaesthetic activities remain absent from the field of media studies in general and research on digital seriality in particular. However, when it comes to contemporary blockbuster franchises such as the Skylanders, World of Warcraft, LEGO, Lord of the Rings or Star Wars universe, the conceptualization of digital seriality as solely relating to transmedia or even trans-transmedia storytelling are no longer sufficient. So, rather than trying to fit a somewhat square peg into a somewhat round hole the article develops an analytical comprehension of and conceptual framework for digital seriality through (i) taking a more play(er)centric and interactional approach field that a more in line with the concept of “new serialities,” (ii) uncovering and establishing the transformative and transgressive nature of play(er)centric digital seriality that emerge from actual “serialities-in-use,” and (iii) developing frameworks and conceptual models for serialities-in-use that are able to embrace these emerging play(er)centric aspects of digital seriality. Our aim is not to oppose or question established contemporary understandings of digital seriality but to expand some of the parameters and categories. Thus, we explore not only “the aesthetic forms and cultural practices of serialization as they are articulated in and around interactive digital media” (Denson & Jahn-Sudmann 2013, p. 10-11) but also the kinaesthetic experiences and practices at the heart of playful serialities. Furthemore, answering Denson and Jahn-Sudmann’s call for a multi-pronged approach, therefore, we likewise hope to initiate a dialogue between (at least) two distinct fields of research: media/game studies and design/toy studies. Both echoing and expanding the efforts of Denson and Jahn-Sudmann, our focus here is on three sets of interrelations with respect to (digital) serialities:interrelations between transmission, transformation, and transgression on the one hand and world-building, world-sharing, and world-designing on the other;interrelations between technologies, social practices, and spaces on the one hand and franchise-centric, play-centric, and player-centric spaces of serialities-in-use on the other;interrelations between intra-texts, inter-texts, and para-texts on the one hand and what we call intra-actional, inter-actional, and para-actional levels on the other, including how they come together in the intra-ludic, inter-ludic, and para-ludic serialities described by Denson and Jahn-Sudmann. The material immateriality and immaterial materiality that lies at the core of LEGO’s seriality - in its oscillation between digital bits and tangible bricks - accentuates how the experience of digital seriality is often the simultaneity of perceiving immersive and expansive worlds and of expressing yourself (kin)aestheticlly through technological engrossment in this continuing serial activity. Overall, the article posits digital seriality, as it e.g. emerges through experiencing LEGO Star Wars and LEGO The Lord of the Rings games and franchises, as something concurrently material (bricks & engaged technologies) and immaterial (bits & perceived worlds).

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Redefining toys, games and entertainment products by teaching about playful interactions

Cited by 3 publications

References 8 publications

Leaving room for improvisation

Leaving room for improvisation

Human Behavior Analysis in Ambient Gaming and Playful Interaction

Gandalf on the Death Star: Levels of Seriality between Bricks, Bits, and Blockbusters

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