Facets of Fun: On the Design of Computer Augmented Entertainment Artifacts

Licentiate thesis, 2006

This thesis discusses the design of interactive entertaining artifacts such as computer games and computer augmented toys, games and objects. The aim has been to find and/or develop design tools – i.e. methods and approaches – that can be used when designing such artifacts in general, and when aiming for an emotional response or tempting challenge in particular. Another aim is to inspire game designers, interaction designers, product designers, artists and everyone else interested by describing actual projects where interactive entertainment artifacts have been created. Five tools are being presented, each with an accompanying case. They are: Slow technology; an approach to create a challenging object by using ambiguity, thus promoting reflection. This is being exemplified by the Interactive Quilt, which is an enigmatic combination of a jukebox and a quilt. Animal Expression Transfer; an approach that can be used to create emotional responses to an artifact by transferring animal traits onto an object, as in the case of the Iron Horse, a computer augmented bike making horse-sounds. Game Mechanics for Computer Augmented Board Games; a set of building stones for computer augmented board games, suitable for increasing, decreasing or regulating the challenge in a game. They widen the design space of the traditional board game by enabling complex functionality that does not burden the user, but enrichens the game experience. The projects MultiMonsterMania, a collectible and interactive card game with the accompanying game The Hatchery exemplify this. Game Design Patterns; a pattern language for games that can be used to discuss, analyze and design games of any kind, amongst them also computer augmented games. How this can be done is being demonstrated in the description of a workshop. The Forces-Clashes-Remnants-model; a design model for iterative multidisciplinary game design. It is being exemplified by describing the design process of myTHeme, a computer augmented storytelling game for non-storytellers.