[arg_discuss] Educational ARGs
Hugh Davies
marcus.helm at gmail.com
Tue Nov 7 21:03:57 EST 2006
Very thorough work Steffen.
As a designer I hate getting too caught up in terminology as I find it
can distract from the fun of making and playing. That said I am
intrigued by this discussion.
Personally I've always found the distinction between augmented reality
and alternate reality quite distinct, although there can be overlap
and I guess this is as you state mixed reality or even hybrid reality.
What I am most interested in is where location based gaming sits in
this mix. Working from a point of view of making alternate reality
games based in a physical world, I am curious as to whether these
would fall under the title of pervasive or ubiquitous games.
cheers
hugh
On 11/8/06, Steffen P. Walz <walz at arch.ethz.ch> wrote:
> hi christy,
>
> sorry for the delay. you had asked how i would classify / define the
> relationship between pervasive games, augmented reality, and
> alternate reality games.
>
> i think that many terms are thrown into the current discourse
> surrounding all these types of games, and that the discussion,
> indeed, lacks proper definitiorial agreement (due to business, or
> scientific claiming behavior;-)). then, on the other hand, we all
> know this lack is typical for practices surrounding the invention and
> research of new media, and maybe we should just leave it, well,
> unordered;-).
>
> anyways, i personally think and agree with you that the terms you
> mention here belong do different defintion layers / dimensions - note
> that i will blurb quite a bit before turning to alternate reality
> games at the bottom of this post:
>
> milgram et al. (1994), in their proceedings contribution "Augmented
> Reality: A class of displays on the reality-virtuality continuum",
> introduce a "virtuality continuum", cf. http://vered.rose.utoronto.ca/
> people/paul_dir/IEICE94/ieice.html and scroll down a bit to figure 1.
>
> in this taxonomy "for merging real and virtual worlds", types of
> telecommunication environments are suggested, based on the mostly
> visual representation of "real" and "virtual" objects in these
> environments. these environments range from the extremum of a "real"
> environment, meaning that there is no involvement of visually
> represented virtual objects whatsoever, to virtual environments,
> which "consist solely of virtual objects". everything in-between,
> for example "augmented reality", or "augmented virtuality"
> environments, belong to the umbrella definition of "mixed reality". i
> have many problems with this view, although i am taking it on
> sometimes. for example, it implies, at least when talking about an
> activity within these environments, that the interactivees (or
> players) of these environments are perceiving the objects as if the
> objects are, matter of factly, say: somehow "less" "real" than other
> objects. this is, of course, due to the technological nature of the
> research discussed.
>
> from a player-centered perspective, if a subject interacts with an
> object, the object is not less real, but, for example, less manifest,
> or without a temperature, or, to sum this up, in toto, mediated to
> the player in varying degrees with varying means. also, because
> originating from 1994, this taxonomy is a bit outdated. other
> concepts have appeared, for example the concept of "hybrid reality "
> - which others have suggested and which i had applied when designing
> and discussing my game m.a.d. countdown in 2002.
>
> on the one hand, the term hybrid reality tries to avoid the what-is-
> objectively-speaking-real-and-what-not discussion, and simply states
> that everything a player perceives and interacts with during gameplay
> belongs to one reality - that is: the PLAYER's reality, and thus, the
> "Wirklichkeit" wherein, and the platform whereon the game takes place.
>
> on the other hand, and with reference to milgram et al., the concept
> of hybrid reality contains less virtual objects than augmented
> reality or even augmented virtuality, as it uses pervasive computing
> technologies such as embedded computers, mobile devices, wireless
> networks, positioning services such as GPS or the EU based Galileo,
> and sensors / actuators such as RFID.
>
> in this context, and on another definitiorial dimension, terms such
> as "ubiquitous computing" or "pervasive computing" express
> technological properties of a game platform, and, techno-medially
> speaking, means to mediate to the player the formal and dramaturgical
> ends of a given game system. in her ph.d. thesis, jane mcgonigal
> calls the fast growing ubicomp infrastructure a "a kind of
> relationship engine" that offers "infinitely many points of potential
> connection" (add. spw: for engaging the player).
>
> the term ubiquitous computing stems from palo alto researchers such
> as marc weiser and rich gold, and defines the "third wave of
> computing" which, after the emergence of workstations and personal
> computers, has computing integrated into the environment rather than
> environments displayed with the help of computers. the term pervasive
> computing has first been used by companies trying to market ubicomp.
> let me point you to the following site. where i have uploaded an
> iteration of the virtuality continuum which i use for teaching to
> express how technological properties can be associated with
> conceptions of computed Wirklichkeit:
>
> http://wiki.arch.ethz.ch/twiki/bin/view/Main/MixedReality
>
> note that in my figure, i have substituted the original term "real
> environment" from 1994 with "pyhsical environment" as opposed to
> "virtual environment" still on the right hand's side. in any case,
> many researchers found that the original ubicomp mantra of "anytime,
> anywhere, anyhow access for anybody" - including ubiquitous /
> pervasive gamers - presents manifold challenges to designers, and,
> yes: the players in their, as mcgonigal believes, "escape from the
> computer screen".
>
> in my own definition, ubiquitous or pervasive games are not so much
> about escapism, as if the player is trying to become one with a
> wagnerian "Gesamtkunstwerk" as part of a performative activity, as
> mcgonigal argues. rather, i believe that spec. pervasive (or
> ubiquitous games, you pick one term interchangeably) games represent
>
> an inverse space-time surveillance system across media in which
> players engage in an (artificial) conflict, defined by rules, that
> results in a quantifiable outcome.
>
> this means that pervasive games carry a dialectic that unfolds across
> media in environments rich with computers of all kinds: on the one
> hand, these games grant the player agency - subjectivity and
> alternate identity making together with other players, or by
> themselves, face2face, or facelessly e.g. by email. in doing so, and
> on the other hand, pergames bring upon the player an invisible system
> of rule and technology control: a technology of power, if you wish,
> because computing technology are not only an ideal media to run games
> - cf. juul (2006) - but also ideal and ultimate player surveillance
> tools, which passively or actively, covertly or overtly, yet
> systematically observe - that is: collect, analyse, interpret,
> disseminate, and verify data about - the nature, status, behavior,
> position, context, and/or movement of the player. however, i do not
> think that surveiltainment is a bad thing per se. rather, it seems
> that in capitalist societies, surveillance - and control - is a
> constituting element of the event society, and therefore a sine qua
> non component of our everyday life conditions.
>
> in come ARGs: so in another iteration of the figure by milgram et
> al., we could include alternate reality games as a subset of mixed
> reality games next to hybrid reality games IF we thought of ARGs only
> technologically. however, if we look at ARGs narratively, and take
> their prime goal to erect a fictious, yet rule based play environment
> across media, then we'd need to classify them in yet another figure
> iteration, where we would need to include a formal and a
> dramaturgical axis to the diagram.
>
> in another diagram i have created - to be read from bottom to top - i
> have tried to map out the design space of pervasive games to be
> created for non-entertainment purposes:
>
> http://wiki.arch.ethz.ch/twiki/bin/view/Main/PervasiveGames
>
> in this figure, i separate strictly game design aspects both formal
> and dramaturgical from other aspects of the design, such as
>
> -the space of the game; where does it take place?
> -the purpose of the game: apart from its inner game purpose - what is
> it good for?
> -the interaction platform of the game: how does the player interact
> with the game?
>
> maybe this figure can serve as an inspiration or starting point for
> further discussing how to define / stratify ARGs, and set them apart
> from mixed reality games.
>
> sorry for my long and rather academic answer, i hope i did not break
> the rules of conduct of this list --
> br,
> spw
>
> Am 01.11.2006 um 01:09 schrieb Christy Dena:
>
> > Hello Steffen,
> >
> > No, I wasn't aware of your work. Great!
> >
> > I put a call out on this list and at ARGN and a few places on the
> > web a few months ago, for researchers looking at ARGs to contact me
> > about the whitepaper section. There are researchers who are looking
> > at ARGs in education, so that is how there is some information
> > about education in there. However, there is not a separate section
> > outlining all the people who are teaching ARGs. The whitepaper was
> > current as to a few months ago -- and what I could dig up. That is
> > why I think a section on the ARG SIG website would be helpful -- to
> > provide up to date info about the emerging interest in the
> > education aspects.
> >
> > The stuff you're doing looks great Steffen. But I do see Pervasive
> > games and augmented reality and alternate reality as different
> > genres. ARGs could be seen as a subset or parallel type of
> > Pervasive Games.
> >
> > What do you see as the relationship between pervasive games,
> > augmented reality and alternate reality games?
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Christy
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On 31/10/2006, at 12:01 AM, Steffen P. Walz wrote:
> >
> >> addendum:
> >>
> >> of course, and with regard to pervasive / augmented reality /
> >> handheld+X game design for learning, also consider eric klopfer's
> >> work at the MIT. as far as i know, eric currently writes a book
> >> for the MIT press about the topic.
> >>
> >> br,
> >> spw
> >>
> >> Am 30.10.2006 um 09:49 schrieb Steffen P. Walz:
> >>
> >>> hi richard & christy,
> >>>
> >>> i am not sure if we are listed in the whitepaper christy mentions:
> >>>
> >>> at the ETH zurich in switzerland, we take advantage of pervasive
> >>> games / game design (which are, in comparito teach students, and
> >>> expect pervasive games as results from students, too, cf.
> >>>
> >>> http://wiki.arch.ethz.ch/twiki/bin/view/Game0405
> >>> http://wiki.arch.ethz.ch/twiki/bin/view/Game05
> >>>
> >>> both design studios were german only, but there are a number of
> >>> articles about these classes in english; they are listed in the
> >>> blibliography on my academic website:
> >>>
> >>> http://wiki.arch.ethz.ch/twiki/bin/view/Main/
> >>> SteffenPWalz#PubLications
> >>>
> >>> br,
> >>> spw
> >>>
> >>> Am 30.10.2006 um 02:47 schrieb Christy Dena:
> >>>
> >>>> Hello Richard,
> >>>>
> >>>> In the forthcoming ARG whitepaper there is a section on ARGs and
> >>>> Academia. In it I cover (amongst other things) educators who are
> >>>> studying ARGs; ARGs that have been created in education for
> >>>> students and for educators; ARGs that are created as part of
> >>>> someone's education (research). I also just posted on this list
> >>>> about some ARGs that were recently created by 3rd year
> >>>> Multimedia and Digital Design students at Monash University,
> >>>> Caulfield, Australia under the direction of Troy Innocent.
> >>>> Contact me directly if you'd like more info. :)
> >>>>
> >>>> But none of these include ARGs that have been created for
> >>>> businesses as pedagogical devices, of which there are many.
> >>>>
> >>>> I think this sort of interest in ARGs for education (in
> >>>> secondary, tertiary and business settings) is just going to
> >>>> increase and the IGDA ARG SIG can be a valuable source of
> >>>> information. A section, therefore, on the IGDA ARG SIG webpage
> >>>> with this information would be really helpful...
> >>>>
> >>>> Cheers,
> >>>> Christy
> >>>>
> >>>> School of Arts, Letters and Media
> >>>> University of Sydney, Australia
> >>>> www.Cross-MediaEntertainment.com
> >>>> www.ChristyDena.com
> >>>> www.WriterResponseTheory.org
> >>>> www.SlateNight.com
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> On 30/10/2006, at 8:07 AM, Richard Sebastian wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>> Hello:
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I am interested in the educational potential of ARGs, and would
> >>>>> like
> >>>>> to know if anyone out there is currently using an ARG or ARG-like
> >>>>> model for educational purposes. If so, I would be interested in
> >>>>> talking to you further about your work.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Please contact me at sebastian (at) virginia.edu
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Thanks!
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Richard Sebastian
> >>>>> Doctoral candidate, Instructional Technology
> >>>>> Curry School of Education
> >>>>> University of Virginia
> >>>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>>> ARG_Discuss mailing list
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> >>>>> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss
> >>>>
> >>>> _______________________________________________
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> >>>>
> >>>
> >>> __
> >>> Steffen P. Walz
> >>> ETH Zurich
> >>> Game Design Research
> >>> Department of Architecture
> >>> Phone +41 44 658 1636 Chair
> >>> for CAAD, HIL E 15.1
> >>> walz at arch.ethz.ch
> >>> CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
> >>>
> >>> http://spw.playbe.com (my playce)
> >>> http://wiki.arch.ethz.ch/twiki/bin/view/Main/SteffenPWalz (academic)
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >> __
> >> Steffen P. Walz
> >> ETH Zurich
> >> Game Design Research
> >> Department of Architecture
> >> Phone +41 44 658 1636 Chair
> >> for CAAD, HIL E 15.1
> >> walz at arch.ethz.ch
> >> CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
> >>
> >> http://spw.playbe.com (my playce)
> >> http://wiki.arch.ethz.ch/twiki/bin/view/Main/SteffenPWalz (academic)
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> ARG_Discuss mailing list
> >> ARG_Discuss at igda.org
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> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
>
> __
> Steffen P. Walz
> ETH Zurich
> Game Design Research Department
> of Architecture
> Phone +41 44 658 1636 Chair for
> CAAD, HIL E 15.1
> walz at arch.ethz.ch
> CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
>
> http://spw.playbe.com (my playce)
> http://wiki.arch.ethz.ch/twiki/bin/view/Main/SteffenPWalz (academic)
>
>
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