Week 6 - Prototypes and Rule sheet

[LizzieH]

Hey everyone, here are the details for the game I described on the chat last week…

Quoits rules / info sheet

• Like Marina I need to think about whether there is a mechanism within the game for picking the first player (though I’m happy to leave it open for players to just decide themselves).

• I’m going to try making some prototypes of quoit-beanbag hybrids as I feel like this might work best for getting something that can land on the largest variety of street furniture.

• I’m not sure at the moment what difficulty level this game has physically… maybe it’s quite difficult to play!

[soly]

Hello @KyrAvram !

I really like the principe of the game - being the designer of your own meeting “pret-a-vivre” (ready to live). The experience becomes decomposed into basic elements and we realise how we can actually be “constructors” of our lives. It became clear for me especially after seeing the cards themselves. And I can´t wait to see more of them (will you limit the number of cards to 10 by color?)

As other TiPers already commented the documents in detail, I will add my general impression. I would definitely like to play it as soon as the cards are ready to print, but I am not sure if I have understood well the introduction part with the card grid, shuffling the cards. I ask myself how important is it for the game experience, and if people could only take 4-different-color-cards and let the coincidence design the meeting. But maybe then it would be too rudimentary, and actually the game aims same supreme goal that I dint get… (I should read your document again;) )

I love the Be Water section. And also really appreciated @awhitney ´s comment “it feels like a guideline not a command”. It seems like a general approach of the game. Do you think that you might develop it as an intro as a kind of “no pressure, no obligation” aspect of the game structure. I find the game-sheet a bit too long, and maybe also a bit too “optional, free” - the fact that you do not insist on the certain game rules, and you use “might, should, mandatory” made it difficult for me (personally!) to understand fast, although the game is very easy to get! (i am a bit overloaded with information this week )

Thank you, looking forward to the cards!

have a great day!

[KyrAvram]

Hey everyone,

I have now added a pdf-document that you should be able to download with the first batch of cards. It is a rough design with lots of potential for improvement.

If you come to playtest this, here are some questions that I would be interested in hearing about your experience:

• How was the experience of designing the meeting? Ideally I want to aim for a mix of random-factor (like drawing some cards) and of feeling responsability for the experience itself.
• How did you feel while doing the activities? I was thinking of creating different sets of cards, some could come in different levels of intensity (I imagine Holding Hands, Silently to be more intense than Holding Hands).
• Do you think the meeting should have a dedicated beginning- and ending-ritual?
• Finally, I would hear very much if you came up with funny/interesting/challenging ideas for cards. I haven’t started to systematically explore all different directions and have written down some of the first ideas that I had when prototyping.

Thank you! Have a good weekend!

[soly]

Hello!
this looks very easy-to-get-on-board, physical (endorfin-maker) and fun! I would feel appealed to participate.

When @KyrAvram mentiones the link to the urban scope of the TiP, it made me think about how particularly the games for potentially one person develop the trust in between people? But I think that for you it is more the frame of your games - the charcuterie concept that brings them together in the urban space.

What is the difference between the two last games on your list (except the time limit and colors)?

Have an amazing day!

[soly]

Hello!

Thank you for your feedbacks!

@awhitney yes, the upper plates are necessary - they serve as shades (possibly it will be only the frame filled with some weaving)

@KyrAvram I see what you mean - in the context of pictures I showed last time from the flooded area, it seems like a nonsense, but in the context of the “dry” Pocket Park where we try to experiment some low cost shelters, sittings, swings, I believe it will find its use

what we were thinking is to put it maybe 40m further in front of the JUMP HUB Jump Hub / Jakub Cigler Architekti + Unlimited Jakub Cigler Architekti | ArchDaily

where we actually wanted to installed some simple system of benches and reading cabinet. But maybe we will not do the reading cabinet and we might do those poles instead - this place wuld be more exposed to the public, there is asphalt road just next to it…

There is an empty space now - so we will see. If we put it into the park, we would put at least one pole in front of the JUMP HUB, as kind of “degustation” - those two places are not far away from each other…

Thank you for very realistic comment.

Concerning the metagame, we expect that it will get invaded by children (and they will show us what nobody expected), but we would like to keep the design as accessible, so that even passersby would like to sit on to rest when they wait for someone or something… Still thinking…

@LizzieH thank you for amazing examples, we will keep them for upcoming workshops where people form th eneighborhood will design their structures and we might show it to them as case studies from the islands. Thank ou very much for the rotation structures! The same thank you goes to @matteo_uguzzoni thank you for mechanic details. We will try to develop something robust here, as you say, it might be very quickly affected by users, its excentred by the design and we should be sure it will not get inclined. We will try to vary the heights more so that it doesnt provoke collisions

Thank you everybody - keep testing the spinning if you find a playground with the spinning poles

Have a great weeekend

[soly]

Hello @MarinaKy14 Marina!
What a great place where you are staying that they had your props already
I went through your document - i like the principe of the game really much, the distance, levels, cooperation, the trace that it leaves in the public space.
I share the Thibault´s concern: it seems to me that the storyframe might have a potential to be more developed, the roles might be maybe connected to the (hi)story of the place (any special birds in your place? and why birds command the creatures down on the ground, why birds use trumpet? why birds?). I can imagine that the story and the roles might be more attractive - and those roles might give characters and special behaviors to your teams (or limitations, holding hands when working, special walkstyle etc…). Also the sign tools might follow the story (completely secret language that might be incomprehensible for the pass-byers. It is just my observation. I am looking forward to see more of your playtesting!
Have a great day!

As the system doesnt allow more than 3 consecutive messages from one user unless you reply to me, i will write the comment for @LizzieH ´s game here too

hey Lizzie,

thank you for the info-sheet - and the sketch - i finally understood that it is very physical game. I will try to playtest it here with my fellows from dance school! Anytime you are ready.

[Highfather]

Hej hej, made a document here describing the game I’ve been thinking about, also some slides here showing how I expect the game to work. The game is a time travel treasure hunt game that makes use of haptic no-verbal communication between players. Currently struggling to devise a playtest that doesn’t require any technology but any feedback would be much appreciated.

[MarinaKy14]

Hi @soly I really like the design of your physical game structure and I do agree with some comments above that with your design your are creating the conditions for spontaneous interaction with the structure. So I do not feel that it would be appropriate to create your own rules on how to use/play. However, I could see the structure being a reason to host workshops aiming to invent some games with the local community and create their own portfolio of games/storytelling/challenges using this structure…

I really like the weaving idea as it could involve some locals in the making and it automatically creates a participatory process.

good job will let u know if i have any references for spinning structures.

[MarinaKy14]

Hi Mark! I remember you mentioned the use of a vest as a medium of communication between the players of a game! I really think it is an interesting idea and since you know how to use the technology to achieve this, it’s very cool!
Love the narrative about stopping Trump’s parents from meeting and I can see this vest being used for very different narratives!! So having the technology will make your vest a great tool that you can adapt in different stories and games!

Do you have a specific location in mind for your game or do you think of doing something generic?

[MarinaKy14]

Hi Lizzie, I like your game a lot as it proposes a playful way to move in urban space and it also gives opportunities to adapt and choose the elements that you can play with in the specific area… I remember your illustrations from our last call and they explain your idea very well…Would you consider doing the rules sheet in a visual/graphic way?

[BagelandBalloon]

Hi all!!!

These look fantastic! Will try to dig into them all over the next week. Apologies for the delay, here is our rule sheet and materials

You should be able to comment on the doc or leave comments here Working title is Close Ties…

Keep creating!
Bagel+Balloon

[BagelandBalloon]

It’s balloons, I love it
There are some great ones where you have to pass the balloons between you without using your hands!
Is there a way to recycle balloons or give them a new life after the game?

[Highfather]

Hi Marina, thanks for the feedback. I do agree that the vest can make for a cool playful tool, it also makes me nervous that it is a central point of failure for the game. However, I am somewhat confident that an interesting technical artefact can be made. Since the vibro-tactile function is central to the game, I would like to start prototyping it ASAP, right now i’m just reading research projects where a similar tech has been developed to guide blind people and cyclists. About the location, haven’t quite decided yet but would love for it to be played anywhere with borders e.g. rich neighborhood & poor neighborhood, demilitarized zones etc. Anywhere the game can be a bridge and a fun non-intimidating way to explore an area. The story you told me about the Turkish and Greek parts of Cyprus was really inspiring, I met up with my cousin who lived there and he said it’s pretty much the way you described

[Highfather]

Can there be a super fun result if someone’s balloon explodes?

[Highfather]

Pretty cool. Like the idea about turning the plates to make a specific message, it becomes a word game like scrabble, maybe with words instead of letters. I think there are a lot of cool playful things that can be done here, might help to look a similar structure. I agree that people can appropriate the play whichever way they want but also believe explicitly stating how it is meant to be used can spur people on to appropriate it even more. Not exactly the same project but here is a little nugget for inspiration

[MarinaKy14]

hey there! Thank you for reading my documents!

@awhitney

Is there something you are imagining with this group size?

I am thinking of using 12 blocks to start the game and in my opinion if there are more people collaborating to move the tetrominos then there will be some players that will feel that they are not needed for this task. And gradually there will be less players moving the tetrominos so I think it is good to have a number of players which will be not too many but also not very few otherwise it will finish too early. But you are right that the number of players will be defined better when I have the actual blocks and I can estimate what number of players is required for the beginning of the game.

@awhitney

Perhaps there is a challenge built into interacting with the pieces the players built in some way? I think you will find this section of the game will feel smoother if you consider this!

This is a valid argument! I agree with you! I will take this into consideration! I really did not spend a lot of time thinking about how/what could determine the way that a ground player becomes a bird (the narrative is not finalised). Thanks!!!

@awhitney

Will players have to sit and wait until this occurs? Is there a back up plan for if no passersby want to disturb it? There is also a lack of consent to being photographed that these passersby may not know about, so how can that be considered into the design?

You spotted another last-minute addition in my rule sheet. I think if I develop my narrative I will find a way to end the game that will be more coherent and fun! Taking a photo is something that might occur naturally but it shouldn’t be part of the game requirements. Thanks for pointing it out!

[MarinaKy14]

Hi Matteo!

Yes I also think that the way of becoming a bird (join the team that is going higher) is still weak but I must create a narrative that will inspire me to incorporate all the different elements of the game in a coherent way.

Yes, what you understood about the dynamic of players is correct. So there is an alternance between a challenge among all ground players (the winner becomes a bird) and a puzzle solving (all players collaborate). So the pattern is challenge - puzzle - challenge - puzzle -challenge - puzzle - challenge - puzzle , and after each challenge there are more birds and less players moving the tetrominos. Therefore they may ask for help.

I like your idea for naming the different puzzles! As I replied in other comments, I still need to work on the narrative of the game. But this is definitely something that could help me out in making it more coherent!

[MarinaKy14]

Thank you Soly for sharing your thoughts! Yes, I must develop the narrative in a way that incorporates these elements! It still lacks coherence and it can become more attractive! I like the idea of giving special behaviors and limitations!

[LizzieH]

@Highfather

here

Hey Mark, really nice idea. I like that the technology is integrated in a way that helps with exploring the physical space itself rather than putting all the focus on interacting with devices.

I was thinking about the challenge of playtesting without technology… if you were wanting to test specifically how people respond to non-verbal (/vibration) instructions then how about the person who knows where the goal point is (player 2) stands a metre or so behind player one and uses a long stick or some strings attached to different parts of player 1’s body to indicate how to move?

[Highfather]

Hi Lizzie this is a pretty good idea, poetic even I will definitely try this first for the smaller distances. For the larger distances I was thinking of using ready-made technology to tease out the more fun parts of the game. Find My on iPhone has this feature of sharing a friend’s GPS location, perhaps this can be used in a way that the second player can guide the first player by sending SMSs. Player one is only allowed to read the SMSs and has no other way of getting navigational clues. To vary difficulty, could be that player 2 has a limited allowance (maybe 10 SMSs) of moves they can send to player one. Of course, a time limit can also vary the challenge, what do you think?