Pervasive Games Deploying Digital Content into Everyday Life for Play, Participation and Profit David Fono Founder, Giant Dice www.giantdice.com

A Story Margaret’s Honey website gets “hacked” Interested visitors talk to Dana, the webmaster, about what’s going on Visitors find garbled “mayday” messages, fragments of a story in embedded code and corrupted images Ongoing blog/email contact with Dana, mysterious artificial intelligences deepen mystery

Margaret’s Honey website gets “hacked”

Interested visitors talk to Dana, the webmaster, about what’s going on

Visitors find garbled “mayday” messages, fragments of a story in embedded code and corrupted images

Ongoing blog/email contact with Dana, mysterious artificial intelligences deepen mystery

A Story, Cont.

A Story, Cont. Players come across puzzles hidden in the site, leading to more messages Players are lead to payphones across US Over 12 weeks thousands of players congregate at phones to hear story fragments, talk to an AI, and perform missions

Players come across puzzles hidden in the site, leading to more messages

Players are lead to payphones across US

Over 12 weeks thousands of players congregate at phones to hear story fragments, talk to an AI, and perform missions

A Question What’s the difference between a game and “real life”?

What’s the difference between a game and “real life”?

Pervasive Gaming Break / problematize the “magic circle” Spatial Temporal Social Simpler: “The world is the platform.”

Break / problematize the “magic circle”

Spatial

Temporal

Social

Simpler: “The world is the platform.”

The Spectrum of Pervasive Gaming cyberspace in-between meatspace also:

Interesting Numbers Tie-Ins / Marketing Art of the Heist: 45mil impressions The Beast: 1mil players I Love Bees: 2mil players Independent Chasing the Wish: 3k players MetaCortechs: 12k players Perplex City: 40k players

Tie-Ins / Marketing

Art of the Heist: 45mil impressions

The Beast: 1mil players

I Love Bees: 2mil players

Independent

Chasing the Wish: 3k players

MetaCortechs: 12k players

Perplex City: 40k players

Play traditional MMO

Pervasive Play Low production barrier Low entry barrier Dynamic Flexible

Low production barrier

Low entry barrier

Dynamic

Flexible

Why is this so important? Immersion Games for multitaskers Social capital (x2) Massively scaled collaboration True call-to-action The old becomes news

Immersion

Games for multitaskers

Social capital (x2)

Massively scaled collaboration

True call-to-action

The old becomes news

Trends Cross-media Participation Culture Collective Intelligence Public Space Activism Ubiquitous Computing Social Computing

Cross-media

Participation Culture

Collective Intelligence

Public Space Activism

Ubiquitous Computing

Social Computing

Cross-Media

Cross-Media (Gary Hayes) “bathing the audience in a sea of your original inextricably linked content across continents of devices, letting them find their own path to live their own story” 1.0 - Pushed 2.0 - Extras 3.0 - Bridges 4.0 - Experiences

“bathing the audience in a sea of your original inextricably linked content across continents of devices, letting them find their own path to live their own story”

1.0 - Pushed

2.0 - Extras

3.0 - Bridges

4.0 - Experiences

Participatory Culture

Participatory Culture

Participatory Culture More than half of all teens are media creators (Pew) This is a culture: (Henry Jenkins, henryjenkins.org) 1. With relatively low barriers 2. With strong support for creating and sharing 3. With some type of informal mentorship 4. Where members believe that their contributions matter 5. Where members feel some degree of social connection with one another

More than half of all teens are media creators (Pew)

This is a culture: (Henry Jenkins, henryjenkins.org)

1. With relatively low barriers

2. With strong support for creating and sharing

3. With some type of informal mentorship

4. Where members believe that their contributions matter

5. Where members feel some degree of social connection with one another

Participatory Culture “ Scrap the focus groups, fire the cool chasers, and hire your audience.” Alex Wipperfurth

“ Scrap the focus groups,

fire the cool chasers,

and hire your audience.”

Alex Wipperfurth

Collective Intelligence The network will “mobilize and coordinate the intelligence, experience, skills, wisdom, and imagination of humanity.” (Pierre Levy)

The network will “mobilize and coordinate the intelligence, experience, skills, wisdom, and imagination of humanity.” (Pierre Levy)

Collective Intelligence

Collective Intelligence

Public Space Activism “ We are dedicated to protecting our shared common spaces from commercial influence and privatisation. While some see the streets as an untapped source of advertising revenue we see protected public spaces as a fundamental pillar of a healthy democracy. If only wealthy advertisers have access to our visual environment, then freedom of speech suffers in our city.” (Toronto Public Space Committee)

“ We are dedicated to protecting our shared common spaces from commercial influence and privatisation. While some see the streets as an untapped source of advertising revenue we see protected public spaces as a fundamental pillar of a healthy democracy. If only wealthy advertisers have access to our visual environment, then freedom of speech suffers in our city.”

(Toronto Public Space Committee)

Public Space Activism (newmindspace.com)

Ubiquitous Computing “ The most profound technologies are those that disappear. They weave themselves into the fabric of everyday life until they are indistinguishable from it.” (Mark Weiser)

“ The most profound technologies are those that disappear. They weave themselves into the fabric of everyday life until they are indistinguishable from it.” (Mark Weiser)

Ubiquitous Computing

Social Computing “ Humans are fundamentally social creatures. From birth we orient to other people, and as we develop we acquire abilities for interacting with one another ranging from expression and gesture through spoken and written language. As adults, we are exquisitely sensitive to the actions and interactions of those around us.” (IBM Social Computing Research Group)

“ Humans are fundamentally social creatures. From birth we orient to other people, and as we develop we acquire abilities for interacting with one another ranging from expression and gesture through spoken and written language. As adults, we are exquisitely sensitive to the actions and interactions of those around us.”

(IBM Social Computing Research Group)

Social Computing

Applications Engagement Audience Customers Employees Taps current consumer behaviour Engenders a strong relationship Empowers participants

Engagement

Audience

Customers

Employees

Taps current consumer behaviour

Engenders a strong relationship

Empowers participants

Applications Marketing Becoming virtually ubiquitous Highly memorable Gets you tons of buzz (even if it’s not that great) Audience becoming too cynical?

Marketing

Becoming virtually ubiquitous

Highly memorable

Gets you tons of buzz (even if it’s not that great)

Audience becoming too cynical?

Applications Education / Training Bleeding edge Serious games point the way Develop real-world skills in real-world contexts Great for new media literacy, collaboration

Education / Training

Bleeding edge

Serious games point the way

Develop real-world skills in real-world contexts

Great for new media literacy, collaboration

Online Games

A Bunch of Words ARGs: Alternate Reality Games “ Help save the world, srsly” AREs: Alternate Reality Experiences “ Feel like you’re saving the world” 360 Campaigns / Extended Reality “ Enjoy the ride” Treasure Hunt Viral Marketing

ARGs: Alternate Reality Games

“ Help save the world, srsly”

AREs: Alternate Reality Experiences

“ Feel like you’re saving the world”

360 Campaigns / Extended Reality

“ Enjoy the ride”

Treasure Hunt

Viral Marketing

Down the Rabbit Hole “ Alternate Reality Gaming (ARG) is a relatively new genre of games that encourages players (you!) to interact with a fictional world using the real world to do it.” (ARG Quickstart Guide, www.argitect.com ) A quick example: Email --> Website --> Hidden Number --> Live conversation!

“ Alternate Reality Gaming (ARG) is a relatively new genre of games that encourages players (you!) to interact with a fictional world using the real world to do it.” (ARG Quickstart Guide, www.argitect.com )

A quick example:

Email --> Website --> Hidden Number --> Live conversation!

Down the Rabbit Hole Key points through case studies For more info, check out the IGDA whitepaper (igda.org/arg)

Key points through case studies

For more info, check out the IGDA whitepaper (igda.org/arg)

Types of ARGs Promotional Grassroots Productized Single-Player Education / Training

Promotional

Grassroots

Productized

Single-Player

Education / Training

A Promotional ARG The Beast By Microsoft, for A.I. The “first” ARG

The Beast

By Microsoft, for A.I.

The “first” ARG

The Beast

The Beast The Story Evan Chan was killed. Who, how, and why? Takes place in the future. Webpages http://bangaloreworldu-in.co.cloudmakers.org/ Phone Jeanine Salla’s voicemail Live calls to players Puzzles Simple: hidden text Complex: chemistry

The Story

Evan Chan was killed. Who, how, and why? Takes place in the future.

Webpages

http://bangaloreworldu-in.co.cloudmakers.org/

Phone

Jeanine Salla’s voicemail

Live calls to players

Puzzles

Simple: hidden text

Complex: chemistry

The Beast The Curtain “ Not so much as a cough from whichever team is responsible for producing it (Evan Chan has a grandson called 'Lucas' who designs video games, so LucasArts is Netribution's guess)” This is Not a Game - performative suspension of disbelief The Community “ We've managed to keep this thing pretty well organised thanks to the hard work of a few individuals and a co-operative spirit… Personally, I hope we can keep this underground. We probably can't though. So, to all of us 'old timers' I say, be prepared for a flood of newbies.” Collective intelligence in action

The Curtain

“ Not so much as a cough from whichever team is responsible for producing it (Evan Chan has a grandson called 'Lucas' who designs video games, so LucasArts is Netribution's guess)”

This is Not a Game - performative suspension of disbelief

The Community

“ We've managed to keep this thing pretty well organised thanks to the hard work of a few individuals and a co-operative spirit… Personally, I hope we can keep this underground. We probably can't though. So, to all of us 'old timers' I say, be prepared for a flood of newbies.”

Collective intelligence in action

Another Promotional ARG I Love Bees By 42 Entertainment, for Halo2 Rabbit Holes Halo 2 Trailer Funky packages:

I Love Bees

By 42 Entertainment, for Halo2

Rabbit Holes

Halo 2 Trailer

Funky packages:

I Love Bees The Story A weird AI has hacked into Dana’s aunt’s website. WTF? Players called to payphones across US Live events are big news Large part of story told through segments of radio play over payphones Storytelling through archaeology

The Story

A weird AI has hacked into Dana’s aunt’s website. WTF?

Players called to payphones across US

Live events are big news

Large part of story told through segments of radio play over payphones

Storytelling through archaeology

I Love Bees

I Love Bees Not many puzzles at first, but added in due to fan response (e.g. killer.jpg) The game can improve on-the-fly Clever gameplay takes advantage of the particular media No blatant “Buy Halo 2 Message” Trust is important - the experience is paramount

Not many puzzles at first, but added in due to fan response (e.g. killer.jpg)

The game can improve on-the-fly

Clever gameplay takes advantage of the particular media

No blatant “Buy Halo 2 Message”

Trust is important - the experience is paramount

A Grassroots ARG Chasing the Wish, Catching the Wish By Dave Szulborski The Story Dale Sprague is a web designer who lives in Aglaura, NJ along with an assortment of other characters. Dale has been having strange dreams, and bizarre phenomena are occurring around town. They need help.

Chasing the Wish, Catching the Wish

By Dave Szulborski

The Story

Dale Sprague is a web designer who lives in Aglaura, NJ along with an assortment of other characters. Dale has been having strange dreams, and bizarre phenomena are occurring around town. They need help.

Catching the Wish Heavily driven by dynamic character interaction ARGs easily do what videogames still dream about Run by a handful of people for about $1000 Agile development A lot of bang for your buck

Heavily driven by dynamic character interaction

ARGs easily do what videogames still dream about

Run by a handful of people for about $1000

Agile development

A lot of bang for your buck

Catching the Wish Various packages sent to players from characters, and purchased on eBay Players really get into games that cross traditional media boundaries

Various packages sent to players from characters, and purchased on eBay

Players really get into games that cross traditional media boundaries

A Productized ARG Perplex City By Mind Candy The Story Perplex City has lost the Receda Cube. It’s somewhere on Earth, and they need your help to find it. The Product Puzzle Cards

Perplex City

By Mind Candy

The Story

Perplex City has lost the Receda Cube. It’s somewhere on Earth, and they need your help to find it.

The Product

Puzzle Cards

Perplex City Mega-events… with helicopters! Spectacle is becoming a key element Competition Players get points for solving cards There’s a $200,000 prize at the end But there are still huge community resources where players help each other Competition and collaboration can live together (given the right conditions)

Mega-events… with helicopters!

Spectacle is becoming a key element

Competition

Players get points for solving cards

There’s a $200,000 prize at the end

But there are still huge community resources where players help each other

Competition and collaboration can live together (given the right conditions)

Perplex City Collaboration:

Collaboration:

Who Wins?

Another Productized ARG Majestic By Electronic Arts Single player Subscription based The infamous catastrophic failure

Majestic

By Electronic Arts

Single player

Subscription based

The infamous catastrophic failure

Majestic Why did it fail? Ahead of its time Not enough content Arbitrary play-time limitations Developers scared off of subscription model for next decade

Why did it fail?

Ahead of its time

Not enough content

Arbitrary play-time limitations

Developers scared off of subscription model for next decade

More Productized ARGs Cathy’s Book An ARG-in-a-book Edoc Laundry An ARG-in-a-T-Shirt-Line

Cathy’s Book

An ARG-in-a-book

Edoc Laundry

An ARG-in-a-T-Shirt-Line

An Educational ARG World Without Oil By various people Not your usual “game” “ What is your life like after the oil crash?”

World Without Oil

By various people

Not your usual “game”

“ What is your life like after the oil crash?”

World Without Oil Material packaged and distributed to schools With forethought, it is possible to have a lasting product Almost all content player-generated More evidence of incredible player dedication

Material packaged and distributed to schools

With forethought, it is possible to have a lasting product

Almost all content player-generated

More evidence of incredible player dedication

When ARGs Go Wrong Underestimating the Difficulty Grassroots creators unprepared for unique demands of the genre Running the game is as much work (or more) as preparing it Professional creators underestimate the capability of the community to break the game Your game is going to break

Underestimating the Difficulty

Grassroots creators unprepared for unique demands of the genre

Running the game is as much work (or more) as preparing it

Professional creators underestimate the capability of the community to break the game

Your game is going to break

When ARGs Go Wrong Drink Your Ovaltine Ethan Haas Was Right Fleshed out puzzle trail with websites, phone numbers, hand-delivered letters, a registration form and a countdown to the “next phase” The countdown ends… and it’s just an ad

Drink Your Ovaltine

Ethan Haas Was Right

Fleshed out puzzle trail with websites, phone numbers, hand-delivered letters, a registration form and a countdown to the “next phase”

The countdown ends… and it’s just an ad

When ARGs Go Wrong Poor expectations management Iris Microsoft’s Halo 3 promotion Much less intricate than I Love Bees, and riddled with technical problems

Poor expectations management

Iris

Microsoft’s Halo 3 promotion

Much less intricate than I Love Bees, and riddled with technical problems

When ARGs Go Wrong

When ARGs Go Wrong Misunderstanding the Audience Save my Husband Mainstream competitive players confused by collaboration in ARG community Some mainstream players confused about fictitious nature of plot Golden Jigsaw Tried to shutdown player collaboration, provoking discontent

Misunderstanding the Audience

Save my Husband

Mainstream competitive players confused by collaboration in ARG community

Some mainstream players confused about fictitious nature of plot

Golden Jigsaw

Tried to shutdown player collaboration, provoking discontent

Nuts and Bolts Exposition Heavy narrative element compared to videogames Blogs (cheap and easy!) Websites (narrative landscape) Audio / video (nice reward) The world’s intrinsic weirdness Newspapers, TV, Movies, Posters, Skywriting…

Exposition

Heavy narrative element compared to videogames

Blogs (cheap and easy!)

Websites (narrative landscape)

Audio / video (nice reward)

The world’s intrinsic weirdness

Newspapers, TV, Movies, Posters, Skywriting…

Nuts and Bolts Interaction The defining characteristic? Chat (live / bot) Phone (live / message) Email (autoresponse / mass / conversation) Face-to-face interaction

Interaction

The defining characteristic?

Chat (live / bot)

Phone (live / message)

Email (autoresponse / mass / conversation)

Face-to-face interaction

Nuts and Bolts Challenges Puzzles Cryptography “ Hacking” Learning a system Etc. Games (easy to grok) Player Projects Social Engineering

Challenges

Puzzles

Cryptography

“ Hacking”

Learning a system

Etc.

Games (easy to grok)

Player Projects

Social Engineering

The Audience Diverse demographics Community play www.unfiction.com Player-created resources Different levels of engagement Devotees Active Players Casual Players Curious Browsers

Diverse demographics

Community play

www.unfiction.com

Player-created resources

Different levels of engagement

Devotees

Active Players

Casual Players

Curious Browsers

The Audience Different player types Character interactor Community support Information specialist Puzzle solver Reader Story hacker Story specialist

Different player types

Character interactor

Community support

Information specialist

Puzzle solver

Reader

Story hacker

Story specialist

Challenges Plausible suspension of disbelief Respecting the audience Selecting / understanding the audience Dealing with the unexpected Managing expectations Preventing frustration Fostering accessibility & reusing content

Plausible suspension of disbelief

Respecting the audience

Selecting / understanding the audience

Dealing with the unexpected

Managing expectations

Preventing frustration

Fostering accessibility & reusing content

Opportunities Incredibly dedicated fans An incredibly immersive experience Utterly remarkable collaboration A lot of buzz … for cheap!

Incredibly dedicated fans

An incredibly immersive experience

Utterly remarkable collaboration

A lot of buzz

… for cheap!

Locative Games Big Games Urban Games Street Games Pervasive Games Mixed Reality Games “The world is a game board.”

Big Games

Urban Games

Street Games

Pervasive Games

Mixed Reality Games

“The world is a game board.”

What Are Locative Games Games that map a significant area of real-world space to game constructs Landscape Artifacts The space itself At least some players are within that space Technology not critical, but it can add tremendous value

Games that map a significant area of real-world space to game constructs

Landscape

Artifacts

The space itself

At least some players are within that space

Technology not critical, but it can add tremendous value

Some Examples Cruel 2 B Kind Jane McGonigal & Ian Bogost http://www.current.tv/video/?id=25511301 Uncle Roy All Around You Blast Theory http://blasttheory.co.uk/bt/work_uncleroy.html

Cruel 2 B Kind

Jane McGonigal & Ian Bogost

http://www.current.tv/video/?id=25511301

Uncle Roy All Around You

Blast Theory

http://blasttheory.co.uk/bt/work_uncleroy.html

Big Games Doc What Are Big Games? http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1394867462119324238 Learning Skills Through Play http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7206449325841236249 The Future of Big Games http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2135527604136480712

What Are Big Games?

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1394867462119324238

Learning Skills Through Play

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7206449325841236249

The Future of Big Games

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2135527604136480712

How Are They Used? These are mostly experiments / art But there’s a few commercial games employee / client engagement And there’s the potential for localized marketing / tourism education / training

These are mostly experiments / art

But there’s a few

commercial games

employee / client engagement

And there’s the potential for

localized marketing / tourism

education / training

A Commercial Game Bot Fighters Fight with bots in your vicinity $70k / month!

Bot Fighters

Fight with bots in your vicinity

$70k / month!

An Engagement Game The Go Game Operates across the US, running games for: Team-building Conferences Special Events Basic mission structure

The Go Game

Operates across the US, running games for:

Team-building

Conferences

Special Events

Basic mission structure

The Go Game

Deriving Design Principles Difficult, because few games have parameters for success But, we have some Facilitate performativity Use the space Use the people Allow flexibility Balance the technology Respect “outsiders”

Difficult, because few games have parameters for success

But, we have some

Facilitate performativity

Use the space

Use the people

Allow flexibility

Balance the technology

Respect “outsiders”

Facilitate Performativity “Drop your pants and dance”

“Drop your pants and dance”

Facilitate Performativity Performing missions instead of making decisions Players as actors Designers as puppet masters The illusion of the puppet master creates immersivity The reality is that the players have control

Performing missions instead of making decisions

Players as actors

Designers as puppet masters

The illusion of the puppet master creates immersivity

The reality is that the players have control

Use the Space New York is not Sydney Challenge: reusing content

New York is not Sydney

Challenge: reusing content

Use the People The people who play these games are generally pretty friendly

The people who play these games are generally pretty friendly

Allow Flexibility Reality intervenes Technology breaks You have no control Don’t panic!

Reality intervenes

Technology breaks

You have no control

Don’t panic!

Balance the Technology Too much mediation defeats the purpose What tech can do Gosh wow! aesthetics Local feedback Distance communication Leaving traces Props Technology should be transparent

Too much mediation defeats the purpose

What tech can do

Gosh wow! aesthetics

Local feedback

Distance communication

Leaving traces

Props

Technology should be transparent

Balance the Technology Your technology is too hard to use Test and iterate in real contexts Automation is tricky Design beautiful seams

Your technology is too hard to use

Test and iterate in real contexts

Automation is tricky

Design beautiful seams

Respect “Outsiders” People don’t like to be used, or to be threatened

People don’t like to be used, or to be threatened

Tools of the Trade Mobiles (Phone / SMS / MMS) Mobiles w/ Location Sensing Mobiles with Bluetooth Mobiles with the Web PSP / DS with Wifi Laptops with Wifi RFID Semacodes

Mobiles (Phone / SMS / MMS)

Mobiles w/ Location Sensing

Mobiles with Bluetooth

Mobiles with the Web

PSP / DS with Wifi

Laptops with Wifi

RFID

Semacodes

Tools of the Trade Portable Sensors Fixed Sensors Misc. Props The World Actors MP3 Players Projectors Large Displays Digital Cameras

Portable Sensors

Fixed Sensors

Misc. Props

The World

Actors

MP3 Players

Projectors

Large Displays

Digital Cameras

A Few More Games 3001 Mobiles, Projector Control an avatar to create collab. music

3001

Mobiles, Projector

Control an avatar to create collab. music

A Few More Games CollecTic PSP Collect resources from wifi points

CollecTic

PSP

Collect resources from wifi points

A Few More Games Navball Mobiles w/ GPS Find the ball, line up to kick it and score

Navball

Mobiles w/ GPS

Find the ball, line up to kick it and score

A Few More Games OMMRPG Mirrors and lasers! Place the mirrors and guide the laser

OMMRPG

Mirrors and lasers!

Place the mirrors and guide the laser

TorGame’s Waking City 2-week online/offline game w/ 120 paying players Websites, blogs, email, live theatrics, live games, puzzles, etc. Goals: build community, knowledge of Toronto In between an ARG and a locative game The trailer http://youtube.com/watch?v=56uc1D_0VDw TV segment

2-week online/offline game w/ 120 paying players

Websites, blogs, email, live theatrics, live games, puzzles, etc.

Goals: build community, knowledge of Toronto

In between an ARG and a locative game

The trailer

http://youtube.com/watch?v=56uc1D_0VDw

TV segment

Waking City: Day 1 Video Blog 1 http://youtube.com/watch?v=56uc1D_0VDw

Video Blog 1

http://youtube.com/watch?v=56uc1D_0VDw

Waking City: Day 2

Waking City: Days 3-6

Waking City: Day 7

Waking City: Day 8

Waking City: Days 9-11

Waking City: Days 12-13

Lessons Clear communication is important! So is clever crisis management You need to be open with your players There’s such a thing as too much fun Cross-media stories can be harder to follow Actors are more integral than usual Attrition is a reality

Clear communication is important!

So is clever crisis management

You need to be open with your players

There’s such a thing as too much fun

Cross-media stories can be harder to follow

Actors are more integral than usual

Attrition is a reality

Successes Most players enjoyed the game Players reported an increased familiarity with the city Players formed new friendships Players indicated they would return to businesses they’d visited Plenty of buzz

Most players enjoyed the game

Players reported an increased familiarity with the city

Players formed new friendships

Players indicated they would return to businesses they’d visited

Plenty of buzz

Next Steps Further explore the online / offline hybrid Further explore urban engagement between players, the city, and local businesses

Further explore the online / offline hybrid

Further explore urban engagement between players, the city, and local businesses

Questions?