MeteorQuest - Bringing families together with a location-based mobile social game
Authors
Rosenqvist, Rasmus Lund ; Boldsen, Jannik Vestergaard
Term
4. Term
Publication year
2018
Submitted on
2018-06-06
Abstract
This thesis investigates how a location-based mobile social game can foster interaction among intergenerational family members without high-resolution screens drawing attention away from people and surroundings. We developed MeteorQuest as an artifact and research platform: a modular game composed of mini-games informed by proxemics play, f-formations, forced collaboration, and competitiveness. The work unfolded in two phases: Project one designed and piloted multiple mini-games and refined them through co-design sessions with design practitioners; project two integrated three selected mini-games into a narrative experience and ran three in-the-wild family studies. A Google Firebase backend (real-time database and location logging) supported orchestration and monitoring via a wizard controlling game flow. Qualitative observations were analyzed through lenses of f-formations, proxemic zones, shared space, and shared display, leading to actionable design implications for social games aimed at families. Findings indicate that explicitly designing for proxemics play and f-formations can encourage communication and coordination between children and parents. The thesis discusses limitations and releases MeteorQuest as a research platform to enable future studies.
Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan et stedbaseret mobilt socialt spil kan fremme interaktion mellem generationsforskellige familiemedlemmer, uden at højt opløste skærme stjæler opmærksomheden fra hinanden og omgivelserne. Som artefakt udviklede vi MeteorQuest, et modulært forskningsplatform-spil med minispil designet med udgangspunkt i proxemik (proxemics play), f-formationer, tvungen samarbejde og konkurrence. Arbejdet forløb i to faser: I projekt ét blev flere minispil formgivet, pilottestet og videreudviklet gennem co-design-sessioner med designpraktikere. I projekt to blev tre udvalgte minispil samlet i en narrativ spiloplevelse og afprøvet i tre feltstudier “in the wild” med familier. Spillet blev orkestreret og logget via Google Firebase som back-end (realtidsdatabase, lokationslogning) med en “wizard”, der kontrollerede forløb i realtid. De kvalitative observationer blev analyseret gennem linserne f-formationer, proxemiske zoner, delt plads og delt skærm og førte til konkrete designimplikationer for sociale familiespil. Resultaterne peger på, at et stedbaseret spil, der eksplicit designer for proxemisk leg og f-formationer, kan understøtte kommunikation og koordinering på tværs af generationer. Afhandlingen diskuterer begrænsningerne og frigiver MeteorQuest som forskningsplatform til fremtidige studier.
[This apstract has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project full text]