museumsandtheweb.com - gaming

Augmented Reality—What Reality Can We Learn From It?

cherry_thian — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 21:22:20 +0000

MW2012

Cherry Thian, Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore

www.acm.org.sg

Abstract

In June 2011, the Asian Civilisations Museum launched an integrated iPhone app—the world’s first museum app to combine augmented reality (AR), location-based gaming, and interactive features—in its special exhibition Terracotta Warriors: The First Emperor and His Legacy. Specially designed to tell a story that complements the content and flow of the exhibition in seven interactive chapters, each chapter highlights at least one object in the exhibition and attempts to engage visitors on a more personal level. As the story progresses, visitors respond to image markers that launch augmented reality and gaming experiences that breathe life into the objects.

Program Item Reference:

Augmented Reality – What reality can we learn from it?

MP For A Week: An immersive game de-mystifying the UK Parliament

stid42 — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 18:13:17 +0000

MW2011

Published Paper:

MP For A Week: An Immersive Game De-mystifying the UK Parliament

Keywords:

game

Keywords:

Politics

Keywords:

democracy

Keywords:

sharing best practice

Keywords:

gaming

Keywords:

parliament

Abstract:

The UK Parliament is based in the world-famous Palace of Westminster in London. However, a historic building filled with art and politicians creates a perception of politics amongst many school-aged students that is a total turn-off. So how do you overcome these barriers to engage young people in the work of Parliament and arm them with the skills and knowledge to become active citizens? Parliament’s Education Service turned to online gaming for the solution.

MP For A Week is an award-winning, multi-level online game that places the player directly in the shoes of a Member of Parliament, experiencing first-hand the personal and professional dilemmas of a week in politics, taking responsibility for their decisions, and then seeing the implications on their careers. The drama is presented in an ever-changing environment, offering a diverse blend of strategy and experimentation, together with a high level of personalisation. A positive overall rating is the ultimate purpose of the game - just like in real life.

One of our key aims was to present a uniquely credible and intriguing view of the political process, whilst taking on the challenges of making the subject matter interesting and accessible. Finding the right ‘hooks’ to engage the target audience was critical, as well as understanding the relationship between young people’s perceptions of the impressive building and the challenge of engaging them in the work that goes on inside. The grandeur of the Palace, its history and its collections create a sense of awe amongst young people that can form a barrier to their engagement with its modern-day functions. We wanted to break these barriers and capitalise on the building to increase engagement. One way we achieved this was to inject a real sense of drama in the game with exclusive photography coupled with 3D illustrations placing the player directly in the ‘corridors of power’ whilst having to carry out the day-to-day work of an elected politician.

MP For A Week was an ambitious undertaking. Behind the scenes lies a powerful game engine, a year’s worth of work and a massive collaboration between students, teachers, MPs and games developers. In our demonstration we will show how technology, politics, gaming and learning came together to create the resource, which won the UK E-Learning Award 2010 for ‘Best Learning Game’. We will share tips and our own learning in developing engaging and successful educational games within a heritage setting. And we will share our vision for phase two of MP For A Week, and reveal plans for our next major online project: a unique society-building adventure.

Type:

Demonstration - show your project

Demonstrations I

Site:

http://www.parliament.uk/mpforaweek

Authors:

Peter Stidwill

Joshua Rice

Emma-Jane Watchorn

Games

dbear — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 16:44:13 +0000

Type:

Session

Chair:

Kate Haley Goldman

Programs:

From Knowledge to Narrative – to Systems? At the junction of game design and museum education

Playing with museums - game designs to improve museum collections

Museum Games: Some Strategies for Achieving Project Goals

An ubiquitous mobile edutainment application for learning science through play

Date & Time:

April 9, 2011 - 1:30pm - 3:30pm

Location:

Commonwealth A/B

games

gaming

game design

learning through play

constructivist theory

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Archives & Museum Informatics EIN: 77-0708617; GST / BN 887978914

Description

Engaging visitors, in person and online, through games is an increasingly alluring way to capture concerted attention. How can we design these experiences to be compelling, to leave a trace of what we hoped to convey and to scale or persist?

Gaming the museum

dannybirchall — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 14:55:41 +0000

MW2011

Published Paper:

Gaming the museum

Keywords:

gaming

Keywords:

interaction

Keywords:

new audiences

Keywords:

collections

Keywords:

education

Keywords:

education

Keywords:

exploration

Abstract:

Why, with the vast resources, and fundamental human subjects at our disposal, have museums failed to make more than a handful of really compelling games? Are we too wedded to the idea that games must be educational? Do we lack the in-house skills to make subject matter and game engines gel, or are we simply trying to enter an overcrowded marketplace with too few resources? Should we leave making games to the professionals?

At Wellcome Collection, we are beginning the process of making games for our website that put compelling gameplay at the centre of the experience, building our subject matter and resources around that experience. Games have their own logics and structure, and there's no reason these should be subjugated to narrow educational aims any more than the physical layout of the museum should determine the information architecture of our websites. The playful and exploratory impulses that draw gamers towards great games are still largely untapped as a means of engagement.

Using the mini-workshop format, we will present our progress to date and open up a discussion of other museums' experience, sharing our ideas and understanding of games. We will use simple exercises to look at matching our available resources (narratives, photography, object databases) to modes of gameplay, as well as investigating reusable game engines, game syndication, and building enthusiasm for games inside the organisation.

Type:

Mini-Workshop - teaches something or explores approaches

Mini-Workshop on Games: I

Authors:

Martha Henson

Danny Birchall

After the Web Page: The World as Matrix for Meaning

jtrant — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 22:03:08 +0000

Bearman, D., & Trant J. (2007). After the Web Page: The World as Matrix for Meaning. Museums and the Web 2007.