Operation Sloth: Augmented Reality Game

  • Project Type: Game, Art Installation
  • Duration: 3 Months
  • Role: Project Manager, Interaction Designer

Results

Context

Our group had an interest in puzzle games where users solve various puzzles in order to advance in a game. We wanted participants of our project to be able to experience something similar, but in a real world environment.

In our game, participants are to enter an office where they must discover objects and puzzles to interact with and solve in order to complete the objective of our game. Participants are cast as secret agents who must infiltrate the office and try to foil the plot of a man trying to destroy the world. In order to do so, they are assigned to gather various incriminating information from the office and deliver the information safely into the hands of the agency.

Process

In our initial research, we looked at interactive art installations studying how they are able to set a particular mood and what sort of affordances they used to provoke interaction. We also looked at different puzzle games and did a few informal interviews with peers asking them why these games were appealing to them.

Research Section In Documentation

We began with the basic idea of wanting to create an augmented reality type game where we would set up an environment for participants to immerse themselves into when the game is in play. We began thinking about ideas with a blue sky approach. The idea we began with was to have various game items that could be rearranged to create a different experience; a game that is modular.

Individually, we each came up with a list of narratives and themes for the game which we brought to the table and further developed together as a team. Some ideas were eliminated while other were combined. Once we had decided on this, we based our ideas of puzzles on the narrative of the game. Lastly through rigorous consideration of time and skill limitations, we were set on the puzzles of our game.

Rendering of Game Room with Puzzles

We began prototyping the puzzles and scoping out materials to use. There was some quick and dirty testing sometimes to ensure that puzzles were challenging enough, but not too frustrating. For the puzzles that required electronics we kept them relatively simple to minimize technical problems and breakdowns. We didn't want the technology to drive the puzzles.

Once we had everything assembled, we piloted the individual puzzles. The game then ran for a day where we invited players to participate in the game room that we set up. We had them do a think aloud to record a video of the game play. We made some interesting observations as to how some people reacted to being put in the situation. Though some people were confused, they all ended up having an enjoyable experience.