Combining moving bodies with digital elements: design space between players and screens

Abstract

In playground games, an important part of engagement occurs in the physical space where people focus on each other's movements. In contrast, digital games often focus on engagement via a screen. By combining digital elements with playground ideas we identify new design opportunities where players are given freedom to play face-to-face. During a Game Jam workshop, we explore this design space by looking at innovative ways that digital technology can respond to movement. We find by removing the disparity between player movement and its digital representation, players can concentrate on each other and enjoy closer interaction. Through the exploration of digital elements and playground ideas, we suggest designers of movement-based games should consider the design space between the player and the screen using interactive technology to create engaging social digital play experiences.