Overview
Blowaway is a collaborative computer game with a physical interface.
The game uses an innovative physical interface, players use custom-built sensors, located around a table, to play the game. While the game is loyal to many of the conventions of traditional computer games, it breaks others, facilitating physical, collaborative and gender-neutral play.
From our research we discovered many areas in which we believed computer games could be improved. We focused on a few key areas, on which to focus our attention.
Key I
deas
- Collaboration
Games are often played solo, or competitively. Our game is a collaborative game which promotes team work, and encourages children to play together, making this game a very social experience. - Physicality
Games are very virtual in their nature. Children often sit in front of a screen playing for hours. Taking inspiration from experiments in Media Lab, and newly emerging games devices like the Dance mat controllers & Sony's eyeToy webcam interface we wanted to create something which engages players physically, and gets their hearbeats up. - Boys & Girls
The vast majority of computer games are played by boys. Through our research we investigated the reasons for this, and attempted to create a game that addressed these issues, in order to create a game that caters for both genders. - Fun
Finally, and most importantly, we wanted the game to be fun. Too often experimental games fail on this factor. We concentrated heavily on making sure our concept game was fun.
Testing
The game was testing in two schools towards the end of the development period. The results were very positive, with the game received an overwhelmingly positive response from the children. It was tested on two different classes of 9/10 year olds, and was tested on both boys and girls.
Video
- Watch the Small Video (3mb, external site)
- Watch the Large Video (5mb, external site)
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Therese Veale, Nicola Kavanagh, Ciaran Vipond, Kevin Cannon, John Lynch