ABSTRACT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY We developed and evaluated a multiplayer mobile-augmented reality (MAR) game, NerdHerder, to research social play in a shared physical-digital space. NerdHerder is inspired by the recent innovations in physical game interfaces, such as Wii and Kinect. ese interfaces enable a hybrid physical-digital gaming space by mapping physical actions to digital game controls. But current multiplayer games designed for the hybrid game space oen involve players standing next to each other, yet staring at their own character and activities on the screen. is kind of parallel play is limiting-people play next to each other, but do not try to inuence one another’s behavior. We believe that digital games have the potential to bring more engaging and cooperative social experience to players. To achieve this goal, we adapt sociological theories to the specic domain of colocated hybrid physical-digital games. Using the research method of research through design (RtD), the goal of our case study is to explore the dynamics between sociological theories, the game design that embodies these theories, game interfaces that enable such a design, and social play behaviors that emerge from gameplay. In our work, we rst turn sociological theories into design guidelines based on existing games and research, and then we implement a subset of them in NerdHerder. We conduct a user study on NerdHerder to see if the theory-based design aects social interaction as we anticipated or not. Finally, based on our design process and empirical data, we reect on the core framing constructs that are uniquely important for colocated social play in a hybrid physical-digital gaming space and provide design implications based on these constructs. Our case study aspires to stimulate more in-depth discussions with researchers and designers who are also interested in social play experience in the space of physical-digital games.
