Social Interfaces (Design Brief)

Joy Sumpter

10/12/2006

Morry Galonoy

Interface

Design Brief – Social Interface for a Video Arcade

Overview

It could be argued that the atmosphere of gaming in the Unites States has shifted from it’s beginning as a form of social interaction in public arcades to online interaction in virtual spaces. We wish to return to the idea of physical interaction related to gaming by observing the behavior of gamers in a public arcade in Chinatown. We believe that there will be different interactions between gamers and spectators, and that the physical space will have a large impact on those interactions.

Context

We plan to observe the behavior of visitors to the arcade on Mott Street in Chinatown. One area of focus will be the differences in the environment from Friday night, which is a peak time, and Saturday afternoon, which is a down time. We also wish to example how interactions in the physical space may be related or unrelated to interactions with virtual environments or video games.

Research and Analysis

Although we plan to make our observations without influencing normal behavior, we do have the following questions in mind:

• How do rivalries, cliques, and cooperative groups change and emerge?
• Is there a difference between players and spectators?
• What is the relationship between people and the physical space?
• How do interactions change between the inside and the outside of the arcade?
• What types of dynamics exist between friends and strangers?
• What tendencies to participants of different age groups have in this environment?

Planning

The studies that are made from these initial observations will help guide the direction of the creation of a new interface. Once we have presented our findings to the class, we will move forward with how we plan to augment, subvert, or disrupt the social behaviors in the arcade.

posted by Megumiaraki @ 4:29 AM