The aim of this thesis is to explore how to join the social activity and fun of a board game,
with computers' possibility to add simultaneous and continuous action, and sensors' abilities
to detect changes in their environment. Thus the aim is to enrich board games, using
ubiquitous computing and interaction design as a way to achieve this. In practice this means
identifying new features - so-called mechanics - that rely on embedded technology.
The thesis should appeal to game designers that want to explore a new design space, and
to interaction designers that would like to know more about the design of board games and
how board gaming could be related to the field of ubiquitous computing.
In addition to extensive background research on electrical components, game mechanics and
game design, two board games using ubiquitous computing have been designed, though not
fully realized, using methods and approaches such as participatory design, user studies,
Wizard of Oz-prototyping and bodystorming. The aim was to explore the possibilities of
ubiquitous computing combined with board games, and the outcome is a set of entirely new
mechanics that can be used when designing such games.
Conclusions are that when designing board games, and mechanics for board games, one can
benefit a lot from the use of sensors, microprocessors and other components normally used
in ubiquitous computing, but that such games are more vulnerable and - at the time being -
more expensive than ordinary board games. They also require thorough interaction design.
Some of the strengths when computer-augmenting a board game is that information can be
made more visible, the components in the game may interact and react, thus being active,
and that resources in the game can be linked and computed in multiple ways. Information
may also be kept secret from all or some players. This all adds up to richer possibilities when
designing a future board game.
Keywords
Board games, mechanics, ubiquitous computing, sensor technology, interaction design, embedded technology, embedded systems, games, The Hatchery, The MarbleGame.
Complete Thesis as PDF
List of Master Theses in Interaction Design
interaction design | chalmers
