Design games as a tool, a mindset and a structure Kirsikka Vaajakallio
Design games as a tool, a mindset and a structure Kirsikka Vaajakallio
Design games as a tool, a mindset and a structure Kirsikka Vaajakallio
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
or revelations may emerge. These insights direct the argumentations over<br />
interesting topics <strong>and</strong> design drivers for further exploration.<br />
Providing a particular vocabulary for the Play framework<br />
The examples have explicitly pointed out certain underlying re<strong>as</strong>ons for<br />
the game metaphor in design but given only few clues of what the relaxed<br />
play atmosphere the metaphor seems to denote could mean. They leave<br />
open questions such <strong>as</strong>: How is the atmosphere generated? Is the concept of<br />
<strong>games</strong> that everyone is, familiar with enough for that, <strong>as</strong> many authors propose?<br />
So far, it seems that design <strong>games</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>games</strong> in, for example, Salen<br />
<strong>and</strong> Zimmerman’s (2004) terms, are similar but in many central ways not<br />
identical, thus potentially confusing the participants instead of guiding<br />
them into the “right” mood. Therefore, I find the roots of the play atmosphere,<br />
<strong>and</strong> thus the play-qualities, worth further study, to learn how they<br />
could be materialized in co-design.<br />
By using metaphors, researchers can direct peoples’ attention towards<br />
the things they want to underline. For example, a theatre metaphor<br />
invites comments on scenery, wings, props, lights, costumes, actors,<br />
instructor, audience, experience, performance, applause, show,<br />
etc. (Darsø 2004, p 80). Moreover, it “sparks a different tone, ambience<br />
<strong>and</strong> visual image than would a war metaphor” (ibid.). The same goes<br />
with the game metaphor in co-design: it evokes a certain image <strong>and</strong><br />
certain expectations for the participants already before the game h<strong>as</strong><br />
started. Therefore, I find it important to draw more attention to the<br />
concepts we use. As w<strong>as</strong> indicated through the examples above, confusion<br />
over what is meant by the design <strong>games</strong> may arise since the term<br />
is used in connection with several activities which, in the first glance,<br />
seem to be quite distinct from each other. I have come across this especially<br />
when teaching MA industrial design students at the Aalto University<br />
School of Arts, <strong>Design</strong> <strong>and</strong> Architecture.<br />
One re<strong>as</strong>on for the fuzzy terminology is the lack of frameworks that<br />
would clearly address the underlying play-qualities that are embedded in<br />
the activities labelled design <strong>games</strong>. To underst<strong>and</strong> what actually makes<br />
a design game, we need to explicate the core identity of them. For the<br />
purposes mentioned above, I will continue developing the Play framework<br />
in the next sections b<strong>as</strong>ed on what already h<strong>as</strong> been discussed, adding<br />
ide<strong>as</strong> from selected studies on <strong>games</strong>, play <strong>and</strong> performances. The<br />
objective is to pinpoint the relationship between the play-qualities <strong>and</strong><br />
design <strong>as</strong> they emerge in the design <strong>games</strong> that aim at supporting early<br />
concept design <strong>and</strong> dialogue between several actors.<br />
112