Fiction Is Reality: Designing Liminal Experiences for Global Fandom

MASTER OF DIGITAL MEDIA MAJOR RESEARCH PROJECT

FICTION IS REALITY: DESIGNING LIMINAL EXPERIENCES FOR GLOBAL FANDOM

by Steven Cober D.M.A., Sheridan College, 1997

The Major Research Project is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Digital Media In the Yeates School of Graduate Studies Ryerson University Toronto, Ontario, Canada August 30, 2017

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2017 © Steven Cober, 2017 AUTHOR’S DECLARATION

I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this MRP. This is a true copy of the MRP, including any required Linal revisions.

I authorize Ryerson University to lend this MRP to other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research.

I further authorize Ryerson University to reproduce this MRP by photocopying or by other means, in total or in part, at the request of other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research.

I understand that my MRP may be made electronically available to the public.

Steven Cober

i ABSTRACT

Over the last three decades, increasingly zealous fan communities have reinter- preted, remixed, and subverted characters from global franchises such as Star Wars, Marvel, and Harry Potter to bring themselves closer to the fiction. The resulting fan culture and recent advancements in digital-physical technologies provide a new opportunity to connect passionate fans with iconic properties that reform the traditional cultural orthodoxy and create added value experiences for high budget entertainment and cultural properties. This research project was focused on enabling participants to deepen their affinity to such narratives through a framework for immersive play within a participatory liminal space. This framework was embodied as a digitally enabled physical device that engaged users through multisensory interactions, versatile customization, inter-device communications and a foundation for systemic agency. As a diegetic prototype, it presented opportunities for participants to meaningfully engage, collaborate and participate in tangible real-world play experiences. A brief review of related work, descriptions of the prototypes and design rationale is presented.

ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First and foremost, my mother, who has supported me since the beginning and always believed in providing me with the opportunity to explore my dreams and aspirations – thank you.

To all my friends and MDM colleagues who supported me along the way, thank you. In particular: Winona So, for being a phenomenal co-researcher and friend on our Theme Park expeditions and Nathan Jurevicius, Steven Charles Manale and Genna Gingerich, for patiently listening to and critiquing my ideas – thank you.

To my professors and advisors: Michael Carter, Alex Ferworn, Paul Moore and Alya Naumova; for advising me, critiquing and pushing my research in new directions– thank you.

Finally, but most definitely not the least, my supervisor, Dr. Kathryn Woodcock, whose generosity and advice was absolutely invaluable during the entire project. I never imagined that I would have the opportunity to see behind the magical curtain of the themed entertainment industry or learn so much about the rich history and multidisciplinary design thinking behind theme parks – thank you.

This research was possible, in part, with support from Ryerson’s Digital Media Experience makerspace and Collaboratory Interdisciplinary Research Space. I would like to thank the entire staff at the DME, and Marissa Frosst and Namir Ahmed from the Collaboratory for their feedback, support and technical expertise during this research project.

Thank you.

iii LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Liminal Artifact Conceptual Designs...... 10 Figure 2: MDA Possibility Space...... 13 Figure 3: Bartles Taxonomy of Player Types ...... 15 Figure 4: Prototype v1 Draw Wand...... 16 Figures 5: Protoype v1 Drawing Wand-Screen Interaction...... 17 Figure 6: Prototype v2 Circuit Diagram...... 18 Figure 7: Prototype v2 3D Printed Model...... 18 Figures 8: Prototype v2 3D Printed Model & Design...... 19 Figure 9: Prototype v3...... 20 Figures 10: Protoype 3 Shaft (Distal End)...... 21 Figures 11: Protoype 3 Handle(Proximal Core)...... 22 Figure 12: Protoype 3 Handle Design...... 23 Figure 13: Protoype 3 Handle with Discs...... 23 Figure 14: Protoype 3 3D Printed Handle...... 24 Figures 15: Protoype 3 Discs...... 24 Figures 16: Protoype 3 Handle Cover...... 25 Figure 17: Prototype 3 Design, Circuit Diagram...... 26 Figures 18: Protoype 3 Sensor Animations...... 27 Figure 18: Protoype 3 LED Visual Guide...... 27 Figure 19: Protoype 3 Colour Disc System...... 27 Figure 20: Protoype 3 Liminal Artifact Event Chart...... 28

iv Table of Contents

Author’s Declaration...... i Abstract...... ii Acknowledgments...... iii List of Figures...... iv

1. Introduction ...... 1

2. Related Literature and Current Practices...... 3 2.1 Hyper-Performance & Communal Imagination...... 3 2.2 Participatory Culture...... 4 2.3 Live Action Role-Play...... 5 2.4 Play Personas...... 5 2.5 Playing With Reality...... 6 2.6 Liminal Experiences...... 7 2.7 Play As Possibility Space...... 8

3. Technology Framework and Research10 3.1 Overview/Introduction...... 10 3.2 Project Goals...... 11 3.3 Use of Device...... 12 3.31 The Possibility Space...... 13 3.32 Player Types...... 14 3.33 Play in Practice...... 15

4. Protoypes...... 6 4.1 Prototype 1.0: Drawing Wand...... 16 4.2 Prototype 2.0: Light Sword...... 18 4.3 Prototype 3.0: Liminal Artifact ...... 20 4.31 Physical Design...... 20 4.32 Digital Design...... 26

5. Discussion and Limitations...... 31

6. Conclusion and Future Work...... 32

Works Cited...... 33 1.0 Introduction

Over the past three decades, global franchises such as Star Wars, Marvel, and Harry Potter have struggled to maintain the “official” interpretation of their fictional characters and universes, as an increasingly zealous fan community has remixed and subverted their characters and stories in order to bring themselves closer to their heroes. Fan cre- ations run the gamut from reaction gifs to fan videos to exposing “easter eggs” and writing speculative fiction:What happens when Captain America is illustrated kissing Iron Man? What happens to that image once it is distributed online for free? How sacred is the official version and should there be the consequences to for breaking canon? Cultural theorist Henry Jenkins explores two aspects of this conflict in his work – the idea of “Participatory Culture” in which fans create fictional content, and the idea of a “Moral Economy” which alludes to the presumed ethical norms which govern the relations between media producers and consumers (Jenkins, 2007). An example of this schism is the documentary film “The People vs. George Lucas” (2010) (Gardner, 2016) in which George Lucas has refused to acknowledge Star Wars’ fans creative tributes, dedications, and contributions to the col- lective mythology. Lucas and his company Lucasfilm (the studio which produces and dis- tributes his films) have engendered three generations of dedicated fans but actively work to dissolve the fans sense of ownership and creative works. Both Disney and Lucasfilm have sued individuals for their contribution to unlicensed capital gains on his Star Wars narrative. (Rugnetta, 2016). The documentary itself reveals how fans are far more than simple consumers in the contemporary mediascape despite this cultural disconnect.

More recently companies have begun to recognize the enormous cultural opportunity of accepting and empowering the fan community. In Sept 2016, Blizzard Entertain- ment released the video game Overwatch, a multi-player battle arena featuring characters from a wide range of races, ages, and body types. Blizzard intentionally released these

1 characters without full narrative backstories, and gave fans agency to fabricate the miss- ing character “DNA” which in turn, spawned a plethora of art and lore surrounding each character. In addition, Character Reference Kits (pdfs of character designs and Pantone colour specifications) were officially released on blizzard.com to help fans create more accurate portrayals of their characters in real life, in a practice known as “cosplay” (a portmanteau of costume and play). Perhaps inadvertently, this eager adaptation by fans also led to a vast amount of sexually oriented fan art which was distributed through digital platforms such as Tumblr and DeviantArt (Rugnetta, 2016). But as the famous saying goes, “There’s no such thing as bad publicity”. In essence, Overwatch fans bought access to the content, joined in the experience, and replied back to the creators by completing the design work, thereby massively increasing the impact of the game and cementing it’s cultural relevance.

Contemporary fan culture is a great untapped resource to break the traditional cultural orthodoxy and create added value experiences for high budget entertainment and cultural properties. This gap is an area of previously never-before seen engagement that provides the potential for immersive participation, giving a franchise’s audience the agency to explore and play within the fictional universe, strengthen their dedication and ultimately, to build longer-standing mythos. My research project is focused on enabling participants to deepen their affinity to such narratives through an immersive play framework within a participatory liminal space. This framework is embodied as a digitally enabled physical device that engages users through multisensory interactions, versatile customization, inter-device communications and a foundation for systemic agency. As a diegetic prototype, it presents opportunities for participants to meaningfully engage, collaborate and participate in tangible real-world play experiences.

2 2.0 Related Literature and Current Practices

2.1 Hyper-Performance and Communal Imagination

The pervasiveness of contemporary media and the ease with which individuals can participate as both creators and consumers has created hyper-performance around stories and images that are the currency of any communal imagination. (Jenkins, 2016) As this media surrounds us, it challenges the boundary between the real and the virtual, entail- ing a myriad of ways in which players can contribute to their temporary heterotopia in the a form of contemporary fan culture. Fan fiction - defined as the fiction produced by fans based on a popular novel, film, TV show or franchise - is one of the most well known forms of interacting with narrative. Fan fiction enables readers to “fill in the gaps” in media franchises. Although unauthorized by the commercial producer of the original media, this extension of the story satisfies readers’ desires for engagement (Jenkins, 2016).

Through social media platforms, the production and circulation of knowledge has been enabled exponentially and dramatically altered how culture works. Together participants have pushed forward new ideas, products, and practices in digital environments— and bypassed traditional mass-culture gatekeepers. In many cases, the shared enthusiasm for a fiction has united fans from a range of ethnicities, religions, sexualities, backgrounds, genders, classes, and locales to channel immense creative and thoughtful effort into contributing to the domain of a work or figure that they find meaningful. There is also a certain aspect of democracy to this phenomenon as fandom has given a platform to hear fringe, marginalized, and underrepresented voices and viewpoints (Shields, 2017). The de- sire for relationships based on a similar interest in the narrative drives people together in many different forums both online and offline. Fans express enthusiasm for franchises and

3 stories through a number of communal behaviours such as publishing online content, creating artwork, writing music, making commentary videos, designing props and costumes and wearing character-inspired symbols and apparel, tattoos and cosplay and as groups at fan gatherings and conventions. Passionate Harry Potter fans gather annually to celebrate the fictional character’s birthday through group cosplay and performance- donning round glasses, forehead fake scars, designing wands, costumes and wearing specific Hogwarts sigils.

2.2 Participatory Culture

Fan fiction and cosplay are only two types of narrative interaction or what Jenkins called “participatory culture.” He explains,“patterns of media consumption have been pro- foundly altered by a succession of new media technologies which enable average citizens to participate in the archiving, annotation, appropriation, transformation, and recirculation of media content. Participatory culture refers to the new style of consumerism that emerg- es in this environment.”(Jenkins, 2016). For many franchises, dedicated fans consume the core material (TV show, books, films, comics etc) as well as extensive supplementary culture created by the authors, directors, actors, creatives and the fan community. These communities consume this co-authored transmedia narrative across platforms through Instagram feeds, fan fiction websites, dedicated Facebook groups, Reddit conversations, Snapchats and more. A simple Google search for videos of “Let It Go” from the film Frozen returns approximately 2,340,000 results, most of which are fan-generated renditions and not the official media artifact produced by Disney. (http://bit.ly/2izO62v, August 26, 2017) As fan writers and artists interact with the fiction and “fill in gaps,” they develop a sense of ownership from their contributions through these digital media channels. Many video game players expect a high level of customization and personalization from entertainment products, and players react favourably towards being put in charge of the content.

4 As such, design studios producing games such as Fallout 3, Grand theft Auto IV, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, retain complete creative control but opt for open worlds and modular narratives to increase player’s agency (Canossa & Drachen, 2009).

The participants no longer see the story belonging solely to the original author or producers because they have fed it with their emotional, intellectual and creative energy. In many cases, people become fans of a media property simply because they can participate in a preferred method, whether through creating art, memes, messaging or offering insights and opinions. Years before contemporary fan culture thrived via networked transmedia communication, most immersive experience for fans who want to play a characters or contribute to a fictional world was through live action role-play, also known as LARPing.

2.3 Live Action Role-Play

In general, a live action role-playing game (LARP) is defined as a form of role-playing game where the participants physically act out their characters’ actions. The first LARPs were run in the 1970’s, inspired by tabletop role-playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) and popular genre fiction such as Lord of the Rings. Traditionally, a group of players embody a fiction by pursuing goals and physically act out and interact with each other in character, all within a fictional setting loosely connected to the real world. LARP and theatre are often compared as both contain physical role performances. However there are key differences between both mediums in both the depth of role, the absence of a traditional audience and the improvisational nature of performance within LARPs. Szatkowski (2006) speaks of LARP as a “ritual theatre” with a first-person audience formed by the players (Montola & Stenros, 2008).

5 2.4 Play Personas

As a medium of creative expression, LARP includes the shedding of social roles, donning of new identities, performance of these identities in a temporary space guided by an organizer, and a return to the previous self, often with some sort of change individually and socially. As part of a group, players often report a greater sense of community as the result of these experience (Turner, 1966). Within the LARP play environment, LARP uses a system combining play artifacts, narrative and aesthetic space design to carve channels in the minds of players that help them organize experiences, formulate sense-making patterns, and develop play personas. Play-personas are defined as clusters of preferential interaction (what) and navigation(where) attitudes temporarily expressed (when) that coalesce around different affordances in the artifacts provided in the play environment. As a tool for experience design, play-personas represent an expectation of how players would like to craft their experience (Canossa & Drachen, 2009). LARP participants are given agency to create a unique play-persona to create a deeply personal experience that shapes their attachment to a narrative, existing or otherwise.

2.5 Playing with Reality

As a system of player generated fiction, LARP has the unique ability to invoke a temporary Heterotopia “reality”. Originally coined by Michael Foucault in his 1967 lec- ture titled “Of Other Spaces”, Foucault writes: “The heterotopia is capable of juxtaposing in a single real place several spaces, several sites that are in themselves incompatible.” (Foucault, 1984). LARP experiences allow for a multitude of permutations and paradoxical combinations in its gameplay and narrative structures that do exactly this to manifest it as a unique game in its genre (Stern, 2017). These juxtapositions are common in contem-

6 porary digital culture and is commonly known as being “meta”. Examples include memes, parody, video tributes, fan fiction and are interwoven in the fictional worlds of mainstream shows such as The Simpsons, The Family Guy and South Park. Many individuals play characters that not only shift between the fantasy world, the real world and personal improvi- sation, but also exist within the classic framework of Northrop Frye’s literary modes. Fr- ye’s model divides narrative into five hierarchical categories with myth at the top, followed by romance, high mimesis (tragedy or epic narratives), low mimesis (the classical novel), and finally, irony. (Frye, 2006). Tolkien’s Lord of the Ring’s characters may be mapped as follows (Shippey, 2001): Samwise as irony, Frodo and the other hobbits as low mimesis, humans as high mimesis, the Elves and Dwarves as figures of romance, and finally Gandalf, Bombadil, and Sauron as belonging to the realm of myth (Shippey, 2001). Although players may follow their mythos roles, many are culturally agile and embrace the meta-game by loosening their play style and allowing bits of reality to slip in and out of the LARP fantasy world, generating a more compelling and immersive experience.

2.6 Liminal Experiences

One prevailing concern of any producers of immersive experiences such as LARP are the specific methods by which the experience can be believable and form a connection with participants in order to create emotions, discovery and transformation. If anything, a well-designed LARP experience is akin to practicing religion, in which we read the artifact (The Bible, The Torah), gather in a space (Church, Temple), wear specific attire (formal wear, metal crosses) and perform a ritual together (singing, prayer, recital). Ritual involves three stages: a departure from the mundane world with thorough separation, an entrance into an in-between state called liminality, and a return to the mundane world with an in- corporation of the liminal experience (Turner, 1966).

7 During the separation stage, the group or individual prepares to shed their everyday roles and enter into new ones for the purpose of the ritual. The separation phase can include practicing the ritual, costuming, makeup, masks, establishing ritual space, or other activities intended to facilitate the transition. Assuming in temporary social roles, participants play parts in a performance of some sort, either actively or passively. They cross over a “thresh- old” – or limen – into another state of being, which often transpires in a physical location specifically demarcated for the ritual, often referred to as the “Magic Circle”. All participants agree to take part in this temporary, “betwixt and between” state, collectively agreeing to these new terms of their social reality. Turner refers to the liminal state as a “moment in and out of time”: a paradoxical, transitional experience. After the performance is completed, participants leave the ritual space behind and return to their previous roles. However, they incorporate the liminal experiences into their own lives to greater and lesser degrees. When a community holds a rite of passage to mark a marriage, the couple leaves the wedding with a new social status acknowledged by all the participants present (Bowman, 2015).

2.7 Play as Possibility Space

Play is one of the most difficult experiences to define, yet possibly the most common and accessible form of liminal experiences. In “Man, Play and Games” Roger Caillois (1961) built critically on the theories of Johan Huizinga,(1938) and concluded that play is best described by six core characteristics:

• It is free, or not obligatory. • It is separate (from the routine of life) occupying its own time and space. • It is uncertain, so that the results of play cannot be pre-determined and so that the player’s initiative is involved. • It is unproductive in that it creates no wealth and ends as it begins. • It is governed by rules that suspend ordinary laws and behaviours and that must be followed by players. • It involves make-believe that confirms for players the existence of imagined realities that may be set against ‘real life’. (Caillois & Barrash, 2001)

8 If play can be considered a liminal space, then the experience can offer the same potential for transformation provided by the liminal experience. Turner believed that rituals create communitas: a greater feeling of communal connection between participants. Addi- tionally, rituals are often guided by a shaman figure: some sort of guide or facilitator of the process (even a digital avatar or remote broadcaster) who helps establish the atmosphere, tone, and components of the ritual (Bowman, 2015). This shared enthusiasm within a community is integral to the success of both LARP and all contemporary cultural franchises, whether film, sports, art collecting or mass culture.

In general, play is the capacity to experiment with one’s surroundings as a form of problem-solving. Having a strong sense of play can be helpful as an individual attempting to learn a new skill, understand a concept or design anything from an image to a piece of music. For many individuals, play is a space of permission to unlearn ‘rules’ and experiment with possibilities that re-imagine the world under different terms – concretely and socially – with different rules or with themselves in different roles. Unlearning through play allows us to open our minds to learning things anew (Jenkins, 2016). As a safe space for experimentation, the enactment of alternate selves allows a participant to potentially evolve an authentic, not default, self. In addition, since play is, by nature, social, we con- struct meaningful social relationships and play helps participants both sustain and evolve those relationships.

9 3.0 Technology Framework and Research

3.1 Overview

This project acted as preliminary framework for enabling participants to deepen their affinity to narratives through a system of immersive play within a participatory liminal space. This framework was embodied as a digitally enabled physical device to engage users through multi-sensory interactions, versatile customization, inter-device communications and a foundation for systemic agency. For the purposes of this project, the device is referred to as the “Liminal Artifact”. As a diegetic prototype, the Liminal Artifact presented opportunities for participants to meaningfully engage, collaborate and participate in tangible real-world play experiences. The broader intent was to develop a responsive and interactive environment that involved coordinating heterogeneous devices and interactive surfaces together within a holistic play system. Investigation into designing such a device system required three iterations, each requiring a concentrated effort in writing low-level software and communication protocols to fulfill the proposed functions.

Figure 1. Liminal Artifact Concept Designs

10 To this end, the Liminal Artifact was developed as multi-sensory heterogeneous device for multi-user play environments. The prototype design integrated off-the shelf electronic components, visual design software, 3D modelling software, 3D printing fabrication and both the Arduino and Processing software platforms within three major device iterations. The design of this prototype was informed from experience gained reviewing similar play-persona type devices, most notably the Disney Parks Magic Wand, Universal’s Wiz- arding World of Harry Potter Wand, MagiQuest Wands and the fan-made Ultrasaber replica lightsaber. Although these devices all possessed technical capabilities that immersed the participant in an experience, they were often limited in capability and designed to be most effective within a controlled play environment. Only the fan-made Ultrasaber sought to give the user opportunities to customize and expand the device, which was indicative of the fan-oriented motivation in the design strategy of the interactive object. Furthermore, concepts for potential features emerged from study of recent technical opportunities in combination with in-person observations and participation in immersive experiences within themed entertainment environments.

3.2 Project Goals

As the preliminary phase of the project, the practical goal of the Liminal Artifact prototype was to create an effective play device that shifted the participant into a “Magic Circle” - a heterotopic LARP-like space where specialized rules and behaviours apply. The device acted as both a portal into and a usable object within the fictional space, enabling participants to alter the state of the experience through interactions that ultimately move the narrative forward. To manifest this space, it was necessary to operationalize the process by designing a set of mechanics for the Liminal Artifact that could be incorporated into a multitude of possible play environments.

11 The project took the form of a digitally enabled physical device - an artifact for playing a fiction - that enabled the participant to partake in and create emergent narrative through meaningful participation. The Liminal Artifacts physical appearance was designed in a recognizable form comparable to a wand, a sword, or similar fictional item. This form allowed participants to easily map the system of play upon first sight and receive appropriate sensory feedback with little expertise or procedural onboarding for successful oper- ation of the device. The device behaviours supported the form, providing interaction cues and feedback to inform and delineate meaningful user actions that encouraged discovery of the devices potential through experimentation and play.

My approach sought to: (1) create the potential for the participant to create a play persona (2) link user actions to narrative progression (3) provide multiple sensory access points for customization of the device.

3.3 Use of Device

Participants could use the Liminal Artifact to “magically” interact within a suitably configured play environment simply by pointing, touching and/or using their wands in a particular manner to achieve desired goals or produce desired effects. Use of the Liminal Artifact may be as simple as pointing it towards a particular surface or object or as complex as shaking or swinging the device in a predetermined series of motions to actuate various interactive effects. In essence, the device invited the participant into the “Magic Circle”, provokes imagination, provided agency to each individual and facilitated the supporting mechanics to maintain the liminal space.

12 In accordance with the physical embodiment, each Liminal Artifact was able to track users progress and provide a variety of sensory effects. The device handle incorporated a digital microcontroller, a wireless RF receiver/transmitter and motion-sensitive circuitry that monitors user actions and was programmed to respond with visually alternating light colours, light animations, haptic and audible feedback.

3.31 The Possibility Space

To conceptualize the interrelated behaviours of device, the three levels of the MDA (Mechanics, Dynamics and Aesthetics) framework was used as a guide (Hunicke, LeBlanc,& Zubek, 2004). Use of the MDA system as a framework allowed a moderate level of control for undesired outcomes, and to respond by reiterating the design for desired behaviour. In addition, by under- standing how formal decisions about device design and play impact the end user experience, it was easier as- sess the experience, and use it to revise, respond with Figure 2. MDA Possibility Space new designs and potential device behaviours.

Mechanics describes the particular components of the game, specifically the various data-driven actions, behaviours and control mechanisms afforded to the player within a game context. Together with the game’s content (levels, assets and so on) the mechanics support overall gameplay dynamics. Dynamics describes the run-time behaviour of the mechanics acting on player choice - specifically inputs and each others outputs over time. Dynamics work to create aesthetic experiences. For example, challenge is created by things

13 like time pressure and opponent play. Fellowship can be encouraged by sharing informa- tion across certain members of a session (a team) or supplying winning conditions that are more difficult to achieve alone (such as capturing an enemy base). Aesthetics describes the desirable emotional responses evoked in the player, when they interact with the game system. Aesthetics attempts to address “What makes a game fun?” (Hunicke, LeBlanc,& Zubek, 2004).

Fundamental to the MDA framework is the concept that games are more like artifacts than media, meaning that the content of a device is its behaviour and the decision of the user - not the media that streams out of it towards the participant. It is the act of using the device that not only places the participant within the fiction, but creates the fiction in collaboration - emergent narrative. Conceiving this device as a designed MDA oriented artifact helped support clearer design choices and analysis throughout all levels in order to build behaviour via interaction (Hunicke, LeBlanc,& Zubek, 2004).

3.32 Player Types & Motivations

To better understand how players interact, Richard Bartle (1996) proposed a taxonomy of player motivations within multiuser computer games and divided players into four general categories: Achievers, who “regard points gath- ering and rising in levels as their main goal,” Explorers, who “delight in having the game ex- Figure 3. Bartle’s Taxonomy of Player Types pose its internal machinations to them,” Social- isers,who “are interested in people, and what

14 they have to say,” and Killers, who “get their kicks from imposing themselves on others.” Over the past two decades, designers of multi-player environments have attempted to accommodate all four player archetypes and their various contemporary permutations when creating game systems (Bartle, 1996).

3.33 Play in Practice

Bartle’s Taxonomy of Player Types was a useful conceptual user-oriented framework to pair with Alan Cooper’s persona framework (Cooper,1999) and apply metaphorical play-personas for conceptualizing this projects play environment. The device design was mapped to satisfy a general set of user actions which could then be mapped onto a particular set of goals, location or narrative rather than a specific demographic. Cooper defined a play-persona as patterns of behaviour, goals, skills, attitudes, and environment, with a few fictional personal details to make it a realistic character. Play-personas can influence and control the ways that players categorize what they experience in game worlds; persona constructs can be triggers that inspire, incite and compel players into certain actions. Play-personas are defined as clusters of preferential interaction, navigation attitudes, temporally expressed, that coalesce around different kinds of inscribed affordances in the artifacts provided by game designers. One play-persona might be interested in jumping, sneaking and navigation, another in fighting enemies and using very big weapons. The goal was to ensure that the personas encompass the interests of the players, but operate within the confines of the design that cannot be affected by player agency (Canossa & Drachen, 2009). As such, each prototype was an investigation in designing aspects of a play experience for players to both retain their individual aesthetic preferences and participate with the shared orientations of a metaphorical group. Within the metaphorical group, the goal was to have players reinforce, reward and acknowledge each other’s preferences as part of the LARP play dynamic.

15 Chapter 4 Prototypes

4.1 Prototype 1.0: Drawing Wand

The goal of the first prototype was to create a successful interrelation between the physical movement of an accelerometer to a screen-based generative drawing program. The user held the device in front of the screen and improvised movement to generate onscreen visual effects via Bluetooth connection. The physical device has no interface or instructions. I used simple plastic PLA filament to print a 3 part wand and attached a LightBlue Bean micro controller to the handle. The Bean was an Arduino-compatible microcontroller board that was wirelessly programmable over Bluetooth Low Energy, contained a built-in accelerometer and was powered by a 3v coin battery attached to the bottom of the circuit. A simple generative drawing program was coded in Processing that translated the Bean’s accelerometers x,y,z values into visuals onscreen. As the microcontroller moved in physical space, the Arduino program received the sensing data as input via the Blue- tooth connection and passed the coordinate values the Processing sketch. The result was a small widow that displayed real-time visual graphics according to the user’s interaction. Specifically, the code paired the wand location as the initial starting point of the drawing line on the canvas area and altered the size of the graphic line dynamically with the speed in which the wand was moving. The result was a successful screen based computer vision program that allowed the wand user to draw on screen by moving the prototype within a 2 x 3 foot physical space. The device was not dependent on any visual sensors or camera technology, and the user was able to utilize the wand successfully as long as it was paired with the application and within the mapped screen space.

16 Figure 4. Protoype v1 components

Prototype 1.0 components included: 1) 3-part 3D model, sourced from Thingiverse and printed on Lulzbot TAZ printer with PLA 1.75mm filament 2) Lightblue Bean microcontroller, wirelessly programmable over Bluetooth Low Energy with onboard Accelerome- ter 3) powered by single 3v coin cell battery and 4) a graphical user-generative computer application coded with Processing 3.3 software.

Figure 5a. Protoype v1 Device-Screen interaction Figure 5b. Protoype v1 User Generated Image

17 4.2 Prototype 2.0: Light Sword

The second iteration was designed to explore a more comprehensive physical form, the use of LED lights as a communication tool, and to measure power configurations for Arduino-driven devices. The goal was to produce a practical solution that tested all the above requirements and resolve it with an integrated framework. Figure 6. Protoype v2 Circuit Schematic Figure 7. Prootype v2 Physical 3D Printed Model

The device was created through direction from the Adafruit maker community, which included the circuit schematic, assembly instructions and pre-generated 3D models (http://bit.ly/2wJOrpJ, May 10, 2017). The 3D models were designed in Autodesk Fusion 360 using reference images from the Zelda: Quest of the Wild videogame. To create the physical object via available 3D printing technology, the device was separated into eight parts, each one tested and sized for a 3D printer printing plate that accommodated a build volume of 12 by 12 by 12 inches. The device was printed in 1.75 mm PLA filament on a Lulzbot TAZ printer with four parts specifically printed in translucent PLA filament allow visibility for LED lights within the cavity. Once printed successfully, the parts were aligned and connected together using E6000 adhesive and 2.5 x .5 x 8mm screws.

The proximal end of the device doubled as a handle for the user and included the power source and digital components. Within the handle was an on/off slide switch connected to a lithium ion battery that was charged and powered by an Arduino Trinket microcontroller. The battery and microcontroller were bridged with a lipo backpack board that allowed the micro-USB port of the Trinket to be utilized as a power charging source for the lithium battery. Once assembled, the device was strong enough to be carried as a prop, and the user could use the on/off switch to power the LEDs and recharge the battery by connecting the micro-USB port to a power supply.

18 4.2 Prototype 2.0: Light Sword

The device was created through direction from the Adafruit maker community, Prototype 2.0 components included: 1) an 8-part 3D Model printed on Lulzbot TAZ which included the circuit schematic, assembly instructions and pre-generated 3D mod- printer with PLA 1.75mm filament 2) Arduino Trinket Microcontroller with Micro USB els ( , May 10, 2017). The 3D models were designed in Autodesk Fusion http://bit.ly/2wJOrpJ connection 3) Rechargeable Lithium Ion Battery 4) Lipo Backpack Breakout Board 5) On/ 360 using reference images from the Zelda: Quest of the Wild videogame. To create the Off Slide Switch 6)NeoPixel RGB LED light strip (60cm) and 7) electronic functions coded physical object via available 3D printing technology, the device was separated into eight with Arduino 1.8.1 software. parts, each one tested and sized for a 3D printer printing plate that accommodated a build volume of 12 by 12 by 12 inches. The device was printed in 1.75 mm PLA filament on a Lulzbot TAZ printer with four parts specifically printed in translucent PLA filament allow visibility for LED lights within the cavity. Once printed successfully, the parts were aligned and connected together using E6000 adhesive and 2.5 x .5 x 8mm screws.

The proximal end of the device doubled as a handle for the user and included the power source and digital components. Within the handle was an on/off slide switch connected to a lithium ion battery that was charged and powered by an Arduino Trinket microcontroller. The battery and microcontroller were bridged with a lipo backpack board that allowed the micro-USB port of the Trinket to be utilized as a power charging source for the lithium battery. Once assembled, the device was strong enough to be carried as a Figure 8a. Protoype v2 3D printing Figure 8b. Protoype v2 Discs Figure 8c. Protoype v2 System prop, and the user could use the on/off switch to power the LEDs and recharge the battery by connecting the micro-USB port to a power supply.

19 3.6 Prototype 3.0: Liminal Artifact

Expanding on the learnings from the first two iterations, the third prototype was the most realized version of the project goal. A previously described, the Liminal Artifact was designed to host a system of digitally coded behaviour, physical signifiers for the user to discover, learn to successfully use the device. The device also possessed options to expand capabilities that supported a range of potential functions allowing participants to create play personas and subsequently, a richer narrative experience.

3.61 Physical Design

Figure 9. Protoype v3 - 3D Printed Model

To create a strong sense of the Liminal Artifact’s tangible qualities, careful attention was given when conceptualizing the look, feel and weight of the device’s material design. The prototype was designed in Adobe software and modelled in 3D with a combination of Tinkercad and SolidWorks software. The device was designed with several assumptions - most notably the position, size and configuration of sensors, the power supply requirements, the possibilities for customization and interlocking components, estimating a functional form that would be suitable for intended users as well as general durability and safe- ty considerations for all of the above. As such, variants could be generated by altering one or more of the assumptions and applied to a future family of tangibles or environments.

Once the desired forms were attained, the models were exported in .stl format and pre-visualized as a guide with intended materials through Maya 3D software and output as rendered hi-resolution png files. The .stl files were tested in Autodesk Meshmixer for stability analysis before beginning the physical printing stage. Once considered stable, the .stl files were loaded into Cura and printed using 1.75mm PLA plastic filament through a Printerbot Play printer within Ryerson University. Once printed successfully, the support-

20 3.6 Prototype 3.0: Liminal Artifact

3.61 Physical Design

Figure 9. Protoype v3 - 3D Printed Model

To create a strong sense of the Liminal Artifact’s tangible qualities, careful attention ing plastic was removed, the pieces were sanded down, and fitted together to complete was given when conceptualizing the look, feel and weight of the device’s material design. the form. The Liminal Artifact is physically embodied as four interconnected components, The prototype was designed in Adobe software and modelled in 3D with a combination of specifically a shaft, handle, handle end cap and several small discs. Tinkercad and SolidWorks software. The device was designed with several assumptions - most notably the position, size and configuration of sensors, the power supply require- Shaft (Distal End) ments, the possibilities for customization and interlocking components, estimating a functional form that would be suitable for intended users as well as general durability and safe- The distal end of the tool was embodied as a 20cm tube composed of 2mm thick ty considerations for all of the above. As such, variants could be generated by altering one semi-opaque plastic. This portion contained an internal cavity throughout fitted with a or more of the assumptions and applied to a future family of tangibles or environments. string of LED lights. These lights were operable to provide visual communication through RGB colour changes and a variety of light-based animations. In addition, the participant Once the desired forms were attained, the models were exported in .stl format and was able to slide a removable end overtop of this distal shaft to personalize the look and pre-visualized as a guide with intended materials through Maya 3D software and output feel of their device. The intent was open up possibilities for the role of the device for the as rendered hi-resolution png files. The .stl files were tested in Autodesk Meshmixer for purpose of representing the participant, conveying a theme, offering a specific design or a stability analysis before beginning the physical printing stage. Once considered stable, the empower the participant to fulfill a purpose or role. For example, the shaft could be em- .stl files were loaded into Cura and printed using 1.75mm PLA plastic filament through a bodied as an animal totem, a golden blade or a transparent blue crystal wand to match the Printerbot Play printer within Ryerson University. Once printed successfully, the support- fictional narrative of the play environment.

21 Figure 10a. Protoype v3 Shaft: 3D Model

Figure 10b. Protoype v3 Shaft: Physical Objects

Handle(Proximal Core)

The proximal handle component was a 24cm long, 2mm thick opaque plastic cyl- inder that contained several sensors and the micro controller within the internal cavity. The end cap slid onto the lower end of the handle and the shaft that contained the LED lights was fitted onto the top portion. This handle afforded the user several practical tools common to digitally-enabled devices including an on/off switch, two push buttons, two ornamental disc ports, a removable battery cover and a micro-USB port. Within the handle

22 cavity, the buttons were connected to the a pre-programmed micro controller that also controlled the sensors, lights and RF transmitter/receiver and managed the communication between all electronic components. As such, the handle was designed to accommodate all components efficiently and multiple iterations were evaluated to determine the best organization for all components collectively. Consideration was given for the space needed for power supply and connecting the microcontrollers micro-USB port. The RF transponder within the handle can communicate with one or more receivers or transceivers distributed throughout a similarly RF enabled play environment, including those in other participants devices.

Figure 11a. Protoype v3 Handle (Proximal Core): 3D Model Figure 11b. Protoype v3 Handle 3D print

Figure 12. Protoype v3 Handle (Proximal Core) Design

23 Figure 11b Protoype v3 Handle (Proximal Core): 3D Model expanded Figure 13. Protoype v3 Handle with Discs

The handle had two ornamental ports on the left and right side that could be fitted with external discs. Once inserted, each disc connected with the circuit. The physical design of each altered the capabilities of the device in different ways, allowing participants to achieve specific play goals. Two small push button are situated on the top affording the user to easily push them with their thumb for activating or controlling various effects.

Figure 14a. Protoype v3 Handle: 3D Printed Model Figure 14b. Protoype v3 Handle: 3D Printed Model

24 Discs The discs were small external artifacts that could be inserted and removed by placing them in handle ports. A limit of two these discs could be inserted at a time and successful insertion altered the cosmetic appearance and enhanced the electronic functions of the Liminal Artifact. Each disc had a different colour value - red, blue, green and yellow - and shifted the colour of the light in the shaft when inserted into the handle. Once inserted, the small disc pegs connected with push buttons inside the handle cavity, and the specific RGB value assigned to the peg length was communicated to the microcontroller.

Figure 15a. Protoype v3 Discs 3D model

Figure 15b. Protoype v3 Disc Design

25 Handle End Cover The end cover slides onto the bottom of the handle opposite the distal end. Once secured, the cover acts as functional protection for the handle and the micro-USB connection slot. In addition, the cover can be custom themed to add a personalized ornamental narrative to the device.

Figure 16a. Protoype v3 Handle Cover 3D Models Figure 16b. Protoype v3 Handle

3.62 Digital Design

Within the cavity of the handle, the device contains an integrated assortment of sensors to simulate fictional effects. The device incorporates an internal 6v power source, LED lights, RF module (transmitter and receiver), an accelerometer, 16GB MicroSD card, vibrator, speaker, amplifier, and main microprocessor. All of the components were physically connected and driven by to the microprocessor to monitor user actions and respond to user actions via specific pre-programmed behaviours. These sensor behaviours were controlled by Arduino code on the Arduino Nano microcontroller. All components work in some way to replicate a fictional actuation device, allowing play participants interact with the surrounding environment through pointing and touching their devices to external objects, other similarly enabled devices and to collaborate with other participants to achieve desired goals and effects.

26 All device functions were coded and tested with Arduino 1.8.1 software using multiple sensor libraries provided by the component producers. Each sensor was tested individually with the producer’s sample code first, then specific functions were developed through researching tutorials, sample code, projects and development resources shared within the online development community.

Figure 17a. Protoype v3 Visual Diagram Figure 17b. Protoype v3 Circuit Diagram v1

Audio was sourced from several online audio licensing services and processed through Audacity for use in the device. Single sounds were assigned to play when the user performed a specific action (as outlined in the Events chart), often in sync with both haptic feedback and light animation to create a convincing system image for the physical device. Cognizant of the processing power required to perform multisensory feedback simultane- ously, each audio clip was reduced to an efficient .25-2 second long file that would require a minimum of effort from the microcontroller. To map the appropriate device feedback for each user action, a series of short animations were produced in Adobe Aftereffects to simulate the audio, haptic and visual responses and provide guidance for systematic coherence when coding device behaviours in Arduino. Each production animation included the event title, audio file details and a practical description of the sensor feedback actions.

Figure 18. Protoype v3 Event Sensor Mapping Animations

The disc effects were signified primarily through colour shifts in the LED lights within the shaft. A single RGB colour value was assigned to each disc - red, blue, green, yellow - and manifested through the length of spikes/posts on each disc. When a disc was properly inserted into the handle, the pegs would press a specific button within the handle and pass the RGB value onto the LED lights.

Figure 19a. Protoype v3 Basic Disc Use

28 Figure 19b. Protoype v3 Disc Colour Control System 1.0

The combination of these four colour values multiplied into a possible 16 variation and ways to customize the device. Participants could customize the visible aesthetics of their Liminal Artifact through their choice of physical discs and the resulting LED illumination. The unique shaft colour was also a visible communication tool would convey their specific play-persona and device capabilities to other participants. As a system tool, the RGB value of each device was the core data used in the Arduino code to define the participant and determine the effectiveness and nature of their devices sensors and capabilities, as outlined in the Liminal Artifact Event Chart (Figure 20).

With the potential range of participants and play personas within the metaphorical immersive environment, the Liminal Artifact was programmed with preliminary system of events to demonstrate potential applications. Manifested through the physical design and

29 sensory functions, this system image is designed to support successful mapping and feedback for control, discovery and ultimately mastery of the device. As demonstrated in the “Liminal Artifact Event Chart” (Figure 20) below, the intent was to develop a rudimentary taxonomy of behaviours that work in tandem to create a satisfactory experience for participants.

Liminal Artifact Event Chart

EVENT ACTION LED CODE LED ANIMATION AUDIO VIBRATION

1 POWER ON LED1 Fade Up 1-12, then 1powerup 1) 1.5 sec, vibration 75% fade out. 1-5 remain on 2 POWER OFF LED1 fade 1-5 Fade out 2powerdown 2) 0.5 sec, vibration 25%

3 BUTTON 1 LED2 17-20 Pulse Wave, 3magicattack 3) 0.25 sec, vibration 25% PRESSED 100% 4 BUTTON 2 LED3 1-10 Cycle100% 4magicfxwhoosh2 3) 0.25 sec, vibration 25% PRESSED 5 DISC 1 ADDED LED6 No animation, just 5disc1_3 1) 0.5 sec, vibration 50% rgb change 6 DISC 2 ADDED LED7 No animation, just 6disc2_6 1) 0.5 sec, vibration 50% rgb change 7 DEVICE COLLIDES LED5 1-20 Pulse On/Off, 7lightning 5) 0.25 sec, vibration 100% 100% 8 DEVICE SWUNG LED5 1-5 100%, 6-10 8swinglr 5) 0.25 sec, vibration 25% L/R 75%,10-20 50%, Pulse On/Off 9 DEVICE PINGED LED4 1-20 Pulse On/Off, 9magicvoice 4) 0.2 sec, vibration 50% BY ENVIRONMENT 50% 10 DEVICE DETECT LED4 w rgb 5-12 Pulse On/Off, 10magicglitter 4) 1 sec, vibration 50% ANOTHER DEVICE 100%

Figure 20. Liminal Artifact Event Chart

Prototype v3 components included: 1) an 8-part 3D Model printed on Lulzbot TAZ printer with PLA 1.75mm filament with 2) one shaft model printed in clear resin on a Form 2 3D printer 3) Arduino Nano Microcontroller with Micro USB connection 4) two 3v Coin Cell Batteries with case 5) six push buttons 6) On/Off Slide Switch 7) NeoPixel RGB LED light strip (60cm) 8) accelerometer 9)collision detector 10) RF transmitter/receiver 11) vibration motor 12) DF Player Sound module with 16G MicroSD Card and 13) electronic functions coded with Arduino 1.8.1 software.

30 5.0 Discussion and Limitations

The three prototypes evolved from capturing and representing specific device movement in space, to representing a narrative form and responsive symbols, to incorporating multisensory interactive elements. The use of off-the-shelf components was a issue when configuring them both electronically and physically fitting them within the confines of the handle. There were unforeseen issues of components physically effecting one another. Within the handle, the close proximity of the vibration motor and the speaker created a continuous audible disruption whenever the motor was activated. Given the complexity of the electronics, it would be advantageous to design a custom multi-sensor microcontroller for use in future iterations. The power source was suitable for demonstration purposes, but more investigation is required in order to support the full breadth of the devices potential capabilities.

The use of 3D printing technology was effective in the creation of the physical prototypes, the range of materials and substrates was somewhat limiting when using the mid-level Lulzbot. In the search for stronger material and a more finished looking print, the most recent shaft was successfully printed in clear resin on a Form 2 printer. Through- out the project, the 3D printing process required an substantial amount of time and prepa- ration that may have been more effectively used in fully developing the functions outlined in the Liminal Artifact Event Chart(Figure 20). Other fabrication methods may be more effective, but it is notable that 3D printing facilitates customization, and subsequent ver- sions may explore an option for the participant to design and print certain accessories to modify a base unit. When engaging with the Liminal Artifact prototype, participant reac- tions were unanimously positive towards the implementation of LED lights and engaged by the physical shape of the device. Future iterations will focus on expanding the range of functions, the quality of both the electronic components and physical manufacturing to develop into a more substantial interactive device.

31 6.0 Conclusion and Future Work

As digital technologies continue to redefine how culture evolves, there are opportunities to create new forms of immersive experiences and make fiction reality. Social media platforms have exponentially increased the number of participants and the speed and richness of their interactions bringing people together - in communitas, per se. Now cultural innovators and diehard fans bypass mass-culture gatekeepers and work in tandem to incubate new ideologies, aesthetics and practices. With the enormous creative power of fandom, there is a cultural opportunity to provide deeper participation, giving an audience the agency to explore and play, to strengthen their dedication, and ultimately, sustain the narratives cultural relevance.

Future development will build upon this preliminary prototype and focus on im- provements to the Liminal Artifacts multisensory capabilities. The intent is to provide a wider variety of behaviour systems and more meaningful interactions, while still focus- ing on the propensity for user agency, collaboration and self-actualization within a digital-physical narrative play space. With future work, these new methods can be transferred to a wider variety of devices, tangibles and embedded within physical environments to expand to the participants methods of sensory engagement.

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