The Gameful Museum: Developing a Location-Based Game Design Framework for Engagement and Motivation Sofia Romualdo De Carvalho
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The Gameful Museum: Developing a Location-Based Game Design Framework for Engagement and Motivation Sofia Romualdo de Carvalho Doctor of Philosophy in English January 2019 1 The Gameful Museum: Developing a Location-Based Game Design Framework for Engagement and Motivation Submitted by Sofia Romualdo de Carvalho to the University of Exeter as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in English In January 2019 This thesis is available for Library use on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. I certify that all material in this thesis which is not my own work has been identified and that any material that has previously been submitted and approved for the award of a degree by this or any other University has been acknowledged. (Signature) ……………………………………………………………………………… 2 Abstract The popularity of location-based games, which blend digital and physical gameplay in specific real-world locations, has been rising in recent years. Research in museum studies looking into these games as engagement tools has so far been limited to individual case studies or sporadic overviews of play and games that do not explore the relationship between game design, location, gameplay and the museum experience. This practice-led thesis addresses this gap through the development of a game design framework and guidelines to create location-based games in museums, combined with a study of the impact of the designed experiences on audiences’ motivation to visit and engage with museum content. The findings and framework proposed are relevant for museum professionals and game designers who are interested in developing this practice while benefiting from guidance grounded in real-world research. Methodologically, I supplemented a study of past experiences with a first-person gameplay analysis, the results of which informed the design and examination of case studies of games for Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery (RAMM) developed in collaboration with the museum staff and external game designers. Findings suggest that location-based games benefit museums by creating added motivation to visit, attracting new and existing audiences, increasing and diversifying engagement with the museum content, and to a lesser degree, supporting knowledge acquisition. Structuring visits into games limits the possible actions of players while offering agency within those limitations, making the players part of a story and giving them challenges to complete, encouraging visitors to become more active and invested in exploring the space and the content displayed. I conclude this thesis by proposing the concept of the gameful museum as a possible path for museums as institutions of learning and entertainment, offering the location-based game design framework as an instrument to work towards audience development and engagement and highlighting the field’s future potential. 3 List of Contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................................ 7 List of Illustrations ............................................................................................... 8 List of Accompanying Material ............................................................................ 9 Author’s Declaration ......................................................................................... 12 Introduction....................................................................................................... 14 Collaborative PhD Studentship with RAMM .................................................. 19 Areas of Study and Methodologies ............................................................... 21 Methodology: Theoretical Foundations ...................................................... 24 Methodology: Location-Based Game Design ............................................ 25 Methodology: Studying Gameplay ............................................................. 27 Methodology: Player-Researcher .............................................................. 33 Structure of the Thesis .................................................................................. 36 Chapter One: A Gameful World ........................................................................ 45 Play and Games: Establishing Concepts ...................................................... 46 Towards a Gameful World: The Permeation of Games into Other Contexts . 50 Building a Game: Elements, Mechanics, Gameplay and Game Design ........ 56 Location-Based Games: Definitions and Design ........................................... 68 Location-Based Games: Examples Beyond Museums ................................. 74 Museums as Game Boards: Experience, Engagement and Entertainment .. 90 Chapter Two: The Quest and the Museum Tour ............................................ 103 Incorporating the Museum Visit into the Player’s Journey ........................... 105 The Museum Tour ................................................................................... 105 The Tour and Game Design .................................................................... 109 Key Examples: Ghostwriter (2011) by Blast Theory, The Hidden Museum (2016) by Aardman, the University of Bristol, and the Bristol Museum, Rufford Abbey Sculpture Trail (2013)....................................................................... 116 Case Study as Player: Treasure Hunters (2018) by Aardman and the Science Museum Group ........................................................................................... 123 4 Case Study as Game Designer: The Great Exeter Garden Quest (2016) ... 128 The Game Design Process ...................................................................... 129 The Gameplay ......................................................................................... 135 Conclusion .................................................................................................. 143 Chapter Three: Game Worlds and the Museum Collection ........................... 145 Incorporating the Museum Collection into Game Worlds ........................... 147 The Museum Collection ........................................................................... 148 The Collection and Game Design ............................................................ 152 Key Examples: Tate Worlds (2014 - ongoing) by Adam Clarke, various Minecraft builders and the Tate Museum ................................................... 157 Case Study as Player: The Great Fire of London (2016 – 2017) by Adam Clarke, Dragnoz, Blockworks and the Museum of London ......................... 162 Case Study as Game Designer: Minecraft at RAMM (2017 – 2018) .......... 170 The Game Design Process ...................................................................... 171 The Gameplay ......................................................................................... 176 Conclusion .................................................................................................. 187 Chapter Four: Environmental Puzzles and the Museum Space .................... 190 Incorporating the Museum Space into Puzzles .......................................... 191 The Museum Space ................................................................................. 193 The Space and Game Design.................................................................. 197 Key Examples: Art Heist (2010) by Coney, Mystery in Frankenstein’s Lab (2018) by Atomic Force Productions, Capture the Museum (2013) by Thought Den and Splash & Ripple ........................................................................... 202 Case Study as Player: Raiders of the Lost Archive (2016 - ongoing) by Fire Hazard Games ........................................................................................... 207 Case Study as Game Designer: The Rowley Riddle (2018) ....................... 216 The Game Design Process ...................................................................... 217 The Gameplay ......................................................................................... 223 Conclusion .................................................................................................. 232 5 Chapter Five: A Location-Based Game Design Framework for Museums ..... 235 Discussion of Results and the Research Process ....................................... 235 Game Design Framework ........................................................................... 241 General Guidelines for the Design of Location-Based Games in Museums ................................................................................................................. 242 Methodological Guidelines for Museum Professionals ............................ 245 Game Design Guidelines ......................................................................... 252 In Summary ............................................................................................. 257 Conclusion...................................................................................................... 259 Contributions to Game Studies and Game Design ...................................... 262 Contributions to Museum Studies ............................................................... 264 Moving Forward: The Gameful Museum ..................................................... 267 Directions for Future Research on Location-Based Games in Museums .... 268 To Conclude ...............................................................................................