Synopsis for Physical Gaming: Beyond Mini-Games

What are the challenges and rewards met when developing digital games using alternative input devices? How can these games engage participants and give them unique interactive experiences beyond the casualness of mini-games?

Virtual Ground, a multi-player physical game installation using computer vision and full body interaction designed around the analogy of electrical flow, in which players connected by lines projected on the floor attempt to control a rebounding particle in order to light up a grid-based surface. 

Flying Machine, a game designed for Lalalab’s Hybrid Playground platform. The game is operated by a team of children each controlling the various parts of a flying machine using playground elements as input devices. Their movements are captured by sensors and sent wirelessly to a PDA on which the state and movement of the machine are monitored by one of the members of the team. 

This abstract is from an article published in ACM interactions magazine, May+June 2009, (c) 2009 ACM and appears with permission.