Submissions
We received 136 submissions around the themes of meaningful and mobile games, a summary of which can be found here.
The importance of play
According to Johan Huizinga, an influential 20th century Dutch historian, play is the oldest form of culture, perhaps even older than culture itself since it is widely known that animals also play. The unique power of games has always lied in their capacity to create alternative realities, “magic circles” somewhat distinct from normal everyday life, characterised by specific rules and a sense of total immersion and engagement. However, separation from the real world never meant complete detachment from it. In fact, many throughout history have claimed that play is absolutely central to human society in that it sets the conditions for a safe, often educational exploration of very real issues.
This claim is relevant now more than ever. The importance play has acquired in the 21st century has probably no equals in history, with enormous sectors of the global economy designing and selling “playful experiences” aiming to entertain, distract and relax: films, music, leisure, fitness, videogames. The list can be very long. Technological innovation also means that the tools and the resources available now offer opportunities unthinkable only a few decades ago. Within such a varied and dynamic landscape there are many voices, like Futurelab’s, which call for a rediscovery of those meaningful and, why not, educational aims of play beyond mere escapism. This is where our latest CFI (Call for Ideas) came from.
Playful ideas for learning
We sought ideas on how games can support learning and engagement in complex and relevant issues, looking for new, innovative ways to help learners explore difficult or sensitive topics, and for exciting games that could allow players to interact meaningfully with real people in public and outdoor spaces. In return, we offered to move your idea forwards either by funding the development of your idea, or help it gain funding from other sources.
We weren’t disappointed. A wide range of proposals were submitted with many exciting examples of how games can be used to address “real-world” matters, or as mobile gateways to a more active engagement in social life. The majority of the ideas fitted into the following categories:
- Geo-located content: content digitally attached to geographical locations, accessible through mobile devices via GPS or other technologies.
- Augmented reality: digital information layers associated with artefacts and places, also accessible through mobile devices but often enriched with graphics and sound and characterised by high levels of interactivity.
- 3D immersive games: 3D environments offering freedom of participation and immersive stories and dialogues, often integrated with social networking channels to facilitate novel forms of learning.
- Specific disability games: games designed to address particular forms of impairment or disability, tackling social exclusion and allowing players to interact in safe and supportive contexts.
To be successful, both play and learning need variety and originality
Learning in particular was a recurring element throughout the submissions, being mentioned 1,307 times often in the same sentence as words like “play” (286 times) and “fun” (144 times). Learning was often seen as embedded in engaging and inherently motivating activities, which are capable of bridging the gap between formal and informal, between play-time and serious time. A wide range of submissions suggested original ways to increase meaningful play in traditional classrooms, establishing links with other relevant situations and people. Most applications keenly highlighted the “real” (290 times) character of their topics and challenges, going some way to addressing the traditional view of games as childish or, worse, irrelevant. In keeping with the themes of the Call, a number of ideas showed an interest in new approaches to learning in a variety of interesting contexts, such as the museum/heritage sector; perhaps some great opportunities for schools and museums to see how they can work together, using digital technologies in new and exciting ways to engage with the incredibly rich UK heritage.
Serious topics reframed in playful scenarios
Perhaps unsurprisingly, many proposals dealt with sustainability and the environment, aiming to raise awareness and stimulate agency through collaborative play, often influenced by real-world phenomena or interaction with day-to-day objects. Such innovative game-play mechanics could allow young people to develop an interest in global issues like pollution, climate change and species endangerment, by re-casting those topics in scenarios easier to understand and interact with. At the same time, this would support inter-disciplinary learning by building on the intrinsic connections between subjects, e.g. biology, geography, chemistry, thus helping learners overcome arbitrary curricular separations.
Augmenting learning, civic engagement... and fun
In other submissions technology was used to augment the natural affordances offered by the physical environment, through interactive content and mobile technologies capable of transforming well-known surroundings into unexplored territories. Such bold ideas aimed to completely redefine common artefacts and spaces, reframing them in radically different symbolic contexts. Imagine, for example, walking through a familiar and uninspiring area in the perfunctory style typical of modern urban life, only to realise that the whole space has been transformed into something else, and that its new thought-provoking features make you question some of your taken for granted assumptions and your relationship with others who inhabit the same area. These ideas view technology as a versatile tool to turn a city, and sometimes several cities, into an interconnected game canvas, asking interesting questions about symbolic and physical boundaries, and highlighting the ease with which such boundaries can be circumvented, redefined, and in some cases removed.
Overall, it was certainly refreshing to see so many submissions that challenged traditional views of games, reinforcing the notion that they are a multifaceted and complex medium, characterised by incredible levels of variety and, most importantly, creativity. In fact, the main lesson of this year’ CFI is probably the confirmation that there is an incredible creative potential at the fringes of large mainstream industries, like the multi-million video-games sector, and that there are hundreds of small enterprises, charities, university departments or just enthusiastic individuals willing to push the boundaries of what gaming is, creating experiences where play, learning and civic engagement work seamlessly together.