Nevermind, and the golden age of horror video games

I'm a big fan of horror games, and I've been playing them all the way back to when Doom came out in 1993, which seemed to marry violence and horror so uncompromisingly that it broke so much ground and opened the way for an influx of other games that would stir moral panic throughout the political landscape and society.

Horror in video games has since come a long way with franchises like Alone in the Dark, Resident Evil, Silent Hill and FEAR delivering unique elements and atmospheres that would immerse the player in their virtual environments... and scare them shitless of course.

There have been communities of people who have developed horror games independently, such as the SCP Foundation, who have made some truly terrifying short-games and simulators. I've seen other games such as The 4th Wall surface on Xbox 360 (a point in my life where I was addicted to buying indie games online) and take on more surreal and abstract approaches to an unnerving experience. There have also been puzzle games associated with horror like Limbo.

Limbo, 2012

The 4th Wall, 2012

There have been more recent iconic horror characters like the mythical Slender Man - originated as an internet meme created by Something Awful forums - who have also made it into video games.

Slender: The Eight Pages 2012

What I'd really like to turn attention to, however, is Nevermind. It seems that we're in the golden age of video game horror now. I would argue that we have been for some time already these past few years, but as Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft have produced products like the Wii, Xbox Kinect and Playstation Move, horror games have approached an interactive milestone in sight.

Wii Vitality, which was unveiled several years ago by Nintendo, met with such ambivalence from the audience that the company themselves weren't too enthusiastic to go ahead with it. Despite this, we are now seeing horror games use similar technology to learn your fears and use them against you.

Nevermind from Erin Reynolds on Vimeo.

I'm not surprised that this is the work of an interactive media student, but here is proof that a horror game does not simply aim to scare everyone, but work as a tangible benefit for those with stress issues and anxiety. Basically, this is a game that uses bio-feedback in order to challenge the player. The more scared you get, the harder the game becomes. It has little to do with manual dexterity, but how you learn to control your fear. Granted, it presents quite an extreme form of confrontational therapy, but the goal is noble. And optional. 

Interaction Design - Beyond Human Computer Interaction - Chapter 5

This chapter focused on "affective aspects." It described the different ways interactive products can be designed. "Affective aspect" for one refers to the generation of an emotional response, such as when someone smiles, another one does, and therefore this is applied to interactive products to provoke the same kind of response from users. These principles in turn can help to be persuasive in a number of ways. The users will learn, buy a product online, chat with others, change habits and many other things depending on how convincing the interface is.

There are various interaction mechanisms that can be used to elicit positive emotional responses described in this chapter, as well as ways to avoid negative ones.

Chapter 5: Emotional Design

(in the book it says Affective Aspects, but the content is more or less the same as far as I can tell).

Assignments:
(a) Look at a website that has a virtual assistant, e.g. Anna at Ikea or one of the case studies featured by the Digital Animations Group (DAG) at http://www.dagroupplc.com, who specialize in developing a variety of online agents, and answer the following:

I've decided that I'll go with Ikea on this one.

Ikea - Anna

What does the virtual agent do?
The virtual agent appears in a window at the top right when you click on ‘Ask Anna’. She/it appears as an animated blonde woman who blinks, smiles and introduces herself as an “automated assistant.” The interface itself is text-based but with the addition of sound enhancements.
Anna provides help to visitors on the website. This help includes supporting users in their online shopping experience and functions like most search engine interfaces like Amazon or Play, by providing helpful links to the appropriate item the users are looking for. The response is provided via text and, optionally, audio.

What type of agent is it?
A customer service representative which looks like your regular, friendly employee of Ikea; typically with a Swedish look.

Does it elicit an emotional response from you? If so, what kind?
I'm never particularly bothered about virtual avatars. They always look too bland to elicit a delighted response from me. I even find the avatar I made on my Xbox 360 to be wooden. The same goes for Ikea's Anna. If indifference is an emotion, then that's the only one I feel right now. It might be that I'm just too jaded for these interfaces. Perhaps I should find one that gives me direct insults.

What kind of personality does it have?
An amiable personality, much like a customer would expect with staff members in Ikea. She also seems relaxed.

How is this expressed?
Facial expressions such as blinking, smiling all the time, slightly tilts her head to one side and back.

What kinds of behavior does it exhibit?
That of a normal human being working for the company, maybe? The audio voice isn't really up to scratch and doesn't seem to match the animation, though. The behaviour seems fluid enough, nonetheless.

What are its facial expressions like?
I think I just answered this question. Her entire face overall suggests that she's euphoric and happy to help.

What is its appearance like? Is it realistic or cartoon-like?
A stylised cartoon of a Swedish woman.

Where does it appear on the screen?
As I said, top-right corner.

How does it communicate with the user (text or speech)?
The agent takes queries via text input and gives a response via text/audio.

Is the level of discourse patronizing or at right level?

Is the agent helpful in guiding the user towards making a purchase or finding out something?
I find it helpful enough.

Is it too pushy?
No.

What gender is it? Do you think this makes sense?
It is a female. It could make sense in the assumption that most online shoppers are women. Most men I think are also more inclined to have a charming woman help with anything they need, even in the actual shopping setting. This is probably due to the friendly female being a representative of the helpful customer services assistant.

Would you trust the agent to the extent that you would be happy to buy a product from it or follow it guidance? If not, why not?
I would, because it is a virtual robot in essence. Not only that but the agent is also informative and helpful. I see no reason to distrust an automated assistant agent, because I am visiting the official Ikea site for the purpose of searching and buying things anyway. Anna works as an agent to help with that specific purpose.

What else would it take to make the agent persuasive?
Perhaps an improvement of visual appearance and interaction, other than that I thought the agent was helpful enough.

(b) Next look at an equivalent website that does not include an agent but is based on a conceptual model of browsing, e.g. Amazon.com. How does it compare with the agent-based site you have just looked at?

I've selected Amazon for this case.

Is it easy to find information?

Yes. Amazon is quite simplified and well organised for the user. There's a search bar along the top of the screen that you can type into if you want to find a certain book, CD, DVD, clothes or what have you. If the search terms are too generic then you can also select a category in which to limit the search to e.g. Music, Luggage, Jewellry, Books and so on. 

What kind of mechanism does the site use to make recommendations and guide the user in making a purchase or finding out information?

It also recommends you items similar to what you have either purchased or looked at, and gives you information about the newest releases which also relate to your browsing habits on the website, as well as offering various deals and promoting other products, usually on right-hand side.. These I would consider all ideal for the consumer.

Would the site be improved by having an agent? Explain your reasons either way.

Amazon seems to encompass a lot more than furniture and home improvement products that Ikea does, so there might be less inclination for an interactive avatar to be put into place. The agent may improve the experience only by a bit, and probably for a small number of online shoppers. Ultimately, the content on Amazon itself is already easy to use, therefore I don't think there is a need for the addition. 

(c) Finally, discuss which site you would trust most and give your reasons for this.

I trust both, mainly because they're the official website of each company. Anna on the Ikea website does not seem to displace any of the other features or indeed the nature of browsing itself, which is what the website it primarily for. Both websites are well designed, and both companies have a strong brand of design and customer service, so I would trust both on equal footing. 

Interaction Design - Beyond Human Computer Interaction - Chapter 4

This chapter considers aspects of socialising, and the technologies and designs that underlie it in formal and informal settings. It also highlighted concerns of social acceptance within certain interactive technology, which is critical for the success or failure of their functions and use by people working and collaborating with each other.

Chapter 4 - Designing for collaboration and communication

Assignment:

Visit an existing 3D virtual world such as the Palace, habbo hotel or one hosted by Worlds. Try to work out how they have been designed for taking account of the following:

• What is the purpose of the virtual world?
• What kinds of conversation mechanisms are supported?
• What kinds of coordination mechanisms are provided?
• What kinds of social protocols and conventions are used?
• What kinds of awareness information are provided?
• Does the mode of communication and interaction seem natural or awkward?

I had a look at the three suggested in this question, but I'm just going to go with the one I like and understand most: Minecraft.

(a) General social issues

What is the purpose of the virtual world?

At a glance, or according to the official website, or Mojang: Minecraft is a sandbox game about breaking or placing blocks. People originally built structures to protect against nocturnal monsters, but as the game grew and more players joined, the creative possibilities were endless. A greater purpose I see in this indie game is that of a far more engaging, educational tool for younger people. It allows them to learn and express themselves creatively. That's a very enriching experience that we should use more often, as I have said in a previous post.

Players can optionally build their own world without other players, or create a world and then turn it into a server, inviting other players to join. They can then collaborate to build far more intricate environments, mine resources together, help each other fight monsters, maintain various aspects of a large area they've built upon, modify each others creations in order to improve their functions, bring various creative skills and input into the realm that's been created, and many other things.

What kinds of conversation mechanisms are supported?

It's a pretty basic, turn-based instant messaging system. I started playing Minecraft by joining an online server, which had about 20 or more people playing online. The game supports a mechanism akin to MSN, and other forms of messaging that people are accustomed to in real life, like texting.

Players also tend to use TeamSpeak, proprietary voice-over internet protocol software. I have seen that others use it for more instant collaboration, and it saves typing on the instant messaging screen, which players have to stop their characters in order to bring up.

What kinds of coordination mechanisms are provided?

Minecraft provides robust support for verbal communication. The non-verbal seems to have found itself more naturally through rudimentary forms of gestures I've discovered from collaboration with other players; such as waving (this is usually the attack button, but it doesn't harm other players - just monsters and animals), throwing cake and other items at each other, jumping, even looking at each other in an instance that says one is waiting for the other to catch up. Players can see where your head is turning to look, so you could probably nod or shake your head by moving the mouse accordingly, which controls where you look. These gestures present far more intricate ways of communication, and if it doesn't work then there is always the instant messaging interface, which you can bring up by pressing T on the keyboard. Whatever you type and press enter to will appear on the bottom of the screen of every other player online.

An illustrative example of the conversational interface as well as the collaborative element of seeing the players. The blue, humanoid pony with the big eyes and rainbow hair in front of me is my sister's character. The building behind her is an Inn we had gathered resources to built.

There are also rules and user guides for the player to see if help is needed. There are various people who provide server support and hosting, but there are rules in place, which can vary greatly, that players can consult once they have joined. They are normally displayed in the messaging screen once one logs into an online server. These rules inform other users and help coordinate shared activities. Maps I believe are another part of the collaborative mechanism. Depending on the server, players can use various forms of commands available such as transporting themselves in a marked spot or to another player - the commands are typed into the messaging interface.

What kinds of social protocols and conventions are used?

These are usually conversations that you would often have in real-life and other online instant messaging i.e.

"Hi!"

"Hi!"

"How are you?"

"Good thanks. Yourself?"

"I'm alright, ta."

etc. etc. etc.

This can also be comparable to the varied context of online chatrooms or groups, as there are usually more than just two players online. Players are in addition conscious of the organisation and appearance of the virtual world, which work to replace many of the aspects of the conceptual model with chatrooms and instant messaging. For instance, users in a chatroom or on MSN often have a display picture and profile. This is not so much the case with Minecraft, but they do have various "skins" applied to their own character that work as an avatar, reflecting their own personality. My character has a H.P. Lovecraft skin, obviously to say to all the other players that I'm a massive fan of the 20th century horror writer. People can also make their own skins if they feel that they cannot find one that is appropriate, or use skins made by other players.

All of these aspects are reflected by social convention of face-to-face conversation (not that they have to be within proximity of each other for conversation but it adds a sense of more intimacy).

What kinds of awareness information is provided? 

Minecraft users are aware of who is around them via visual representation, and if not they can see who is currently logged on via a key button. It is far more subtle than the likes of Second Life.

Does the mode of communication and interaction seem natural or awkward?

Minecraft is natural for the most part. But it is also unique in that the gameplay and creativity are the other major elements, so communication is not necessarily at the core of this game. Communication is in most ways familiar, due to our acquaintance to similar forms of messaging. The overall look and feel of the virtual world is natural. The communicative gestures may seem awkward, but people have naturally caught onto what they mean a lot of the time. 

(b) Specific interaction design issues

What form of interaction and communication is supported, e.g. text/audio/video?

Minecraft supports text, audio in a way (TeamSpeak is not a part of Minecraft, but often an external element), video, computational.

What other visualisations are included? What information do they convey?

The visual style is provided mostly by the creativity of the players, who develop whatever structures that exist in this world through mining resources.There is this overall resemblance to Lego, and that gives off the impression that you can place blocks in various locations to build something.

How do users switch between different modes of interaction, e.g. exploring and chatting? Is the switch seamless?

Seamless. It's only a key on the board. If a user is exploring he/she can easily start chatting with someone else just by stopping the character and switching to the interface. Gestures are not directly integrated.

Are there any social phenomena that occur specific to the context of the virtual world that wouldn’t in face-to-face setting, e.g. flaming?

People naturally don't feel as inclined to being polite online, and it could be said for Minecraft as well. However, it does depend on the group you have joined. I've had the pleasure of making really good friends through my first group (even met one of them in person), because they were very polite and with a good sense of humour. That, coupled with playing the game was an enriching experience. 

But I have seen in other groups some undesirable things happen, such as "grieving." This is a type of activity where one player destroys another one's creation. It usually happens in very large groups.

(c) Design issues

What other features might you include in the virtual world to improve communication and collaboration?

Maybe some system of emotional gestures, but I would want that to be seamless and not take away from the gameplay experience. To be honest, Minecraft is cute, pretty and enriching enough. There is very little I would add to it in terms of communication. There is a lot of freedom to it as it is, and as I've mentioned, communication isn't the most important element of the game. It might be with other Massive Multiplayer Online Games such as World of Warcraft, but then that's almost entirely a different game in its own right.

Funny how I should say that...

Interaction Design - Beyond Human Computer Interaction - Chapter 3

Recapping what I went through in this more psychological chapter, I'll get straight to the assignment. This chapter was largely focused on the importance of understanding users and their cognitive features. There have been relevant theories, discoveries and issues that have been highlighted through various examples in this chapter, such as the online and mobile banking system. There are illustrations of the results that follow a design with considerations to the user, as well as designs without.

Chapter 3: Understanding Users

Assignments:

a) First, elicit your own mental model. Write down how you think a cash machine (ATM) works. Then answer the questions below. Next ask two people the same questions.

A cash machine works when you slip an electronic card into its slot. The card has a magnetic stripe which holds the user's account number, thus enabling the machine to recognise it and subsequently prompt the user to enter a four digit pin number for access. 

The access then links the user into the main server and presents a number of options/actions that the user can take, such as:

• Display on-screen balance
• Withdraw cash
• Deposit cash
• Account transaction

These actions can be done with or without a paper receipt of service. The user can also quit transaction at any time, or be logged off automatically after a short period of inactivity. Some machines charge a transaction fee of roughly £1.50, much to many people's annoyance. 

How much money are you allowed to take out?

From my experience, I've seen that you can take £200 - £250 over the period of a full day. Larger withdrawals and transactions require more authentication and proof of ID in a bank, such as a driver's license, bank statement etc.

If you took this out and then went to another machine and tried to withdraw the same amount, what would happen? 

It would not matter which machine I did this at. If I took out up to my daily limit, I would be unable to make another withdrawal at any other machine, although there would be other machines with lower limits.

What is on your card?

My name, card number, account number, bank brand, validation date, expiry date, security number, magnetic stripe, card type (Mastercard, Visa etc.) and signature.

How is the information used?

Scanning the card via magnetic stripe, or entering details to an online transaction (you don't necessarily need the card for this, just the details which can also be on paper correspondence from the bank you sign up with).

What happens if you enter the wrong number?

Access denied. If it is entered wrong three times in a row, then the account becomes locked for a while, roughly a few hours.

Why are there pauses between steps of a transaction?

I believe this is due to the checks my account is going through each step of the way, due to my account being linked with the main database.

How long are they?

Not long at all, and probably shorter as more upgrades are made with machines and the central servers.

What happens if you type ahead during the pause?

I haven't seen that it makes a difference, unless you press cancel and the system logs you out as a result. There is no reason to press anything during these brief pauses as there is no data in the field to react to, unless it really is taking longer than it should. In which case, I'd resort to the cancel button.

What happens to the card in the machine?

The magnetic strip which contains your account number is scanned by the machine.

Why does it stay inside the machine?

That might be to maintain the access for the user and enable data to exchange as each action is entered. There are, however, machines that don't require the card to stay inside them.

Do you count the money? Why?

Yes, and I do it to make sure that I have been given the correct amount  of cash that I prompted the machine to give me. But I normally put it in my wallet straight away and often see at a glance that I have the right amount in my hand (I rarely draw out more than £40). This is why I normally print off a receipt of the transaction, so I don't have to do it in the public space that I am standing in. Counting the money in a largely crowed space, let alone waving it, is not the wisest move when any one person can snatch it and run off.

Here are the answers from two others that I had given the same questions. Click on the table to enlarge: 

b) Now, analyse your answers. Do you get the same or different explanations? What do the findings indicate? How accurate are people's mental models of the way ATM work? How transparent are the ATM systems they are talking about?

Everyone's mental models are not really that much different to mine in regards to how ATM machines work, which I will presume to be accurate. The findings indicate that despite the less detailed response from users and their concerns with ATMs, we all understand to some degree that ATM machines work as a point of connection to the bank's central database, accessed with a valid bank card and pin number. The differences in viewpoints are minor in terms of ATM delays, wrongful input consequences etc. Ultimately, I don't think people really give it that much thought in this day and age, as we have become so used to it. 

Nonetheless, these findings suggest that there is mostly a transparency for the user interaction of ATMs. But, to add to this, they do lack clarity in some areas such as value of a transaction fee applied to the machine, which many, including myself, dislike. 

c) Next, try to interpret your findings in respect to the design of the system. Are any interface features revealed as being particularly problematic? What design recommendations do these suggest?

The improvements I would make are pretty small in nature, but that is not to say that there isn't much room for improvement. The machines should continue to upgrade as we inevitably advance in technology. But I would say that the improvements that should be made revolve around clarity. In this respect, I refer to:

• Specification to the amount of money taken out (normally present with ATM machines that are not issued by the banks, themselves).
• The clarity regarding transaction fees (again, this is a problem I normally see with independent ATM machines - you normally find them in newsagents, bars/pubs, student unions, etc.).

d) Finally, how might you design a better conceptual model that would allow users to develop a better mental model of ATMs (assuming this is a desirable goal)?

I don't have many ideas on that front. If I am to be a bit of a technological romanticist, I'd like to see ATM machines that detect your presence just by approaching. You could have some kind of chip or key about your person, and all you would have to do is enter a pin number when prompted by an ATM machine you approach. That might reduce the queue time and perhaps replace electronic cards in that respect. It would, however, have to be designed in such a way that once an account is accessed by a person, it won't be interrupted by anyone else nearby until the user has logged out. That's probably a huge conceptual model that I'm suggesting there, but such things always take years to be accepted by a functioning society. I regard this idea a long-term improvement. 

In terms of security, there is still a long way to go for improvements and advances. I'm still waiting for fingerprint-authentication to take a firm place, like the hopeless sci-fi geek that I am. It's a brilliant idea, mainly because it would take some weight of the cognitive load of memorising pins and passwords and the endeavour of ATM machines would be more instant as a result. 

Processing.org

I was only made aware of this website today. It may go a long way into helping me and my project, as I will be going over it a lot more thoroughly during the winter holidays. Even at a glance I've found interactive exhibitions very relevant to my project and extremely exciting.

For instance, I've found a wealth of information on exhibitions of the technological and digital kind in the exhibitions section alone. Projects like:

• .fluid - a concept study of interactive surfaces that react to the spectator's touch.
• Petting Zoo - Life-like robotic creatures reacting to the approach of spectators and behaving like a pet would.
• Soundmachines - An interactive musical instrument that worked as a DJ tool by scanning visual patterns on vinyl-sized discs and building electronic soundscapes.

The list can go on. You can look at some of the tutorial videos about programming, and also download free, open source software. You can do this with the option of making a donation that go to fund the Processing Foundation, ultimately helping the extension of programming and its role within the visual arts.

Nancy Hughes - Representing our design ideas

This lecture looks at how we represent, externalise, project and ultimately communicate our design ideas. A number of things were highlighted for consideration in terms of interaction design, ultimately addressing how one would begin addressing an interaction design problem. Three areas come in for 'Design Consideration' in this context:

• Psychological consideration
• Functional consideration
• Visual consideration

The lecture went into further depth about each of these with illustrative examples. It also highlighted metaphors (something with aspects to something familiar but with its own behaviours) and mental models (representations of systems derived from experience with previous ones - like the excel spreadsheet look).

The next lecture will look into the study of designs, designing and designers.

Nancy Hughes - Thinking in 'designerly' ways

This was the first of a series of lectures given by Nancy Hughes - a researcher with a background to graphic design. We were also given an editorial on Articulating Design Thinking - a book containing 13 papers from researchers based in 8 different countries. Here is a link, here.

This lecture focused on representing design ideas, whilst studying other designers and designing itself. Different types of knowledge were highlighted in a design context. These were:

• Episodic knowledge - based on experience.
• Declarative knowledge - rule-based and explicit.
• Procedural knowledge - Embedded through repetition, which becomes automatic.

We also had a quick mental exercise and were asked to draw an object based on the word alone. This involved drawing a chair, bird and house. The methodology behind design thinking was explored broadly, such as "seeing" an idea by sketching it in a book in order to make visualisation easier.

The next lecture in this series will look at representing our design ideas. 

Interaction Design - Beyond Human Computer Interaction - Chapter 2

Catch up and being brave enough to publish things once again! Again, we went through this chapter back in October, so I'll recap what I've noted:

Chapter 2: Understanding and Conceptualizing Interaction

First, the chapter went into great detail about Assumptions and Claims made in a design process. The meanings in this context are as follows:

Assumption: taking something for granted.

Claim: Stating a truth that is still open to question.

I also noted that the importance emphasised in this chapter revolved around each perspective in the design process e.g. a software engineer being concerned with the coding and breakdown of a system and a project manager being concerned with budget, team workers and time restraints. They are considered in their implications in relation to one another. The likely disagreements and time consumption from these team meetings and consultations are better addressed earlier rather than later, in order to avoid the flaws and extra costs of the final product occurring.

The chapter also described the smartphone, which came into being in 2002 with Orange's SPV (Sounds Pictures Video) being the first on the market.

Assumptions: phone companies assumed that many customers wanted to make video calls, download songs and movies while on the move. This may have been correct in some ways and incorrect in others, as for a start video calls are common, but more so on a laptop and webcam interface; not on a handheld device. I personally wouldn't want to do all of these things on a mobile whilst on the move.

The chapter also highlighted the framework of core questions often used to aid design teams in the process of explicating an idea, there were:

1. Are there problems with an existing product? If so, why?

2. Why do you think there are problems?

3. How do you think design ideas might overcome this?

4. How do you think your proposed design ideas support, change or correct ways of doing things?

Flickr was drawn on for being the first blog-based photo sharing site.

Assumption: just as people like to blog, so too would people want to share photos with the rest of the world and get comments for them.

Claim: Almost certainly the best online photo management and sharing application in the world.

It also talked about conceptualizing the design space by a good understanding of the problem space and understanding the system through developing a conceptual model (defined as a high-level description of how a system is organised), ranging with classic examples such as the Spreadsheet by VisiCalc and 8010 Star system by Xerox.

8010 Star System (Xerox, 1981)

It was also highlighted that the Interface Metaphor was an essential component of the conceptual model. An Interface Metaphor is a way to map out familiar and unfamiliar knowledge, enabling users to understand and learn about the new domain. However, there is opposition to this method which uses the Trash Can icon a prime example of its arguments. 

To summarise, this chapter explains in detail the importance of understanding and conceptualising a design space before attempting to build something. 

Chapter 2 Assignments:

a.) Compare the organisation of each in the following:

• A personal pocket-sized calendar diary (one week to a page)
• A wall calendar (one month to a page, usually with pictures)
• A wall planner (displaying a whole year)

Okay, one representation they all have in common is time. But they all differ in their accommodation of this phenomena in different types and contexts, yet they bare similarities which I will highlight:

• The central organisational structure for all of them entails days, months and years; the consistency that relates all three types. Their differences are in their highlighting of different elements based on their own individual purpose.
• Wall calendars and planners are mutually designed as posters and intended to be used in a place of its own, contrasting with dairies that are shaped as portable books. Wall calendars and planners are designed to be hung up for reference as well as for pinpointing key events at a glance (usually in an office environment or home study, but probably extended to kitchens and such). Diaries, however, are designed to help you with constant organisation, especially when on foot (this is pretty much a way of life for me, which has helped greatly).
• Diaries normally include additional images such as world/country maps, address books, note pads, information on international holidays and sometimes smaller yearly planners resembling those hung on a wall. These tend to reflect the diary as the portable life-organiser.
• Wall calendars and diaries allow for more annotation to dates, unlike the yearly planner. But even wall calendars tend to be limited in space as well. Diaries are ideal for devoting a full day of planning such as appointments, activities, travel plans etc.
• Diaries and wall calendars tend to have many themes, quotes and aesthetic designs, thus adding to the variety of experience and perhaps serving as a reflection to the owner's personality. I remember getting my mother a themed calendar about pigeons one Christmas (she hates pigeons).

b.) Using the Johnson and Henderson (2002) framework, describe the conceptual models that underlie the design of:

• An electronic personal calendar
• A shared calendar

Looking at my own computer and referring back to my working time in the NHS (where I shared and managed multiple diaries on Outlook) the descriptions I give according to this framework are as follows:

An electronic personal calendar

The major metaphor and analogy of an electronic calendar and shared one is that of managing a diary; such is the the typical admin setting. Other analogies I believe include the use of yearly planners and notifications/alerts. Events strike me as a metaphor in this case, and so do invitations.

Concepts behind this include that of the calendar and what you can do with it; such as creating, deleting and modifying. Events, being the metaphorical social elements of this conceptual model entail the creation, deletion of them, inviting and being invited, corresponding with updates and announcements, attaching documents, etc.

Relationship between concepts clearly has to do with calendars containing a group of events to be referred to. Events can lead onto other events either by links or later events in the calendar. All that said, these things will be weighed up against each other in numerous ways depending on the organisation and preference of the user.

Mappings in the calendar's sense entail the organised chronological structure of the interface, consisting of years, weeks and days. Events are created and added to this structure, which can either correspond to being personal, work/business-related, holiday and more.

A shared calendar

The major metaphor and analogy is that of managing a planner. Another important one where sharing is involved includes invitations.

Concepts in a shared calendar would involve owners and participants; such as adding participants, blocking them; deleting them; setting various permissions for them as well as taking permissions away; changing owners and participants etc.

Relationship between concepts place a greater importance to saving events than inviting attendees, and sending an event invitation would be more important than the attendance of those invited.

Mappings, again, this largely has to do with events. The priority of such an element can also be applied with "low-importance" or indeed "high importance." These events will automatically add to another person's calendar should they accept an invitation from a created event, which can specify time, location and further details.

That's it for Chapter 2.

Bristol Riots (or the Museum Project) as it stands

A while back, sometime at the beginning of November, we were made aware of a project opportunity with a theme to the Bristol Riots - a series of significant riots from 1793 to 2011. The project I suspect was inspired by the UK riots that happened nationwide in August 2011.

For more background into this project, we've been reading a book by Ian Gilmour, titled Riots, Risings and Revolutions.

There is also a wealth of information which my course mate has put on a Wordpress blog, agreeably named the Museum Project for us to refer and post to. Click on the link here.

A number of questions came up in regards to what we were making, which sounds like an interactive table of information much like the one at the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust. Assuming that we are going with a table, the questions I noted down were raised as follows:

• Audience Age Range
• Size of table
• Space near/around table
• Remaining Budget for table
• Sound output available - speakers/headphones/both
• Purpose in terms of content for the interaction - what is it that the audience should understand?
• Who do we meet to discuss audience
• What else is displayed nearby? Consider the environment the product is situated within.
•  - Content purpose of other displays nearby
•  - Lighting and sound.
•  - Is it in a passageway?
• Is it network or standalone?
• What content is available to use?
• Timescale from inception to installation?
•  - Soft deadline 16th May 2014 (month of installation)
• Testing facilities
•  - People available for testing

This week, I asked our course leader about the current progress of the Museum Project, which he replied that he will have a more detailed update after a meeting in London. I'll be updating on this as soon as I am.

Charlie Brooker - How Video Games Changed the World

I was invited to go out on Saturday night, but I said I was busy. Truthfully, I was. I was occupying my time by watching two of my favourite things on television.

1.) Charlie Brooker

2.) Charlie Brooker talking about video games. 

The title is self-explanatory, and fairly in-depth in regards to the most significant games throughout the medium's history. An interview with Charlie was put on the Guardian a day before the program was broadcast.

Chronologically, the show started from the origins of video gaming in the 70's. Emphasis was placed on the likes of Pong, which, while not technically being the first game to exist, was the first one to be successful; Space Invaders, which brought gaming into the mainstream (arcades, and arcade machines extending into cafe's and chip shops) and Pac-Man, which arguably signified gaming's history with its first mascot.

 

Space Invaders

The show also went onto document the anarchic, open source ZX Spectrum, with attention given to its classic game, Manic Miner. It led onto its rival, the Commodore 64, and the "geek" clash of the rivalry that resulted. There was also talk of the BBC Microbe for the posh, which was then a common enemy to both the ZX and Commodore. 

Tetris

The incredibly influential Mario was shown, as well as Zelda. Tetris, which was one of the first games to come out of the East and into the West, also made an appearance with commentators describing how it was amazingly simple, but with a constant barrage of complications and challenges that would prove addictive and rewarding.

The Secret of Monkey Island

The Secret of Monkey Island was rightfully put on the list as the quintessence of interactive story-telling in video games, and it was suggested that it influenced the Pirates of the Caribbean films. It is argued that this game was one of the first to include quirky elements and charm to a gaming narrative.

Mortal Kombat II

Violence was inevitably drawn on in this program, where significant games like Street Fighter II and Tekken appeared. There was no surprise when Mortal Kombat came along to start the real controversy in politics and society, due to its hilariously gory nature. I'm 24 years old, so I would naturally find it funny, mainly because it is so insane and unrealistic, despite how real it does look with Mortal Kombat 9, where even Charlie commented that some scenes were unacceptable due to either being "too soft in his age" or gaming graphics being advanced to the point of glistening a character's entrails that well that it is now drawing near a moral fault line. Still, I don't think I've seen the news headline of someone ripping off a person's head with their spinal columns still attached quite yet...

Doom

There were also clips of Doom, which married horror and violence in gaming to each other. It also pioneered, albeit accidentally, the first-person shooter genre of video gaming; perpetuating the sense of the player delving into the gameplay with further empathy to the character they control.
There was also the somewhat perverse Night Trap, which looked crap and was apparently crap, according to Brooker. Grand Theft Auto also made the expected appearance, albeit a more simple, different and amusing context as opposed to how it is portrayed by the likes of the Daily Mail. There was a clip of an older woman roughly in her 70's playing the newest one, GTA5, running around with her character and punching people, pretending that the victims were people from British Gas. Interesting how rarely anybody discusses violence in video games as a way of indulging a fantasy that would quite clearly get us jailed in the real world. This woman proves, however, the preconception that video games are solely for teenage boys is a thoroughly wrong and outdated one. If anything, video games bridge a gap between older and younger people.

The Lara Croft Evolution

The portrayal of women was another major theme, from the evolution of Lara Croft from Tomb Raider, to the non-linear sci-fi franchise, Mass Effect, where you didn't necessarily have to be a straight, white or male protagonist. These were overall centered around the polemical line between video gaming's feminist presence as well as sexual objectification of women. On this I think it is safe to say that gaming has come very far in this area, but there is still much room for debate and progress.

Minecraft

Minecraft, a game I used to play obsessively since its alpha days back in 2010, also made its appearance. I can fondly say that I have seen this simple game of virtual lego explode with the vast worlds of creativity that you see younger audiences making today. It's also irrefutable proof that video games can work as positive, educational, and for more entertaining tools for the young, and this should be valued a lot more by society.

I'll skip the rest, and recommend watching it. It dominated Channel 4 on Saturday night, and in my opinion did a massive service to video gaming culture by bringing a far more simplified and inclusive understanding of this world to the wider and often intimidated audience.

There were a lot of brilliant and complicated points that were simplified for explanation, but there were two very interesting things that struck me about this program. When it went onto talk about the Nintento Wii and Xbox Kinect in its last segments, it was pointed out how interactive and evolved video games have become. It is quite a big "woah" moment when you take deeply into account the impact that gaming has made in the world.

Journey

The other thing that struck me was the speculation of the future in gaming. There was an overall suggestion that the emotion and narrative elements will be the next major things of video gaming, and true enough, we're already seeing it with independent (Indie) games as well as AAA releases with bigger funding. Since The Secret of Monkey Island, releases like Shadow of the Colossus, The Last of Us, Beyond Two Souls, Journey, Limbo and many others have shown how capable video games are as a medium for stunning narratives, sophisticated concepts and emotional design. This will be a far more exciting decade for video games. We haven't seen the half of it with possibilities.