Some notes I took from the readings and videos in the weekly starter:
Aesthetics of Play - Redefining Genres in Gaming - Extra Credits
This video was about the MDA framework, something I’ve become quite familiar with throughout uni. MDA stands for Mechanics, Dynamics, Aesthetics.
Mechanics - The Rules and systems (the math)
Dynamics - Experiential play from the rules
Aesthetics - The reason we play/the feel of the game
A designer will look at the framework from left to right, focusing on the mechanics to help define the dynamics and aesthetics, while a player will go from left to right, playing a game for the aesthetics rather than the mechanics (although good mechanics are important too).
The video defines 9 different aesthetics:
Sense Pleasure: Games which stimulate our senses
Fantasy: Things we can’t do in real life
Challenge: Obstacles (Not difficulty)
Fellowship: Co-operative games
Competition: Superiority or dominance
Discovery: Uncovering/learning
Expression: To express oneself
Abnegation: as a past time/to disengage from real life
The Art of Game Design: Book of Lenses - Schell Games
This is a book which basically has a bunch of questions you can ask yourself/a group of game designers to help the design process along and make sure you’re achieving what you want with your game. There’s a handy little app which has all the lenses you can go through.
How to think like an Architect: The Design Process - Barry Berkus
I think what I’m taking away from this video is the amount of consideration a space needs in terms of everything and anything that will effect, or use that space. For an architect, he needs to consider where the sun will be at certain times of the day, the view of the water, how the wind will go through, and the noise that will be heard. He also considers how the people will navigate and interact with the space, and considers how the spaces themselves are located in consideration to each other.
With the brief focusing on Aotea Square as the installation space, and access to the big screen located there, I had a read through some information online about the space.
Making Connections: A Vibrant Central Civic Space - Auckland Design Manual
According to this design manual, the space is roughly 1.3Ha, with the central area capable of holding up to 20,000 people. Aotea Square, named after Motu Aotea which is the Maori name for Great Barrier Island, is located at the intersection of Queen Street and Greys Ave. It is also a Maori Heritage Site.
What’s important to Auckland Council is creating a “Sense of Place” within the area.
I had a little mosey through Aotea Square to find any points of interest for me.
There’s about 4 entrances into Aotea Square; (From top left to right) one from Queen Street, one which extends out to Wellesley St West but also splits off and up to Mayoral Dr, two from Greys Ave, the first stretching out as a long alley way (below) directly to Queen St and the other from the opposite side which makes pedestrians walk through the central space.
The screen is currently located in front of the large grass area. I believe it is mobile, and has sensors that could be used. The large grass area has a few benches, all located under trees for shelter from the sun. From walking past this place many times in the past, I know a lot of people like to rest in the grass during Summer, although it’s looking rather empty now being Winter.
This space next to the grass area/screen is definitely a space I’ve seen used by many skateboarders (trust me, I know the picture doesn’t have any skaters). A few people walk past these guys as well, which I’ve always felt a little unsafe, wondering if someone was going to crash into me.
The central space is a bit crowded currently, with the ice rink smack bang in the middle and also a “night” market occupying the rest of the space. The space is large though, which clearly has access to a lot of power to keep the food stalls and the giant ice rink running. There is a bit of seating spotted on the edges of the space, with a “stage like” space located at the front(?). This space I’ve seen used for protests and other large gatherings.
The current populous of the space consists of families (especially so due to it being school holidays), people around my age (probably looking to get food), and older people, who generally just walk through the space.
One note I considered was the large amount of food stores located in the general area. Aotea Square is a great place to sit down and eat food, so this could be something to work with potentially?
In terms of the readings that Ben has given us as an optional look through, I’ve actually read/listened/played most of it for Contexts of Game and Play, and my thoughts are all on these blogs here. I might have a look through to see if there is anything of interest that I missed but otherwise will probably just look through my old blogs to gather my thoughts.
Quick note from Chapter 3 of Salen and Zimmerman’s Rules of Play, Meaningful Play is described as the context and interaction the players have with the game, the decisions and actions they take, which affect the systems of the game, and the way the game communicates the results of their actions, both the instant and long term effect.
Auckland Council (n.d.). Making Connections: A Vibrant Central Civic Space [ebook] Auckland. Available at: http://content.aucklanddesignmanual.co.nz/resources/case-studies/aotea-square/Documents/Case%20study_Aotea%20Square.pdf [Accessed 20 Jul. 2019].
Barry Berkus (2011) How to think like an Architect: The Design Process [Video File], Retrieved from https://youtu.be/vmHoGicPQQQ
Extra Credits (2012), Aesthetics of Play - Redefining Genres in Gaming - Extra Credits [Video File], Retrieved from https://youtu.be/uepAJ-rqJKA
Salen, K., Tekinbaş, K. S., & Zimmerman, E. (2004). Rules of play: Game design fundamentals. MIT press.
Schell Games (2014), The Art of Game Design - The Book of Lenses [Video File], Retrieved from https://youtu.be/AiSI8WGZokA