Titulo Estágio
A Mixed-Initiative Computational Notebook for Play Design
Local do Estágio
CISUC
Enquadramento
A recent interest has grown around the potential of computational notebooks. Historically, the smalltalk system (1972-80) was developed as a modifiable system of interpretable code that welcomed rewriting and added scripting. This followed on logo and turtre graphics as other forms of interactive, even physical "sketching" in programing.
Mathematica with its interpretation interface, favored incremental and exploratory experimentation with calculus, may have been the first largely adopted notebook formats. More recently, Processing sketches (for multimedia design) and jupyter notebooks (data science) updated this trend.
What should be a notebook for sketching in the game/play design field? What would such a notebook be like? How would it be used?
Objetivo
This proposal aims to explore the design space of computational notebook for game and play design by:
- Inquiring on what would be the minimal language constructs (or concepts) needed;
- How to explore such constructs by extending an existing form of sketching;
- Explore how to use such a notebook for rapid prototyping or novel play formats;
- Explore how to incorporate generative techniques to amplify the composition of scenarios, scenes, characters, agency patterns.
Implementation would be done on top of an interpreted language system with a web-based interface or built on top of a game engine. Selection of technologies would be according to the needs of the project and training value for the intern.
The methodological approach of choice would be Research-Through-Design, taking a series of iterative design exercises (3+) to explore and map the space of possibilities.
The building of demonstrative capability is the main goal, with the possibility of running a live test of the notebook in the Game Design course.
Plano de Trabalhos - Semestre 1
A1. (Sep-Oct) State-of-the-art research - research relevant SoA from publications and software works, and characterization of the problem to be solved;
A2. (Oct-Nov) Design Proposal - conception of the interaction design proposal, interaction models and intended exploration scenarios+personas, define the software architecture, data model, and libraries to use.
A3. (Nov-Dec) Paper/Proposal drafting - organizing state of the art and design proposal in paper/thesis proposal.
Plano de Trabalhos - Semestre 2
A4. (Dec-April) Design+Prototyping Iterations - iterative and incremental design and proof-of-concept implementations, based on direct experiential evaluation of results;
A5. (May) Evaluation - definition of criteria and method; performance of protocol and analysis of results;
A6. (May-June) Statement of Learning - paper/thesis writing on design process, critical reflection, lessons learned.
Condições
We seek a candidate that feels at ease with or is willing to embrace software design and programming challenges, enthusiastic of play forms, a desire for collaborative research explorations, an active imagination and motivated for learning.
Observações
Possibility of scholarship during the full time period.
Orientador
Licínio Roque e Luís Lucas Pereira
lir@dei.uc.pt 📩