Last summer game designer Jane McGonigal (who I have spoken about before on this blog) suffered a traumatic brain injury, that was serious enough to have led her to thoughts of suicide. After showing little sign of recovery she responded by turning her life into a game called SuperBetter. Her story serves as a very real example of the transformative nature of play and games. Continue Reading »
Alternate reality games and libraries
I have been fascinated by the work of Jane McGonigal for some time and was very impressed by her talk at this years TED conference.
“Instead of providing gamers with better and more immersive alternatives to reality, I want all of us to be become responsible for providing the world with a better and more immersive reality.” Jane McGonigal
Just in case you think that alternate reality games have no place in the library, check out The Secret City taking place this month at the Braddock Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh.
Creator Allen Hahn developed Secret City in order to have a “mash-up of story, expanded theater, and technology facilitated work” in an involving way to see amazing buildings. Players get text messages and voicemails with clues, puzzles and riddles telling them where to go within the huge library. When the puzzle is completed, gamers get a new clue and a new piece of the story.
There are discoveries strewn all along the way: dark hallways, windy corridors and the endless tomes in the expansive building. Wandering around the library conjures images as you pass by books on your search for the next clue. (from PopCity Media)
And do check out Jane McGonigal’s latest alternate reality game EVOKE. You might even find some librarians there!
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