Cities are back in fashion; on television (Sex in the City),
in music (with ‘urban’ now the codeword for black, popular and rhythmic), in
architecture (where density generates the most rewarding opportunities), among
international agencies (seeking ways of managing post-Fordist and
post-industrial societies), and within the planning establishment (with the
reversal of ideas on the uses of the city). One of the most important issues
facing planning at the beginning of the twenty-first century is how to
revitalise cities. Today, cities are seen as assets rather than liabilities.
Their role as engines of economic growth is widely accepted and their spheres
of influence the city is becoming recognised as fundamental building blocks in
the national fabric.
Showing posts with label Place. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Place. Show all posts
Monday, 23 September 2013
Monday, 9 September 2013
Digital Placemaking - City Fireflies
"What is City Fireflies?
City Fireflies is a simple game that looks like tons of fun: Players cluster in a plaza in front of a large videoscreen showing a grid of 8-bit-looking "enemy" characters, which is superimposed on a live video image of the physical plaza itself. The goal of the game is for the players to physically move around the plaza to sweep the "enemies" off screen. (Or catch them like fireflies, if you prefer.) The game was meant to be casual: easily intuited rules, instant visual feedback, and a porous structure so that players could enter and leave the gamespace at will without disrupting the gameplay. Which meant that the interaction design had to be ultra-casual as well--so transparent that the energy barrier of joining the game was reduced to nearly zero.
The game designers programmed City Fireflies to track a much simpler indicator for each player: the glowing rectangle of light emitted by the smartphone screen itself. It’s the perfect solution: No apps to install or procedures to explain. City Fireflies simply directs players to point their phones at the giant game screen, and start moving around. The instant visual feedback is clear: The phone becomes your "net" for catching and removing the digital avatars onscreen.
[Read more about City Fireflies]
City Fireflies is a simple game that looks like tons of fun: Players cluster in a plaza in front of a large videoscreen showing a grid of 8-bit-looking "enemy" characters, which is superimposed on a live video image of the physical plaza itself. The goal of the game is for the players to physically move around the plaza to sweep the "enemies" off screen. (Or catch them like fireflies, if you prefer.) The game was meant to be casual: easily intuited rules, instant visual feedback, and a porous structure so that players could enter and leave the gamespace at will without disrupting the gameplay. Which meant that the interaction design had to be ultra-casual as well--so transparent that the energy barrier of joining the game was reduced to nearly zero.
The game designers programmed City Fireflies to track a much simpler indicator for each player: the glowing rectangle of light emitted by the smartphone screen itself. It’s the perfect solution: No apps to install or procedures to explain. City Fireflies simply directs players to point their phones at the giant game screen, and start moving around. The instant visual feedback is clear: The phone becomes your "net" for catching and removing the digital avatars onscreen.
[Read more about City Fireflies]
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