With augmented reality, we can create interfaces that merge virtual objects and data seamlessly with the real world, potentially improving collaboration and interaction. This technology offers opportunities for games, allowing new designs that merge the diverse social and physical interaction of real world games with rapid interactivity and computing power of digital games. To date, research has primarily focused on issues of technology, interaction design, and nfrastructure; the design of compelling play has received little attention. We play games because they are enjoyable; therefore, in order to create attractive games, we must understand enjoyment. In games, engagement, social interaction, and emotional involvement are among the most common causes. We can design for engagement in play using Csikszentmihalyi's model of 'flow'; for social play by making communication easy, natural, and useful; and emotional involvement by understanding the mechanisms by which games stimulate us. Alongside an understanding of enjoyment, lessons must be drawn from design experience. AR Tankwar is an augmented reality strategy game developed over the course of this thesis, and has been evaluated in the field at a large games convention, and in a detailed comparative study with existing games on tabletop and desktop PC. Evaluations revealed predictable limitations with the technology, but also provided insight into how designers can make best use of the medium. Based on these activities, and existing knowledge of interaction and collaboration in augmented reality, this thesis addresses compelling play in augmented reality by developing a set of design guidelines for augmented reality games, with particular focus on strategy games.

Alternate reality games (ARG) are a relatively new type of game that distributes game content across several media without explicitly identifying that content as part of a game. While players benefit from this aesthetically immersive experience the type of game has the potential to cause confusion over the status of its dispersed content as real or as part of a game. This thesis offers a case study of the 2012 game. The case is contextualized within the disciplines of media studies and games studies, in a wider digital culture where the ubiquity of technology converges to user experience design. A theoretical framework based on Charles S. Peirce’s semiotic, supplemented by Erving Goffman’s frame analysis and James J. Liszka’s transvaluation theory is used to explain the ARG’s problematic relation to the experience of reality.

Alternate reality games (ARG) are a relatively new type of game that distributes game content across several media without explicitly identifying that content as part of a game. While players benefit from this aesthetically immersive experience the type of game has the potential to cause confusion over the status of its dispersed content as real or as part of a game. This thesis offers a case study of the 2012 game. The case is contextualized within the disciplines of media studies and games studies, in a wider digital culture where the ubiquity of technology converges to user experience design. A theoretical framework based on Charles S. Peirce’s semiotic, supplemented by Erving Goffman’s frame analysis and James J. Liszka’s transvaluation theory is used to explain the ARG’s problematic relation to the experience of reality.

Alternate reality games (ARG) are a relatively new type of game that distributes game content across several media without explicitly identifying that content as part of a game. While players benefit from this aesthetically immersive experience the type of game has the potential to cause confusion over the status of its dispersed content as real or as part of a game. This thesis offers a case study of the 2012 game. The case is contextualized within the disciplines of media studies and games studies, in a wider digital culture where the ubiquity of technology converges to user experience design. A theoretical framework based on Charles S. Peirce’s semiotic, supplemented by Erving Goffman’s frame analysis and James J. Liszka’s transvaluation theory is used to explain the ARG’s problematic relation to the experience of reality.

Alternate reality games (ARG) are a relatively new type of game that distributes game content across several media without explicitly identifying that content as part of a game. While players benefit from this aesthetically immersive experience the type of game has the potential to cause confusion over the status of its dispersed content as real or as part of a game. This thesis offers a case study of the 2012 game. The case is contextualized within the disciplines of media studies and games studies, in a wider digital culture where the ubiquity of technology converges to user experience design. A theoretical framework based on Charles S. Peirce’s semiotic, supplemented by Erving Goffman’s frame analysis and James J. Liszka’s transvaluation theory is used to explain the ARG’s problematic relation to the experience of reality.

The purpose of this study is to analyze how the mobile augmented reality game Red Bull Secret Gig was made in practise by its users. Red Bull Secret Gig was a game that was a part of the release of Swedish pop star Robyns new album. The prize of the game was two tickets to a secret show with the pop star. Interviews, group interviews walkthroughs of the game written by its creators and posts published in the official Facebook group for the game has been used as a material base for analyzing Red Bull Secret Gig. The theoretical framework for this study consists of communication theories such as Stuart Hall’s Encoding/Decoding, Henry Jenkins theories about convergence culture, participatory culture, astroturfing, engaging as labor and collective intelligence and also theories about gamification and motivation. Findings include elements of the game being designed to be motivational for its users, how users came together to figure out how to gain points in the game, users bad experiences of the game, Red Bulls presence in the game,  how users different economic and social situations could affect their progress in the game and the price of the prize. Conclusions of this study includes the official Facebook group being dependent on users engagement, users feelings and opinions about Red Bulls presence being split and users perception of the ticket being for free.

This thesis explores how heritage museums can engage more visitors to take part of cultural heritage in context to digital culture, and going deeper in on what implementation of gamification and alternate reality games can contribute with. Through the establishment of how the heritage museum space has changed since the implementation of technology, gives a response concerning new perspective in the experience economy. Connecting Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s characteristics of flow together with Jane McGonigal’s theory of alternate gaming can serve the visitor to invest in their own learning outcomes, thus invest more in cultural heritage. Nevertheless also how visitors can experience cultural heritage as one but at the same time as a community, participating through a common ‘goal’.

What makes some marketing campaigns so immensely big and well known when they are marketed through social media or with a viral approach? How can a company reach out to customers through viral marketing and how can they make use of today’s social media to achieve it? In this article we will try to understand and further explore what a campaign have to accomplish in order to achieve a viral spread, using a descriptive model which uses a number of factors and terms necessary in order to properly analyze viral marketing campaigns. This model as it stands today is at its first steps towards being a tool for producers to incorporate in their analytic research and design process when creating viral campaigns.

The main drawback of Alternate Reality Gaming, compared to other genres, is that it lacks reusability; typically it cannot be played freely by anyone, anytime, anywhere. However, with the help of modern technology, especially in the mobile devices section, this can be overcome, at least to a certain extent. Therefore, we propose a conceptual framework built upon these challenges raised by other ARGs, a framework meant for game designers and developers that wish to create reusable ARGs, to add reusability to their own ARGs or even turn their digital games into a mixed experience. We designed it by reviewing relevant literature of past ARGs that had a reusable or a digital component, from which we have drawn conclusions and mixed them with our own ideas. Then we tested it iteratively by developing two prototypes and evaluating them through user feedback.

隨著資訊科技的蓬勃發展，為生活與休閒娛樂帶來許多變革與創新，以真人實境闖關遊戲來說，單純應用實體道具的互動體驗已經無法滿足參加者。因此，遊戲設計者逐漸開始研發各種裝置，以尋求更新奇有趣的效果，使得這類體驗性質的實境遊戲蘊含大量的實驗與創新元素。 本研究首先歸納現有實境遊戲案例的重點特徵，將之概念化並進行編碼，在文獻回顧的部分，進一步探討沉浸體驗的定義、特色與價值。接著規劃並實作一個「結合互動裝置的實境遊戲」，在遊戲中加入數位技術、互動裝置及感測器，提供參加者別於日常生活的感受，讓他們完成遊戲後，就像親身經歷過一場有趣的冒險。 本創作共招募二十七位參加者進行遊戲體驗，透過問卷與訪談蒐集反饋。在創作的過程中發現，有意義的互動發生在故事內容、實體物件及互動觸發三者緊密扣合的當下，而加入數位整合實體的互動裝置，帶來相當程度的沉浸與投入效果，雖然在若干細節方面，仍有改進的空間，但我們相信此創作提供了互動科技應用的新方向，作為後續研究可參考的實際案例，進一步發展更多元的實境遊戲體驗。 / With recent advances in digital technology, more and more innovations in entertainment are occurring. In reality games, the installation of simple physical devices is no longer able to satisfy the participants. To make the games more interesting and playful, game designers are developing novel content and interaction by incorporating latest technological elements. In this thesis, we summarize the key concepts in the design of existing reality games and organize these cases into different codes, which are later employed to guide the design of our reality game. In the literature review, we select flow theory as the primary related work. We clarify the definition, features and value of this theory, as well as its connection to our design philosophy. We then plan and implement the ‘Revenge of the BEAR’ project: a reality game that incorporates digital technology, interactive devices and sensors. This reality game aims to provide the participants with astounding experiences distant from their daily life. Upon completion of the missions outlined in the game, the player will feel that they have just engaged in an interesting adventure. Twenty-seven participants were recruited to take part in this reality game. Through questionnaires and interviews, we obtain constructive feedbacks that help us understand the attractions and limitations of this game. The results indicate that meaningful interaction occurs while the story, the interactive objects and the trigger are cohesively linked. Besides, new digital technologies help to improve immersive experiences. Although there are some design details that remain to be attended to, we believe that this study provides a new direction for the applications of interactive technology in the design of future reality games.