Memechi Trail Adventure
locative game for mobile phone played on a nature trail
Memechi Trail Adventure is a single and multiplayer location-based mobile game that utilizes GPS positioning, gesture recognition, and other emerging technologies. Players are immersed into a real forest-trail play environment where they must utilize their knowledge of Banff fauna and ecosystems in order to progress through the game. The game innovates traditional videogame genres such as the real-time turn based, adventure and edutainment categories by integrating location-awareness and gestural interface into an actual forest environment.
My role on this team was to work with the game designer and narrative writer on developing the interaction flow, as well as working with the animator and interface designer on developing the interface concept. I also co-organized on-trail participatory design and user testing workshops with local teenagers and set-up production scheduling and task assignments. I worked on this project for its initial 3 month design phase, and it was continued in development for a second 3 months (the results of which are presented online).
This project and the research and ideas that have emerged from it has been presented at international conferences including the Banff Bodies in Motion Summit (May 2005).
Designed in collaboration with the BNMI am-i-able Mobile Lab team, led by principal investigator Sara Diamond:
Game designer Anita Johnson
Writer Angus Leech
Artist Geoff Lillemon
Programmer David Gauthier
Engineers Tom Donaldson and Haydar Saaied
Mobile Lab, Banff New Media Institute, 2005