Concept Description for PBS, Matters of Race
PLATFORMS: :
The game is created for the concept of elegant degradation. The TV viewing experience is always in tact, however depending on the type of end user’s play back device, the TV viewing experience is enhanced with varying levels on interactivity. The target is DVD console games/Xbox.
CONCEPT DESCRIPTION: :
While watching the broadcast a game play icon appears watermarked during key scenes. By clicking the icon, varying levels of game play are launched. The game is a Sissyfight styled game of survival where players must thrive in the given scenarios. Scenarios are taken directly from the tape. For example, if the tape is broadcasting a scene in an office, selecting the game play icon would launch a character driven game in an office. Players would be asked to choose between one of 4 ethnically and racially diverse characters. The players goal is to thrive in the office through backbiting, sarcasm, cubicle baseball, paper clip wars, rumor spreading and gossip mongering.
Each scenario is played against the clock. Upon completing the scenario players receive awards for how successful they were in surviving the office. The awards are culturally relevant artifacts for the chosen character. For example, a successful office scenario for the chosen character of an Asian woman may yield a handmade traditional Chinese kite as an award. The player’s can then take these awards and go online to an EBAY-like environment and trade them for other awards, imagined economies, etc. Here players will be free to develop the supporting economies for the trade of these artifacts.
Furthermore this game learns more about the players each time they play. For example - when a player chooses the Asian woman character in the office, the game records the player’s responses, input, and methods used in the office. Next time the office scenario appears, the Asian woman character is not available as a choice, but is still part of the scenario. Players are forced to choose one of the remaining three characters, and re-enter the office environment. Here then the Asian woman character’s responses, comments, and tactics are based on the original players use of that character. Upon exhausting each scenarios characters, the game resets, and all characters are once again available.
Finally the artifacts generated in the EBay like environment can be user made. Once users have collected a certain amount of artifacts, they will be entitled to create their own artifacts, and enter them into the game through the EBAY themed environment. Here players will be able to generate culturally and regionally relevant artifacts as valuable and significant in their personal experiences of race and culture and be able to keep the game as fresh and direct as the tape.
Dated: 8/13/02