GEMS: the design and evaluation of a location-based storytelling game

  • Authors:
  • Jason Procyk;Carman Neustaedter

  • Affiliations:
  • Simon Fraser University, Surrey, Surrey, BC, Canada;Simon Fraser University, Surrey, BC, Canada

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the 17th ACM conference on Computer supported cooperative work & social computing
  • Year:
  • 2014

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Abstract

It is now possible to capture geotagged photos and videos and share them with family and friends. Yet the reality is that applications for capturing and viewing this information are not particularly rich offering little more than maps and simple textual information about a location. Given this, we wanted to explore this design space to find new and exciting ways for people to document and share their experiences. We designed a location-based game called GEMS to support storytelling amongst family members and close friends. The game narrative and mechanics prompt players to reflect on meaningful places from their past and create geolocated digital memory. Other players can then visit the locations to collect and view the records. A user study revealed that location can provide a rich foundation for storytelling activities. We learned that location-based storytelling strategies often elicit a sense of discovery through exploration, sharing, and conscious reflection.