What?

The project investigates the integration of game design, transmedia storytelling, and generative AI as innovative tools for public empowerment. Its primary aim is to explore how these digital technologies and design techniques can enhance learning experiences, foster public engagement, and empower individuals regarding smart home safety. This culminated in an ‘open research game’ involving interactive AI characters, portrayed as smart devices that you can communicate with, alongside a physical message board where you can post related questions, notes and statements.

Why?

The topic of smart home safety was chosen in collaboration with the research project, RELINK. Insights from RELINK revealed that there is a need for tools to increase public awareness of smart home safety; currently, users are not fully aware of the risks in their home, do not know what fully constitutes a ‘smart device’, yet still generally feel they are safe and in control of their devices. Additionally in Norway, there is a need to ensure that society is kept up to date in knowledge, competence and innovation

How?

This master’s thesis investigates how game design methodology can be utilised to create for open and public empowerment. The thesis reviews academic literature related to games, play, AI and transmedia storytelling to provide context on tools. A case study into an alternate reality game is performed to evaluate techniques and methods. An iterative prototyping methodology is then presented and used in the formation towards an ‘open research game’. After ongoing analysis and evaluation are conducted, the last iteration is showcased and discussion is directed to potential future interventions.