Engagement Scenario (Mechs) Sandy Michael Thurid Steve

Backstory The mechs live in a city where production mechanisms are automated. They spend most of their time interacting within a virtual environment, the Mechtrix. This virtual world was created several generation ago as a propaganda game from mechs government at times when both sprites and cogs were pushing for a union of the planet. The game portrays both cultures as evil and nasty so that mechs would assume stereotypes toward other races on the planet. After several generation, the game took a life of its own and the mechs became addicted and absorbed and isolated – both from the oustide world and their own world. Social communication is inexistent (no face to face etc..) all communication is done via the virtual world. A consequence is that mechs have lost their identity, sense of family etc… However they have to get out of the mechtrix for essential needs – these are perceived as boring task and are regulated so that they satisfy their vital and society needs. Eating, washing, drinking, mating etc…

Interaction - the game The user has to make contact with mech in order: –To produce some tool to save the planet –To go to an international meeting to save the planet –To ask for some help The problem is – they don’t communicate with each other directly – even less with strangers. –Via going into the mechtrix –Taking them out of the mechtrix You need find a way to interact with them – convince them about collaboration –Demonstrate that their stereotypes are wrong (convince them or change the role of other cultures in the mechtrix) –Stress the importance for the planet of collaborating – to save the planet and to integrate all cultures (appreciation)

Example task – Going virtual The role of the users: –One is finding out about the mechs culture (looking around for cultural clues) (mini games) –One is looking at the technology and tries to figure it out (mini games) –One is looking at language (mini games) The users compare their results and discuss their approach to get to communicate with the mechs –Find out more about their virtual world, symbols –Decide to infiltrate the VW or take them out of it –Switch it off –Bring some real cogs and sprites to convince them of wrong stereotypes.

Goals for the users Explore new culture (mini games) Work as a team toward a strategy (collaborative working – knowledge sharing) Apply the strategy – Action game Deal with the consequence