A game design workshop to support the elaboration of game ideas Christos Sintoris, Nikoleta Yiannoutsou and Nikolaos Avouris University of Patras, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rion Patras, Greece {sintoris, nyiannoutsou, avouris}@upatras.gr Abstract In this paper we present a set of game design workshops in the context of which we investigate design practices and elaboration of game ideas. The workshops aimed at engaging participants in crafting designs for location-based mobile games. We analyse the rationale underlying the workshops and describe their structure and the involved material. Next we outline the characteristics of six cases where these workshops were implemented and finally we present a representative set of games produced by the participants. 1 Introduction In this paper we describe a game design workshop for creating conceptual designs for multiplayer, hybrid reality, location based mobile games supporting informal learning in cultural heritage sites. The workshop was implemented in six different cases with different participants in each case who produced 32 conceptual designs for the site of Pompeii. Multi-player location-based mobile games for learning are a multifaceted field of study. Modern mobile technology and the accompanying infrastructure that is weaved in our surroundings are becoming a new reality that needs to be studied and understood. The theoretical base of how to transform this technological potential into a form that can support playful learning can be considered nascent. In part this stems from a lack of common ground as to what elements of this hybrid space, the result of merging the digital and the physical, can contribute to learning. Of particular interest is the possibility to employ the motivational potential of games in this endeavour [3]. In the past decade there has been increased interest on how to tap on this potential of technology as a platform for location-based gaming activities with regard to learning [10, 13]. Hybrid reality location-based mobile games are playful mobile activities sit- uated in real-world contexts. They are believed to be conductive to learning, that may lead to acquisition of skills like critical thinking, curiosity, creativity, collaboration, consideration of multiple perspectives, social awareness, respon- sibility and media fluency [14]. These games are mobile, in the sense that they require that the players move in the physical domain as part of the gameplay and not that the players ‘carry’ the game on them as in ‘games for mobile devices’. The underlying idea is that with these games the players interact with the real