Sharing the Magic Circle with Spatially Inclusive Games Erik Champion Massey University e.champion@massey.ac.nz Jeffrey Jacobson University of Pittsburgh jeff@publicvr.org ABSTRACT This paper will discuss innovative (capstone) projection environments at an IT and Electrical Engineering School. The overarching brief was to develop both more expansive and more immersive viewing and playing environments. Game courses were used as a springboard to extend the students’ creative and critical design thinking in relation to wider interaction design issues. The imaginative combination of game engines and peripherals were also used as initial prompters to encourage students to go beyond current game theory definitions in an effort to explore how to increase the player's sense of embodiment and to transmit the player's experience of the gameplay to a wider audience. The prototypes are being incorporated into future versions of CaveUT to help educators develop more engaging and immersive interactive environments. Hopefully, the next version of CaveUT will also allow the players and the audience to more richly participate in the so-called "magic circle". Submission Category Paper. We believe we have too much information and presentation material for a short paper, but do not have enough time to organize a call for papers for a panel and the second author does not currently have funding to present. We will however be happy to consider a short paper if the selection committee prefers. Anticipated experience level Novice, intermediate. 1.1.1 Categories and Subject Descriptors K.3 [Computers And Education]: Computer Uses in Education – Collaborative learning. H5.2 [Information Interfaces And Presentation]: User Interfaces - Prototyping, Theory and methods, User-centered design. General Terms Performance, Design, Experimentation, Human Factors, Theory. Keywords Projection, physical computing, interaction, biofeedback. 1. INTRODUCTION While computer games were traditionally single-player and single screen focused, this barrier is beginning to break down. Further, recent research on presence in virtual environments suggests that immersion is not a binary phenomenon [Spagnolli and Gamberini 2002], and is highly dependent on the participant and on the local content and content [Wang et al 2006]. Definitions of computer games by such as theorists as Juul [2003], and Salen and Zimmerman [2003] emphasize that computer games are systems, but this is not a necessary and sufficiently condition, and it does not address why users find games enjoyable. Here is a working definition of a computer game (different to Salen and Zimmerman); a game is an engaging challenge that offers up the possibility of temporary or permanent tactical resolution without harmful outcomes to the real world situation of the participant. This definition may not be succinct, but it allows for varied spatial and collaborative configurations of gameplay. Salen and Zimmerman talked of a magic circle that separates (but not always clearly) the boundaries of a game from the real world, but they focused rather quickly on conflict, leaving aside more generic terms of challenge and competition, and the design possibilities of hybrid play-space shared between audience and active participants in many cultures over thousands of years. For example, a game studies paper on Huizinga by Rodriguez [2006] conflated the ritual with the game, and the magic circle with a sacred place set apart from the general community; yet rituals and sacred places are often set against, above or between non-sacred communal places, and games as played by children do not have to take place in prescribed locations at preset times. While a colorful and arresting phrase, the metaphor “magic circle” as borrowed from Huizinga, is dangerous. This phrase may suggest to people that immersion in game play is binary (a player Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Conference’04, Month 1–2, 2004, City, State, Country. Copyright 2004 ACM 1-58113-000-0/00/0004…$5.00.