Playing beyond the front room: designing for social play In Ola De La Vida

Ola De La Vida is a three-player cooperative game installation which is designed to harness the qualities of social play environment such as an arcade or play party (an event which mixes games, music, dance and socializing). Ola De La Vida uses physical and digital design techniques that consider the unique qualities of a social play space being sensitive to the complex personal, social and interpersonal aspects each player may experience. The game installation uses its scale to heighten the visibility of the game in a crowded play space, custom control methods to lower barriers to entry and costume to promote teamwork, collaboration and to lower social anxieties. These techniques, in partnership with the digital-physical nature of the game play aims to entice players and spectators in a social environment to participate. Through this installation we hope to encourage discussion around designing for participation and the challenges of social play.