Whether screen-bound or pervasive, playful media applications are only fully realised in the moment of their use. Games - as they are played – may be constituted by any combination of human players, hardware, software, the intentions of designers, images and aesthetics, affects, virtual and actual environments, rules, maps, imagination and competition.

Seth Giddings’s recent research has addressed this moment-by-moment coming together of diverse players in everyday domestic videogame play, and recently he has been experimenting with video ethnographic methods for capturing pervasive gameplay.

This talk will outline some conceptual and practical suggestions for researching the lived experience of innovative games, and – Seth hopes – open a dialogue on ‘not user research’ between designers and researchers in the Studio community. He will screen some of his recent video-based microethological studies. 

This Lunchtime Talk is part of Open Studio Friday, which takes place at the Studio every week

Do you want to find out what is going on at the Pervasive Media Studio? Are you interested in meeting our residents, talking about a specific project or curious about pervasive media? Why not pack a sandwich and join us for one of our Lunchtime Talks and Open Studio Friday.

Lunchtime Talks are informal presentations by Studio residents and associates. They normally take place at 1pm on Friday, are free and open to everybody who’s interested in what we do.

After the Talk, we also invite you to stay with us for the afternoon to continue the conversation or work on your own projects. We provide chairs, tables, wireless and a great space. You bring what you need to work with (laptop/mobile). Our open afternoons close at 5pm.

Let us know if you haven’t been to the Studio before and we'll be happy to show you around! Send an email to Jason@pmstudio.co.uk and we will meet you at 12.30pm for a quick tour.