The main body of theory, from which we will draw and to which
we hope to contribute, is game studies. Although many practitioners have come
to this new discipline from literary studies and the humanities (Aarseth,
1996), researchers in this area have also begun to look at games as perceptual
systems (Wilhelmsson, 2001). Craig Lindley's higher-level game taxonomy (2003)
will support our work.
Our work with players will also be influenced by interaction design, a new
discipline that has arisen in response to the uniquely fluid characteristics of
digital materials. The dynamic nature of computing allows a person engaged with
an interactive form to influence and rearrange the essential substance of the
design. We speak, therefore, less about the formal qualities of an interactive
design, focusing instead upon qualities of designs that emerge from use and
that the designer can influence (Löwgren, forth.).
A key concept within interaction design is embodied interaction, the
consequences of our physical nature for the design of interactive artefacts and
spaces. Dourish (2001) has drawn upon sources including phenomenology, studies
of perception and ethnographic practices to argue that "our experiences cannot
be separated from the reality of our bodily presence in the world," and that
this awareness has important consequences for interaction design. Research
exploring sense phenomena-such as light-within interactive game forms has the
potential to advance the development of embodied interaction. This topic is
especially relevant for the larger research focus within our design theme at
K3.
Finally, we will access a complementary body of knowledge from the area of
psychology. Researchers in environmental psychology study the effect of light
and sound in the built environment, and have influenced the setting of
standards for workplace illumination. Although most research has been directed
towards the visual effects of light, a growing number of studies have looked at
non-visual effects (Knez, 2001). Findings from this area related to mood,
decision-making strategies and risk-taking have immediate relevance to the
player experience within game worlds.