Latham, G., 2023.
Graft-games: experiential prototyping for the exploration of crossovers between craft and gaming
| Output Type: | Conference paper |
| Presented at: | EKSIG 2023: From Abstractness to Concreteness - experiential knowledge and the role of prototypes in design research |
| Publication: | International Conference 2023 of the Design Research Society Special Interest Group on Experiential Knowledge (EKSIG) Conference Proceedings: From Abstractness to Concreteness - experiential knowledge and the role of prototypes in design research |
| Brief Description/Editor(s): | Ferraris, S., Rognoli, V., Nimkulrat, N. |
| Venue: | Department of Design, Politecnico di Milano, Italy |
| Publisher: | Politecnico di MIlano, Milan |
| Dates: | 19/6/2023 - 20/6/2023 |
| ISBN/ISSN: | 9788894167436 |
| URL: | www.eksig2023.polimi.it/?trk=public_post-text#proceedings |
| Pagination: | pp. 848-863 |
This paper presents an experimental prototyping approach, termed 'grafting', for investigating theoretical crossovers between craft practice and the play of video games. It presents a case study of prototype 'graft- game' Hazuki Knit, developed as a probe for exploring an emerging theoretical field of study that acknowledges embodied skill within the play of videogames aligning it with craft labour. In particular, it proposes a method of prototyping in which an existing game is directly grafted onto a craft activity in order to enable the direct observation of its impacts upon embodied and inarticulable actions of participants during grafted gameplay at a series of themed public events. Through discussion, it presents grafting as a method for interrogating the potentialities brought about through joining these two related yet distinct activities. Utilising key findings from a case study of prototype 'graft-game' Hazuki Knit conducted by the author between May 2018 and June 2019 this paper reveals that directly joining craft with a digital game can lead to high-risk gameplay that can negatively impact the quality of the craft output.