Interesting first explorations. Keen to see how we can build in more of a team based co-operative methodology of creative response while in the game - doing things together and relating. A way of playing with the interactivity especially in a really playful way - eg line dancing avatars. (second life ballroom barry says) With the blue screen it's useful to use ppl who have some physical performance discipline or a keeness to explore and take risks / look stupid / be a puppet / in front of camera. We flowed through various ways of team working with a loose and shared sense of leadership which worked well, until we needed afternoon tea!
I'd like to look at location and playing with real locations vs virtual. Had my interest sparked in the use of hand held technologies and mobiles being used so that players can be in an actual location - although this is my own research interest rather than one using bluescreen, which adds another dimension. The bluescreen's most entertaining and thought-provoking gift for me was the performers entering the space either as 'playing' they are in the virtual space, or being shown around / exploring, or fixing it, showign through the cracks, rolling up the blue to reveal the illusion. So much of screen based media is about illusion that I find it refreshing to expose it = maybe like the 'affectionate subversion' of machinima.
Quests and other dramatic activities that give a sense of narrative to a game seem the obvious place to start - but what is the purpose of your quest? i think game environments might be great problem -solving spaces - for complex modern day challenges such as how to stop illegal whaling (you be the ozzie navy, you be the whalers and I'll be the greenpeace activists) - it's a way to rehearse for life and cuold be useful for art-activism - potential for swarming-type things here having a real life effect.
Playing with the limitations - useful process to start with very fixed set of ideas / rules / actions - we started with this today - consequences, different responses to violence etc. I woudl introduce sound, avatar text and dialogue earlier especially as this form of play may be more familiar to gamers - interest following the dialogue. Also interesting to hear of the chat that goes along side many mulit-player games adn th relationships that build - that is part of a game environment, and ways of exploring that sociable aspect would be helpful. there may be decision-making / group self-organising embedded structures and methods in there, which could be useful to identify and develop.
I enjoyed the bluescreen but felt slightly lost in why we in each particular environment and it might be nice to spend some time choosign the sceneography and env some more.