ESI Game Lab

Throughout the history of the firm, ESI Design has been committed to creating transformative experiences that encourage unique positive interaction, collaboration and conversation. Through projects like the Dream Cube, Tryon Palace and Sony Wonder Technology Lab, our work explores the space between physical and digital interfaces and creates intersections between people.

As an extension of ESI’s committed efforts in driving innovation and reimagining meaningful interactions, we’ve developed the ESI Game Lab – an experimental "do tank" that creates novel game experiences to promote collaboration through play, spectacle and narrative in the public realm.

Projects in the ESI Game Lab are designed to be iterative – our team is constantly testing and launching new variations of our games based on participant feedback to elevate experiences and connections. The result has been a series of immersive, one-of-a-kind programs that utilize public spaces to engage participants in analog-driven (but oftentimes digitally augmented) physical activities and gameplay.

To date, we have introduced our games in various public spaces, citywide festivals and industry conferences around the country—including the Come Out & Play Festival (in New York and San Francisco), Steel City Games Fest, DC Games Festival and SEGD Xlab 2011 Conference—to explore event-based interactions.

Examples of our ESI Game Lab experiences include:

Field Frogger – An analog, live-action recreation of the classic video arcade game, Frogger. Players, seated on giant bouncing balls, navigated a series of obstacles—a busy "highway" and "river" full of dangerous animals—to reach key safe zones.

Ball Pop! – Participants were asked to set world records in the middle of the Great Lawn in Brooklyn's Prospect Park by throwing and catching oversized red exercise balls using parachutes as projection mechanisms. Our goal was to create a disturbance in the familiar landscape and introduce a sense of magic to the space. As of today, we still hold four world records on RecordSetter.com from our Ball Pop! event.

Live Action Spy Party – A live-action variation of Chris Hecker’s experimental video game where a "spy" tried to complete three tasks without being spotted by a "sniper".

A Web of Hope – A collaborative problem-solving art game celebrating the spirit of peace for Veterans Day.

Field TD – A round-based resource and strategy game in the style of the “Tower Defense” genre of games. The game was awarded the "Most Fun Game" award at Steel City Games Fest 2011.

In addition to our participation in public game festivals around the country, ESI designed and ran our own festival, LAPDAWG (Live-Action Physical Digitally Augmented Wacky Games), during Engineering Week at Bucknell University in 2011. The festival engaged over 150 college students in two main events: DayDawg (a large-scale carnival during the day) and NightDawg (indoor, projector-enhanced grid games at night). LAPDAWG 2011 was an incredible success and allowed us to test various ways of engaging large groups and integrating technology as an augmentation device. Our team is already planning on LAPDAWG 2: The Lappening for February 2012.

Games provide engaging ways to forge positive social interactions, model and learn new skills, and build meaningful relationships. They have myriad learning applications in schools, cultural institutions and public spaces, as well as corporate applications at conferences, events and training sessions. We'd welcome the opportunity to explore how to integrate games into your upcoming experience platforms. Lets talk!

Email us at games@esidesign.com