In our search to democratize game design, our lab has been exploring the Makey Makey as a simple way to create your own “alternative controller.” The appeal in good part is that any old physical switch or button can be hooked up and function similarly to the arrow keys on a computer (plug-and-play!). Plenty of […]
Category: Storytelling Boxes
Iterations on the Mount for the Classic Phone
The classic phone mount has become our most popular way to display our simple installation (including in libraries and the Humanities Truck), both for portability and the small footprint on-site. How did we get here? The initial box was long and unlabeled: The first prototype was more rectangular than future versions because. In part, this was accidental (it […]
Spanish Hotline and Dual Phones (“not an accident”)
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we created a Spanish version of our hotline and installed a direct line at the Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library (on 9/17/2019). This library is a focus for Latino events and activities in the DC area, and was eager to refine their installation for the A Right to the City exhibition. […]
6+ Nodes for a Special Event (Adams Morgan Day, 2019)
Up until now, the most storytelling nodes we’ve launched for a live event was two for a cafe at night. But earlier this month we headed to a neighborhood music festival to test a multi-node approach. Our goal was to see how breadth might add up to more than the sum of the parts. We successfully featured four […]
Making the “Desk Payphone” (for the Storytelling System)
Our first proof of concept (left) and the finished product at PorchFest 2019 (right). If the payphone is to be a serious actor in our storytelling system, we must ensure a proper stage! The first step was developing the proof of concept using pieces of poster board cut to scale. This helped in thinking about how to […]
Front desk at the library: “classic 1970s” telephone prototype
Beginning this week, you can find a new prototype at the front desk of the Woodridge Neighborhood Library. We call it the “classic 1970s” telephone. Picking up the handset immediately connects listeners to the same storytelling hotline that is in the museum. Listeners can hear excerpts from oral histories from the Right to the City exhibit, or […]