Concept
The aim of this game is to bring people together
through a broad range of media by learnable patterns of social
interaction.
From finding a way to meet each other in a virtual city through
creating serious, long-lasting relationships based on caretaking
and emotional responsiveness to the learning of social interaction
skills people will be connected with each other through such
varied media as 3G mobile devices, interactive TV and the
internet. Since the main attraction of the game is based on
an emotional, socially interactive behavior skills set, ‘Dance
with Dogs’ is a perfect tool to emphasize.
Purpose
This game would work in many ways for creation of a global
community, emphasizing communication using diverse media,
reaffirming which understanding of human relationships and
a general feel good factor.
‘Dance with Dogs’ could develop in many directions and last
a very long time. We think that ‘Dance with Dogs’ would generate
a unique consumer relationship and highly effective brand
awareness.
Participation
Players can play as a pet or an owner. Players need to create
their own language to communicate - this can be verbal, sound
or gestures. This language is then used to play the game,
have fun, achieve goals together, participate.
Other Games
Previous games have encouraged people to interact with / respond
to computers - PC games, home video games, ‘Tamagotchi’, robotic
pets, etc... Ultimately, these games do not encourage participation
or communication. The player is alone.
Dance with Dogs
is about people playing with people, interacting and communicating
with each other and participating in a shared environment.
Email, text messaging and chat rooms already encourage people
to communicate with each other using new technology - ‘Dance
with Dogs’ uses all these methods too to connect people.
Gameplay -
Getting Started
Create your own character. Owners can choose their name, sex,
character, interests, hair colour and style, skin colour,
clothes and shoes. Pets choose their own species, sex, coloring,
name, and collar / lead.
Gameplay -
Finding Each Other
Once you have chosen your look and personality, you can enter
the environment. Pets and owners can survive in this environment
until they meet up and match themselves appropriately. To
survive, pets and owners need to find a place to live, food
to eat etc... These are all available in the environment.
Once you have entered the town, you have a time limit to find
your ideal pet or owner. How do you find each other? All other
players are visible to you within the environment. Each species
can get information to survive from other members of the same
species. People can use chatting to other people to get information
about the environment. Pets can communicate with other pets
of the same species by chatting too.
Gameplay -
Communication
The players in the game create their society by interacting
with each other. Communication between animals and animals,
owners and owners and owners and their pets makes each visit
to the game different.
The relationship between an owner and his/her pet is real.
It is a two-way thing but owners and pets get different benefits
from their relationship. Owners and pets may have a relationship
for 10 years or more. They may grow and grow old together.
Pets and owners can also use signals and sounds to communicate
across species. For example, a dog begs or barks if it is
hungry or wants to play. A dog also learns that the sound
‘SIT!’ means sit down.
Gameplay -
Practicalities
This game will be played in real-time via the web allowing
anything to happen and any number of people from all over
the world to be involved. Pets can also contact their owners
via mobile phones - images, sounds, text messages and owners
can the respond via their phones too. Your pet might get hungry
or need a walk - you can arrange this using your phone. You
could also locate your pet and find out what its doing.
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