The use of physical theatre improvisation in game design

This paper describes the development and use of a design method based in physical theatre practice in the creation of Charge, a multiplayer physical game that relies on digital technology. Methods from Physical Theatre improvisation were explored in a series of workshops as the basis for developing an understanding of how to design technology supported games that encourage physical and social engagement through body movement. A central concern here is the use of technology to support positive user experience and the sense of fun that are connected with body movement and physicality within game play. The initial results suggest that physical theatre practice may usefully contribute to our design understanding of human movement and support novel methods for exploring new interaction styles.