Augmented Reality and Neighborhood Narratives

An increasing number of people are utilizing their smartphones to craft mobile, geo-located stories and games. Many avail themselves of authoring tools such as 7scenes and ARIS, which allow authors to create end-user experiences that run like locative apps on most devices. While these experiences can be both novel and enjoyable, they can require specialized knowledge to use fully and are dependent on GPS-infrastructure that is not always accurate. This paper explores an alternative to crafting mobile narratives that exploits the idea of digital-physical “seams.” We report on a series of design and playtest activities that build off of the augmented reality application, Aurasma, and theorize how using augmented reality in a game design curriculum can support both pedagogical as well as creative ends.