ESSAY I

Four venues have been visited by me in the course of this semester. I have taken careful consideration as to how these venues (playgrounds, video games, museums, and theme parks) might be enhanced to allow greater interactivity through the concepts of story, play, and game.

The first venue, playgrounds, was one of the more interactive experiences amongst the other three venues. The playground I visited was Saint Ann’s Community Park in Saint Leo Florida. Compared to most other parks Saint Ann’s was relatively small providing the most basic of playground equipment. One of my first and most striking observations was the amount of kids actually playing. My first assumption was based on the theory that more youthful participants are driven further and further away from the physical exertions necessary for playgrounds by more story based mental processes necessary for video games.

So, one way to enhance playground participation is to incorporate a theme or story into the equipment. Instead of having the proverbial metal posts and chains of traditional playgrounds, one could design the equipment with a common theme; for instance, an underwater theme where everything is blue, bubbly, and wavy.

Another element of the park that seemed to divert the interest of parents was the fact that there were no benches or rest areas. By incorporating enough rest areas for one to relax and enjoy the day, parents will be more inclined to allow their children some needed playtime. The first priority of attracting children to a playground is to attract the parents that will get them there. This means employing several elements such as bathrooms, benches, shade, and water fountains.

Another aspect of the park that struck me as odd was the fact that there were no slides. As a kid growing up, slides were the most important factor of any playground I visited. Not only were they fun to slide down, but they also provided children with a ‘work equals rewards’ concept. In order to slide down a slide one must first work to get to the top. The more challenging the ascent to the top of the slide the greater the reward would be when one could finally slide down it.

Video games appeal to an enormous range of ages and nationalities. The video game that I studied for this course was Halo 2 for XBOX. Perhaps I should have chosen a less popular game because it was difficult to find ideas for its enhancement. But as I explored the concepts of what made a game popular I realized that there are many things that can be done in order to improve a game.

One disadvantage to Halo 2 was the fact that the Master Chief (1st person shooter) could not give commands to his soldiers on the field of battle. Perhaps by adding a grid of commands such as “attack,” “take cover,” or “retreat,” one could interact even more with the game because of this added form of play.

Another element that could improve the game/play of Halo 2 is the use of bonuses. After a player beats the game, for example, a grouping of bonus levels or weapons would be unlocked. Better bonus levels and weapons increase with increasing difficulties. This added element would give the player more incentive to not only beat the game, but to beat the game several times on several different difficulties.

On the more marketable side of the game, I think that the composition and distribution of Halo 2 for Playstation 2 as well as XBOX would be an intelligent promotional move. Not only could Halo 2 benefit financially by allowing more gamers to buy the game, but it would benefit the gamers themselves as well because a greater number of people could experience all that Halo 2 has to offer.

For me, the museum venue was the most interesting venue in terms of formulating ideas for interactive improvement. Based on my observations and past experiences, museums seem to be the least popular venue with the narrowest target audience. The museum I visited was the JFK museum in Boston Massachusetts. The museum itself was very organized and informative. Its exhibits were fun to look at but they followed the traditional pattern of the ‘look-don’t-touch’ museum. I found myself losing interest as I sauntered through its halls.

By incorporating more interactive exhibits, especially near the entrance of the museum, one could hook the target audience and leave them anxious for more. Such exhibits could include interacting with period equipment like rifles, cameras, vacuums, exc. By getting the visitor physically involved with the exhibits, one could peek the interest of people from all ages.

There were only two theatres from which to relax and enjoy a ‘history channel’ like excerpt from the era of JFK. The addition of multiple mini-theaters could not only provide visitors with more opportunities to rest, but also with more opportunities to learn without having to read everything as in traditional museums. In this day and age, the aptitude to read is becoming more burdensome on a generation that is emerging from a digital world. The popularity of traditional museums is going to decline in spite of this fact.

Walking seemed to be another deterrent, especially for younger less patient audiences and older less capable audiences. After standing all day I found myself wishing for the end only to find another hallway. How disappointing. My focus shouldn’t have been on resting my feet, but on the otherwise interesting exhibits. The wide usage of comfortable chairs and benches throughout the museum would have been a major advantage in maintaining the focus of visitors like me. By having the option of resting, maybe even napping, in a comfortable chair before I move on to the next exhibit I would have been more concentrated on the information provided.

The theme park that I visited was Disney Worlds’ MGM Studios. I have been there many times before but never have I focused my attention from a producer’s point of view rather than a consumer’s. Being that Walt Disney World is the most popular theme park in the world, I found myself critiquing the most basic flaws of the park only to realize that the most serious disadvantage was the popularity of the park itself. Millions of people visit the park every year, and for anyone who has been to Disney World during the summer knows that the least attractive aspect is the sheer population of visitors and thrill seekers. Congestion not only prohibits adequate flow throughout the park, but it also discourages people from riding the rides. Who wants to wait in a line that is an hour and a half long? One would be lucky to even complete three or four rides during these intensely crowded seasons. So instead of having a handful of people who enjoy the park, nobody enjoys the park.

In order to trim the scale of visitors, the park could do several things. First, they could simply limit the amount of people who can visit the park in a day. This allows for maximum amusement for those inside, and it will ensure the likelihood of their return in the future. Although the park may lose money at first, it will gain a wider range of eager supporters who are willing to revisit the park again and again, thus making up the deficit.

Another more ambitious attempt to trim the scale of visitors would be to construct additions to the park. Disney World owns an incredible amount of land, and with the creative and constructive capabilities that Disney is known for it can easily stem the overflow of guests to these new additions. Not only will these additions balance the theme park population, but it will also provide Disney with a much needed boost in advertising. What could be more exciting than opening a new and improved Disney park which is sure to establish an even greater range of supporters?

By examining these four venues from a producer’s point of view I have begun to realize that despite the concept, story, theme, or financial capabilities of a playground, video game, museum, and theme park, in order to maintain a truly popular venue one must also examine them from a consumer’s point of view as well.