INTERACTION DESIGN PRINCIPLES FOR INTERACTIVE ...

The American Film Institute’s enhanced TV Workshop has generated some
cutting-edge iTV prototypes that merge games with television. In 2003, the Sci Fi
Channel and VU Games teamed up with the AFI workshop to create a prototype for
Battlestar Galactica:
The team has fleshed out the designs for Battlestar Galactica’s spatial navigation
on the Xbox. The interface features directional mapping composed of four
quadrants, each offering a different interactive opportunity for the viewer.
Navigating to the left, viewers can get a closer glimpse at the artifacts of the scene
they’re watching by viewing maps and diagrams relevant to the storyline, giving
viewers a deeper sense of immersion in the story. When viewers navigate to the
right, they find visual background on the Battlestar Galactica characters through
access to character photos and “home movies.” Navigating up, viewers have
access to additional B-roll footage, and moving down, viewers have an
opportunity to participate in the story through interactive game play, flying
aircrafts in battle along with the show’s characters (American Film Institute,
2003).
2.10.1 Representative Example: Battlestar Galactica Prototype
Figure 2.9 provides examples from the Battlestar Galactica prototype.
(a) (b)
Figure 2.9 Examples of “Battlestar Galactica” Interface (a) and (b)
Similarly, in the 2004 workshop, the Science Channel teamed with the AFI team
to produce a prototype of Dinosaur Highway, a new programming concept where a
MMORPG (massively multi-player online role-playing game) merges with television.
46