RAMIA MAZÉ   
   
 
 
  PORTFOLIO, ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART
   
 
 
 
 
Connecting flights
From check-in to collection, for unique and return play, Connecting Flights is a system concept for social gaming on-line and for real during the holiday travel experience. Leveraging on eminent internet connectivity between flights and built-in hardware technology, the system takes flight routine as a structure for an episodic narrative and social exchange. Designed around existing brand image and trends in leisure travel, Connecting Flights is a concept for a complete, branded, and, potentially, cult entertainment experience.
 
NETWORKED AIRLINE ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE
The key to Connecting Flights play is a game 'passport' received at check-in – the ID card supports belonging, identity building, and social interaction, and gives swipe-cardl access to the online game through the personal entertainment system in the airplane seat.

The social game is structured around interaction with the in-flight film. Interspersed within classic narrative film structure (such that any film could be slotted in), intervals of game interaction allow players to navigate through scenes in the movie and then swap information with other passengers simultaneously in-flight.

In the context of holiday travel, the game uses identity play as a basis for interaction. Players’ identities give different viewpoints on the interactive narrative, supporting competition and bribes, anonymous social exchange and flirtation around game content.

EXPERIENCE DESIGN
The spread of connectivity and technology into public life means rethinking and re-contextualizing social experiences. In Connecting Flights, the design of an episodic structure intersperses suspense, entertainment, and reward throughout the flight and supports both‘lean-forward’ game play and the ‘lean-back’ mode of film-watching. While carefully structured in relation to standard inflight service routines, privacy considerations, and nonverbal communications for the airplane context, Connecting Flight creates a space for identity play, escape, flirtation and exchange inherent to the holiday travel experience.

BRANDED INTERACTION
The project was addressed to an identified gap in the travel industry – while airports and airplanes are some of the most technologically advanced and engineered spaces, there is a need to better design for travel at a human and experiential level. Connecting Flights was based on interviews with airline technology experts and with designers from Virgin Airline designers to develop a themed experience in relation to their brand.

In Connecting Flights, the brand experience was designed down to the level of interaction. Game play starts at check-in with a 'game passport’ that supports belonging and identity in a game space and acts as an input device and loyalty card in the real world. In relation to Virgin’s identity and consumers, we designed the ID card as a physical and virtual carrier of ‘cult’ values in the experience.

OUTCOME
• diagram specifications of game and in-flight structure
• experience design scenario
 
 
DETAILS
Project report 1MB PDF
Samples from storyboard scenario

10.1999, 3 week project
Project partner: Monica Bueno
Thanks to: Nick Durrant (RCA) and Paul Rankin (Philips Research Lab)
Royal College of Art