THE DOMAIN• The domain• A 600 years long history• A complex architecture • Very rich collections• The parc and its gardens

CONTEXT

451 975 visitors

61,9 % foreigners38,1 % French

10 % less than 18 years old10 % scholars

STATISTICS 2012

• VISITORS' TOOLS : CURRENT OFFER • IN-SITU EXPLANATIONS• VISIT PAPER SHEETS• PAPER SHEETS GAME FOR KIDS

• VISIOGUIDE (JULY 2013)

VISITORS' TOOLS : CURRENT OFFER

• No real suitable offer for Kids and teenagers. Audioguide doesn't really suit their expectations

• The need for a specific offer• The idea of challenging kids with a "treasure

hunt" type app

INTRODUCTION

• Introduce some fiction in a history museum ? • What pedagogic messages : what to focus

on ?, what highlights can't be missed?• How long is the tour?• How to please and keep kids focused?• Where to start the project?• How to distribute the app locally?• What graphical universe ? Illustration, 3D?• How to challenge kids?• How to avoid kids beeing lost since the castle

is so big• What knowledge of kings' history do kids

already have ?• How to avoid the feeling of failure, or being a

looser ? How to deal with competition expectations ?

WHAT COMES TO MIND ?

• An autonomous and suitable itinerary mode• Transmit knowledge and understanding of

the place• Create pleasure of the visit and curiosity• Get familiar with this Heritage• Attract new visitors not necesseraly

interested in Heritage• Promote the visit experience on social

networks

PROJECT'S GOALS ASKED BY THE MUSEUM AT THE EARLY STAGE

• Find an original narrative base line• Target young crowd between 8 and 12 years

old• Create interaction on the spot with the

surroundings

THE CHOICE OF A SERIOUS GAME

«The Kings' real estate, the House of the Centuries»Napoleon, about the Castle of Fontainebleau.

FIND A TRANSVERSE THEME

Kings’power symbols and iconographyConnexions between building's history

and History Locate in space and time

Discover and identify kings’highlights room by room

French Monarchy

FIND A TRANSVERSE THEME

BENCHMARK

AUDIO

TASKS

Identify work ahead:1. General design: graphics, interactivity,

ui2. Gather and sort important scientific /

pedadogical knowledge3. Define a scenario and write it4. Game design5. Technics6. Evaluation

1Define project and goals (2012). Project submission to the grant of the French

Ministry of Culture called 'Innovative cultural services'

2Conception (February to April 2013)

3Wrting of the scenario (May to September

2013)

PROJECT’S STEPS

4Production and programming (July – October)

Artistic and technological choices

5Evaluation (22nd to 25th of September,

2013)

6Technical installation (WIFI) into the

reception of the castle Project's stages

PROJECT’S STEPS

PROJECT’S STEPS

7Public availability (December 2013)

Local logistic and security agents training

8Quantitative Evaluation (2014 ?)  

MAP AND QR CODES

• Engage the visitor into a relationship

• Keep his/her attention : speak to the 1st person, question on a regular basis

• Mention catchy and funny details

THE WRITING

• keep connexion with the environnement : show room’s details

• Be fun!

THE WRITING

• a pleasant character, not lame

THE MAIN CHARACTER

SPECIFIC GRAPHIC DESIGN

1 Quest : find the Book of

Centuries (transverse main goal)

2 Specific challenge for each

room(Manipulations

and self-investment games)

OBSERVATION GAME

OBSERVATION GAME

OBSERVATION GAME

OBSERVATION GAME

OBSERVATION GAME

OBSERVATION GAME

DEDUCTION GAME

DEDUCTION GAME

MANIPULATION GAME

MANIPULATION GAME

3 Depth of the experience

CROSS PLATE FORM SOFTWARE

RESPONSIVE DESIGN

UTOPIA OF USING YOUR OWN DEVICE

• Download a rich application is long• People may not have enough battery

and memory• Device may not be compatible• No headphones• Anticipation is required

50 TABLETS FOR RENT AT THE MUSEUM ENTRANCE

DIFUSION

• Decrease fiction• Technical: ergonomy of the target platform in kids hands (no hands left), manipulation details (quit button etc), wifi• Multiuser mode canceled because of audio disturbance• Too much scientific content « Less is more »• Deal with family split : serious game and traditionnal audioguide have different rythms• Beeing viral

WHAT DID NOT WORK IN OUR CASE

• Allow adaptability to content : skipping scientifc content, difficult games • People can't easily locate on a map• Use the space as a starting point : adapt content and rythm to the space• Anticipate with local agents, associate everyone to the project from the beginning• Modify the traditionnal visit path : open closed gates• Working with different companies for audio-guides and serious games requires coordination (mutualized devices, tags and synchronized rythm)• Promote the game at the entrance of the museum before visitors buy tickets

TAKE CARE OF