Browsing by Author "Finn, Patrick"
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Item Open Access A Modder’s Guidelines for Moddable Game Development(2024-04-19) Crémer, Loïc; Finn, Patrick; Aycock, John; Maurer, Frank; Clyde, JerremieThe act of unofficially modifying a video game known as modding may convey a range of benefits to its host game, including an expanded sales lifetime and a vision of what a game may have looked like had developers made different choices, among others. In this thesis, I make a case for this beneficial nature of modding and develop a set of guidelines for developing moddable games with the aim of shifting industry perspectives towards the practice, which tend to be mixed, toward a more positive outlook and help mod-encouraging studios provide a better modding experience to their users. This set is built on four pillars, each representing a stage in the development of a moddable game: Designing a moddable game, creating robust tools, writing effective documentation, and supporting the community. I created these guidelines using data collected from an autobiographical design study, wherein I became a modder myself and built modifications for three video games: Nintendo’s Pokémon FireRed Version, Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and Defiant Development’s Hand of Fate 2. After writing the set, I then created a proof-of-concept tool in line with two of its principles to demonstrate what an idealized modding tool based on my research might look like. These guidelines outline what makes a game more moddable, what makes a good modding tool, and how best to support a moddable game after launch. It is my intention that this thesis demystifies the process of creating moddable games and that the lessons learned in this project can prove useful to modders, researchers, and professional developers alike.Item Open Access Computational Media Design: Using Graph Data to Improve Non-Player Character Acting in Games(2023-09-14) Brierley, Owen Douglas; Finn, Patrick; Jacob, Christian; Aycock, John; Sengupta, Pratim; Zhao, Richard; Leblanc, Jean-Rene; Guzdial, MatthewThis thesis uses graph databases to enhance non-player character (NPC) behavior in computer games. The approach is tested in three discrete projects by developing and using the Neo4jConnector, a custom toolkit enabling novel bi-directional communication between real-time simulation data and server-based graph database long-term storage. The first project demonstrates the Neo4jConnector’s use in recording player movement as graph data and facilitating NPC movement playback from this data. The second project explores improving NPCs’ non-deterministic behaviors through q-learning, a reinforcement learning algorithm, and storing the resultant graph data in the server-based database. The third project investigates dynamically loading 3D geometry from a graph database in multi-scale cellular simulations, supporting intricate bioinformatics simulations necessitating non-deterministic agent actions. Emphasizing an artist’s approach to Computational Media Design, the research targets animators, game makers, bioinformatics researchers, and the growing field of games research. Through an elaborative design process, the thesis showcases the value of incorporating graph databases in game production environments, offering new opportunities to create more realistic and adaptive NPC behaviors that boost player engagement and improve the quality of simulations for future research.Item Open Access Conversations with my Sister: Beauty and the Black Female Voice(2018-09-14) Comer, Rebecca; Finn, Patrick; Mayr, Suzette; Martini, ClemHow do we talk about race? This discourse often falls in the political and activist spheres, however, it has been ineffective in connecting the masses, so we must find a way to communicate with people who are “tired of hearing about race.” We must also find a way to stay whole in this political climate. Art has the ability of doing both. Our stories have the ability of doing both. This document explores the journey that I have taken in my discovery of my voice in the theatre that began with attempting to appeal to the people who are tired of hearing about race and ended with creating a performance that speaks to those who are not spoken to in the theatre. The first two chapters of this thesis document the foundational work needed in order to successfully complete this thesis project. Chapters 2 and 3 explore my newfound voice. The fifth chapter documents the creation and performance of my pre-thesis show, used as a test to verify the success of my first year of work. Chapter 6 then documents the creation of the remainder of Conversations with my Sister, while chapter 7 once again documents the creation of my final thesis show. Chapter 8 details the results of the final performance of my thesis show. Finally, Chapter 9 briefly details the discoveries that I made throughout this process. My journey led me to the discovery of my creative writing ability, my eagerness to be vulnerable, and my ability to find joy hidden by pain. This document details the immense progress I have made academically, creatively, and personally that enabled my ability to create the performance Conversations with my Sister.Item Open Access Designing Interaction with Autonomous Vehicles: External Displays and Interfaces for Vulnerable Road Users(2021-09-02) Asha, Ashratuz Zavin; Sharlin, Ehud; John Jacobson Jr., Michael; Wylant, Barry; Finn, PatrickIn the near future, mixed traffic consisting of manual and autonomous vehicles (AVs) will be common. Autonomous vehicles with advanced technology offer opportunities for innovative designs and introduce communication challenges for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. Our goal is to explore the emerging new domain of interaction between different road users and autonomous vehicles in a future AV transportation ecosystem. This led us to conduct the thesis following these two themes: 1) understanding design opportunities for external automotive displays (EADs) of AVs; 2) exploring the design of interactions between vulnerable road users (VRUs) and AVs. In theme 1, our work extends contemporary research into visualizations and related applications for autonomous vehicles. Focusing on external car bodies as a design space we introduce a set of EADs. EADs show visualizations to share context and user-specific information and offer opportunities for interaction between users and AVs. We conducted a design study to explore design concepts for EADs to provide services to different road users: pedestrians, passengers, and drivers of other vehicles. Based on the design study, we prototyped four EADs in virtual reality (VR) to demonstrate the potential of our approach. This exploration contributes to our vision for EADs, a design critique of the prototypes, and a discussion of the possible impact and future usage of external automotive displays. In theme 2, we are interested in the ways pedestrians will interact with autonomous vehicles in the absence of non-verbal cues from the driver (such as eye movements, hand gestures, etc.). Crossing streets in these new situations could be more dangerous for VRUs without a proper communication medium. We examined a subset of this challenge with two groups of pedestrians: interaction between AVs and pedestrians with hearing aids (PHAs), and pedestrians in wheelchairs (PWs). First, we worked with hearing aid users as a preliminary exploration of this research. We conduct a co-design study with a co-designer with hearing impairment who has lived experience of wearing hearing aid enhancements. This study contributes several insights and design recommendations on how potential audio cues can be designed to enhance direct communications between PHAs and AVs. For the second part of our research, we designed interactions between pedestrians in wheelchairs and AVs. From an early exploration of potential interface designs through a design study with interaction designers, we prototyped different interfaces in VR. Then, we evaluated the implemented simulations during a co-design study with a powered wheelchair user following inclusive design practices. We identify and reflect on interface design ideas that can help PWs make safe crossing decisions at intersections and discuss design insights for implementing different inclusive interfaces.Item Open Access Emergent Scenography: the collaborative process of Conduct(2018-09-18) Manuel, Bianca Guimarães de; Hansen, Pil; Viczko, April; Hansen, Pil; Viczko, April; Brubaker, Christine; Finn, PatrickThis thesis is the scenic and costume design of Conduct and the supporting Artist Statement submitted is a reflection on and documentation of the material constraints, collaboration, design guided dramaturgy, audience effect, and design process involved in the thesis. This Artistic Statement was in an unconventional way, in order to accomplish that I created a website that include the chapters bellow. For a full experience of this thesis, please visit: www.emergentscenography.comItem Open Access Exploring Comfortable Coexistence with Autonomous Pods in Pedestrian Spaces(2024-06-26) Luchak, Iryna; Sharlin, Ehud; Zhao, Richard; Finn, PatrickThe rapid advancement of autonomous vehicles (AVs) marks a significant milestone in transportation technology, revolutionizing mobility and urban planning. AVs promise to improve road safety, reduce traffic congestion, and contribute to environmental sustainability. As AVs become increasingly adept at navigating complex environments, challenges arise in integrating them into existing infrastructures, making it crucial to study their coexistence with people and how they are perceived. Pods, also known as low-speed autonomous transport systems (L-SATS), are emerging in pedestrian areas like airports and malls to help solve the last-mile problem. Nonetheless, their introduction into pedestrian-centred spaces presents new challenges for researchers in ensuring the comfortable sharing of these spaces with people. This thesis explores and investigates factors contributing to comfortable coexistence between pods and incidentally copresent persons (InCoPs) in pedestrian spaces. Through our exploration, we make several contributions. We begin by examining autonomous vehicles in urban spaces, including a preliminary exploration of situated visualizations, proxemics, and technology acceptance, which leads us to the notion of pods in pedestrian spaces. We then propose a design space for pods in pedestrian spaces, reflecting on various aspects of coexistence between InCoPs and pods. Our dimensions describe the pedestrian space, pod interactions, and the physical design of pods. Using the initial design space dimensions as a foundation and inspiration in design, we build a virtual reality (VR) testbed to facilitate research on the coexistence between pods and InCoPs. We design ten scenarios in the pedestrian space testbed. We conduct a user study, analyzing the significance of different variables, including pod quantity, pod group formation, passenger presence, and InCoP position. We provide insights on factors enhancing InCoPs' comfort, emphasizing the importance of an improved sense of control, space and freedom to move, passenger awareness, and the social behaviours of other pedestrians. By examining key factors that contribute to InCoP coexistence alongside pods, this thesis aims to offer initial research insights into the future integration of pods in pedestrian spaces to improve the comfort of InCoPs.Item Open Access Exploring the Experience of Becoming and Unbecoming a Cyborg Using Performing Arts Techniques(2019-10-22) Hammad, Noor; Somanath, Sowmya; Sharlin, Ehud; Finn, PatrickThe project proposes using performing arts techniques to aid people in becoming and unbecoming a cyborg. Cyborgs are human-machine hybrids with organic and mechatronic body parts which can be implanted or worn. The transition into and out of experiencing additional body parts is not fully understood. This project draws from techniques used by actors for their performances to facilitate the experience of becoming and unbecoming a cyborg. A study where actors entered a cyborg state, performed as a cyborg, and then exited from that cyborg state was conducted. The observations suggest that these techniques can be useful in technology augmented experiences. Furthermore, to translate the lessons learned from the actor study to a cyborg user context, a design session was formulated and conducted and the data was analyzed. The results of this design session informed the specification of a prospective prototype that supports the performing arts techniques. Finally, a discussion of the project limitations as well as future work is presented.Item Open Access Fostering Deep Learning, Engagement, and Critical Thinking(2015-05-13) Benoit, Wendy; Mah, Megan; Kurz, Ebba; Kemp, Taylor; Finn, Patrick; de Groot, AntonThree student-faculty teams will share their perspectives and experiences that address the components of the conference theme: fostering deep learning, engagement, and critical thinking. The Faculty of Science team will explore reflective practice for deep learning. Reflective practices lead us to recognize our own deep learning experiences. We can then foster such experiences in our students by examining what we find to be most meaningful, and then using ongoing communication to know how students view and use these ideas. The team will discuss strategies for fostering deep learning in a second-year organic chemistry course: scaffolding class content around student work, and using worksheets to frame a cycle of practice and feedback. The Faculty of Medicine team will investigate six “high-impact” practices have been defined and positively linked with student learning, retention and engagement. These include learning within a community of learners, engaging in research with faculty mentors, international experiences and culminating capstone experiences. The team will discuss how these ‘high-impact’ practices have been integrated within and facilitated by the Bachelor of Health Sciences program and share their impact from the student perspective. The team will also suggest ways in which these approaches can be incorporated across a diverse array of disciplines. The School of Creative and Performing Arts team will explore the critical thinking aspect of designing for learning. What exactly is critical thinking? Universities uniformly promote the idea that they must turn students into “critical thinkers.” What does that mean? Are we currently experiencing a shortage of critical thinkers that we must address? Are governments, not for-profits and businesses clamoring for more critical thinkers? Do parents dream of raising critical thinkers? The team will explore the value of critical thinking and ask how best to address its position in academic pedagogy.Item Open Access From Adaptation to Staging: Directing Molière's The Learned Ladies(2016) Touzin, Inouk; Smith, G. Brian; Campbell, Valerie; Maher, Daniel; Finn, PatrickThe Purpose of this artist statement is to demonstrate proficiency in directing for the theatre. The performance referred to throughout is Molière's The Learned Ladies, presented from February 16th to 27th 2016 in the University Theatre at the University of Calgary. This essay is a reflection of my directing process, from relevant contextual research on approaches to directing Molière, through the process of adaptation of the performance text, including an analysis of the pre-production and production elements relevant to the directing of the play, as well as an appreciation of the performance.Item Open Access The Life Machine: Twenty-First Century Explorations into Machinal(2019-06) McKendrick, Zachary E. R.; Brubaker, Christine; Finn, Patrick; Melnyk, Sherry Lee; Balkwill, PeterThis artist statement is a companion document to the 2019 production of Sophie Treadwell’s Machinal produced by the School of Creative and Performing Arts at The University of Calgary. The goal of this document is three-fold: first to illuminate the thinking around, the research behind, and vast amounts of inspiration for the choices in this production as can be found in Chapters one, two, and three. Second, to demonstrate the application and execution of these ideas in collaboration with creative partners, including designers and performers in Chapters four and five. And finally, to reflect on the process from both a leadership and directorial standpoint, pieces of which are explored in various chapters, but predominantly discussed in Chapter six. In adherence to departmental guidelines the names of all undergraduate student artists involved in the creative process have been omitted from the document and are referred to by their title within the production, i.e., assistant director, stage manager, etc.Item Open Access Performing Pearl: Drama, Middle English Text and Performance Based Research in Medieval Studies(2018-07-10) Gibbings, Colin; Finn, Patrick; McGillivray, Murray; Martini, Clem; Olsen, Kenna L.Can formal performance help support research on medieval texts? Can performance help elucidate medieval texts to unfamiliar audiences? This thesis looks at my efforts over the past two years in my MFA attempting to answer these two questions. My research has covered formal performance practice and two experimental performance pieces which have sought to provide evidence in support of a long-term academic trajectory. My thesis examines my work over two stages handled in four chapters. The first two chapters illustrate development of performance practice. Chapter 2 looks at performance practice in the theatrical field and includes physical and vocal work, creative writing, and research methods. Chapter 3 looks at performance practice in the Medieval Studies field and includes historical context, manuscript studies and language studies. Ultimately, these two chapters attempt to demonstrate how we can bridge Theatre and Medieval Studies. The second two chapters look at my performance work itself. Chapter 4 discusses how I applied the contexts described in chapter 3 to my performances of two medieval poems, the Old English The Wanderer, and the Middle English Pearl. Chapter 5 discusses the development and presentation of both poems. For Pearl, I provide a scene-by-scene breakdown including images to discuss more fully how it felt to perform a medieval poem on stage. Ultimately, I believe my work has shown tremendous potential for performance work within the Medieval Studies framework. Future work will have to be done to answer continued questions. There are not obvious answers to these questions. As I proceed to my PhD, I will be pursuing these answers through what I have learned and developed in my MFA.Item Open Access Rhythmic Topologies and the Manifold Nature of Network Music Performance(2016) Cayko, Ethan; Radford, Laurie; Sallis, Friedemann; Squance, Rod; Finn, Patrick; Hrynkiw, PatriciaNetwork music performance is no longer in its infancy. In recent years, researchers have made strides toward a more seamless approach to distributed, multi-site, realtime music performances. However, interaction over vast distances comes at the cost of latency. Today’s fiber optic infrastructure transmits data close to the speed of light, but even at light speed, our acuteness to sounds in time makes synchronous planetary-scale music performance a physical impossibility. This research proposes a method that calibrates latency to a rhythmic unit of time, which allows for novel restructuring of pulse-based network music. The technique, called toporhythm, creates a rhythmic topology between performers that can be utilized to create distributed patterns. These patterns unfold differently in each performance space, resulting in a manifold music. This thesis presents historical context for the work, outlines the toporhythmic technique, describes the latency calibration software tool, and surveys a selection of music composed toporhythmically.Item Open Access The Task and Workslip Scheme for Personal Agent Systems(2019-05-29) Kendon, Tyson James; Denzinger, Jörg; Boyd, Jeffrey Edwin; Jacob, Christian J.; Finn, Patrick; Flores, Roberto A.The Task and Workslip Scheme for Personal Agent Systems is a collection of concepts enabling the intelligent communication of small agents, and a set of philosophical guidelines to aid in the design of intelligent systems to assist people in day-to-day tasks. The intention behind the scheme is to empower people to take control of their own computing power to achieve the kind of automatic personal assistance that otherwise can only be achieved with corporate computing. The scheme addresses the issue of how to provide people with these tools in three ways. it provides a theoretical framework for the design of small pieces of software, Agents, which communicate using usefully-structured information, Workslips, and can combine to form helpful systems for people, Personal Agent Systems. It provides a set of philosophical guide-lines which suggest particular design choices developers should make while developing these Agents. Finally it provides a reference implementation, TWPARI-J, which can be used to develop these Agents and provides practical examples of the philosophical guidelines. To demonstrate the effectiveness of TWPARI-J and the applicability of the philosophical guidelines and conceptual framework, three example systems are presented which allow people to: adjust their alarm clocks according to the weather, plan their shopping according to sales prices of local stores, and to get assistance monitoring the state of their network in an intelligent fashion. For each system particular instantiations are provided where the system is able to help a particular person. The scheme provides a simple system to create personal assistant system, often without needing to write new software, and simplifies Agent development. The scheme allows people to use the system and develop applications with a maximum of flexibility using a minimum of work.Item Open Access The Teaching Game: Integrating HCI and SoTL By Adapting Video Game Research Methods(2023-02-23) Norman, D'Arcy; Finn, Patrick; Sharlin, Ehud; Aycock, John; Ullyot, Michael; Clyde, Jerremie; Couros, AlecThis dissertation proposes and systematically explores the potential for integrating the distinct but overlapping disciplines of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). This work of integration is approached through a series of research projects from different perspectives, demonstrating the potential for adapting concepts from the design and formal analysis of video games to enrich the study of course designs and of understanding the varied experiences of instructors and students. Video games provide a useful point of integration between HCI and SoTL, specifically through concepts and principles employed in the design of video games, and through the adaptation of research methods that have been developed to enable formal analysis of video games. It is our hope that integrating HCI and SoTL helps to address limitations in each discipline -- to move HCI away from technical evaluation within contrived or laboratory contexts, and to move SoTL toward more deeply understanding the roles of technology, design, and performance. The dissertation is organized into three parts. Part 1 introduces the reader to the dissertation, situates it within existing scholarship, and describes the research methods that will be utilized. Part 2 presents the findings of a series of research projects that explore aspects of HCI/SoTL integration. Part 3 synthesizes these findings into a novel framework that has the potential to extend our ability to design and describe teaching and learning, and to add meaningful context to research into the design of and interactions with technology.Item Open Access Technology Augmented Props: Tangible User Interfaces for Performer-Controlled Technical Elements in Improvised Theatre(2019-07-24) Mikalauskas, Claire; Oehlberg, Lora A.; Viczko, April; Sharlin, Ehud; Finn, PatrickWhile improvised theatre (improv) is often performed on a bare stage, improvisers sometimes incorporate physical props and technical elements to inspire new directions for a scene and to enrich their performance. For improvising technical elements such as light and sound, a control booth is used in a theatre space. However, coordinating with improvisers’ action on-stage is challenging as there is a disconnect between the technicians and the performers. My goal is to inform the design of a technology augmented prop that brings the capabilities of the control booth directly to the hands of the performers as a tangible user interface. I interviewed five professional improvisers about their use of physical props and technical elements in improv, and their expectations of performer-controlled technology. I propose a set of guidelines for the design of a technology augmented prop that is integrated into the existing world of improvised theatre.Item Open Access The Virtual Rehearsal Suite: Drama and Performance Approaches for Virtual Reality and Human-Computer Interaction(2024-05-14) McKendrick, Zachary E. R.; Finn, Patrick; Sharlin, Ehud; Munteanu, Cosmin; Oehlberg, Lora; Viczko, April; Ullyot, MichaelThis dissertation explores the intersection of Drama, virtual reality (VR), and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), examining their parallels and collective impact on shaping immersive digital experiences. Throughout our research, we ask: how can VR support traditional performance practices? And how can we leverage existing performance practices to support wholistic user engagement? From our interdisciplinary position we identify gaps in existing research and offer novel solutions and innovative frameworks for navigating and structuring experiences within VR. In pursuit of answers to our research questions, we contribute C1) Performance-Based Multimodal Methodological Approaches for HCI, and C2) A Demonstration of Interdisciplinary Possibilities to the landscape of HCI VR research. We propose a symbiotic relationship between the user's cognitive engagement and the digital environment's architectural and interaction design can be enhanced through the application of practices and principles from Drama and performance. The practical application of these theoretical constructs is showcased in C3) Thresholding Protocols for Digital State Change, and C4) The Virtual Rehearsal Suite (VRS), an immersive VR environment that supports solo performance training, demonstrating how Drama and performance methodologies can enhance the user's experience, offering tested perspectives and techniques that promote interaction, presence, and embodiment. Starting with our related works, we identify our interdisciplinary position with a foundation that draws from both the academic and artistic communities interested in VR as a domain, research, and performance tool. We then cast a wide net to understand the dimensions of virtual technologies and their impact on user experience with subsequent chapters investigating the layers of reality, immersion, embodiment, performance rituals, and thresholding concepts. Each chapter contributes to the identification of gaps and parallels across research domains and the discussion of how Drama and performance can elevate the understanding and advancement of VR and HCI systems. The dissertation concludes that the confluence of Drama and performance practice with Interaction Design holds the potential to shape the future aesthetics and experiential facets of virtual environments. The embrace of VR as both a tool and a medium for creative expression is positioned as a transformative leap forward in both HCI and Drama, heralding a new era of digital interaction that needs to embrace the full spectrum of human experience for success and longevity. Our work positions actors as interaction specialists, capable of existing in multiple realities at once and providing insightful reflections on their experiences in iterative processes. The VRS study demonstrates this ability, while emphasizing that virtual environments are not merely technological constructs but complex experiential spaces where the physical and digital converge, challenging traditional perceptions of reality. It highlights the importance of centralizing the user as key to creating compelling virtual experiences that con only be achieved through meticulously designed interactions that resonate with the user's sensory and cognitive faculties. Our study underscores the efficacy of VR in supporting actor training with minimal digital interventions, facilitating a seamless transition into and out of VR, enhancing focus during VR engagement, and addressing issues such as VR sickness. It highlights the centralization of the human element as the pivotal factor in VR creation, emphasizing that VR environments should cater to the nuanced spectrum of human emotions, behaviours, and social interactions.Item Open Access Urning: Representing Karl Heinrich Ulrichs and His Legacy through the Mechanism of Theatre(2019-06) Diller, Ryan; Martini, Clem; Strzelczyk, Florentine; Delong, Kenneth; Finn, PatrickThe following manuscript and accompanying artist’s statement examine the process of developing the play Urning. It explores the life and legacy of Karl Heinrich Ulrichs along with the journey to create a play that illuminates them.Item Open Access Writing on the Walls: Reimagining Eugène Ionesco’s Rhinoceros(2019-05-16) Anastasakis, Constantine Xionis; Brubaker, Christine; Campbell, Valerie; Finn, Patrick; Bennett, Susan; Martini, Clem; Campbell, Valerie; Brubaker, ChristineThis artist’s statement is a critical reflection on the creative process that culminated in the staging of Eugene Ionesco’s play Rhinoceros at the University of Calgary’s Reeve Theatre from November 30th to December 8th, 2019. The first chapter introduces my initial ideas and approaches to the production at the beginnings of my research, and how these ideas evolved based on my experience(s) in Greece. The second chapter contextualizes the play within my research, including Eugène Ionesco’s body of work, the contemporary social, political, and cultural framework that informed the reconceptualization, specifically Greece’s debt crisis and the resultant unrest evident in Athens’ graffiti and protest-turned-riots. The third chapter focuses on revisions, additions, and reinterpretations of the text that manifested in the production. The fourth chapter outlines the collaborative process with designers, actors, and academics moving from rehearsal to performance. The final chapter reflects on the successes, failures, lessons, and thoughts following the performance run with regard to my intended outcome for the play. In adherence to departmental guidelines the names of all undergraduate student artists involved in the creative process have been omitted from the document and are instead referred to by their title within the production, i.e., lighting designer, stage manager, etc.