The 7 Transmedia Families

A design thinking tool, a very slow alternate reality game, or just a serious game …

The « 7 Transmedia Families » game is based on the historical deck of cards « Happy Families » (public domain) which emerged from the industrial revolution of the 19th century together with its new professions. Our version proposes creatives to work on the optimization of their project (art, marketing, communication, innovation) with the idea of transmediality. A total of 42 cards & roles to co-design, co-create, and co-produce.

The serious game raises awareness among practitioners about the concepts and methodologies for transmedia design and co-design. It features ideation for optimizing a project from conception to activation and dissemination. It is a fun thinking tool aimed at everyone who wants to play a role in content production processes. The game contributes to developing creativity, knowledge, cooperation, and expertise.

In 2014, we have experienced proof of concept with the Institute for Research and Innovation of the Centre Pompidou (Paris, France). An ebook has been written by our long term collaborator Emmanuel Bethoux, and you can find content by Karine Halpern here and on SlideShare (closed in 2015 but online for archives).

By playing with the « 7 Transmedia Families » practitioners become « transmedia ready » in a number of ways:

They see the scope and scale of a multiplatform and multidimensional production using associated MEDIAFORMS.
They gain insights into developing a project with a creative, and immersive approach.
They explore our methodology, ideas and strategies for execution in communication, innovation, and collective intelligence.
They better understand how to coordinate collaborative work, understand the concept of TRANSIENT GROUPS and generate better practices.

7 transmedia suits, or topic, of 6 family members, or characters, or roles are 2 grandparents, 2 parents, a son and a daughter. The goal is to collect and match complete families of 6 and show them to the other players. But, of course, we propose much more… The game works for small and larger groups as players can pair up and change roles along the ride.

The 7 Transmedia Families : 6 characters 7 families 42 cards (link to Galerie Samples)

- - - - Storyworld
        
        Communities
        
        Design
        
        Gameplay
        
        Multiplatforms
        
        Business Model
        
        Production

Traditional rules based on the 19th century game « Happy Families »

It sounds like Rummy or Go Fish without the fishing… Deal all the cards to the players. The player to the dealer’s left takes the 1st turn, the play continues clockwise. Taking a turn, a player asks another one of his choice for a specific card, naming the Family and the Character. But in order to do so, he or she must hold at least 1 card of the same family.

« In the StoryWorld family, I ask for the Grand-Father »

If the asked player has the requested card in his hands, he or she must give it away. If not, he or she says: « Not in production ». Next turn. Play continues until someone collects a complete family and is ready to use it to pitch a transmedia project. There is a variation when the players save cards for a pile. Many variations will then help to develop the conceptual approach of the game as an educational and training tool. The same card can be requested again by any other player, and so on… It is very important to give attention to collaborative play: use your memory, your sense of observation and details, find out where are the “skills”, and thus the missing cards.