[IxDA Discuss] Scenarios for multitouch displays?

[Trip O'Dell]

> (fwiw: I'm not anti MS or pro Apple, I personally think the iPod is
> a P.O.S. (but its got a killer story))

LOL - I know, I've owned 6 of the damn things over the years. I just  
can't help myself - SUCH a geek!

I can't agree with you more on the story aspect. I've actually  
pitched these kinds of (Surface) interfaces in some of my work with  
public spaces.  Calling it all Kiosk is a little too dismissive in my  
opinion. Kiosk (to me at least) conjures images of ATMs and "push to  
play" video loops.

As a stand alone unit, Surface is a bit of a novelty. But when you  
network units together so users can share simultaneous agency over a  
virtual space in real time, Surface becomes a powerful collaborative  
and social tool.  Current online experience is heavily mediated and  
abstracted through layers of interface mouse, keyboard, OS,  
application UI and then finally content layout. Surface, (and  
interfaces like it) cut through that clutter and provide an  
opportunity to develop direct interaction with other users in more  
powerfully intimate ways.

Since part of my background is game design, this kind of interface  
has my head spinning with possibilities in terms of the games I can  
design for this system. Games that wouldn't be possible, or if  
possible not fun - in a more conventional physical interface. There  
are entirely new audiences that will be introduced to video gaming as  
a result:

1) networked card games with real cards
2) Bar games like air hockey that react to objects (like drinks) on  
the surface by bouncing off them.
3) Sandbox environments with loose physics and rules where users can  
make up their own games
4) augmented board games with new kinds of rules and strategies not  
possible with a paper version.

Those are just a few ideas off the top of my head. The applications  
for search, personal networking, communication, commerce, are equally  
broad.