As always, thanks to everyone who took part in the games and everyone who took part in the organisation.

Day of the Thing

Explorers

Setting up for today's intrepid explorers - Photo by Marie Foulston on Twitpic

The Bloop

Roman Werewolf

Here it is:

Find the password encoded in this clue, then tell it to the guard on the arena gate to be allowed inside.

Enter the Arena is a free event running between 2 and 4pm this Sunday (29th). We’ll have an information and sign-up desk open from 1.30pm so you can reserve places for the 4 awesome games we’ve got lined-up for you. Bring chocolate if you’re really, really stuck on the clue!

Once you have solved the puzzle and know the password, come and tell it to the guard who will then let you enter the arena. (We’ve got an indoor space on stand-by in case it’s raining, but you’ll still need the password!).

Under 18s are welcome, but they must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Some of the games require sensible footwear – see the programme for more details.

We’ve been granted special access to the arena at the side of mac and we’re going to fill it with [insert adjective here] goings on for 2 hours this Sunday.

We'll be in here with lots of fun stuff

As before, we have a selection of games for you. We’ll be running an information and sign-up point in the Terrace Gallery from 1:30pm where you can come along and grab places for the games before they start at 2pm. You will need to have solved the puzzle to get the secret password before you can enter the arena, though…

The Day of the Thing

Designed by Kevan Davis

A paranoid team of scientists are trying to gather together components of a damaged research station, so that they can radio for help. However, a shapeshifting alien – The Thing – is sabotaging this mission, and is slowly eliminating and replacing the scientists.

Kevan will be travelling up from London for the day to run Day of the Thing game for us. The game will take place in Cannon Hill Park. Be prepared to go off-road…

Explorers

Designed by Peter Law and Katy Beale

Intrepid explorers describe the splendours to be found in and around mac for blindfolded royalty. Will you get paid for the treasures you discover?

The Bloop

Designed by Nikki Pugh

Use your sonar to navigate the murky depths of the South Pacific; avoiding bothersome krill and, hopefully, the source of that strange and worrying noise…

Wear shoes you a) don’t mind walking blindfolded in and b) wouldn’t mind too much if someone walking blindfolded in them accidentally trod on your toe.

The Bloop as played at the Hide&Seek Weekender at the National Theatre in July.

Hog Roast Gallo-Roman Infiltration Party

From a game designed by Simon Katan, tweaked a bit by Nikki Pugh

The Gauls are holding a magnificent feast on the eve of battle against the Romans, but there are spies in their midst. Will the infiltrators be identified? Will there be blood spilled on the laurel wreath?

~~~

Once again we’re cramming a load of great stuff into a couple of hours. Should the weather be unkind to us, we’ll relocate from the arena to the Foyle Gallery on the second floor (it’s a dance studio, so no high heels allowed in there). Come to the information desk in the Terrace Gallery and we’ll point you in the right direction.

Under 18s are welcome so long as they are accompanied by a responsible adult and understand they must play by the same rules as everyone else.

BARG runs on volunteer power: this event a gift to you from Kevan Davis, Marie Foulston, Libby Hayward, Peter Oliver and Nikki Pugh. Also thanks to mac for their support.

Not wanting to rest on our laurels, however, we’ve been working hard to prepare this Sunday’s event for you. Labcoats have been gathered, whales are ready to be inflated and 20 cardboard swords are being prepared!

Enter the Arena is a free event, but at some point between then and now we will release a clue to the password you will need in order to Enter The Arena. People signed up to http://enterthearena.eventbrite.com/ will get a headstart.

Please make sure you have solved this clue and are ready to tell the password to the gatekeeper at 2pm on Sunday the 29th of August. The gatekeeper will be at the entrance to mac’s arena, which you can get to via the Arena Bar on the ground floor.

Should the weather be rainy on Sunday the 29th of August (I know! What are the chances?!) then the gatekeeper will be stood at the door to the Foyle Studio, which is on the second floor of mac and big enough to hold plenty of playful people so long as they’re not wearing high heels.

So, we’re going to be ready. Will you?

It was a great day with sunny weather and we know of at least one person we’ve converted over to the pervasive games way of thinking!

Here are a few snapshots of each of the things that were going on, mostly taken from mine and Tigershungry’s Flickr sets. If you know of any other images, video or words from the day, then please let us know with a link in the comments.

Parse the Parcel

Designed and run by Simon Katan

Sonar Goggles

Made by Nikki Pugh, games devised and run by Giacomo

Search and Replace

Designed and run by proxy by Kevan Davis

Bull Hunt

From Soho Stag Hunt, designed by Minkette, Alex Fleetwood, Holly Gramazio, Tassos Stevens, introduced by Minkette and with special thanks to Ben Whitehouse and Antonio Roberts for being Mr Bull.

The bit that happens afterwards

Self-organised by the people who know it ain’t over ’til it’s over

Join us for more of the same on the 29th of August…

We’ve spent the last month or so carefully crafting two jam-packed hours of fun to introduce you to the world of pervasive games. Many, many thanks to everyone for giving their time and efforts for making this happen. Here’s an introduction to the team.

Kevan Davis
Kevan’s helping out by proxy having sent us a lovely big envelope full of Scrabble tiles and game packs for Search and Replace. Don’t forget to bring digital cameras or cameraphones for this game that will have you telling a fantastical tale using the mac’s signage as a raw material.

Marie Foulston
Marie’s found time to do loads of Taste the Game planning and marketing in amongst the day job and also getting Project Brutal up and going. She’s a lady who knows a good monkey when she sees one and will be working the info desk on Sunday so be sure to ask her for some top tips!

Giacomo
Giacomo runs the London-based fancy dress social club Bring Stuff. His will be the voice you’ll be hearing when you’re wearing the sonar goggles, but we also rather suspect he’ll be bringing an assortment of accoutrements with him possibly including – but not restricted to – silly hats, paper masks and cards that make you shout a lot.

Libby Hayward
A BARG newcomer who came along to the last bargmeet and just got involved! Hurrah! Libby has been busy constructing parcels of various shapes for use in Parse the Parcel.

Kelly Jones
Kelly seems finely attuned to the word “zombie” and thus stumbled upon us via Twitter. She’ll be bringing her video camera along and documenting the event for us.

Simon Katan
A regular at the London Sandpits, Simon will be bringing some party hits with him to create that perfect Parse the Parcel atmosphere. What constitutes the perfect PtP atmosphere? We’ll let him decide, because he designed the game!

Minkette
Another designer up from the capital to run a game they’ve designed. Mink will be instructing you in the appropriate manner in which to hunt bulls.

Peter Oliver
A BARG old-timer, Peter will be on the info desk to introduce you to all this pervasive malarkey before we then send him out into the park as a bull warden or escort or something.

Antonio Roberts & Ben Whitehouse

What nice words to say about these two lovely gentlemen? We’ll leave that entirely up to you…

Have you seen this bull? from BARG on Vimeo.

There are a few advance places still available for the game, and if you’re quick you’ll still be able to join in if you just roll up on the day. The BARG info desk will be open from 1.30pm and you can grab any available spaces from us there. We’ll also be running a range of other excellent games and activities so fear not, there’ll definitely be something to entertain you!

Taste the Game, this Sunday, 2-4pm, it’s free, it’s going to be excellent!

People have been asking me how it’s made, so here’s a quick photo run-through of its construction.
The full set of images is on Flickr.

The basic form is a cycle helmet, some heavy cardboard and some plastic tube. Also required strategic use of a glue glun!

Starting to add some of the features

With base layer of paper-mâché and added jowls.

Not to scale.

More shape added to the head.

More more shape added to the head.

Now with eyes.

User-testing at fizzPOP

Base layer of paint and fabric applied

Yesterday I finished off the rest of the painting and it’s looking GLORIOUS! If you want to see it in action then come along to the mac on Sunday. If you want to be part of the action add your name to the list.

Until then, a sneak peak:

Stag Hunt at Hide&Seek Fest, photo by Nikki Pugh

TASTE THE GAME

Free, Sunday August 15th, 2-4pm

Dip a toe into the world of pervasive games and find out what all the excitement is about. We’ve got a selection of fabulous games and challenges to ease you in gently and give you a Sunday afternoon like no other!

Games start at 2pm and will be a mixture of sign-up for time slots and first-come-first-served. Check in with us at the BARG HQ in the Terrace Gallery from 1.30pm. We’ll be the ones with the helium balloons.

Whilst booking is not essential we strongly recommend you register in advance at http://tastethegame.eventbrite.com to guarantee your place for hunting the bull.

Bull Hunt (a Brummy adaptation of Soho Stag Hunt by Minkette, Alex Fleetwood, Holly Gramazio & Tassos Stevens)
Birmingham’s Bull is roaming the wilds of Cannon Hill Park. You must join forces with your teammates to track him down and flatter him into allowing you to tie your helium balloon to his horns. Which team will be creative enough to win the bull’s favour and be permitted to attach the most balloons?

Parse the Parcel (Simon Katan)
10 seats, 7 parcels, 2 teams and not much time. Who will complete their code first?

Sonar Goggles (Nikki Pugh & Giacomo)
Can you navigate your way around the mac using sound? There’s only one way to find out! Don the sonar goggles and tread carefully…

Search and Replace (Kevan Davis)
Grab a set of lettered tiles and head out to twist signs and posters to your will.
(Players will need to provide their own digital camera or cameraphone.)

Very Important Small Print:

• Bull Hunt will take place outside come rain or shine so please ensure you’re dressed appropriately to cope with the British weather.
• These events are designed for big kids; actual children are welcome to join us for the fun so long as they are supervised and don’t mind playing by the same rules. No bonus marks for being small and cute!
• To find out more about BARG and BARG-related events follow @bargbarg on Twitter and the BARG blog at http://barg.org.uk/

ENTER THE ARENA

Free, Sunday August 29th, 2-4pm

The content of the second of our two events is TOP SECRET, but don’t be surprised if you encounter inflatable whales, deely boppers and shape-shifting aliens…

Now you’re starting to get the hang of things we’re going to challenge you just that little bit more. For starters you’ll need the secret pass phrase in order to enter the arena.

To make sure you’re in the know, sign up at http://enterthearena.eventbrite.com