We like to take our time to design and take as many ideas and suggestions as possible on board. We have run road shows where people have played prototypes of our games and given us suggestions and feedback. Users and experts give us unique insights into what people like and need, in a way that an individual designer cannot anticipate.
Quadruple Helix
We have worked with partners right across the North Sea Region of Europe. In Scandinavia a movement helps structure the design process and give equal voice to all stakeholders and users. The Quadruple Helix philosophy ensures end-users, academics, public sector and private sector all have input to design ideas. What we call participatory methods are crucial to this. We use a range of events to make sure everyone has a say and can design by doing. By playing games in context, we can see what needs to be done and hear what people say we should do.
Our Inspirations
Often when we ask people if they would like to play games on an iPad, they say ‘oh games are not for me’. But then when you ask ‘Do you like Scrabble, or Bingo?’ They say ‘oh yes I love scrabble and crosswords. So there is an issue with perception. People may not see video games as games. But online there are unlimited sources of Chess, Scrabble, Quizes, Bingo, and so on. These can keep you in touch with your friends even when you can’t get out.
[Update 2020 – With Covid Lockdown in place, many people who would previously have not bothered with iPad because they can just go and socialise are now isolating or shielding at home. Games can be a great way to keep in touch. If you have a friend who you want to make sure is safe, why not play chess, one move a day. If they don’t make a move you know to give them a call.]
If you like playing games online, here are some of the best recommended by greatseniorliving.com
Bejeweled—Swap bright gems of different shapes and colors in order to form rows of matching gems, earn points, and move to the next level.
Candy Crush Saga—Switch around colorful pieces of candy in order to form three-of-a-kind matches and reach a particular goal within a time limit or a fixed number of moves. Gummy Drop!—Rebuild monuments around the world (virtually, of course) by solving match-three puzzles that feature vibrant gummies in different colors and shapes.
Plants vs. Zombies 2—Grow various kinds of plants in strategic locations in order to defend your home from a horde of brain-eating zombies.
Words With Friends 2—Challenge your friends or family to a crossword-style mobile game that’s similar to Scrabble.
AARP’s free online games—Play a huge variety of card, puzzle, word, strategy, sports, and arcade games directly in your web browser.
Gametable’s free online games—Enjoy easy-to-play games like checkers and tic-tac-toe on your computer or mobile device without any distracting ads.
Civilization—Build a virtual empire that lasts by choosing strategies related to issues like exploration, diplomacy, warfare, and technology.
Memory Lane
Can you recall some of your favourite games from days gone by. Here at Tapology here are a few we have dug out of the attic. Some are over 100 years old, but all have been used with friends and family in the past year.
Airship – Antique board game from 1913
Frustration – Great game of chance
Mastermind, 2 player strategy and guessing.
Car Capers – combining puzzles with dice (and trading)
Monopoly – Use quantitative easing (regular money hand outs) to keep the peace.
Use our contacts page to send us your favourite games. We particularly like inter-generational games!
Citizen Science
A few years ago, Tapology was invited to help the BBC make a programme entitled ‘Are video games really that bad?’ Part of the world famous Horizon series of documentaries, the show explores the use of games for good. It shows examples of how regular video game playing can improve cognitive and visual function. Tapology was used as a taster game to get some of the older adults to participate in a driving game experiment which was designed to test for improvements in reaction time.
You can watch some clips on the website and you may be able to find the full documentary on third party providers.
Tapology 