A Framework Supporting Selecting Space to Make Place in Spatial Mixed Reality Play

Studies of mixed reality systems, especially games and play, have proliferated in the human-computer interaction literature, yet little research has directly addressed how designers select physical spaces to make places. A space is a physical area, while a place is a space infused with meaning. Mixed reality games that make use of physical space make and/or alter places. Selection of a space as a setting for a mixed reality play raises questions around immersion, safety, and user experience design. The present research analyzes the mixed reality literature through grounded theory to derive guidelines for selecting space and making place in mixed reality play. We consider 71 papers and 17 games after filtering over 240 papers for how they address space. We contribute a framing for mixed reality spaces on two axes: one that reflects space continuity and one that reflects space specificity requirements. From the framework, we provide design implications for space selection.