This will not appear in the final iteration of the project
One of the aspects of gamification of the tour is the narrative that ties it together. The tourists will follow an immersive story that will unravel as they reach each stop of the path. By the end a mystery will come to light and they would have learned about Venice’s history.
Index:
- Version 1
- Version 2
Version 1:
12/05/2021
It all started when a merchant ship brought back from the East a mysterious object. It was rumoured to have magical virtues. The story of the wonders that could be achieved by the object spread like wildfire throughout Venice.
The family that owned the lucky ship was divided on what to do with the strange artefact. The son exited by all the attention their business was getting wanted to sell it to the highest bidder. His widowed mother, however, mistrusted the ominous power of the object and the way it was affecting people’s senses. Indeed, unrest was growing like a powerful wave. All were fighting to possess it.
Seeing what was becoming of his city, the son agreed to dispose of the object. He left the palace in the cover of night hoping to make it disappear.
Destiny was cruel that day. The young merchant was murdered and the object stolen.
His ghost still wonders the streets hoping to find a charitable soul willing to help him find the stolen artefact and take it to a safe hiding place.
Feedback from Stakeholders:
This version of the story appeared in my first intervention, the mockup website that outlined the game idea in the Venetian tourism context.
I received I comment from a local that I thought was particularly compelling. She suggested that the narrative of the tour guide could be a metaphor for how Venice has been sold to tourism. By the end of the game the tourists realise that that the precious object they are looking for is not a small trinket but the entire city of Venice. The moral of the story would be that the city is a precious jewel that must be preserved. Consequently, it is a way to connect the story to the actual problem.
Another piece of feedback advised me to make the knights more central to the story as it was not clear what their role was.
Version 2:
15/06/2021
Keeping the feedback from my intervention in mind, I decided to come up with a more symbolically charged version.
2 of the feedback I was given were particularly compelling:
- That the story parallels Venice current situation (even if it is set in another era), this would be a way of connecting the story to the actual problem
- That the knights of Venice should be central to the story and given a clear role
Story 2:
A merchant ship brings back from the East a wonderful piece of Jewellery with mysterious origins. It is said to be composed of precious stones and gems from all over the Venetian trade route.
It was a gift to the city of Venice from an odd individual. She asked for it to never be sold. “this is a gift from me to Venice, may it be seen, shared, and admired by all, but never sold or used for personal gain”.
The young merchant, owner of the lucky boat aims to take advantage of the intense interest that the object is sparking in Venice. His mother is more reluctant as it would go against the wishes of the generous donator. People from all around the known world travel to see it or to try to buy it. The mother notices that the frenzy seems to be affecting people’s senses as greed and dishonesty become more apparent.
The Knights of Saint Mark, protectors of the city, become aware of the danger that the object represents as the unrest it brought troubles the peace of the city. They attempt to reason with the young merchant who is still waiting for the highest bidder.
They believe that the jewel should be displayed for everyone to see as a symbol of prosperity and diversity signs of Venice’s greatness and beauty. Their numerous attempts fail and frustration in Venice keeps growing.
Seeing what was becoming of his city, the son finally agreed to give back the object to the city. He left the palace in the cover of night hoping to meet with the knights. Destiny was cruel that day. The young merchant was murdered and the Jewell stolen never to be seen again.
His ghost still wonders the streets hoping to find charitable souls willing to help him find the knights.
Symbolism:
The mysterious object that came from the East becomes irrelevant and we find out that it is actually Venice that must be found and preserved. It is representation of Venice, it symbolises that the city is a product of this incredibly diverse heritage that was brought forth by conquest and trade.
The strange lady could be the Roman goddess Venus as she shares many traits with the city. Their birth is linked to the sea, their names are similar, Both considered breathtakingly beautiful.
The merchant represents those who sold Venice to tourism
The reluctant mother represents the Venetians
The kinghood is a force that unifies Venetians and locals
The aim of game:
The ghost repents for having failed the city.
The aim is to help him finding the order for him to seek forgiveness and find peace. He also does a good deed by bringing them other possible knights.
The object is irrelevant, it was always a mean of making us understand that Venice should be preserved, Venice is the jewel.