@inproceedings{Ihamäki2018,

title = {"Travel Bugs": Toys Traveling Socially through Geocaching},

author = {Pirita Ihamäki and Katriina Heljakka},

url = {http://www.digra.org/digital-library/publications/travel-bugs-toys-traveling-socially-through-geocaching},

year  = {2018},

date = {2018-07-01},

urldate = {2018-07-01},

booktitle = {DiGRA ’18 – Abstract Proceedings of the 2018 DiGRA International Conference: The Game is the Message},

abstract = {This study explores emerging types of mobile and social play patterns through the object-based, but technologically enhanced practices of toy tourism. As our case studies demonstrate, object play practices in the digitalizing world are not only becoming increasingly social in nature, but even more mobile than before. As illustrated by our study focusing on Travel Bugs in the context of the international game of geocaching, toys become mobile through different practices partaken by players, willing to either become involved in toy tourism with their playthings. Our study consisted of 45 survey responses from geocachers traveling with Travel Bugs. According to the results, mobile and social object play practices enabled by the platform of Geocaching become gamified – i.e. more perceivable, goal-oriented and measurable. Our main contribution is a conceptual framework in which the relations between the digital, the physical and the social dimensions of toy tourism are modelled.},

keywords = {Gamification, Geocaching, Social play, Toy mobility, Toy turism, Toys, Travel bugs},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {inproceedings}

}