A new mould rush: designing for a slow bio-digital game driven by living micro-organisms

A biotic game integrates real biological materials and processes into digital/video gaming platforms. Given its relatively recent introduction to the field of game design, there are limited examples and discussions around biotic games to help designers to explore this genre in depth. This paper introduces a new type of biotic game called Mould Rush. It is a part-tangible, part-digital, online multiplayer strategy game, mostly driven by real-time growth of living micro-organisms. By outlining the design process of Mould Rush , the paper aims to use the game as a case study to highlight the opportunities and challenges that need to be addressed in creating games of this nature, speed, and scale. In particular, we suggest that the slowness of microbial growth may not necessarily compromise playing experience, but rather, enhance it instead. We also highlight the complexity of human, biology and computer interaction pathways that are involved in biotic gaming. And finally, we acknowledge the potential value of designing formal evaluation models that would help in meaningful evaluation of a 'biotic' gaming experience.