Riddle Mia This

Colin McFadden and Samantha Porter

Riddle Mia This is a smartphone application that uses augmented reality to turn the Minneapolis Institute of Art into an escape room. Users enter a universe in which strange things are happening in the museum, requiring them to follow clues throughout the museum. Launched in Fall 2018, Riddle Mia This has been a huge hit with museum attendees, earning glowing reviews, press coverage, and enthusiastic interest in future releases. In this presentation, we’ll explore the story behind the application, the development process, the launch, and the future directions for the technology.

Colin McFadden is a Technology Architect for the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota. His work primarily focuses on media processing and advanced imaging, an in particular the ways those technologies can benefit education and research. Away from the computer, he is passionate about travel, cooking, and rock climbing. Preferably all at the same time.

Samantha Porter is doctoral candidate in Anthropology and a Digital Preservation Specialist at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cites. Her research interests include the application of new and accessible technologies to archaeology and cultural heritage including 3D scanning, 3D printing, and virtual and augmented reality.

Theater Puzzle Design

David Pisa

David will discuss live gaming experiences that combine puzzles and theatrical elements. Drawing on his experience creating interactive plays for Walking Shadow Theatre Company, he will focus on the integration of narrative, puzzles and design to create an immersive experience for audiences.

David Pisa (he/him) is a freelance puzzle designer. He has developed original large-scale puzzles for Walking Shadow Theatre Company’s immersive plays 1926 PLEASANT and SABOTEUR (featured on GameInformer). His local escape room UTOPIA (created with Jerry Belich for Riddle Room) was the recipient of a 2017 Golden Lock-In Award from Room Escape Artist. David has created day-long, week-long and one-room treasure hunts for various organizations. Projects include CITY OF GLASS for MN0PQ, CLEVER TREASURE PUZZLE PARTY for the 38th and Chicago Pop Up Art Storefront Project, the story and puzzles for MYSTERYPHONE (a smartphone-based choose-your-own-adventure game) for Northern Spark 2014 in collaboration with Monkey With a Mustache, and puzzles and games for Hennepin County Library’s THE NIGHT LIBRARY at Northern Spark 2016 and 2017, plus private commissions. His upcoming project is CABAL, a new site-specific play-with-puzzles for Walking Shadow Theatre Company. David co-founded Walking Shadow in 2004 and serves as its Executive Director, and has been a backstage technician at Children’s Theatre Company since 2001.