OutRun: Exploring seamful design in the development of an augmented reality art project

This paper outlines the development process of an augmented reality video game prototype that combines a classic arcade driving game with a real world vehicle. In this project the user, or driver, maneuvers the car-shaped arcade cabinet through actual physical space using a screen as a navigational guide which renders the real world in the style of an 8-bit video game. This case study is presented as a seamful augmented reality (AR) system: a project that exploits inevitable technical limitations of AR. We propose that the concept of seamfulness has important design implications for both AR and electronic media art projects and illustrate this through a description of the OutRun system development process.