During the production process this week, I have been thinking about these questions: As a love treasure hunt game, who is our target group? How to choose the appropriate transmedia narrative form according to the needs and preferences of the audience? Why can treasure hunting games increase players’ sense of participation and experience in the game?

First, we need to determine the likes and interests of the target audience before formulating the story and game mode. Henry Jenkins, emphasizes the importance of understanding audience preferences when choosing suitable storytelling formats. He states: The preferences and demands of the audience should shape our storytelling decisions. Based on the content of our stories, we decided to target the audience: 18-50 years old; people who have love experience, are active on the Internet, and are keen to participate in offline activities.

Secondly, we need to consider the needs and preferences of the audience and choose a transmedia narrative method that suits them. In response, we changed the original story name from <Romantic Treasure Hunt>to <The Maya Odyssey>. The changed name has more adventurous meaning, which can better attract them to join our story. As Richard Bartle said: Treasure hunting games can stimulate players’ goal orientation and motivation to solve problems, thereby increasing user participation and investment in the game. In order to create an emotional connection with the players, we chose to use a physical map and Letter. This kind of real-world media form allows the audience to truly touch our stories, and the audience can more directly participate in our story world.

References list：

Jenkins, H. (2016). Convergence culture: Where old and new media collide.

Bartle, R. A. (2010). Designing Virtual Worlds. New Riders.