Play the Knave* is a mixed reality video game that enables virtual design and performance of dramatic scenes from Shakespeare--or any text you choose! |
Select one from among hundreds of Shakespeare scripts (preloaded), or write your own script for 1-4 characters.
Design your virtual production of the scene, selecting avatars, a soundtrack, and a theater stage. When it’s time to perform, your avatar appears on your virtual theater stage. Lines from your script appear karaoke-style, to be read aloud, and a Kinect motion-sensing camera allows you to use your own body to move your avatar around the virtual stage. The avatar mirrors your movements! As you and fellow players perform, your voices and avatar animation get recorded, resulting in an animated film of the production that can later be viewed, edited, or shared. The concept, content, and design for Play the Knave are the product of an established collaboration between faculty members and students from the University of California, Davis. Our team includes literary critics, theater artists, designers, and computer scientists. The game runs on Mekanimator, an open-source platform we developed in-house. The platform is explicitly designed to allow game assets to be easily switched out, and thus Play the Knave can be quickly modified to serve the needs of different audiences and institutions. |
* Knave, n.
1. A dishonest, unprincipled man (often associated with acting troupes in the 16th and 17th centuries)
2. A male servant or page; of low rank or status
1. A dishonest, unprincipled man (often associated with acting troupes in the 16th and 17th centuries)
2. A male servant or page; of low rank or status
See it in Action
On BBC News
Jane O'Brien from BBC News visited us at the University of California, Davis, to learn more about Play the Knave and how we are using gaming technology to bring Shakespeare to 21st century audiences.
Watch video to the right, or you can read the full story on BBC.com. |
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At ExhibitionsPlay the Knave was one of the projects featured at a series of international events commemorating the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. Included among these was the Folger Shakespeare Library's national tour "The First Folio: The Book that Gave us Shakespeare." We were honored to be included in two First Folio Exhibitions: at Gallaudet University's "Shakespeare in American Deaf History" and at the University of Iowa (video on right).
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Use it in your classroom
We are currently offering teachers a special opportunity to use the game in their classrooms at no cost. We provide all the equipment (including the computer and motion-capture camera), lesson plans, and assistance with set-up or instruction. See our Classroom page or click on the link below to learn more.
Download for freeTo play the game, you will need:
If you don't have the required hardware and are a teacher in the U.S. or South Africa, you can take advantage of our Free Classroom Program. |
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