Desktop Olympics http://www.desktopolympics.org ... Sun, 07 Jun 2009 12:39:46 +0000 en hourly 1 Naming and Framing http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/naming-and-framing/ http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/naming-and-framing/#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 17:51:26 +0000 committee http://www.desktopolympics.org/?p=118 The committee brainstormed and discussed the graphical platform for Desktop Olympics. After careful crafting we ended up with a simple, monochrome logotype that subtly connotes our heritage to the ancient games yet expresses a new context:

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The Desktop Olympic committee shares their working space with other fine Brain Workers at the Magdalena Festival: a workshop called Embodied Vision hosted by Michael Smyth. The committee had the other group test-run Notepad Slalom and Mouse Boxing. In their ajoining presentation the committee stressed the socialising aspects of Desktop Olympic sports: unlike most (online) computer games they are meant to be played together in the same room, on the same computer.

Invitations, reappropriation, unfinished situations were the buzzwords of the evening.

]]> http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/naming-and-framing/feed/ File Archery http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/archery/ http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/archery/#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 15:54:50 +0000 committee http://www.desktopolympics.org/?p=77 File Archery is an intense sport for two players with precise pointing skills.]]>
File Archery is an intense sport for two players with precise pointing skills.

Required equipment

  • 2 mice
  • 1 computer
  • 2 players
  • stopwatch
  • referee

Preparations

  • create 2 folders
  • one folder is the “target”
  • second one is “arrow” named by player

How to play

  • first player has to put the “arrow” folder near the “target” folder
  • second player is interrupting the first one by moving the mouse
  • players compete in 4 rounds

Goal

  • the winner is player who puts “arrow” folder nearest to the “target” folder
]]> http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/archery/feed/ Mouse Boxing http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/mouse-boxing/ http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/mouse-boxing/#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 15:52:32 +0000 committee http://www.desktopolympics.org/?p=75 Mouse Boxing is a nerve-wrecking battle for two competitors with strong index fingers and a keen sense of dragging.]]>
Mouse Boxing is a nerve-wrecking battle for two competitors with strong index fingers and a keen sense of dragging.

Required equipment

  • 2 mice
  • 1 computer
  • 2 players
  • referee

Preparations

  • define a vertical line in the middle of screen (using folders or desktop background)
  • create a folder, open it and set to smaller size

How to play

  • each player choses his side of desktop
  • each player has to hold the folder for 5 seconds on the competitor’s side

Goal

  • win at least 2 rounds out of 3
]]> http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/mouse-boxing/feed/ Tug-of-word http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/tug-of-word/ http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/tug-of-word/#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 15:50:59 +0000 committee http://www.desktopolympics.org/?p=73 Flex those arrow-key muscles of yours in a one-to-one, double-keyboard struggle on reaching your side of a text document.]]> Flex those arrow-key muscles of yours in a one-to-one, double-keyboard struggle on reaching your side of a text document.

Required equipment

  • 2 keyboards
  • 1 computer
  • 2 players

Preparations

  • make a text document
  • define a horizontal line and it’s middle

How to play

  • tapping the right or left arrow key get to your end of the line

Goal

  • reach your side of the document before the other player reaches his side
  • win at least 2 rounds out of 3
]]> http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/tug-of-word/feed/ Tapping Slalom http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/tapping-slalom/ http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/tapping-slalom/#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 15:49:00 +0000 committee http://www.desktopolympics.org/?p=71 An insanely speedy ride through tight textual gates, inspired by the steep worldcup slopes of Maribor.]]>
An insanely speedy ride through tight textual gates, inspired by the steep worldcup slopes of Maribor.

Required equipment

  • 1 keyboard
  • 1 computer
  • 1 player
  • stopwatch (referee)

Preparations

  • create a screen-sized notepad text document with (18) gates (write:11)

How to play

  • tapping the arrow key reach the end of the document going through the gates
  • measure the time
  • player who holds the key needs to be disqualified

Goal

  • reach the end of the document in shortest possible time
  • go through all gates
]]> http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/tapping-slalom/feed/ Notepad Fencing http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/notepad-fencing/ http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/notepad-fencing/#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 15:47:39 +0000 committee http://www.desktopolympics.org/?p=69 Erase your opponent. Literally.
Erase your opponent. Literally.

Required equipment

  • 2 keyboards
  • 1 computer
  • 2 players

Preparations

  • create a screen-sized text document
  • write the same amount of player’s initials in a few rows, or copy and paste this playing field:


    EEEEEEEEEEEEEE MMMMMMMMMMMMMM
    MMMMMMMMMMMMMM EEEEEEEEEEEEEE
    EEEEEEEEEEEEEE MMMMMMMMMMMMMM
    MMMMMMMMMMMMMM EEEEEEEEEEEEEE
    EEEEEEEEEEEEEE MMMMMMMMMMMMMM
    MMMMMMMMMMMMMM EEEEEEEEEEEEEE

How to play

  • tapping the arrow keys and backspace
  • delete the oponents initial

Goal

  • have only your initial/s left on the document
]]> http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/notepad-fencing/feed/ Folder Wrestling http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/folder-wrestling/ http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/folder-wrestling/#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 14:54:16 +0000 committee http://www.desktopolympics.org/?p=54 Only the world´s most skilled drag-and-droppers dare enter into a match of Folder Wrestling - and risk the humiliation of having your folder put in your opponents folder.
Only the world´s most skilled drag-and-droppers dare enter into a match of Folder Wrestling - and risk the humiliation of having your folder put in your opponents folder.

Required equipment

  • 2 mice
  • 1 computer
  • 2 players

Preparations

  • create 2 folders and 5 files
  • open 2 folders (named after players)
  • music optional (O Fortuna, Bumblebee flight)

How to play

  • drag files in your folder one by one
  • game ends when all files are dragged from desktop into players folder

Goal

  • the winner is player who has at least 3 files in his folder
  • instant winner is the player who drops competitor’s folder in his own!
]]> http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/folder-wrestling/feed/ Scroll Racing http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/scroll-racing/ http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/scroll-racing/#comments Sun, 17 May 2009 14:57:56 +0000 committee http://www.desktopolympics.org/?p=12 All those years of wheeling through countless documents and wbesites are finally going to pay off.]]>
All those years of wheeling through countless documents and wbesites are finally going to pay off.

Required equipment

  • 1 mouse
  • 1 computer
  • stopwatch (referee)
  • 1 player

Preparations

  • create a really long text document
  • set the scroll sensitivity to lowest

How to play

  • scroll your way down the document as fast as posibile
  • use only scrolling (no clicking)
  • measure the time

Goal

  • scroll your way down the document in shortest possible time
]]> http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/scroll-racing/feed/ Desktop Olympics: Maribor 2009 http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/hello-world/ http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/hello-world/#comments Sun, 17 May 2009 10:14:39 +0000 admin http://www.desktopolympics.org/wp/?p=1 The world’s first Desktop Olympics will take place in Maribor, Slovenia starting May 20 2009.

Desktop Olympics is an offshoot of the Olympic Summer and Winter Games. Just like the ancient Greeks once made their everyday objects into props of competition and play (discs, spears etc.), Desktop Olympians reappropriate artefacts of our times for competitive and playful purposes. In Desktop Olympics, athletes compete with computer mice, qwerty keyboards and office computers in various, new disciplines, ranging from double-keyboard-notepad-fencing to double-mouse-folder-wrestling.

Check out the facebook page for more info and follow the work of the Desktop Olympic Committee on Twitter

]]> http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/hello-world/feed/ Getting Cracking http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/getting-cracking/ http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/getting-cracking/#comments Sun, 17 May 2009 10:02:01 +0000 committee http://www.desktopolympics.org/?p=121 The committee finished the work on definin the long-term, overarching strategies and then got to work. All progress were documented on the shared Google Docs workspace.

The web team elaborated the strategy and scope for the Desktop Olympics internet presence. They also started sketching on the information architechture. At the same time web strategy and started sketching on the information architecture of www.desktopolympics.org.

The Event team has scouted various promising locations in Maribor, and has decided on using the Main Square for the olympic event.

The sport development team has been hard at work refining, innovating and testing the olympic disciplines. Promising new disciplines are Mouse Boxing and Tug-of-word.

Thanks to the communications team, the desktop olympic hype is amassing through photos, videos, friends/fans and tweets.

You know, our world is getting increasingly mediated:
IMG_5626

]]> http://www.desktopolympics.org/2009/05/getting-cracking/feed/