Ancient Americas Installation

In 2007, Studio Cypher teamed up with the interactive designers at Nogginaut to create a six-game installation for the Ancient Americas exhibit at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. The games illustrate different aspects of innovation in ancient technology. Visitors to the exhibit can discover the differences between types of spears, how access to boats changed hunting routines, and more!

Overview

Studio Cypher partnered with Nogginaut to create six games for Chicago's Field Museum. These games allow players to experience the effects of innovation on three types of cultures in the Americas. Watch the video to hear an overview of the design process and the games we created!

Forest Region

The games in the forest region teach players about spear-throwing and how to make acorns edible. Watch the video to see shots of the games in action!

Coastal Region

The games of the coastal region focus on food gathering. In the first, players must decide whether to gather shells, fish, or seals to feed their village. Then, they can focus on fishing in the second game, where players use different tools to catch fish. See actual gameplay footage in the coastal region video!

Mountain Region

Life is difficult in the mountainous regions of the Americas. Players can gain a sense of these difficulties as they attempt to balance hunting deer with herding llamas. Or, they can relax a little as they match tools to their uses in a quiz game. See gameplay footage in the mountains game video!