Tactile Texts

A Multisensory Storybook Game for Reimagining Reading through Material and Collaborative Play

Abstract

This paper describes Shadow Castle, a two-player interactive storybook game that blends digital projection with tactile materials to engage players in narrative exploration. Developed as an arts-based intervention, the game supports aliterate learners – those who can read but don’t want to – by reimagining reading as a self-driven yet collaborative process rooted in play and imagination.

In the game, two players progress through a fairytale-inspired world using a collaged fabric book constructed with conductive materials, as well as a companion tablet. Touch-based interactions reminiscent of touch-and-feel storybooks activate hidden story elements, trigger animations from an overhead projector, and reveal additional pieces of narrative. This multisensory structure reframes reading as an active, process-based social experience, concepts that align with the core principles of intrinsic motivation.

The development of Shadow Castle was shaped by co-design sessions with university students, who explored their emotional and symbolic associations to fabric through playful activities. These sessions investigated how physical materials shape understanding, offering valuable insight into how learners might connect more deeply with story when multiple senses are involved. Insights from these sessions directly informed the book’s material design.

This paper outlines the game’s design process, technical implementation, and early playtest feedback, while also reflecting on how its creation shaped the author’s evolving artistic practice. By merging craft, technology, and storytelling, Shadow Castle explores how multimodal, participatory design can open new pathways into reading, particularly for those who have felt excluded or disinterested in traditional text-based approaches.