Research[Cre]Action

Research-Creation for Ludic Direct Action

Research-Creation for Ludic Direct Action is the driving force behind my work, integrating game design, activism, and community engagement through a lens of playfulness and collaboration. This methodology is rooted in the belief that games are more than just entertainment—they are powerful tools for social change and creative expression. By merging research and creation, I develop projects that not only explore new possibilities in game mechanics but also engage directly with communities to address real-world issues. The goal is to use play as a catalyst for direct action, whether it be in challenging systemic oppression, reclaiming cultural narratives, or fostering environments of collective creation.

My philosophy emphasizes co-creation with marginalized communities, prioritizing their voices and perspectives in every step of the game-making process. Through workshops, collaborative projects, and open-source tools, I work to democratize game design, ensuring that the power to create and influence narratives isn't limited to those with technical expertise or financial resources. This approach allows for experimentation within minimalistic frameworks, demonstrating that impactful work can come from simple, accessible tools. By weaving together theory, practice, and action, Research-Creation for Ludic Direct Action challenges conventional boundaries, making space for new forms of knowledge, resistance, and playful exploration.

Community Based Research-Creation & Games

Andean Futures

Andean Futures is a collaborative digital game project involving the youth of Pisac, Peru, and the Andean Association Kusi Kawsay. The project explores Andean futures through minimalist, open-source micro-games rooted in local culture and traditions. It envisions a decolonial approach to interactive storytelling, allowing underrepresented voices to create speculative narratives. Designed for future expansion, the project aims to empower more indigenous communities to tell their own stories.

Academic Publications

Peer Reviewed Articles, Works, and Essays

"Where is the Forest? Indigenous-Futuristic Tensions and Representations of Nature in Mulaka and Aztech: Forgotten Gods." Indigenous Peoples in/and Video Games. Edited by Ann De Leon, Ashlee Bird, Naithan Lagace, and Wendi Sierra. De Gruyter Oldenbourg. Peer Reviewed. Forthcoming in 2025.
"Playing in Latin America: The Ball”. Teach in Spanglish. Edited by Claudia Holguín Mendoza, Jorge N. Leal, and Julie M. Weise. Peer-reviewed open-source thematic unit designed for teaching Spanish. Forthcoming in 2025.
"Concepciones de infancia en una escuela con altos índices de violencia escolar de estudiantes a profesores" [Conceptions of infancy in school with high rates of school violence student to teachers]. Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, Niñez y Juventud, 14(2). Peer Reviewed. Co-Author: Carrasco, et al. 2016.
"El Circo, La Vida en Movimiento” [The Circus, life in movement]. Peer-reviewed video essay based on ethnographic work in a Chilean circus, involving eight months of visits and three weeks of participant observation, living, working, and traveling with them in various cities in southern Chile. Revista Chilena de Antropología Visual, Volume 17. 2011.

Submitted for Review

"Weaving Fabric, Ink, and Pixels in Hawk and Puma: Decolonial Materiality in Minimal Game Design." Submitted to VGA Reader. Special Issue on Video Games, History, and the Shaping of Collective Memory. Under review.
"Reversing the Archive or How Humans Started Archiving Dances from Machines." Submitted to Conceição | Conception. Special Issue on Algo-Rhythms: new directions for performative documentation. Co-Author: Poveda & Valdivia Hennig. Under review.

Editing Contributions

In Development. "Research-Creation and Digital Games: Methodological Approaches from Latin America." Edited and introduced by Nico Valdivia Hennig volume collecting research-creation experiences in Latin America, featuring projects by their authors like Atuel (Pablo Quarta, Argentina), Yaopan (Margarita Cossich & Antonio Jaramillo, Guatemala & Colombia), Ominira (Thaii Xavier, Brazil), and Hawk and Puma (Nico Valdivia Hennig, Chile). The volume will include an introduction by the editor on the field in the region, along with an article on research-creation in Hawk and Puma and its evolution into broader collaboration with the Pisac community in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Manuscript due November 2025.
"Actas del 1er. Congreso Nacional de Ciencias Sociales y Educación" [Proceedings of the 1st National Congress of Social Sciences and Education]. Universidad de Chile Press. Co-Editor: Berho & Valdivia Hennig. 2012.

Small Games, Big Impact

Research behind "Hawk and Puma"

Hawk and Puma is a critically acclaimed minimalist game that pays tribute to Guaman Poma, the indigenous chronicler of the Andes. Through a research-creation process, this game reimagines Guaman's journey, exploring themes of racism, sovereignty, and religion from decolonial aesthetics and Andean-inspired music.

The Impact of "Wildfire Chile 24"

Wildfire Chile 24 is an direct action game to call for help for the victims of the terrible fire that in February of 2024 claimed the lives of more than 130 people and caused enormous destruction. 15,000 homes were destroyed or damaged by the fire, and the National Botanical Garden suffered an almost total loss of its flora and fauna.

Presentations

Keynote Speaker

Research Creation Through Minimal Game Design. International Symposium on Video Game Studies and Design. Faculty of Arts and Design, Universidad Autonoma de México. CDMX, Mexico. October, 2024.
Creative and Research Process Around Video Games. Datos y Relatos. MediaLab, Cinemateca de Bogotá - Centro Cultural de las Artes Audiovisuales, Instituto Distrital de las Artes. Bogotá, Colombia. October, 2024.
Production Dynamics in Latin American Indigenous Games: “By, With, or About?”. Ludic, Culture & Knowledge Conference. Ludocrítica: Critical Game Studies Network. Santiago, Chile. December, 2023.
Latin American Ludic Field and Board Game Design as Cultural Expression. First International Congress on Board Game Design and Publishing. LudiChile. Valdivia, Chile. November, 2023.
Designing Sound with Gameplay. First National Ludomusicology Conference. Ludum, Chilean’s Research Group of Video Game Music. Santiago, Chile. November, 2018.

Peer Reviewed Conference Papers

Research-Creation in Speculative Play: Power and Sovereignty between the Andes and the Renaissance. [Paper]. Society for Literature, Science, and the Arts. Dallas, TX, USA. Forthcoming in November, 2024.
Local Narratives, Anime Aesthetics: Cultural Fusion in Latin American Video Games. [Paper]. Popular Culture Association Conference. Chicago, IL, USA. 2024.
Cross-Cultural Chronicles: Guaman Poma Meets Machiavelli in Pixel Art. [Paper]. Games & Literary Theory Conference. Rouen, France. 2024.
Indigenous Representation in Latin American Games. [PhD Consortium]. Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA). Guadalajara, Mexico. 2024.
Game Studies from the Southern Cone: Interdisciplinary Insights and Innovations. [Panel Chair]. Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA). Guadalajara, Mexico. 2024.
Game Design for Students and Community Alike: A Teaching Method. [Paper]. International Conference on Game-Based Learning. Online, Ireland. 2024.
Where is the Forest? Indigenous-Futuristic Tensions and Representations of Nature in Mulaka and Aztech: Forgotten Gods. [Paper]. Indigenous Peoples in/and Video Games Symposium. University of Alberta, Canada. 2023.
Indigenous-futurism in Latin American Ludic Creation. [Paper]. 8th IH Graduate Student Conference. UC Merced, CA, USA. 2023.
AI and the Myth of the Author in Game Design: Between Crisis and Creative Opportunity. [Paper]. PAMLA 120th Annual Conference. Portland, OR, USA. 2023.
Hawk and Puma: Bringing the 'New Chronicle and Good Government' to the Present (a Video Game about Guaman Poma). [Paper]. NarraScope. Online, USA. 2022.

Talks / Public Speaking

Andean Futures: Digital Narratives and Cultural Preservation through Collaborative Play-Creation. Indiana Historical Society. Indianapolis, IN, USA. 2024.
Decolonizing Narratives Through Video Games. GAIA, Game Arts International Assembly. Online. 2024.
Weaving Decolonial Narratives through Research-Creation. AMaze/Berlin, Arthouse Games & Playful Media Festival. Berlin, Germany. 2024.
Board and Digital Game Design from Chile. International Table Top Day. LudóPolis, Chile. 2019.
Psychology and Game Design. Video Games as Art. Universidad Católica. Santiago, Chile. 2019.
The Right Game to Start. Game Dev Planet. Santiago, Chile. 2019.
Creating Narrative Through Gameplay. Juegos en el Parque. Devir. Santiago, Chile. 2018.
Collectible Cards: Production & Design Challenges. MICBR. Sao Paulo, Brazil. 2018.
Ludic Entrepreneurship. Creative Entrepreneurship. Fábrica de Medios. Chile. 2017.
Making Games from Valparaíso. Makerspace. Pontificia Universidad de Valparaíso. Chile. 2017.

Academic & Artistic Workshops Led

Mini-Games for Recreational Equity. Health Humanities & and Disability Justice Lab. University of California, Riverside. Riverside, CA, USA. 2024.
Empowering Voices through Open Source Game Engines. Speculative Play and Just Futurities program. Arts & Humanities Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis. Indianapolis, IN, USA. 2024.
Minimal Game Design for (New Game) Artists with Open Source Tools. Tube Factory - Art Space. Big Car Art Collective. Indianapolis, IN, USA. 2024.
Video Game Workshops with youth for Andean Futures Projetc. Ludic training workshop within the framework of the collaborative research-creation project Andean Futures. Pisac, Sacred Valley, Peru. 2024.

Guest Lectures

Cross-Cultural Game Design. Course: Cross-Cultural Design. Indiana University, Indianapolis. Indianapilis, IN, USA. 2024.
Worldviews through Collaborative Research Creation. Course: Introduction to Religion. Indiana University, Indianapolis. Indianapilis, IN, USA. 2024.
Guaman Poma and Speculative Play. Course: Introduction to Fiction. Indiana University, Indianapolis. Indianapilis, IN, USA. 2024.
Power and Sovereignty in Hawk and Puma. Course: American History II. Indiana University, Indianapolis. Indianapilis, IN, USA. 2024.
Minimal Tools for Game Audio. Course: Music Technologies. Indiana University, Indianapolis. Indianapilis, IN, USA. 2024.
Game Design and Interaction. Course: Interaction Design Workshop. School of Architecture and Design, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile. 2020.
Psychology and Game Making. Course: Educational Psychology. School of Psychology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile. 2019.

Ludic Methods + Social Play

Evolving Games

Evolving Games is an interactive workshop designed by Nico Valdivia Hennig – a game designer, psychologist, educator, and game studies researcher. The workshop invites participants from any gaming background to delve into the basics of game design. By tweaking the rules of well-known games like Rock Paper Scissors, it offers profound insights into the mechanics of gameplay and social interaction. This educational approach, cultivated over seven years, not only sparks creativity and collaborative problem-solving but also highlights how minor changes in our surroundings can significantly alter experiences, aiming for positive community and personal growth. Its adoption in various educational and social settings attests to its effectiveness in fostering an understanding and appreciation of game design's impact.

World of Games

World of Games is a culturally enriching and interactive game design workshop aimed at students of all ages. Through exploring and playing traditional games from diverse cultures worldwide, like Mancala, Go, Kuv, among others, participants gain insights into the essence of gameplay and the art of game design. Students are encouraged to experience these games first-hand, fostering an understanding of how game rules affect personal and collective experiences. This workshop promotes active learning, collaboration, and reflection on cultural diversity and inclusivity in games. Drawing parallels between game rules and life rules, the World of Games workshop is an engaging invitation to embrace our global playful spirit and recognize our inherent game designer potential.

Research-Creation & AI Experimentation

In the Blink of Darkness

In the Blink of Darkness (work in progress) is a research-creation project developed in the context of the Afrofuturism & the Black Superhero course, led by Professor and Comic Book Artist John Jennings. This work reimagines the story of a public domain hero, centering the narrative on an Afro-American superhero, Captain Marcia Battle, who uncovers hidden power structures and confronts mysterious forces in the perilous region of El Darién—a place known for its humanitarian and migration crisis. By utilizing artificial intelligence tools like MidJourney and ChatGPT, the project not only engages in speculative fiction but also critically examines how AI-generated content interacts with race, representation, and cultural bias in the creative process. This examination is particularly relevant when exploring marginalized communities, as the project reveals inherent biases in AI tools when representing people from regions like El Darién, often reinforcing stereotypes or omitting nuanced depictions of their experiences. Through this hybrid approach, the project delves into the intersections of technology, race, migration, and power, offering both a narrative and a critique of modern tools shaping the stories we tell.

Additional Participatory Research

Participant Ethnographic Work

The Circus: Life in Motion

My Research at the Circus. During the summer of 2010, I lived and worked with a traveling circus in southern Chile, an experience that deeply shaped my approach to play and performance. Initially starting as an ethnographic research project, this immersive experience allowed me to transition from observer to performer, traveling as a clown and learning about the intersection of work, play, and social dynamics within the circus community. This time spent in the circus revealed how play functions not only as a tool for performance but as a fundamental element of social interaction and community cohesion. My experiences culminated in the creation of the Video Essay The Circus: Life in Motion, later published in the Chilean Journal of Visual Anthropology, capturing the fluid and dynamic life within the circus world.

Video Essay Project

Photo by Pilar Higuera Valencia

2011 Magallanes protests

2011 Magallanes protests (work in progress). In January 2011, I conducted an ethnographic study during the protests in Magallanes, Chile, where citizens mobilized against a 16.8% hike in natural gas prices. I documented the movement through interviews with activists, leaders, and everyday citizens, as well as through photographs and audiovisual recordings. My role as both participant and observer allowed me to gain a deep understanding of the protest’s internal dynamics and the broader social and political context. This research forms the basis for a future documentary project that will examine not only the 2011 gas crisis but also the ways in which marginalized communities resist neoliberal policies. The materials I collected during this time remain a central part of my research archive and will be made available through various platforms.