Experiences with the alternate reality kit: an example of the tension between literalism and magic

This paper presents an overview of the Alternate Reality Kit (ARK), an animated environment for creating interactive simulations. ARK is built upon a physical-world metaphor: all objects have an image, a position, a velocity, and can experience forces. Users manipulate objects with a mouse-operated “hand” which enables them to carry and throw objects, to press buttons, and to operate sliders.