Isabel and Alex playing Fireboy and Watergirl Analysis June 30, 2014 l:/watergirl/notes.txt see also l:/watergirl/isa-alex.eaf GAME LEVEL ONE Alex 0: a statement indicating that he's figured out something, but with a nuance of requesting confirmation; also this is a prefactory step to starting the game. Syntactically it's a question. Isa: 2 seconds: "um-hm", very quiet, perfunctory answer to what is technically a question and thus requiring a response, but one where it's obvious he knows the answer A: 2: "oh, okay", a pro-forma ack, just closing the sequence; also an action indicator as he moves the mouse over the "continue" button right after the "okay" A: 4: "soo", wondering what to do next, "continue?" a clear question offering a simple choice, where he's 90% sure the answer is yes I: 5: very breathy "yeah"; this answers a rather more direct question, and he's clearly waiting for an answer for this one before he proceeds. The answer is still pretty obvious though; low entropy. A: "nkay", acknowledgment, but also an action indicator as he clicks I: 6 seconds: since he's starting, unsure what to do, she asks a preliminary question: "do you know how to play?"; tone indicates that we need to get this resolved now before we can go on, simple question expecting an immediate response, and it's also an offer to give information, and an indication that she's expects to go on to provide the information after he acknowledges quickly A: 8 seconds: "no, no I don't" definite knowledge. Strongly yielding the floor. I: 9-14 seconds: a statement but with question intonation A: 13 seconds: okay, I've got it, and please go on and tell me more I 14-16: continues explanation (this one's more obvious, so her voice drops at the end) A: 18 second: okay, I've got it; that's clear, starting to be tired of the explanation and wanting to play the game I: 18-26 ungrounded statements, since referents are not visible, so said slowly, not really expecting him to understand, not sure whether to continue explaining A 26 seconds: "okay, so which one do I choose, the new one or?" wanting to stop listening to explanations and play the game, a let's-decide-now forced-choice question, but ending the turn in a softer way I 28 deferring to his choice N: instructions from behind A 32 seconds: speaking to announce his action A 36 seconds: "oohh", now we're in and it looks interesting; and he starts moving I: 36: starting with um to catch his attention since he's playing. a matter-of-fact tone; a semi-urgent warning; but then a less-urgent continuation to say what's okay, reinforcing her previous message, ending with a breathy exhalation to apologize for being too comanding A 41: okay, I get it, and will follow that rule I 42: "and, um, collecting the gems helps you get a better score at the end", not urgent a all, just a explanation for what she just did, and something that he should know for later use, although less important I 47: "oh, and the green mud, you can't step in it either", this, on the other hand, is something he needs to know right now, since he's approaching it. Polite tone of voice, not to seem domineering A: 58 "do we have to" an question abandoned as soon as he sees what happens A: 1:00 "ookay" breathy, expressing that he's understanding the situation I: 1:02 explaining the pushers, and explaining what she's doing, and pointing and implying where he should go, but with an uptone indicating that he should make the inference A:1:07 misunderstanding her, tone shows he's unclear a: 1:08 oops I: 1:09 "um, no, um, like over here?" correcting him, and pointing a: 1:11 "oh, I see, I see, okay", as he starts moving. repetition to fill time and hold the floor and forestall further explanation and to show he now gets it, generally claiming a resumption of competence a: 1:14 "okay, so, okay, uhh hold on" transitioning to a new action plan; very creaky on second okay and the uhh, showing authority/taking charge, also perhaps withdrawal from the conversation a minute to focus on his own task, also perhaps a touch of contrition at being slow in the past, and for now forcing her to wait while he does his role; also flagging that he probably won't be requiring her to listen (or do anything) for a while a: 1:18 "I can't get the blue gem, or I can?" (later he said that what he meant to ask was whether he could go through the blue gem, unlike the blue pool which he has to avoid); while he's pausing before going through I: 1:20 "no, you can't; I get the blue gems" contrastive focus on I; also on the second clause a lower pitch than she's been using so far. Unlike her previous statements, this is something that's not really new information, as he should know it (and in fact he actually really did, but he just wanted to make sure) (NB, he starts moving on her word "can't") A 1:22: "kay" very quietly a: 1:24 "then I'll bring you up from here" quietly, just confirming the plan, fading out on "here" to show that this is not really a question, and that he doesn't really need confirmation that she's understood I: 1:24 "yeah", strongly initially; matter of factly, since that's the plan and it's strongly grounded A 1:32, "oh, right", as he realizes that he now should move off the pusher I 1:33 ", thank you", accepting his implicit apology, or perhaps shrugging it off, then thanking him for the favor of lifting her up A 1:36 "ah, got stuck, there we go"; three independent clauses, realization, observation of the problem, note of resolution I 1:37 "ah, this" probably an attempt to explain, but aborted as the problem gets resolved I: 1:46 instruction on the next step: "um, we each have to go to our own doors, in order to ... " she trails off as she see's he on track, but then continues when he's jumping irrelevantly "to complete the " but then it gets in A: 1:51: "cool", an assessment, but also a mark of triumph, and completion GAME LEVEL TWO I 1:52 "rank a" reading off the screen (the score they just earned), bringing it to his attention, also a positive assessment of their work together, ending high, breathy, and lengthened A: 1:55 "not bad, not bad", an assessment, quiet, flat, perhaps partially self-directed, indicating readiness to go on N: "Okay, two more levels" A: 1:57: "okay, let's try the new one", slightly creaky, decisive, indicating he's learned the game now and is ready to take the lead on this level I 1:58: "alright", accepting the change in roles; low and creaky, indicating a serious intent, accepting his goal of trying something more challenging A 1:59: "challenge" low, strong first syllable, drawn-out second one, indicating planning to take this seriously, but in a fun way; also prefactory to action A 2:01 "oh, cool, so we're on like completely opposite" observing the situation, fading off at the end as he realizes she has something to say I: 2:02 "um" a little lower and louder than previously, she's realized she's now going to have to be more assertive to be heard I 2:03 "I think you should" then she sees that he's already doing what she was about to say, and says "okay" stretched out to indicate it's all part of an ongoing action sequence, "and then I'll push this one here" announcing her action intention. all of this is fairly quiet, and at a steady pace, in time with the action A 2:07 "oh yeah, and then it'll bring ... okay", cut off as he realizes that what he was going to say was obvious. Slightly sober in tone, perhaps a "I should have thought of that" feeling, the final sylable is devoiced / pasive, since she's hauling him up and he's completely pasive at this point I 2:12 "right, and then", announcing completion of the action, passing the planning initiative back to him ... but at the same time signallying that she's about to start her next action I 2:15 "let's see" whispering A: 2:16 "ooh" in a negative voice as he notices an obstacle A: 2:17 "can I" about to ask a question, but then probably he sees what she's doing and aborts it I: 2:18 "yeah, I have to push the button here" A 2:20 "awesome" since she's done him a favor A 2:20 "and this will do what?" a question that goes low and creaky, since he's puzzled I 2:23 "click the lever and you'll open up the gate to there" (pointing) flatly giving him the information, but a final lengthening and creaky to indicate that it's actually an instruction to him for what to do next. A 2:25 "okay", indicating that that's non-obvious information but he's got it, and intends to follow the suggestion I "also you should probably get your gem", made as a softer suggestion A 2:28 "oh, I didn't see that", parenthetical, quiet, indicating that it's not a big deal, and not part of the major plan, and that he'll take care of it quickly and easily and then move on, possibly also a nuance of apology or thanks A 2:29 "that's right" very quiet, whispered, to self A: 2:30 "thank you" crisply with upswing. Acknowledging her help, and indicating that he's now ready to move on. A: 2:32 "aah" creaky as he bumps the switch by mistake A 2:33 "nkay" as he fixes it, whispered I 2:33 "right" breathy low, since she realizes he's now seeing the plan, she just has to mark that that part is complete I 2:34 "and then" as she starts moving to her next goal; they don't need to coordinate at this point so she's disengaging, lengthened to show she's continuing her action I 2:36 "let's see" a little creakier, a bit of a downslope, half-offering him the turn A 2:38: "Oh, I think we're fine here, alright, we just don't touch the green... " seeks all the steps needed to complete it, change-of-state token, assessment, agreement-seeking particle, caution, description of goal-state with future assessment I: 2:41 "right" accepting his assessment that it's almost complete, and his caution not to fall into the green I 2:42 "exactly" (mumbled) but a little louder, latched, agreeing there's nothing more to say A 2:43 "Okay, you go first then", no specific reason to have her go first, since they move together; perhaps he prefers not to have them moving simultanously in a confusing tight space; appears to cut short "then" as he sees her about to fall I 2:45 "Ahhh, sorry" breathy constricted throat, as she falls in the green mud, sorry is a pitch-drop lengthed apology, breathy for sincerity A 2:46 "that's okay, hh, retry?", slightly open vowels as if laughing it off, with a subsequent exhalation that's also laugh-like; then "retry?" is solicitous rather than commanding, I 2:48 "yeah" creaky, strong, showing she's recovered, and ready to do it again (unfazed) GAME LEVEL TWO, RETRY A 2:51 "okay, so, I'll get in here" strong, clear, showing that this time he knows exactly what to do, trailing off to indicate that there's an upcoming obvious action for her to take I 2:51 "uh, sorry", overlapped; breathy-apologetic as she realizes that she may have been getting ahead of him, moving before he was in position, and stopping her sprite for a moment A 3:02 "okay, get the gem", quietly to himself, perhaps also indicating that he forgot last time but this time he doesn't need a reminder; an upturn on "gem" to show that this is now routine A 3:05 "oops, I fell" just a comment, nothing serious A 3:08 "oh, can you open it up?" creaky since he now realizes that his falling has an implication for her I 3:09 "sorry" coming just after "oh", quick and quiet as complementary to her coterminous action; she had been watching him, and says this at the point she realizes she had a role to play A 3:10 "thank you", sing-song, uptail, since continuing action since (at this moment he thinks that) he'll need her to move the barrier back down in a moment A 3:11 "oh, I already openned", creaky realization, slurred at the end as he realizes that this is obvious to her already A 3:18 "I should probably drop down from here", as a result of some rumination, also explaining his previous second of delay, and possibly apologetic re taking the long way around I 3:20 "in" very quietly, as she reaches her goal; he doesn't really need to know this, but she's marking completion of her role, releasing him from any obligation to think about her A 3:22 "kay, let's see if I can do it hh", louder since he knows she's watching him now, and indicating that he's taking it seriously, since this is the place that she fell in last time, and he doesn't want to make her feel that he's minimizing the difficultly, but a final sigh-laugh to mitigate it and show he's not really scared I 3:25 "that was sweet" very quiet, creaky, to show seriousness, also perhaps to show that she's not judging him, but still pleased A 3:28 "awesome" loud and clear: first syllable pleased/pride, second more flat and matter-of-fact/completion I 3:29 "yeah" multi-syllable, starting high pitch, pleasure/praise accomplishment/completion I 3:30 "ah" as she see's they're stuck A 3:31 "wait, why isn't it working" getting her attention and commenting on the situation, more than expecting an answer I 3:32 "I think you have to go... I don't know. Oh, there". Starting out by indicating that she'll try to be helpful, but isn't sure and won't dominate, then fading out as she realizes she has no suggestion at all, then a yield, then a change-of-state token as she sees the door open, then low-pitch clear "there" to draw his atttention to the new state A: 3:34 "okay" problem is now solved A: 3:36 "yess" the whole level is now solved; pleasure I: 3:37 "thank you" very quiet and formulaic, maybe because the words are not appropriate, but she still wants to mark the success, and give him credit A: 3:38 "awesome" completion I: 3:39 "two complete": assessment of larger goal-status GAME LEVEL THREE N: one more A: 3:40 "Okay, this is fun" A" 3:42 "ooh, multiple paths, let's try this one" rounded-oh, to indicate the unexpected complexity of the new screen and the interestingness of having multiple options, stretched out as he prepares to makes his choice