what games say

What Games SayBret Staudt Willet

What is a game?

Basic elements of any game:

• objectives

What is a game?

• objectives

• environmental constraints

What is a game?

• objectives

• formal constraints

What is a video game?

Basic elements of any VIDEO game:

• objectives

• machine-based arbitration

Basic elements of any VIDEO game:

• objectives

• machine-based arbitration

The rest is just style!

Gamer Personality TypesRichard Bartle, Designing Virtual Worlds

Gamer Personality Types

A video game is a medium of expression.

• Basic elements: objectives, environmental constraints, formal constraints, machine-based arbitration.

• Gamer Personalities: different ways to act and interact with it.

Communicating something—but what? And how?

Wall Street Journal looks at Serious Games

WHAT Games Communicate

• Skill development

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHtjRilQ8xY

• New knowledge or understanding

http://www.gameslearningsociety.org/project_virulent.php

• Changing real world beliefs:o alcoholism and child abuse

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAkUDP5ZqYY

• Changing real world beliefs:o sweatshops

http://www.playsweatshop.com/

• Changing real world beliefs:o international conflicts

http://www.peacemakergame.com/video.php?v=gameplay

• Changing real world beliefs:o environmental sustainability

http://artworksforchange.org/bioharmonious/webplayer.html

• Changing real world realitieso empower women around the world

https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6Ahpocmjs0

• Changing real world realitieso help kids fight cancer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xewFHfquK54

HOW Games Communicate

• Not necessarily FUN

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3o0HFXPfco

Ian Bogost on designing fun: http://vimeo.com/74943170

• Not necessarily even ENGAGING

http://www.depressionquest.com/dqfinal.html#

• BUT, not-fun, not-engaging games can still be very good games

• How can that be?

• Two ideas from Ian Bogost:

• Two ideas from Ian Bogost:o Procedural Rhetoric

• Two ideas from Ian Bogost:o Procedural Rhetorico Deliberation

• Procedural Rhetorico Rhetoric = persuasive expressiono Procedures = rule-based representations and

interactions

• Procedural Rhetoric in BioHarmonious

http://artworksforchange.org/bioharmonious/webplayer.html

• Procedural Rhetoric in Darfur is Dying

http://www.darfurisdying.com/

• Deliberationo Not incentives or reinforcement

• Deliberationo Persuade, no coerce—through meaningful

choice

• Deliberation in Data Dealer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2eCAgQ1DTo

• Deliberation in Cow Clicker

http://www.bogost.com/games/cow_clicker.shtml

Go Make Serious Games

https://www.scirra.com/construct2

http://unity3d.com/

http://gamestarmechanic.com/

Go Make Serious Gameshttp://gel.msu.edu/winn/Winn_DPE_chapter_final.pdf

Go Study Serious Gameshttp://seriousgames.msu.edu/

3 online courses for Master’s Certificate:

• Foundations of Serious Games

• Theories of Games and Interaction for Design

• Understanding Users

Questions? Comments?bret.staudt.willet@gmail.com

References

Bogost, I. (2010). Persuasive Games: The expressive power of videogames. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Ferrara, J. (2012). Playful Design: Creating game experiences in everyday interfaces. Brooklyn, NY: Rosenfeld Media.

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