Wey-Han Tan Thesis Presentation

First and Second Order GamingPlaying (with) Educational Games

Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

Thesis Presentation

Starting points

• Promises of game based learning:What are the traits of game and play?

• Educational game design:How to achieve an integrated experience?

• Game contents and games as medium:How to challenge criticism and change?


Guiding questions

Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming

Pathways

• 1. Games and play Virtuality, expressive choice, repeatability

• 2. First order gamingIntegrated educational game design

• 3. Second order gamingMetagaming, transmediality, unusability


What this thesis is about



1. Games and playGames and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming

• Virtuality

• Expressive choice

• Repeatability

Important game traits


VirtualityA game breaks, makes and takes ‚reality‘.

«Playing is a complex sequence of anarchistic toying, innovative game creation and rule-complying gaming, of turning aspects of reality into virtuality.» [p.8]















Expressive choiceA game is a sequence of decisions.

«Playing is about choices and the communication of these choices: What I choose to do within a game – and that I choose to be in a game in the first place.» [p.8]















RepeatabilityA game is played often - but is always different.

« (...) playing is not about finding the one true path, but about mapping the terrain.» [p.16]


„The Sims“





„The Sims“





„The Sims“


2. First order gamingGames and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming

• Moderat constructivist approaches

• Narrative design

• Rule design

• Problem: bias of design

Integrated educational game design


TheoriesModerate constructivist approaches

• Situated cognition (Brown et al.)Culturally embedded knowledge acquisition

• Anchored instruction (Bransford et al.)Narrative delivery of problem and method

• Cognitive flexibility (Spiro et al.)Different perspectives and configurations, on a complex domain by the same learner



Games as micromedium

«While classic media deliver structured information, games provide a structure for the experimental formation of structured information.» [p.13]



Narrative designProviding context and meaning


«(...) narratives help understand and play (...) games, and render moves and strategies expectable, understandable, and meaningful, while at the same time stabilising the culture the game is played in.» [p.20]


Narrative designProviding context and meaning


1. Visual and behaviour association2. Micronarrative3. The Vantage Point4. The Path5. The Tree6. The Garden7. The Field8. The Market9. The World

How...

What...

WarCompetition

TeamsTrade

Progress

GrowthGathering

Hunting

Protect

Destroy


Rule design‚Objective‘ boundaries and consequences


«If the closed, simplified game environment has to resonate the actual field of application, then the required mechanics to perceive, judge and act should do, too.» [p.22]




Mode of cooperation What is the role of co-players, opponents, allies, or friends?

cooperation | comptition

Mode of jurisdiction What moves are allowed, and what are the consequences?

algorithmic | interpretative

Role of information Is possession of knowledge or its generation important?

depletion | replenishmentExamples...




















Problem: bias of designModerate constructivist approaches


«(...) there is the problem of a cultural bias ingrained in the choice of fitting rules and narratives (...) that tend to produce questions already answered. What is seen as an asset for effective first order game design is a liability for criticism and reflection in face of a given, invisible framing.» [p.32]


3. Second order gamingGames and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming

• Radical constructivist approaches

• Metagaming

• Transmediality

• Unusability


TheoriesRadical constructivist approaches

• (Un)decidable questions (von Foerster)Creating and/or discovering knowledge

• Medium as formative space (Luhmann)The (usually) invisible, pre-selected and given environment of thought, creation and communication

• Contexts, choice & conflicts (Bateson)Questioning expectations and breaking habits



Games as accessible medium«(...) how to challenge and support a reflective and creative ‘stepping out’ from within (...) to raise awareness for the medium “game”, as well as for its specific limitations, manipulative dangers and stereotypes (?)» [p.32]



MetagamingPop up the hood.


• Cheats and walkthroughs

• Exploits and emergent gameplay

• Skinning

• Extensions and conversions

• Integrated (re)creations




«With metagaming a game’s frame of reference is temporarily or indefinitely transcended, modified and embraced anew.» [p.45]

SkinningExploit





SkinningExploit





SkinningExploit


TransmedialityWhen it‘s worth to be retold.


«(...) a game created as potential educational toy should facilitate transmedial play as well as digital networked game genres would do: Both are accepted as in principle polymorph, constantly changing in their forms and inspiring respectively spawning new ones.» [p.45]

Machinima „Turning real“












UnusabilityYou don‘t want to play it again.


«(...) game design decisions which deliberately and unbeknownst by the user turn a game unworkable, aporic, disbalanced and disturbing, where it should be intuitive to use, guiding, fair and entertaining.» [p.45]

„September 12th“ „Starpower“












ConclusionMedia specific design | second order gaming support


• Playing is both a compliant and anarchic form of perception and action

• First order gaming: Integrated game design for a consistent experience of content and game

• Second order gaming:Challenging games and content to be seen and treated as created, modifiable toys

Leaving the frame of presentation.



Wey-Han Tan Thesis Presentation

Entertainment & Humor

order gaming metagaming

order gamingvirtuality

order gamingrepeatability

order gamingpathways

order gaming1

order gaming2

game breaks

traits of game