Are We Having Fun Yet?”

"Frankly, most existing edutainment products combine the entertainment value of a bad lecture with the educational value of a bad game.”

SUPERCHARGED

"Before you even realize what happened, you’re sucked into a surrealist world of pulsating lights and sounds. You spin to the left and bank off of an invisible wall, narrowly missing a collision with a powerful magnetic field. Pulsing lights fly by you as you navigate a small blue glowing pod through a drippy, surrealist space populated by flashing lights, humming sounds, and small furry creatures, called Fizzgigs"

Game-Based Learning

Researchers at the University of Rochester found that kids who regularly play intense video games show better perceptual and cognitive skills than those who do not.

How can computer games offer deep

learning and still be fun?

“Stealth learning” is a way of seamlessly embedding learning modules into gameplay. Marshall McLuhan has said, “Anyone who makes a distinction between games and learning doesn't know the first thing about either." Stealth learning occurs behind the scenes. It works best when learning is not seen as the goal.

“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand “

Educational Costructivism

Engaging in the use of tools for learning helps the player make sense of their world, both simulated and real. Creating useable simulated tools (sim-objects) can add to the gameplay reality while encouraging “real learning

Educational Game Psychology

Playing most good games is definitely a “Flow” experience. If the gameplay is well balanced with the users skills, a merging of actions and awareness occurs, with concentration so intense there is little attention left over to consider anything else. It’s called “being in the flow.” This is “achieved when a sufficiently motivated user perceives a balance between his or her skills and the challenges of the interaction, together with focused attention.”

How does it feel to “be in the flow”?

Completely involved, focused, concentrating - due to innate curiosity or as the result of training. Sense of ecstasy - of being outside everyday reality. Great inner clarity - knowing what needs to be done and how well it is going. Knowing the activity is doable - that the skills are adequate, and neither anxious or bored. Sense of serenity - no worries about self, feeling of growing beyond the boundaries of ego - afterwards feeling of transcending ego in ways not thought possible. Timeliness - thoroughly focused on present, don't notice time passing Intrinsic motivation - whatever produces "flow" becomes its own reward

Gaming Preferences

“ College students’ specific gaming preferences all contained elements of excitement and engagement. College students ranked realistic graphics (23%) as the most important feature of a good game, with excitement a very close second (22%), and interactivity (15%) third in importance.” “Stealth learning” is all about keeping a game exciting while adding additional tools and subject content.

Educational Game Technology "Technology is paving the road to the future, and you're

either part of the steamroller or part of the road”

Future Tech: Virtual Mentors and Intelligent Objects

Students could assemble and repair simulated in-game robots to perform various functions as they learn Robotics.

So what is gameplay? Performance -- Fast playable speed is one of the game

programmer's holy grails.Control -- If the player can't smoothly and confidently perform the actions; frustration and boredom will quickly follow. Game Over. Control should be intuitive.Story -- This is what forms the all-important emotional attachment to the player. Challenge -- Great games are challenging but not impossible.Reward -- For overcoming challenges and reaching milestones, a good game will offer some sort of reward. Also make sure that your game has a foreseeable ending or goal.Repeat Playability -- Making your game nonlinear is a good way to get players to return

Clip Models

Here is one of the characters from the “ElectroStar Chronicles” holding a multi-purpose hand-held training device.

Clips models are analogous to clip art, in that they are ready-made and

are meant to be embedded in a presentation or other framework

The Art of Computer Game Design

Puzzles are static. 'Games,' by contrast, are not static, but change with the player's actions. They are interactive.

Illusion of Winnability - Another important trait of any game is the illusion of winnability. It must appear to be winnable to all players, the beginner and the expert.

Suspension of Disbelief This comes from a realistic 3D animation, a

good story, and interesting characters. Keeping players involved also requires attention to creating a multitude of enjoyable levels.

. In order for the game to be meaningful there must be more than one good strategy - otherwise the choices are not interesting. A game feature, which may include code and artwork, is a waste of time if it there is no point in the player using it.