From Chaos to StructureTheorycrafting as a playful method to engage Critical

Thinking

Autenrieth/Wechselberger for RACT15

Kelvin Autenrieth

M.A. Logic and Theory of Science

Leipzig, Germany

Independant Researcher, Game

Designer and Lecturer

Experimental Game Design, Game

Analytics, Game Mechanics,

Philosophy of Games

autenrieth@edu-gaming.de

About Us

Ulrich

Wechselberger

PhD in Educational Science

Koblenz, Germany

Institute for Web Science and

Technologies

Gamification,

E-Learning/Blended Learning,

Serious Games

wechselberger@uni-koblenz.de

How to support critical thinking

with video games?

intrinsic and

utilitarian value

How to support critical thinking

with video games?

How to support critical thinking

with video games?

intrinsic and

utilitarian value

engaging and

effective

Games can be unique Teaching

Tools

Games can be unique Teaching

Tools

World of Warcraft (2005)

Games can be unique Teaching

Tools

World of Warcraft (2005)

Games can be unique

Motivating Tools

Being in flow

Csikszentmihalyi 1990

But sorry,

There is no formula to harness the

power of games for education =(

Two Types of Games and

Challenges

Psychomotoric Skills

Hand-eye-coordination

Reflexes

Sensual awareness

Timing

Accuracy

Call of Duty 4 (2007)Flappy Bird (2013)

Guitar Hero 3 (2007)

Cognitive Skills

Resources management

Problem solving

Deliberated planning

Decision making

Information acquisition

Pattern recognition

Logical thinking

Civilization 5 (2010) Monkey Island (1990)

Antichamber (2013)

Theorycrafting (1)

Derives from the game Starcraft and Game Theory

“By using statistical analysis and mathematical

modeling, theorycrafters seek out the underlying

formulae that govern [a game], largely in an attempt to

play [a game] better.” (Paul 2011)

Comparing Two Different Weapons

Detailed Efficiency Analysis

Calculating Predictions through

Probability Distributions

Schell 2008

To build a viable strategy, a player must

know the (underlying) game rules

Schell 2008

To build a viable strategy, a player must

know the (underlying) game rules

Explicit Information is what you know

FIFA 15 (2014)

Schell 2008

To build a viable strategy, a player must

know the (underlying) game rules

Explicit Information is what you know

Implicit Information is what the game knows

To build a viable strategy, a player must

know the (underlying) game rules

Explicit Information is what you know

Implicit Information is what the game knows

How can we

get this

information?

Super Mario Bros. (1985)

Theorycrafting (2)

Derives from crafting (creating) a theory (model) of the game world

Theorycrafting is playful experimentation in order to get

an understanding of the underlying rules to build a model

of a game

Doing Theorycraft1. Entering thinking mode

Clues

Inconsistent rule model

Doing Theorycraft1. Entering thinking mode

Clues

Inconsistent rule model

Deus Ex (2011)

Doing Theorycraft1. Entering thinking mode

Clues

Inconsistent rule model

FAIL

Doing Theorycraft1. Entering thinking mode

2. Questioning

Why does my theory not apply anymore?

Are there any hidden rules I don’t know about?

Did I overlook something?

1. Entering thinking mode

2. Questioning

3. Observating, analyzing, experimenting

Try to find a possible solution

Replaying and testing ideas

Doing Theorycraft

Doing Theorycraft1. Entering thinking mode

2. Questioning

3. Observation, analyzing, Experimenting

4. Hypothesis building

If A, then B

A causes B

Doing A results in B

Doing Theorycraft1. Entering thinking mode

2. Questioning

3. Observating, Analyzing, Experimenting

4. Hypothesis building

5. Hypothesis Testing

Setup test scenario

Controlling the external variance

Verification or falsification of the hypothesis

Doing Theorycraft

1. Entering thinking mode

2. Questioning

3. Observating, Analyzing, Experimenting

4. Hypothesis building

5. Hypothesis Testing

Instructional Teaching with Theorycrafting

1. Find out as many rules of the game as possible and

answer the following questions How are the different variables interlocked?

Could anything else have caused the effect I just observed?

Based on your findings, what are fruitful strategies?

If you encounter unpredictable effects, can they be tied to specific causes?

2. Debate about the models found (relations, consistency,

dependencies)

3. Try to find a real-life phenomena that can be analyzed with these strategies

What is the movement pattern of the

ghosts?

Pac-Man (1980)

What are the consequences of the actions?

What determines the resource generation?

A dark room (2013)

Make the fan move and the display

show an 8

Designed with LogicLab

Open Questions and Challenges

Is the method transferable into real life

situations/examples?

Can these special situations adapted for an educational

setting?

Can we transfer the playful approach of theorycrafting to

(in-)formal learning environments?

Theorycrafting as a playful way to teach the scientific

method?

Lacking heavily in research and theories

Literature

Gee, J. P. (2008): Good video games + good learning. Collected essays on video games, learning,

and literacy. Lang, New York.

Paul, C. A. (2011): Optimizing Play: How Theorycraft Changes Gameplay and Design.

Online: http://gamestudies.org/1102/articles/paul.

Schell, J. (2008): The art of game design. A book of lenses. Amsterdam.

Sykes, J. (2006): Affective Gaming: Advancing the Argument for Game-Based Learning, in: Pivec,

M. (ed.). Affective and Emotional Aspects of Human-Computer Interaction. IOS Press, Amsterdam,

p. 3–7.