Serious Games Mechanics WP2 T2.1
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Transcript of Serious Games Mechanics WP2 T2.1
EdinburghEdinburgh20-24 June 201120-24 June 2011
European Commission Information Society and Media
GaLAGame and Learning Alliance
The European Network of Excellence on Serious Games
Serious Games MechanicsWP2 T2.1
Game Mechanics – A Conundrum SoupHeriot-Watt University
T. Lim, S. Louchart, A. Thin, R. Aylett, J.M. Ritchie
1
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T2.1 Objectives
• Serious Game Mechanics– Survey results– Dimensioning the game mechanics conundrum– Towards an ontological framework– A side order of game-pedagogy?– Unifying the dimensions– Conclusion
2
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Survey Results: Towards a common understanding of Serious games
3
What is Game mechanic? And our survey says….
How the player makes decisions and choices, and the game progresses
Describes evolution and responsiveness of the game environment
It is the ensemble of mechanisms that makes a gameplay
Details of a game depending on the game genre
How does a game work: settings, objectives and rating evaluations
What makes a game work be it the rules, interaction, simulations, visuals, feedback, etc.
Rules that define how objects interact within a game. Most commonly they refer to laws of physics but they can also describe game conditions and triggers in an abstract manner.
The rules of the interaction of player with game (e.g., specific physics or control response times)
Construct of rules to produce an enjoyable and meaningful game. Interaction of game mechanics determines the complexity of user interaction within a game.
Elementary component of game: software (functionality) or interaction or game design
Related to game design, with an additional focus on how different types of gameplay and engagement have an effect on the learning experience
Game mechanic is an input-output interaction. It’s the interactivity the player has with a game.
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Survey results: Game mechanic attributes
4
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Dimensioning the game mechanics conundrum
1. The pedagogical approach with a particular focus on learning mechanisms.
By identifying practices specific to pedagogical approaches will aid in
gathering elements towards determining SG patterns.
2. Deconstructing current SGs to better understand the boundaries of game
rules and their relationships with learning mechanisms in terms of
integration and adaptability.
3. Understanding the motivations of the player in SG games and his/her
relationship towards pedagogical outcomes and the gaming experience. We
hypothesise that SG design patterns must encompass these three
components. However, each approach represents in itself a challenging
task.
5
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Differences between entertainment games and serious games
6
Serious games Entertainment games
Task vs. rich experience Problem solving in focus Rich experiences preferred
Focus Important elements oflearning,
To have fun
Simulations Assumptions necessaryfor workable simulations
Simplified simulationprocesses
Communication Should reflect natural(i.e., non-perfect)communication
Communication is oftenperfect
Agreement… ?
The essay “Serious Games: A Broader Definition” (lostgarden.com), which discusses serious games from a business perspective, criticises descriptions of
serious games as being too narrow.
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Stakeholders
Kids Adults Peers
High-school & Secondary Parents & Instructors Co-workers
Tertiary, Vocational, University
Seniors & Professionals Management
Deconstructing Game Mechanics
7
Game Mechanics
Gameplay Game Attributes Game rules
Interaction Feedback Storyline Challenge Task Activities
CONTEXT
What you want players to experience, to learn, to gain
knowledge on, to understand.
CONTENT
Data used, facts, presentation and representation methods,
actions, features, etc.
Stakeholders
Teaching & Education Health & Medicine Business & Management
Training & Skills Exercise & Well-being Sports & Entertainment
Production & Industry Psychology, Sociology & Humanities
Government , Enterprises & Military
Governed by Governed by Governed by
Components or features
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Game Elements
8
How do we compare to Aki Järvinen’s Game Elements?
Source: Games without Frontiers - A Resource for Game Studies & Design
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Common mechanics in learning and games
9
Game Mechanics
Rewards / Penalties
Protégé effects
Tokens
Resource Management
Role Play
Questions & Answers
Selecting / Collecting
Game Turns
Capture / Eliminate
Pavlovian Interactions
Action Points
Tiles / Grids
Communal Discovery
Ownership
Status
Cascading Information
Pareto Optimal
Meta-game
Time pressure
Cooperation
Levels
Movement
Cut Scenes / Story
Feedback
Design /Editing Simulate / Response
Collaboration
Goods / Information
Realism
Competition
Strategy / Planning
AssessmentTutorial
Appointment
Virality
Behavioural Momentum
Urgent Optimism
Infinite Gameplay
Learning Mechanics
Participation
Reflect / Discuss
Repetition
Observation
Experimentation
Question & Answer
Plan
Identify
Imitation
Modelling
Action / Task
Objectify
Analyse
Feedback
Shadowing
DiscoverExplore
Hypothesis
GuidanceInstructional
Ownership AccountabilityMotivation
Responsibility Incentive
Competition
AssessmentTutorial
Demonstration
Simulation
Generalisation / Discrimination
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Towards an Ontological Framework
Ontology precision of Game Mechanics
Gameplay: Is the space the player can effectively act/engage in.
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Different learning experiences
World Game Institute: http://www.worldgame.org/mba/exhibits/exhibit3.htm
11
Extent to which the experience is active not passive
Action planning
Wake-up call speech
Story telling
Public Voting
Anonymous Voting, instant
feedback
Ordinary presentation
Open exchange with
decision makers
Real case on your problem
Back-casting your company’s
markets
Just in time competitive
analysis
Scenario writing
Just in case
competitive analysis
Fact based model
building
Build-a-boat exercise
Simulation game
Wargame with real
customers
Engagement Level
Extent to which the experience is emotionally compelling, real, relevant, consequential
Passive
Lecture
Q&A
Voting
Facilitated Discussion
Case study
Debate
Story writing
Problem-solving exercise
Visual analysis
Real project
Skit or Game
Active
How Engaging are Engaged Learning Experiences?
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Mapping Pedagogical mechanics to game mechanics
12
SG / Game Agenda
Activism
Advergames
Business
Exergames
Health & Medicine
News / Current affairs
Engineering / Manufacturing
Politics
Realism
Edutainment
Educational Agenda
Pedagogy
Andragogy
Curriculum
Learning
Organisation
Leadership
Sociology
Use
To acquire outcomes
Use
To acquire outcomes Acquisitions
Skills
Attitude
Knowledge
Experience
Game Mechanics
Rewards / Penalties
Protégé effects
Tokens
Resource Management
Role Play
Questions & Answers
Selecting / Collecting
Game Turns
Capture / Eliminate
Pavlovian Interactions
Action Points
Tiles / Grids
Communal Discovery
Ownership
Status
Cascading Information
Pareto Optimal
Meta-game
Time pressure
Cooperation
Levels
Movement
Cut Scenes / Story
Feedback
Design /Editing Simulate / Response
Collaboration
Goods / Information
Realism
Competition
Strategy / Planning
AssessmentTutorial
Appointment
Virality
Behavioural Momentum
Urgent Optimism
Infinite Gameplay
Learning Mechanics
Participation
Reflect / Discuss
Repetition
Observation
Experimentation
Question & Answer
Plan
Identify
Imitation
Modelling
Action / Task
Objectify
Analyse
Feedback
Shadowing
DiscoverExplore
Hypothesis
GuidanceInstructional
Ownership AccountabilityMotivation
Responsibility Incentive
Competition
AssessmentTutorial
Demonstration
Simulation
Generalisation / Discrimination
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Complex Learning: The 4C/ID-model
13
Learning tasks
–Concrete, authentic whole-sale experiences
–Organised in simple-to-complex task classes
–Learner supported via a process of ‘scaffolding’
–Learning tasks within the same task class show high variability
van Merri¨enboer, J.J.G., Clark, R.E., de Croock, M.B.M. (2002). Blueprints for complex learning: The 4C/ID-model. Educ. Technol., Res. Dev. 50(2): 39–64.
Part-task practice
–For selected recurrent constituent skill to reach required level on automaticity
–Sessions intermixed with learning tasks
–Snowballing and REP-sequences used for complex rule sets
–Practice terms are divergent for all situations that underlying rules can deal with
Supportive information
–Supports learning and performance of non-recurrent aspects of learning tasks
–Mental models, cognitive strategies and cognitive feedback
–Is specified per task class
–Always available to learners
JIT Information
–Prerequisite to the learning and performance of recurrent aspects of learning tasks or practice items
–Consists of information displays, demonstrations and instances and corrective feedback
–Is specified per recurrent constituent skill
–Presented when needed and quickly fades away as learner acquire expertise
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A side order of game-pedagogy?
14
Learning Mechanics
Participation
Reflect / Discuss
Repetition
Observation
Experimentation
Question & Answer
Plan
Identify
Imitation
Modelling
Action / Task
Objectify
Analyse
Feedback
Shadowing
DiscoverExplore
Hypothesis
GuidanceInstructional
Ownership AccountabilityMotivation
Responsibility Incentive
Competition
AssessmentTutorial
Demonstration
Simulation
Game Mechanics
Rewards / Penalties
Protégé effects
Tokens
Resource Management
Role Play
Questions & Answers
Selecting /Collecting
Game Turns
Capture / Eliminate
Pavlovian Interactions
Action Points
Tiles / Grids
Communal Discovery
Ownership
Status
Cascading Information
Pareto Optimal
Meta-game
Time pressure
Cooperation
Levels
Movement
Cut Scenes / Story
Feedback
Design /Editing Simulate / Response
Collaboration
Goods / Information
Realism
Competition
Strategy / Planning
AssessmentTutorial
Appointment
Virality
Behavioural Momentum
Urgent Optimism
Infinite Gameplay
Learning tasks Supportive information Just-in-time (JIT) information Part-task practice
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Sim’s (1995) taxonomy of interactivity
• Object Interactivity – e.g. mouse-activated objects.
• Linear Interactivity – e.g. forward or backward browsing of instructional material.
• Support Interactivity – e.g. simple help messages to complex tutorial systems
• Update Interactivity – e.g. feedback or update that responds to the user input
• Construct Interactivity – e.g. extension that requires more design and strategic effort
• Reflective Interactivity – providing new users with feedback from old users or experts. This way the
learner can reflect on the response.
• Simulation Interactivity – extends the role of the user to be more like a controller or operator.
• Hyperlinked interactivity – “Travel” over the Internet with help from updated hyperlinks.
• Non-immersive Contextual Interactivity – combination of interactive elements e.g. virtual training
environment.
• Immersive Virtual Interactivity – Projects the user into a completely computer generated world,
providing response to individual movement. The ultimate interactivity.
15
Sims, Roderick. Interactivity: A Forgotten Art?. [Online] Available http://intro.base.org/docs/interact/, January 27, 1997.
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How can games and simulations create an effective Learningproduct?
16
SG mechanics that lack instructive qualitative factors of engagement will not
lead to new ways of creativity, competitiveness, or a successful SG design.
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Interdependencies and related activities
17
Game Mechanics (T2.1)
SG Architecture (T2.3)
HCI (T2.4)
Interoperability + Semantics (T2.5)
Simulation (WP3)
Modelling (WP3)
Methodology (T2.1 – T2.9)
Applications (WP3, WP4*)Assessment (T2.6)
Task
-bas
ed G
ames
Business + management (T3.1)
Engineering + Manufacturing (T3.2)
Health + Fitness (T3.3)
Security, safety + Crisis Management (T3.4)
Humanities + Heritage (T3.5)
Personal + Social learning (T3.6)
Ontology (T2.1)
Psychology (T2.7)
Pedagogy (T2.8)
Neuroscience (T2.9)
AI (T2.7)
Agents (T2.1)
NPC (T2.1)
Crowd Simulation (T2.1)
Synthetic Characters (T2.1, T2.2)
Capture + Information Push (T2.1)
Narratives + Storytelling (T2.2)
Profiling (T2.2)
Collaborative Environments (T2.3)
Social Networks (T2.3)
Multi-player (T2.2)
Acquisition + Discovery (T2.8)
Knowledge (T2.1, T2.8)
BCI (T2.4, T2.9)
Natural Language (T2.2, T2.4)
Devices (T2.4)
Environment (WP8)
Field description
Field analysis
Field evaluation
Field critique
Knowledge Sharing through Alignment Schools (WP5)
Standardisation (T2.5)
All fields feed forward or feedback to all WPs
WP4* - Need to know SGs that stakeholders use, want, etc.
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Identifying gaps to unify the dimensions
Developer / Educator:
• What key features should the product/course have for effective learning, and why?
• Which factors are most important when contemplating informed education and entertainment?
• Which mechanics would you consider as the most important to generate engagement in the product/course, and why?
• What do you see as the most important mechanics to ensure a good learning outcome?
• Is there a social context around the game? If so, how do you facilitate it and how useful is it for the end-user (why/why not)?
Users:
• What is the feedback from users?
• How is learning outcome measured, evaluated and justified?
• How are the different game mechanics important for learning outcome?
• Can you give examples of possible improvements in the game, and what are the lessons learned from using it?
• Was the game used as a standalone application, or placed within a social context? (Why, why not?)
• Which elements in the game/course created engagement, and why?
18
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Conclusions
19
• Do all games exhibit a ‘serious’ potential?
• Do the mechanics in casual/mainstream games and entertainment
games qualify to the conformance of a SG?
• Are there any mechanics to force reflection, practice, revisiting
software?
• Can SG inculcate learner autonomy?
• Subjectivity and interpretation - Which and what game taxonomies
can be considered to have the mechanisms for SG?
Complex mathematical formulas describing every single detail of the mechanics in the Pokemon game
Game mechanics is serious business