Archive for the ‘Game Design’ Category
Jeet Kune Do for the Polymath: Life Long Learning
As I've been pushing this thing now called EduBacon, I've been researching Bruce Lee and Jeet Kune Do. It's an interesting approach to martial arts that can be applied to teaching and learning of all sorts. This is very much my own personal style to learning, though I have absolutely no training in such a style. It is to study, learn, improve, refine, be honest, be aware and be flexible.
Polymath
Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymath
A polymath is a person who has gone past the Jack of all trades. Rather than being a jack of all trades and master of none, they are a jack of all trades and master of some. People like , Einstien, Leanardo da Vinci and Archimedes were all polymaths, especially Da Vinci. Like the knights of the high middle ages and the romanticized versions, learning about social, martial, artistic, philosophic and scientific topics is expected.
Jeet Kune Do
The name translates to "Way of the Intercepting Fist".
Wikipeia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeet_Kune_Do
Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do Documentary
1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4CVTq44icg
2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDCyGHmGP2k
3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lArIcs92rA
4) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGkgQuYtqtk
5) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07OurW8xllg
6) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeEf6O3dsXA
7) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itK_D7HxkLI
8) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg1VlaETzC0
9) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWrxFEEiB9k
This isn't a passive or aggressive approach, but rather an assertive approach. You move and flow with the events as they happen and when opportunity comes you flow into the opening. This is why the strike would be said to just happen instead of being done. You stay in a functional state of mind so that you are unhindered to express yourself through those things you have learned.
It is also a process of self improvement based on your current state. Absorbing those things which are useful to you increases your effectiveness. Rejecting those things which are useless makes you more efficient. Learn what you can from using that which is useful and grow. This is how you add your own touch to it. As you improve, what is useful and useless will change, thus you should not write something off because of it's current uselessness to you. Remember it, but do not be limited by it.
Wider Application
By taking the Jeet Kune Do approach and using it in a wider scope you can become a more well rounded individual. Whether or not the teacher helps you use this method, you can. When learning, they are not the important part, because they are merely the help for you to grow and learn. "Be real." Think AND do.
"It's not how much you have learned but how much you have absorbed in what you have learned."
"Man, he is constantly growing and when he is bound by a set of pattern of ideas or way of doing things, that's when he stops growing." Bruce Lee
I don't understand these concepts as something taught to me, but as something inherent to my way of life. I work on my body to work on my mind. I work on my mind to work on my understanding of life. I work on my understanding of life to work on my body. By starting in one area a person can learn about it in a narrow way. Having "mastered" it, they can apply that to other things they learn in a broad way. Then they can use the other things they have learned to gain a broader understanding of the first.
Learning Science Meets Game Design
"A few simple techniques well presented, an aim clearly seen, are better than a tangled maze of data whirling in disorganized educational chaos." Bruce Lee
This quote sums up so much of good game design and teaching. You give enough to learn without overwhelming. You make sure to properly share the concepts, ideas, with others. This gives the opportunity for the students/players to grow and learn through doing. This is where the knowledge gained through study meets the knowledge gained through experience. Those give the driven individual the ability to grow.
Have fun, spread the word and tell me what you think,
Igen Oukan
Polymath
Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymath
A polymath is a person who has gone past the Jack of all trades. Rather than being a jack of all trades and master of none, they are a jack of all trades and master of some. People like , Einstien, Leanardo da Vinci and Archimedes were all polymaths, especially Da Vinci. Like the knights of the high middle ages and the romanticized versions, learning about social, martial, artistic, philosophic and scientific topics is expected.
Jeet Kune Do
The name translates to "Way of the Intercepting Fist".
Wikipeia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeet_Kune_Do
Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do Documentary
1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4CVTq44icg
2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDCyGHmGP2k
3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lArIcs92rA
4) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGkgQuYtqtk
5) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07OurW8xllg
6) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeEf6O3dsXA
7) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itK_D7HxkLI
8) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg1VlaETzC0
9) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWrxFEEiB9k
This isn't a passive or aggressive approach, but rather an assertive approach. You move and flow with the events as they happen and when opportunity comes you flow into the opening. This is why the strike would be said to just happen instead of being done. You stay in a functional state of mind so that you are unhindered to express yourself through those things you have learned.
It is also a process of self improvement based on your current state. Absorbing those things which are useful to you increases your effectiveness. Rejecting those things which are useless makes you more efficient. Learn what you can from using that which is useful and grow. This is how you add your own touch to it. As you improve, what is useful and useless will change, thus you should not write something off because of it's current uselessness to you. Remember it, but do not be limited by it.
Wider Application
By taking the Jeet Kune Do approach and using it in a wider scope you can become a more well rounded individual. Whether or not the teacher helps you use this method, you can. When learning, they are not the important part, because they are merely the help for you to grow and learn. "Be real." Think AND do.
"It's not how much you have learned but how much you have absorbed in what you have learned."
"Man, he is constantly growing and when he is bound by a set of pattern of ideas or way of doing things, that's when he stops growing." Bruce Lee
I don't understand these concepts as something taught to me, but as something inherent to my way of life. I work on my body to work on my mind. I work on my mind to work on my understanding of life. I work on my understanding of life to work on my body. By starting in one area a person can learn about it in a narrow way. Having "mastered" it, they can apply that to other things they learn in a broad way. Then they can use the other things they have learned to gain a broader understanding of the first.
Learning Science Meets Game Design
"A few simple techniques well presented, an aim clearly seen, are better than a tangled maze of data whirling in disorganized educational chaos." Bruce Lee
This quote sums up so much of good game design and teaching. You give enough to learn without overwhelming. You make sure to properly share the concepts, ideas, with others. This gives the opportunity for the students/players to grow and learn through doing. This is where the knowledge gained through study meets the knowledge gained through experience. Those give the driven individual the ability to grow.
Have fun, spread the word and tell me what you think,
Igen Oukan
Opt In Effort Design
If a person holds self back, they will not fully experience a situation. This is where the adage "You get out of it what you put into it." When living by fear you hold back on the chance that the experience is bad and so you don't want to fully experience it. However this means you will get little benefit out of anything.
Whether I am designing a game or learning situation I still count it as user experience design, and so it seems logical to design an opt in part.
What's This About?
It's not about the possible misuse.
It's not about the actions or results.
It's about practice and experience.
It's about learning and growth.
If you want people to do, then you should train them by having them do. There is plenty of things that are done in schools, but the real world doing is reserved for those who have proved themselves in some way. This doesn't make sense as a general teaching approach. You don't learn while memorizing. They are two totally different actions.
Where's the fun?
Depends on the fun you are talking about, but I think fun generally comes from DOing something. Maybe that's just me. By taking on new identities and not just memorizing what other people have done you can have a more full learning experience, but it takes more than a little opt in to get there.
Learning and understanding require knowledge and dedication of self. Many things are not fun without a decent amount of personal dedication, and the knowledge needed to DO.
It's like stepping up to the plate. Sure, you swing and miss only to swing and miss again, but then comes the time where after trying and observing you learn and understand. Stepping up to the plate you pick up the bat with confidense and determination. The results don't matter, because the effort is all that's on your mind. Without reservation you swing the bat. Even missing the first two times means nothing, except that you will have to swing a third time. This is the time where trying and testing really count, because it has meaning to you. If you miss the third time, it would be disappointing, but to hit the ball out of the park is the point.
Who's helping out?
Those charged with helping people learn need to look for those stepping up to the plate and use their feedback appropriately. Positive and negative feedback can be used to not only help people reach this point, but also to make the most of these times.
Sure, it's not easy, but it's worth the effort. Getting to know all those students and learning about each of them enough to build a quality relationship. Then cultivating their creativity, showing that they matter and getting them to continue to try all take effort. Sometimes though, it's as easy as stepping out of the way and watching the student shine. Knowing when to give an opportunity, to push them harder and/or step out of the way is as much a part of this as helping students get to that point. In fact it may be more important as being able to identify success makes it easier to see what contributes to it.
Where to now?
A classic saying that encapsulates the reasons for opt-in design is, "Fake it till you make it." Another is, "Practice makes perfect." The first is geared more towards the motivation side of things and the second is more inline with results.
One of the pieces of advice I've heard several times about getting a job is to already being doing the work. The motivation for learning is usually to accomplish some goal. Trying, failing, improving and trying again shows the improvement, or lack there-of. This gives a way to judge training effectiveness. Think about the two phrases and how experience mixes with knowledge to become learning.
Have fun, spread the word and tell me what you think,
Igen Oukan
Whether I am designing a game or learning situation I still count it as user experience design, and so it seems logical to design an opt in part.
What's This About?
It's not about the possible misuse.
It's not about the actions or results.
It's about practice and experience.
It's about learning and growth.
If you want people to do, then you should train them by having them do. There is plenty of things that are done in schools, but the real world doing is reserved for those who have proved themselves in some way. This doesn't make sense as a general teaching approach. You don't learn while memorizing. They are two totally different actions.
Where's the fun?
Depends on the fun you are talking about, but I think fun generally comes from DOing something. Maybe that's just me. By taking on new identities and not just memorizing what other people have done you can have a more full learning experience, but it takes more than a little opt in to get there.
Learning and understanding require knowledge and dedication of self. Many things are not fun without a decent amount of personal dedication, and the knowledge needed to DO.
It's like stepping up to the plate. Sure, you swing and miss only to swing and miss again, but then comes the time where after trying and observing you learn and understand. Stepping up to the plate you pick up the bat with confidense and determination. The results don't matter, because the effort is all that's on your mind. Without reservation you swing the bat. Even missing the first two times means nothing, except that you will have to swing a third time. This is the time where trying and testing really count, because it has meaning to you. If you miss the third time, it would be disappointing, but to hit the ball out of the park is the point.
Who's helping out?
Those charged with helping people learn need to look for those stepping up to the plate and use their feedback appropriately. Positive and negative feedback can be used to not only help people reach this point, but also to make the most of these times.
Sure, it's not easy, but it's worth the effort. Getting to know all those students and learning about each of them enough to build a quality relationship. Then cultivating their creativity, showing that they matter and getting them to continue to try all take effort. Sometimes though, it's as easy as stepping out of the way and watching the student shine. Knowing when to give an opportunity, to push them harder and/or step out of the way is as much a part of this as helping students get to that point. In fact it may be more important as being able to identify success makes it easier to see what contributes to it.
Where to now?
A classic saying that encapsulates the reasons for opt-in design is, "Fake it till you make it." Another is, "Practice makes perfect." The first is geared more towards the motivation side of things and the second is more inline with results.
One of the pieces of advice I've heard several times about getting a job is to already being doing the work. The motivation for learning is usually to accomplish some goal. Trying, failing, improving and trying again shows the improvement, or lack there-of. This gives a way to judge training effectiveness. Think about the two phrases and how experience mixes with knowledge to become learning.
Have fun, spread the word and tell me what you think,
Igen Oukan
Are Games REALLY the Problem?
I've never liked the view that media is the problem. That's not to say that there aren't problems with the media that's made, but rather that it's not the REAL problem that needs to be dealt with.
'As Sid puts it, “the player shouldn’t have to read the same books the designer has read in order to be able to play.”' - http://www.designer-notes.com/?p=119
This got me thinking along the lines of two previous posts. One is about improving the user to improve the system (Oops, I have to finish this one.) and the other is about what real serious game design. It seems to me that the problem might be a combination of people only wanting to play, as in the truly not being open to learning more or expending time and effort to improve, and that people expect the systems to make it so there are no consequences to the former.
Design Challenges
While reading a section of the post ( http://www.designer-notes.com/?p=119 ) called "One Good Game is Better than Two Great Ones" I found myself disagreeing with the tone, till I read the second half of the section. In the first half it talks about having two main concepts fighting for the top place in the design. The second half talks about mixing them to the benefit, rather than detriment, of the gameplay.
Seemed like designers saying we have to make the games simple to do it well, even though that isn't really what's meant in the post. I have seen this view before. First, this is due to marketing and business, not game design. Second, it's a matter of skill and creativity to get big ideas to properly coexist. Third, smaller games are easier to finish and produce. So, I do understand where some people are coming from. It's just not my preference most of the time. As stated in the post, "sometimes multiple games can co-exist in harmony with each other." ( http://www.designer-notes.com/?p=119 )
See, I find it insulting to be told as a gamer and designer that game should be simpler. As a gamer I expect to be pushed in games. Even something as nice and friendly as a farming game has consequences. Treating your animals and crops badly means you will get a small return. So, you are pushed to improve your farming and ranching skills and performance to get better results. I want to create such games that push the players. In the example game from the section, intense action and "an involved mystery-type plot" are put into one game. The action and clues didn't work well together in that game apparently. During the action the players seemed to have forgotten the clues and mystery.
This is the kind of thing I consider a design challenge. While it is true that you can settle for doing as mentioned in the post and tone down the action, there are other solutions.
Possible Solutions
Integrate them on a more granular level. How about having the mystery be a part of the action and the action be a part of the mystery? Where should you try to go during the action? What are the implications of the clue you just found or didn't find where it should have been? Where were the most guards? Why were they there? Could the opposing side have been misleading you? These are possible questions to present to the player to make the two play types work together. Mystery can heighten the action, and the action can provide clues to the mystery.
Make skill growth a major part of the gameplay. Perhaps you start off as a low ranking officer or agent. As you do better in the missions you get promotions. Higher ranked individuals get harder missions and access to more resources. By putting in clues and patterns into the mission generator. Maybe the mystery is optional, or even one of several. This goes into the realm of emergent stories and gameplay, but that could be a good thing.
Interesting Results
Both solutions suggested have educational results, based on assisted learning more than educating. Lots of people don't like to think. As odd a concept as that is for me, I've found it to be violently true. Feelings of security, pleasure and other preferred sensations usually take priority over things like logic, needs and reality.
The granular integration idea helps by blurring the lines. Rather than switching back and forth between thinking and doing, you switch which one is leading and which one is guiding. In the action sequences you are guided by the mystery and clues in your action choices. When the action is over, it takes a guiding role to the mystery solving. By guiding I mean advising. Which direction you go in the action sequences depends on the clues and mystery stuff. Maybe it's better to chase down the henchman, or perhaps the files and data is more important. What happens in the action is important to solving the mystery.
The job promotion and skill based growth idea goes a different direction. Instead of blurring the lines, it makes putting the pieces of the mystery together a part of determining the action. As you do better at remembering the mystery stuff despite the action, you get tools and resources that help you solve the mystery. In other words, it's a positive feedback loop. The fact that the player has trouble with keeping the mystery in mind fits the idea of being a new officer or agent. Meeting the challenge is as much a part of the gameplay as the intense action and involved mystery.
Obvious Fix
If people are having trouble remembering something, you could just remind them. Clue notebooks, communications, meetings and other options are available depending on the setting and plot. While this could mean the other ideas aren't needed, I waited to mention this know because I wanted to prove a point. There are ways to make an idea better without degrading the content. Even if the big solutions aren't available, there are usually simpler options to choose.
Have fun, spread the word and tell me what you think,
Igen Oukan
'As Sid puts it, “the player shouldn’t have to read the same books the designer has read in order to be able to play.”' - http://www.designer-notes.com/?p=119
This got me thinking along the lines of two previous posts. One is about improving the user to improve the system (Oops, I have to finish this one.) and the other is about what real serious game design. It seems to me that the problem might be a combination of people only wanting to play, as in the truly not being open to learning more or expending time and effort to improve, and that people expect the systems to make it so there are no consequences to the former.
Design Challenges
While reading a section of the post ( http://www.designer-notes.com/?p=119 ) called "One Good Game is Better than Two Great Ones" I found myself disagreeing with the tone, till I read the second half of the section. In the first half it talks about having two main concepts fighting for the top place in the design. The second half talks about mixing them to the benefit, rather than detriment, of the gameplay.
Seemed like designers saying we have to make the games simple to do it well, even though that isn't really what's meant in the post. I have seen this view before. First, this is due to marketing and business, not game design. Second, it's a matter of skill and creativity to get big ideas to properly coexist. Third, smaller games are easier to finish and produce. So, I do understand where some people are coming from. It's just not my preference most of the time. As stated in the post, "sometimes multiple games can co-exist in harmony with each other." ( http://www.designer-notes.com/?p=119 )
See, I find it insulting to be told as a gamer and designer that game should be simpler. As a gamer I expect to be pushed in games. Even something as nice and friendly as a farming game has consequences. Treating your animals and crops badly means you will get a small return. So, you are pushed to improve your farming and ranching skills and performance to get better results. I want to create such games that push the players. In the example game from the section, intense action and "an involved mystery-type plot" are put into one game. The action and clues didn't work well together in that game apparently. During the action the players seemed to have forgotten the clues and mystery.
This is the kind of thing I consider a design challenge. While it is true that you can settle for doing as mentioned in the post and tone down the action, there are other solutions.
Possible Solutions
Integrate them on a more granular level. How about having the mystery be a part of the action and the action be a part of the mystery? Where should you try to go during the action? What are the implications of the clue you just found or didn't find where it should have been? Where were the most guards? Why were they there? Could the opposing side have been misleading you? These are possible questions to present to the player to make the two play types work together. Mystery can heighten the action, and the action can provide clues to the mystery.
Make skill growth a major part of the gameplay. Perhaps you start off as a low ranking officer or agent. As you do better in the missions you get promotions. Higher ranked individuals get harder missions and access to more resources. By putting in clues and patterns into the mission generator. Maybe the mystery is optional, or even one of several. This goes into the realm of emergent stories and gameplay, but that could be a good thing.
Interesting Results
Both solutions suggested have educational results, based on assisted learning more than educating. Lots of people don't like to think. As odd a concept as that is for me, I've found it to be violently true. Feelings of security, pleasure and other preferred sensations usually take priority over things like logic, needs and reality.
The granular integration idea helps by blurring the lines. Rather than switching back and forth between thinking and doing, you switch which one is leading and which one is guiding. In the action sequences you are guided by the mystery and clues in your action choices. When the action is over, it takes a guiding role to the mystery solving. By guiding I mean advising. Which direction you go in the action sequences depends on the clues and mystery stuff. Maybe it's better to chase down the henchman, or perhaps the files and data is more important. What happens in the action is important to solving the mystery.
The job promotion and skill based growth idea goes a different direction. Instead of blurring the lines, it makes putting the pieces of the mystery together a part of determining the action. As you do better at remembering the mystery stuff despite the action, you get tools and resources that help you solve the mystery. In other words, it's a positive feedback loop. The fact that the player has trouble with keeping the mystery in mind fits the idea of being a new officer or agent. Meeting the challenge is as much a part of the gameplay as the intense action and involved mystery.
Obvious Fix
If people are having trouble remembering something, you could just remind them. Clue notebooks, communications, meetings and other options are available depending on the setting and plot. While this could mean the other ideas aren't needed, I waited to mention this know because I wanted to prove a point. There are ways to make an idea better without degrading the content. Even if the big solutions aren't available, there are usually simpler options to choose.
Have fun, spread the word and tell me what you think,
Igen Oukan
This is Serious Game Design!
Take it how you like; high quality game design or designing what's known as serious games. The truth is that it's both. I'll admit to being blinded by the math and science game designs that have come far more easily to mind than this kind of game design, but I know when I find quality work. It makes me want to design. Take a look for yourself at this blog post about Brenda's deep game design. That's something that doesn't just educate, it helps you learn and understand.
These are the kinds of things I look for as an artist. Yes, this is being written as an artist, not an educator, designer or anything else. Just reading about her designs and their results brings back the itch to create. I listen to the group Celtic Woman and I want to play music, sing songs and write poetry. It brings back the desire to learn, grow, push myself and most of all to create something worth the effort of creating and consuming repeatedly.
There is an art to game design and teaching that is easily lost even to the masters if they're not careful. Facts are not enough. Even video isn't enough. Let people live the history, the wonder. Yes there are topics like math and science that seem fairly cut and dry, but why not link that knowledge and those skills into the social and historical situations?
The inspiration for Brenda's design direction was teacher her daughter about the slave trade. The numbers from the school lessons distanced the tragedy from the here and now. "So she did what any game designer worth her salt would do: She made a game out of it." - http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/conferences/tgc_2009/6021-TGC-2009-How-a-Board-Game-Can-Make-You-Cry
'Brathwaite assembled a collection of tiny wooden figures, then had her daughter group them into "families." After her daughter was finished, she picked them up by the handful and placed them on a makeshift boat. Her daughter was confused: Why would she take the parents but leave the baby? Why wouldn't brothers stay with their sisters? "No one wants to go," Brathwaite explained. That's when it started to click.
Then Brathwaite devised a primitive resource management mechanic. It took 10 turns for the boat to cross the Atlantic. The boat had 30 units of food. Each turn, the player had to roll a d6, and reduce their food stores by that number. By the trip's halfway point, it was clear to her daughter that her "cargo" wouldn't make it. It wasn't a "fun" game by any means, but it served a different purpose: It helped her daughter intuitively understand the emotional experience of the slave trade, a lesson that numbers on a chalkboard couldn't provide.
At that point, Brathwaite was hooked.' - http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/conferences/tgc_2009/6021-TGC-2009-How-a-Board-Game-Can-Make-You-Cry
For years I've heard people saying why video games are so bad for society. I'll grant that constantly repeating violent behaviors in a way that encourages mindless slaughter is going to desensitize people. After all, look at the news and television. Their content keeps getting worse and worse, like the video games that are following suit, but that's not all video games.
Sometimes we need to be shown atrocities. We need to know they exist. When good becomes commonplace without bad, good looses its meaning. If you don't know its bad, you aren't likely to fix it. If we aren't shown the humanity of those around us, their needs, desires, faults and contributions, it becomes easy to dehumanize them in our minds. Just because somebody is different doesn't mean you are better than they are or that they are a lower form of life.
We also need to be shown hope. How about a follow-up game for the slave trade that covers the Underground Railroad? National Geographic has tried their hands at an Underground Railroad interactive experience. There is a path that leads out of such pits of despair, but usually you have to dig it yourself. That's the truth we need to share, and the fact that it can be done by those with little or nothing to start with except dedication. How about a Sims game that deals with raising public awareness of problems and community organizing?
With a couple simple mechanics Brenda brought the history to life for her daughter, and it's possible to duplicate it. One of the most repeated questions about school topics is when that knowledge will be useful in life, so why not use interactive models to shown them. In military campaigns there are a lot of logistics to be dealt with. I've seriously heard of people having trouble counting change while running a cash register. Make the problem real and interactive. Don't just tell students how it might be useful, show them.
Have fun, spread the word and tell me what you think,
Igen Oukan
These are the kinds of things I look for as an artist. Yes, this is being written as an artist, not an educator, designer or anything else. Just reading about her designs and their results brings back the itch to create. I listen to the group Celtic Woman and I want to play music, sing songs and write poetry. It brings back the desire to learn, grow, push myself and most of all to create something worth the effort of creating and consuming repeatedly.
There is an art to game design and teaching that is easily lost even to the masters if they're not careful. Facts are not enough. Even video isn't enough. Let people live the history, the wonder. Yes there are topics like math and science that seem fairly cut and dry, but why not link that knowledge and those skills into the social and historical situations?
The inspiration for Brenda's design direction was teacher her daughter about the slave trade. The numbers from the school lessons distanced the tragedy from the here and now. "So she did what any game designer worth her salt would do: She made a game out of it." - http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/conferences/tgc_2009/6021-TGC-2009-How-a-Board-Game-Can-Make-You-Cry
'Brathwaite assembled a collection of tiny wooden figures, then had her daughter group them into "families." After her daughter was finished, she picked them up by the handful and placed them on a makeshift boat. Her daughter was confused: Why would she take the parents but leave the baby? Why wouldn't brothers stay with their sisters? "No one wants to go," Brathwaite explained. That's when it started to click.
Then Brathwaite devised a primitive resource management mechanic. It took 10 turns for the boat to cross the Atlantic. The boat had 30 units of food. Each turn, the player had to roll a d6, and reduce their food stores by that number. By the trip's halfway point, it was clear to her daughter that her "cargo" wouldn't make it. It wasn't a "fun" game by any means, but it served a different purpose: It helped her daughter intuitively understand the emotional experience of the slave trade, a lesson that numbers on a chalkboard couldn't provide.
At that point, Brathwaite was hooked.' - http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/conferences/tgc_2009/6021-TGC-2009-How-a-Board-Game-Can-Make-You-Cry
For years I've heard people saying why video games are so bad for society. I'll grant that constantly repeating violent behaviors in a way that encourages mindless slaughter is going to desensitize people. After all, look at the news and television. Their content keeps getting worse and worse, like the video games that are following suit, but that's not all video games.
Sometimes we need to be shown atrocities. We need to know they exist. When good becomes commonplace without bad, good looses its meaning. If you don't know its bad, you aren't likely to fix it. If we aren't shown the humanity of those around us, their needs, desires, faults and contributions, it becomes easy to dehumanize them in our minds. Just because somebody is different doesn't mean you are better than they are or that they are a lower form of life.
We also need to be shown hope. How about a follow-up game for the slave trade that covers the Underground Railroad? National Geographic has tried their hands at an Underground Railroad interactive experience. There is a path that leads out of such pits of despair, but usually you have to dig it yourself. That's the truth we need to share, and the fact that it can be done by those with little or nothing to start with except dedication. How about a Sims game that deals with raising public awareness of problems and community organizing?
With a couple simple mechanics Brenda brought the history to life for her daughter, and it's possible to duplicate it. One of the most repeated questions about school topics is when that knowledge will be useful in life, so why not use interactive models to shown them. In military campaigns there are a lot of logistics to be dealt with. I've seriously heard of people having trouble counting change while running a cash register. Make the problem real and interactive. Don't just tell students how it might be useful, show them.
Have fun, spread the word and tell me what you think,
Igen Oukan
Understanding in Process
It's one of the areas that Prefessor James Gee and myself find video games to be effective in educational approach. In a way you could say that it matches the idea of both sides coming together to meet in the middle; good education and good learning.
James Gee Interview: http://www.edutopia.org/james-gee-games-learning-video
A funny Anime Music Video I just watched requires understanding to grasp the humor, however many times just hearing the information isn't enough. Yet, at the same time there is the problem of not being able to immediately use "on-demand" information. So, let's have the example and dissect it.
Funny Anime Music Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1Lhzb2kSxs
The reason for watching the video before the "lecture" is twofold. First, it gives you some reference to make sense of my explanations; a starting point. Second, it shows you the reason for paying attention, the lack of understanding. That's motivation. Motivation and background information is important to the learning process.
While I won't go into detail about where all the video clips came from, there are several things that should be known about the clips and their contents. So, here's the short blurps to get you started.
The video clips came from two different animated shows. This means that somebody took the clips from a source, picked out a set to work with, pieced them together and in some cases actually took elements from both shows to create a single image. There are little touches here and there such as on computer screens. That's time, effort and skill that went into the technical side of this video.
All the characters are accurately portrayed. This accuracy means more depth of knowledge can improve the viewing pleasure. The title of the video fits the content of the video. Where the title makes one wonder, the video answers. It's a quality piece of work from an artistic point of view and a fan point of view. The timing, content and tone of the music and video fit together very well.
The subtitles are a part of the job, not part of the original video clips. That's the scenario to set up the video. Why would two of the most destructive and skilled characters from these two anime fight? One set are bounty hunters, and the guy in red, Vash the Stampede, has a giant bounty on him.
The cat shows up in just about every episode, if not every episode, of Trigun, one of the two anime used to make this AMV. Where it shows up doesn't always make sense. For more such information, you can do some research on the shows or ask questions.
The chase and fight between Vash and Spike is very accurate. Chase scenes are common in both anime and usually have corresponding destruction such as the cars. When the fight starts, Vash is shown to become serious by putting on the orange glasses, as he usually does. Then of course comes the massive destruction during the fight and the ending, both being accurate to the characters and shows.
Now watch the video again: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1Lhzb2kSxs
This time the video should be more interesting and amusing. If it didn't seem better, and you're not somebody who already understood the stuff I shared, try watching it while looking for just one thing like how well the music and video work together or the communication of the storyline. Why and how is this? Understanding the quality, content and other information is a big part of how well we "get" it. The interesting part of the example is how this works.
First is having watched the video. As stated this helps by giving some reference and providing a reason to pay attention. Without watching the video the explanations really don't make much sense.
Second, I left room for you to do something. That's participatory learning. By giving directions to start looking and good resources that give you the answers, I gave you what you needed for guided exploration of the topic. This is important to get people actively thinking, rather than passively consuming.
Third, you repeat the first step with an eye for the difference. Here's the positive reinforcement. In game design it is feedback. In education it is a grade. In both cases it could be thought of as a reward, but it's dealt with in different ways. In this case the results are important as communication and conformation, not as a end unto itself.
Fourth, if you didn't "get" it there is a way to go back and try again. Rather than just starting off with the easiest form and increasing, there is an initial attempt without help, a reflection and assistance time, another attempt that shows the results and then more assistance if it is needed. With all the possibilities of how people understand concepts and do things, it's merely a question of what you need to get to the goal, not whether you are good or bad at it. That happens AFTER learning.
Oh, and just for fun, here's a couple more AMVs. The first has no connection with the anime except being a scene from it. Personally, I refuse to watch that Anime it's from do to content. The second is WAY better if you've watched the anime Azumangadaioh, which it comes from. It's a pun on the little girl's name, Chiyo.
No guts, no glory: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIjlFtcIsgI
The good chihuahua: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9NbHXaTY4A
Have fun, spread the word and tell me what you think,
Igen Oukan
James Gee Interview: http://www.edutopia.org/james-gee-games-learning-video
A funny Anime Music Video I just watched requires understanding to grasp the humor, however many times just hearing the information isn't enough. Yet, at the same time there is the problem of not being able to immediately use "on-demand" information. So, let's have the example and dissect it.
Funny Anime Music Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1Lhzb2kSxs
The reason for watching the video before the "lecture" is twofold. First, it gives you some reference to make sense of my explanations; a starting point. Second, it shows you the reason for paying attention, the lack of understanding. That's motivation. Motivation and background information is important to the learning process.
While I won't go into detail about where all the video clips came from, there are several things that should be known about the clips and their contents. So, here's the short blurps to get you started.
The video clips came from two different animated shows. This means that somebody took the clips from a source, picked out a set to work with, pieced them together and in some cases actually took elements from both shows to create a single image. There are little touches here and there such as on computer screens. That's time, effort and skill that went into the technical side of this video.
All the characters are accurately portrayed. This accuracy means more depth of knowledge can improve the viewing pleasure. The title of the video fits the content of the video. Where the title makes one wonder, the video answers. It's a quality piece of work from an artistic point of view and a fan point of view. The timing, content and tone of the music and video fit together very well.
The subtitles are a part of the job, not part of the original video clips. That's the scenario to set up the video. Why would two of the most destructive and skilled characters from these two anime fight? One set are bounty hunters, and the guy in red, Vash the Stampede, has a giant bounty on him.
The cat shows up in just about every episode, if not every episode, of Trigun, one of the two anime used to make this AMV. Where it shows up doesn't always make sense. For more such information, you can do some research on the shows or ask questions.
The chase and fight between Vash and Spike is very accurate. Chase scenes are common in both anime and usually have corresponding destruction such as the cars. When the fight starts, Vash is shown to become serious by putting on the orange glasses, as he usually does. Then of course comes the massive destruction during the fight and the ending, both being accurate to the characters and shows.
Now watch the video again: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1Lhzb2kSxs
This time the video should be more interesting and amusing. If it didn't seem better, and you're not somebody who already understood the stuff I shared, try watching it while looking for just one thing like how well the music and video work together or the communication of the storyline. Why and how is this? Understanding the quality, content and other information is a big part of how well we "get" it. The interesting part of the example is how this works.
First is having watched the video. As stated this helps by giving some reference and providing a reason to pay attention. Without watching the video the explanations really don't make much sense.
Second, I left room for you to do something. That's participatory learning. By giving directions to start looking and good resources that give you the answers, I gave you what you needed for guided exploration of the topic. This is important to get people actively thinking, rather than passively consuming.
Third, you repeat the first step with an eye for the difference. Here's the positive reinforcement. In game design it is feedback. In education it is a grade. In both cases it could be thought of as a reward, but it's dealt with in different ways. In this case the results are important as communication and conformation, not as a end unto itself.
Fourth, if you didn't "get" it there is a way to go back and try again. Rather than just starting off with the easiest form and increasing, there is an initial attempt without help, a reflection and assistance time, another attempt that shows the results and then more assistance if it is needed. With all the possibilities of how people understand concepts and do things, it's merely a question of what you need to get to the goal, not whether you are good or bad at it. That happens AFTER learning.
Oh, and just for fun, here's a couple more AMVs. The first has no connection with the anime except being a scene from it. Personally, I refuse to watch that Anime it's from do to content. The second is WAY better if you've watched the anime Azumangadaioh, which it comes from. It's a pun on the little girl's name, Chiyo.
No guts, no glory: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIjlFtcIsgI
The good chihuahua: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9NbHXaTY4A
Have fun, spread the word and tell me what you think,
Igen Oukan
Metalearning: Learning How You Learn
Metacognition might come to mind as what this is, and that is right and wrong at the same time. While it does have to do with knowing about how you think and understand things, it's also an action with tangible results.
That brings up several questions I would like to answer. Maybe I'll be right, or at least close. Mostly the questions are about the differences and practical usage of learning how you learn vs the generally considered intangible metacognition.
What is it?
"The idea of metalearning was originally used by John Biggs (1985) to describe the state of ‘being aware of and taking control of one’s own learning’." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta_learning
This is pretty close to what I mean. Taking control of your learning is done after you observe and learn about your learning. This is something that we don't really take into account when it comes to designing education, but I've seen it in games.
When playing a game, players will commonly try several different paths to improve their skill and observe the results. From there they apply the knowledge gained. When one doesn't work, another is tried.
I think taking control of one's learning is a matter of being empowered to do so. Being aware of your learning helps you know what should be done. Having the tools, resources, opportunities and/or resourcefulness makes it possible to to implement that knowledge.
What's the point?
"A student who has a high level of metalearning awareness is able to assess the effectiveness of her/his learning approach and regulate it according to the demands of the learning task. Conversely, a student who is low in metalearning awareness will not be able to reflect on her/his learning approach or the nature of the learning task set. In consequence, s/he will be unable to adapt successfully when studying becomes more difficult and demanding." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta_learning
It's obvious how knowing what works best can help improve results. Each person has their own sets of patterns that kick in while learning. For instance I'm one who sometimes needs an increase in difficulty rather than a decrease to get desired results. Knowing this I know that I should try pushing myself harder sometimes to improve myself. I also know that I do better with a lot of information, such as all the rules to a game before playing. With that information I can identify opportunities and resources that would normally work well for me. That however is only part of the point.
The other piece is that the number of students scales perfectly with the number of students. That means that is the students are able to identify good resources for them out of approved resources can help teachers and educational institutions.
How's it tangible?
Like other behavior patterns, data analysis usually helps. With a set of resources, learning paths and approaches that are known you can identify patterns based on results and reactions.
Take algebra and geometry for example. Generally most people are one of three types of people. Algebra people do better with equations, numbers and graphs. Geometry people do better with shapes. Some people deal with both equally well, to the point that some see them as the same thing expressed in different ways.
Which approach a person has is usually easy to figure out. Give them a math problem in both geometry and algebra style and ask which they prefer. Equations, shapes or neither/both tells you which type they are for that problem. Do it for a few different types of math problems and you can build a profile for how they currently prefer to handle those kinds of math problems.
How's it done?
It could be done in a test format, but I think there is a better way to do this. A learning profile that has the information that a test might give over time, because it changes with what you know. That would give a better picture of the learner's learning preferences.
Data analysis is fairly standard for profiling. This kind of profiling could be done based on several types of measurements. Raw results is one possibility, but hard to keep the variables under control. Reactions to resources and paths that are tagged for the style could be compiled and analyzed. Tests could be done and added to the mix, but they should be considered indicators rather than definitive evaluations.
With this kind of approach it should be noted that the results of tests and analysis HAS to be verified with the reality of the person's learning. That's why it's an indicator rather than a diagnosis. It could be right, close or totally off. If the learner says it's totally wrong, more needs to be done to verify and analyze the learning preferences. It's and indicator, a general guide.
Where could this lead?
Each individual could adapt their resource selections based on the results. As stated before, this could help people become more informed users.
Teachers could use it for each of their classes. One thing I've read a few times is how the curriculum standards make it so every class, every student is handle in much the same way. Using the learning profiles of the students could help teachers adapt the curriculum to their classes and help each student.
Resource providers and creators can learn from mass data to see which styles, paths and approaches could use more and/or better resources.
Hmmm... sounds like what should have been the case all along. Makes me think of the old assumption problem. Because it is assumed that everybody knows about the assumption and will follow it, it's neither discussed not remembered. Once forgotten it becomes missing and the system has problems.
What about Games?
Better resources is a logical build out. With a better understanding of how people learn there will be people making better resources for gamers and game creators alike.
Better game designs is always possible. With the common ways people learn nicely understood and plenty of examples to copy ... er, learn from, several types of game mechanics could be improved and expanded. In game resources and skill improvement methods makes a good place to start, but is nowhere near the limit.
Have fun, spread the word and tell me what you think,
Igen Oukan
That brings up several questions I would like to answer. Maybe I'll be right, or at least close. Mostly the questions are about the differences and practical usage of learning how you learn vs the generally considered intangible metacognition.
What is it?
"The idea of metalearning was originally used by John Biggs (1985) to describe the state of ‘being aware of and taking control of one’s own learning’." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta_learning
This is pretty close to what I mean. Taking control of your learning is done after you observe and learn about your learning. This is something that we don't really take into account when it comes to designing education, but I've seen it in games.
When playing a game, players will commonly try several different paths to improve their skill and observe the results. From there they apply the knowledge gained. When one doesn't work, another is tried.
I think taking control of one's learning is a matter of being empowered to do so. Being aware of your learning helps you know what should be done. Having the tools, resources, opportunities and/or resourcefulness makes it possible to to implement that knowledge.
What's the point?
"A student who has a high level of metalearning awareness is able to assess the effectiveness of her/his learning approach and regulate it according to the demands of the learning task. Conversely, a student who is low in metalearning awareness will not be able to reflect on her/his learning approach or the nature of the learning task set. In consequence, s/he will be unable to adapt successfully when studying becomes more difficult and demanding." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta_learning
It's obvious how knowing what works best can help improve results. Each person has their own sets of patterns that kick in while learning. For instance I'm one who sometimes needs an increase in difficulty rather than a decrease to get desired results. Knowing this I know that I should try pushing myself harder sometimes to improve myself. I also know that I do better with a lot of information, such as all the rules to a game before playing. With that information I can identify opportunities and resources that would normally work well for me. That however is only part of the point.
The other piece is that the number of students scales perfectly with the number of students. That means that is the students are able to identify good resources for them out of approved resources can help teachers and educational institutions.
How's it tangible?
Like other behavior patterns, data analysis usually helps. With a set of resources, learning paths and approaches that are known you can identify patterns based on results and reactions.
Take algebra and geometry for example. Generally most people are one of three types of people. Algebra people do better with equations, numbers and graphs. Geometry people do better with shapes. Some people deal with both equally well, to the point that some see them as the same thing expressed in different ways.
Which approach a person has is usually easy to figure out. Give them a math problem in both geometry and algebra style and ask which they prefer. Equations, shapes or neither/both tells you which type they are for that problem. Do it for a few different types of math problems and you can build a profile for how they currently prefer to handle those kinds of math problems.
How's it done?
It could be done in a test format, but I think there is a better way to do this. A learning profile that has the information that a test might give over time, because it changes with what you know. That would give a better picture of the learner's learning preferences.
Data analysis is fairly standard for profiling. This kind of profiling could be done based on several types of measurements. Raw results is one possibility, but hard to keep the variables under control. Reactions to resources and paths that are tagged for the style could be compiled and analyzed. Tests could be done and added to the mix, but they should be considered indicators rather than definitive evaluations.
With this kind of approach it should be noted that the results of tests and analysis HAS to be verified with the reality of the person's learning. That's why it's an indicator rather than a diagnosis. It could be right, close or totally off. If the learner says it's totally wrong, more needs to be done to verify and analyze the learning preferences. It's and indicator, a general guide.
Where could this lead?
Each individual could adapt their resource selections based on the results. As stated before, this could help people become more informed users.
Teachers could use it for each of their classes. One thing I've read a few times is how the curriculum standards make it so every class, every student is handle in much the same way. Using the learning profiles of the students could help teachers adapt the curriculum to their classes and help each student.
Resource providers and creators can learn from mass data to see which styles, paths and approaches could use more and/or better resources.
Hmmm... sounds like what should have been the case all along. Makes me think of the old assumption problem. Because it is assumed that everybody knows about the assumption and will follow it, it's neither discussed not remembered. Once forgotten it becomes missing and the system has problems.
What about Games?
Better resources is a logical build out. With a better understanding of how people learn there will be people making better resources for gamers and game creators alike.
Better game designs is always possible. With the common ways people learn nicely understood and plenty of examples to copy ... er, learn from, several types of game mechanics could be improved and expanded. In game resources and skill improvement methods makes a good place to start, but is nowhere near the limit.
Have fun, spread the word and tell me what you think,
Igen Oukan
Video Games for Meditation
Maybe a week ago I was impressed by reaching level 9 playing Bejeweled 2 Hyper mode. Then a couple days ago I reached level 11. After some thought I realized it was through a variation of active meditation, something I'd read about in a fiction novel.
Now, first off I would like to specify the variation I'm talking about. It is reaching a calm and clear mental state like that reached through martial arts. Continuous action without being slowed by seperate conscious thought. Separate is an important word in this case because there is thought, but it doesn't slow down the actions. Yet the value is learning to control ones mind and emotions.
So, let's take a look at the benefits of this and then the means to reaching the goal.
Frustration is a big problem in playing games, studying and the rest of life. Being able to manage frustration is very helpful in those cases. Yes, all of our lives. It helps reduce stress and there-by can improve your health. For the purposes of this post, it's the mental and emotional control that is important. Such control helps in not over reacting and flipping out while under stress. It also helps in activities like studying and paying attention in class.
Now, with the basic benefits out of the way, I'm sure most of you readers can see the general possibilities.
The question is of course, "How?" How do we get that to work? With my recent experience with it through a game, and realizing it, I might have some answers. So here are my observations.
1) Be good at the game.
While I had noticed a while back how I played when I played at my best, I didn't get the understanding of how to practically apply a meditative state to the game till I was fairly proficient. This is so you can play the game semi-unconsciously. I don't mean necessarily mastering the game. How good you need to be depends on you. I had to come close to mastery to use enough of my mind, which brings me to the next observation.
2) Be at your functional limit.
The natural way people grow is to come to the functional limitations of a certain method and practice at that limit. I did this when I learned to read word-by-word from letter-by-letter. The same happened when I was playing Bejeweled. Looking for a my next move after things have settled. It was just too slow at the levels I'd get to while playing. Little by little I would slide into the meditative state until I stopped paying attention to the level and speed required. Next thing I knew, I was at level eleven, about twice the level I normally stop at.
3) Play a game like Tetris or Bejeweled.
This is to facilitate observation #2. With Tetris and Bejeweled, there is a level of difficulty where you have to get into the "zone" to go farther. That means it doesn't matter much who you are, how smart you are or how good your are. The game will work for this exercise.
4) Be willing to fail.
This is not simply saying that you are willing to, but a serious willingness to try hard and fall flat on your face several times. That's part of why I think games could be used well for this effort, and why games like Tetris and Bejeweled work best of all. When you expect to fail, such as in those two games, the question is about what you can do BEFORE you fail. If you are concerned with failing, you will not put it out of your mind enough to reach a meditative state.
Why this works is simple. Most people who can use normal meditative methods can sit still and be calm. So, it's those that have trouble sitting still, staying calm and so on that have problems with normal meditation.
With that in mind, the people who don't like sitting still and so on usually have something else like sports, games or martial arts that require them to calm their mind and focus. When they understand that to be a moving meditation, they can become familiar with that state through exercises like shown above. As they become more familiar with that state of mind it becomes easier to reach in other situations.
I commonly use juggling at home and Bejeweled at work for this reason; they work for me. I like to do those things and they help me clear my mind. The fact that I can calm myself and meditate normally doesn't detract from learning more about calming myself. In fact, I see the lack of it in many too serious individuals who are not willing to play such games, and those who insist on only thinking about winning. Back to that old phrase, "It's whether you win or lose, but how you play the game."
Have fun, spread the word and tell me what you think,
Igen Oukan
Now, first off I would like to specify the variation I'm talking about. It is reaching a calm and clear mental state like that reached through martial arts. Continuous action without being slowed by seperate conscious thought. Separate is an important word in this case because there is thought, but it doesn't slow down the actions. Yet the value is learning to control ones mind and emotions.
So, let's take a look at the benefits of this and then the means to reaching the goal.
Frustration is a big problem in playing games, studying and the rest of life. Being able to manage frustration is very helpful in those cases. Yes, all of our lives. It helps reduce stress and there-by can improve your health. For the purposes of this post, it's the mental and emotional control that is important. Such control helps in not over reacting and flipping out while under stress. It also helps in activities like studying and paying attention in class.
Now, with the basic benefits out of the way, I'm sure most of you readers can see the general possibilities.
The question is of course, "How?" How do we get that to work? With my recent experience with it through a game, and realizing it, I might have some answers. So here are my observations.
1) Be good at the game.
While I had noticed a while back how I played when I played at my best, I didn't get the understanding of how to practically apply a meditative state to the game till I was fairly proficient. This is so you can play the game semi-unconsciously. I don't mean necessarily mastering the game. How good you need to be depends on you. I had to come close to mastery to use enough of my mind, which brings me to the next observation.
2) Be at your functional limit.
The natural way people grow is to come to the functional limitations of a certain method and practice at that limit. I did this when I learned to read word-by-word from letter-by-letter. The same happened when I was playing Bejeweled. Looking for a my next move after things have settled. It was just too slow at the levels I'd get to while playing. Little by little I would slide into the meditative state until I stopped paying attention to the level and speed required. Next thing I knew, I was at level eleven, about twice the level I normally stop at.
3) Play a game like Tetris or Bejeweled.
This is to facilitate observation #2. With Tetris and Bejeweled, there is a level of difficulty where you have to get into the "zone" to go farther. That means it doesn't matter much who you are, how smart you are or how good your are. The game will work for this exercise.
4) Be willing to fail.
This is not simply saying that you are willing to, but a serious willingness to try hard and fall flat on your face several times. That's part of why I think games could be used well for this effort, and why games like Tetris and Bejeweled work best of all. When you expect to fail, such as in those two games, the question is about what you can do BEFORE you fail. If you are concerned with failing, you will not put it out of your mind enough to reach a meditative state.
Why this works is simple. Most people who can use normal meditative methods can sit still and be calm. So, it's those that have trouble sitting still, staying calm and so on that have problems with normal meditation.
With that in mind, the people who don't like sitting still and so on usually have something else like sports, games or martial arts that require them to calm their mind and focus. When they understand that to be a moving meditation, they can become familiar with that state through exercises like shown above. As they become more familiar with that state of mind it becomes easier to reach in other situations.
I commonly use juggling at home and Bejeweled at work for this reason; they work for me. I like to do those things and they help me clear my mind. The fact that I can calm myself and meditate normally doesn't detract from learning more about calming myself. In fact, I see the lack of it in many too serious individuals who are not willing to play such games, and those who insist on only thinking about winning. Back to that old phrase, "It's whether you win or lose, but how you play the game."
Have fun, spread the word and tell me what you think,
Igen Oukan
Commercial Resource Repurposing
There have been several places I've read concern for the learning market being commercialized to death. Fears and concerns that have a history of coming true. So, I'm wondering if we can suggest ideas that would work for the commercial interests and help guide them in the right direction.
At the moment there are many franchises and resources that could be used to create games of a more educational nature. There are a few I see that I'll discus here.
Repurposing Resources
With all those resources at their disposal, it makes sense to me to allow indies to experiment with potentially commercial projects. What do I mean by that? Simply put, there are a lot of people who want to learn and a lot of people who want to do. Those people could be offered non-paid positions with access to resources, to make prototypes, work samples and gain experience. These people would also be easy to screen for potential employees. So, it is beneficial for everybody and would likely cost very little for the potential gains to the company.
The important thing to realize here is that there are tons of old resources that pretty much aren't useful to the current commercial products. It's likely there are organizations willing to run some of thee programs. Some of these resources are available on the internet, so why not take that and make it official? It's been done before and has resulted in popular Mods. Some are simpler, but others have been rather impressive stand alone games.
Then there is the potential for educational use of those resources. Done properly, it could be both a plug for the franchises and useful in education. (If anybody reading this has an opening I would be happy to be a part of such a project. Okay, my plug is done. Back to the scheduled blog post.)
Concerned Combat
Star Wars, Halo and other similar franchises can be used for a more realistic resource management game. The idea is to take the FPS (first person shooter) gameplay, RTS (real time strategy) and resource management game mechanics and combine them. Truth is that many franchises could use this idea to do really cool things.
So let's get to the details of the idea. The player is in charge of a military force with a standing order requiring several missions. These missions are not separated like usual. Instead you maintain your resources through till you've achieved your goal, or failed. So if there is a native village, you can help them to gain more support and resources. This isn't a battle game. This isn't a simple combat game. It's a complicated game forcing the player to deal with the aftermath of battle to win the next.
I think it would be a great challenge to those who are masters of the RTS and FPS games. Can you command your troops, make snap decisions and maintain your resources in such a way that you can win the next battle? What do your superiors think of your performance? In the Star Wars franchise I envision the Jedi frowning on harming the villagers and the Sith frowning on wasting opportunities. Whether you are selfish or unselfish, it makes sense to build up your resources and use them responsibly. Considering the times, I think this would not only get gamers excited about the depth of gameplay and challenge, but get accolades from society about games encouraging the player to think about the realities of combat and have such a focus on community organizing.
Hidden Help
Harvest Moon is a game franchise that I've both played and watched people play. In it you maintain a farm and help the village to prosper. To me it would make for a great economy game. By playing as a person sent in to help some small towns become prosperous again, you have the potential to practice business and economy lessons, without the risk to your bank account. Three towns make up my envisioned game, a ranch town, a farm town and a crafting/artisan town.
The potential learning for this game goes far beyond that mentioned above. If you stick to the usual elements of a Harvest Moon game, and add some more, you can give a lot of information in small pieces. However the key to this is NOT taking care of your own farm. Instead you do odd jobs and help out the people in the different towns. With a little business sense you can turn a profit by supplying people with what they need. However, sometimes you should be willing to sacrifice immediate profits for potential future profits. Donating to businesses in trouble, or selling to them at a discount could be what keeps them operating. If it was an animal you owned and it got sick, you'd take care of it. Why, because it's beneficial. There's also the moral views on this, but I'm talking business and economy here.
You might be wondering what's so great about that particular game franchise for this. Well, here are some of the reasons I see. Animal products are obtained through purchasing or ranching. Produce is obtained through purchasing or farming. There is crafting and cooking in the game franchise. Shipping certain kinds of products brings related people into town, like any place known for a certain kind of industry or trade. Befriending people earns you benefits. All in all, it has most of what I see as needed for this idea. Though there is a lot of adjusting to make it work.
While there are more possibilities, I think this is a good place to stop for now. For something a little different, but similar, take a look at "Public Pedagogy through Video Games". It's a good article that was mentioned in OLDaily.
Have fun, spread the word and tell me what you think,
Igen Oukan
At the moment there are many franchises and resources that could be used to create games of a more educational nature. There are a few I see that I'll discus here.
Repurposing Resources
With all those resources at their disposal, it makes sense to me to allow indies to experiment with potentially commercial projects. What do I mean by that? Simply put, there are a lot of people who want to learn and a lot of people who want to do. Those people could be offered non-paid positions with access to resources, to make prototypes, work samples and gain experience. These people would also be easy to screen for potential employees. So, it is beneficial for everybody and would likely cost very little for the potential gains to the company.
The important thing to realize here is that there are tons of old resources that pretty much aren't useful to the current commercial products. It's likely there are organizations willing to run some of thee programs. Some of these resources are available on the internet, so why not take that and make it official? It's been done before and has resulted in popular Mods. Some are simpler, but others have been rather impressive stand alone games.
Then there is the potential for educational use of those resources. Done properly, it could be both a plug for the franchises and useful in education. (If anybody reading this has an opening I would be happy to be a part of such a project. Okay, my plug is done. Back to the scheduled blog post.)
Concerned Combat
Star Wars, Halo and other similar franchises can be used for a more realistic resource management game. The idea is to take the FPS (first person shooter) gameplay, RTS (real time strategy) and resource management game mechanics and combine them. Truth is that many franchises could use this idea to do really cool things.
So let's get to the details of the idea. The player is in charge of a military force with a standing order requiring several missions. These missions are not separated like usual. Instead you maintain your resources through till you've achieved your goal, or failed. So if there is a native village, you can help them to gain more support and resources. This isn't a battle game. This isn't a simple combat game. It's a complicated game forcing the player to deal with the aftermath of battle to win the next.
I think it would be a great challenge to those who are masters of the RTS and FPS games. Can you command your troops, make snap decisions and maintain your resources in such a way that you can win the next battle? What do your superiors think of your performance? In the Star Wars franchise I envision the Jedi frowning on harming the villagers and the Sith frowning on wasting opportunities. Whether you are selfish or unselfish, it makes sense to build up your resources and use them responsibly. Considering the times, I think this would not only get gamers excited about the depth of gameplay and challenge, but get accolades from society about games encouraging the player to think about the realities of combat and have such a focus on community organizing.
Hidden Help
Harvest Moon is a game franchise that I've both played and watched people play. In it you maintain a farm and help the village to prosper. To me it would make for a great economy game. By playing as a person sent in to help some small towns become prosperous again, you have the potential to practice business and economy lessons, without the risk to your bank account. Three towns make up my envisioned game, a ranch town, a farm town and a crafting/artisan town.
The potential learning for this game goes far beyond that mentioned above. If you stick to the usual elements of a Harvest Moon game, and add some more, you can give a lot of information in small pieces. However the key to this is NOT taking care of your own farm. Instead you do odd jobs and help out the people in the different towns. With a little business sense you can turn a profit by supplying people with what they need. However, sometimes you should be willing to sacrifice immediate profits for potential future profits. Donating to businesses in trouble, or selling to them at a discount could be what keeps them operating. If it was an animal you owned and it got sick, you'd take care of it. Why, because it's beneficial. There's also the moral views on this, but I'm talking business and economy here.
You might be wondering what's so great about that particular game franchise for this. Well, here are some of the reasons I see. Animal products are obtained through purchasing or ranching. Produce is obtained through purchasing or farming. There is crafting and cooking in the game franchise. Shipping certain kinds of products brings related people into town, like any place known for a certain kind of industry or trade. Befriending people earns you benefits. All in all, it has most of what I see as needed for this idea. Though there is a lot of adjusting to make it work.
While there are more possibilities, I think this is a good place to stop for now. For something a little different, but similar, take a look at "Public Pedagogy through Video Games". It's a good article that was mentioned in OLDaily.
Have fun, spread the word and tell me what you think,
Igen Oukan
