This article explores the classification of games into competitive, cooperative, and hybrid types, analyzing their structures, goals, and social impacts. It discusses challenges in categorization, the history and applications of each type, and how games can enhance teaching, learning, and social-emotional development through tailored design and player engagement.
Read MoreThis article will explore the aspects of games as mediums for interactions. It’ll examine games as constructs for occupying a particular space and how players interact with it. Games will also be explored as pieces of art and how they influence narrative aspects such as stories. Often, the interactive elements of games are shaped by their genre and themes. This will be discussed in addition to how games are often structured as a means for social interactions. This kind of structure can serve as a means of establishing socially normative activities between and amongst players.
Read MoreThis article will examine how that can be achieved though diligent focus and purposeful design. It’ll first cover the structure and use of learning objectives and outcomes for instructional design and learning experiences. These will then be compared to games-based learning and the use of games as the medium for learning.
Read MoreThis article will address how to develop, adapt, and apply existing and new games for these purposes. It’ll first cover the overall applications of games-based learning and then cover examples on how formal game elements and different criteria can be used to meet these learning outcomes. Specific types of games, formats, and modalities will be explored as well as how their specific characteristics benefit applied games-based learning. Furthermore, specific steps for how to prepare to use and design games for learning outcomes will be discussed.
Read MoreThis article will define educational games. It’ll explore why we should consider using educational games for teaching and learning as well as explore the evolution of educational games over time. Specific disciplines and how they are addressed by educational games will be discussed as well as different types of educational games. Engagement and efficacy of educational games will be covered as well as how they are interpreted by players through the player experience.
Read MoreOne of the hardest and most difficult questions that can be asked about games is what they are and how they are defined. The answers, responses, and philosophies regarding these big questions are as diverse and varied as those who have sought to define them. Therefore, this article will attempt another take on defining games and discussing their meaning and interaction for the people that play, define, apply, and share them.
Read MoreThis article will explore the player journey. It’ll start by defining this term and outline reasons for its importance. The player experience is an important aspect of the player journey. Therefore, it’ll be examined in depth as it relates to individual motivations and how they affect both goals and achievements during the player journey.
Read MoreThis article will examine progression systems in games closely. It’ll start by defining these systems and why they are so important. Different types of progression systems will be covered as well as how common features of progression systems are present in games. The core loop, as well as goals and objectives of games are tightly connected to progression systems. Therefore, these disparate areas will be connected and related to how different examples of progression systems use them in concert with one another.
Read MoreThis article will define what we mean by “game state” from multiple different perspectives. It will discuss different characteristics and types of game states and the roles that they play for commercial and applied games. Game states often are tightly related to the game rules and mechanics. These two aspects will be discussed in depth in addition to other “tangible” elements of games play such as game objects, movement, and environmental states.
Read MoreThis article will define player engagement and relate it to its roots in understanding player motivation. Player engagement has most to do with the amount of time that players engage with the game and how their investment best relates to the player experience. That player’s experience is informed by multiple sources. They include interaction and how players augment the game; how players receive and interpret feedback, and how challenges and difficulty are scaffolded and presented to players through games and games-based learning.
Read MoreWe don’t often think about when we first started playing games. Or really the “first” game that we ever played. Most players are preoccupied with the game that they are playing “now” or the game that they will play next. Yet, we don’t stop to think about what we already know about games and how we’ve applied that to learning and experiencing new games.
Read MoreThis article will first define choice architecture as well as discuss its relationship between how choices are structured and its impact on consumers (users, learners, and players). The underlying philosophies of choice architecture will be explained as well as how they inform choice structure.
Read MoreThis article discusses games as liminal spaces. But prior to diving into that, it will first define “liminality” as well as provide some of the most critical characteristics of liminal spaces. Liminality will be reviewed from multiple disciplines as well as situate the term in relation to transformation and transition. Liminality can be experienced in multiple different modalities and in different places and stages. Therefore, this article will examine liminal experiences in physical spaces as well as non-physical ones.
Read MoreThis article will define tactics and strategy and then compare the two in both structure and application. Both tactics and strategy have a specific and special relationship with one another. This relationship often defines the philosophic considerations of what exactly goes into tactical and strategic decision making. This relationship will be explored through several different examples of tactics across different domains.
Read MoreThis article will explore and define the term “casual players.” In understanding casual players, we must first review and examine casual games. So, casual games will be defined along with relevant characteristics of casual games such as complexity, mechanics, and theme.
Read MoreWhat makes the “ideal” board games player? Some say that it takes someone who fully understands the rules. Others would say that it’s more about those who pay attention to the game rather than be subjected to distractions. Some feel that it’s tactical play and strategic thinking that makes the ideal tabletop player.
Read MoreThis article will also cover how game goals work in concert with player agency and how designers can take advantage of player skill development while simultaneously mitigating luck and randomness. The player experience represents the defining factor for players engaging with games for learning; so, player feedback loops as well as how failure is addressed will also be considered.
Read MoreThis article will review these characteristics of analysis paralysis as well as how individuals make choices and the framework in which they come to those decisions. The results and solutions to those decisions will be discussed as well as how the overall speed of the process is fluid in the face of players’ motivations, frameworks, and goals.
Read MoreThis article will define the use and purpose of the term “strategy game” and how the term “strategy” affects and influences both game structure and the decision making framework for players. Strategy in games is addressed differently dependent on game type. Therefore, this article will address strategy in abstract games, war games, video games, simulations, idiogames, euro table top games, and team games.
Read MoreThis article will first define what Yomi is as well as how it influences and affects the prediction of actions of opponents and other players. The minds, motivations, and strategies of other players will be discussed as well as how it influences Yomi. Yomi in relation to strategy and how it affects expert players will be covered as well as how all players can examine and study their own actions for their own player development.
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