Using abstraction to create learning games: Taking away what distracts learners to leave them with the core experience
Using abstraction to create learning games: Taking away what distracts learners to leave them with the core experience
Using abstraction to create learning games: Taking away what distracts learners to leave them with the core experience
By Terry Pearce
2024
Summary
Let's say you're creating a learning game around crisis management.
How much detail should you put into this? Should you try to simulate every aspect of a crisis? Or should you simplify things and focus on key elements-and if you do, how can you make sure the experience is still useful? How can you make sure that people are still learning the key things they need to learn?
Abstraction is about focusing on the essence Videogames and board games often focus on building a city or civilisation: games like Sid Meier's Civilization series, the Crusader Kings series and the board game Tapestry all do this well.
Unit size, as individuals, squads or platoons, or individuals, teams or departments The flow of time, as turns or decision points Resources such as money or physical components, as tokens, numbers or tracks Happiness, or morale, as a number or track Skills, as a score that will lead to a chance of success Chances of success, as a percentage Goals, as points or points in a certain area Options, as a list of possible actions Time and energy, as action tokens or a limited number of actions Locations and geography, as an abstracted map with simplified areas The list could go on but this may give inspiration for other things and you can find more inspiration wherever you find games.
Your debrief can bridge the gap between the representation and reality Of course, if you feel-or think your learners will feel-that some of what's lost in abstraction is important, that's fine.
Ideas like 'well, that was interesting but real life throws this extra complexity into the mix, so what do we do about that?' are ideal candidates for a debriefing discussion after a learning game.
If you don't abstract these ideas, your learning game may never get off the ground and there's no experience to debate.
Reference
Pearce, T. (2024). Using abstraction to create learning games: Taking away what distracts learners to leave them with the core experience. Untold Play. https://untoldplay.com/blogs/untold-play/using-abstraction-to-create-learning-games-taking-away-what-distracts-learners-to-leave-them-with-the-core-experience