Episode 113 What is Game Literacy?

What is Game Literacy?

Hi and welcome to Experience Points by University XP. On Experience Points, we explore different ways we can learn from games. I’m your host Dave Eng from games-based learning by University XP. Find out more at www.universityxp.com

On today’s episode, we’ll answer the question: What is Game Literacy?

We 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.

Learning “how” to play, engage, and interact with games is called “game literacy.” It’s not often cited by players’ experiences, but it is a critical aspect for game designers, developers; and games-based learning practitioners.

That’s why this episode will review and define game literacy as well as the requirements for gamers to become “literate” players. Literacy with games stems from knowing how to engage with them within the framework of the game. This often relies on gamers knowing how to consume, interpret, and abide by both the formal and informal rules of gameplay.

Game literacy is often compared with “medium” literacy. So, this episode will define game literacy through this lens as well as how societal, social, and interpersonal constructs affect and influence game literacy.

When individuals think about game literacy they often reflect exclusively on “video game literacy.” However, video game literacy is more than knowing how to play and engage with just video games.

Therefore, this episode will explore what is often meant by “video game literacy” and examine it within the framework of game literacy for parental involvement as well as game literacy for game design and development.

Game literacy is a powerful tool for teaching, learning, training, education, and development. This is based on the amount, kind, and regularity of feedback generated by the game for players. Therefore, feedback and game literacy will be examined as well as how it relates to applied games-based learning.

Finally, this episode will close on the evolution of game literacy in its past, current, and potential future states as well as how the effects of game literacy influence gamers, society, and gaming circles at large.

At its core, game literacy refers to the understanding and competency of players within the world of a game. It includes and encompasses players’ individual ability to comprehend, analyze, interpret, and action game mechanics and dynamics. Literate gamers will be able to successfully navigate the game and effectively communicate with other players.

Additionally, this means that literate players can successfully navigate both established and novel games and apply what they have learned from past games to new ones.  In doing so, literate players interpret the formal elemental structures of games such as mechanics and dynamics as well as relate to the game, its players, and its impact on culture as a whole.

The ultimate hallmark for literate gamers is their ability to adapt and apply lessons learned from one game’s heuristics to other games that share the same characteristics. Furthermore, they are also able to adjust their interpretation and engagement with new games based on what they know about other games they’ve played.

Becoming literate with games requires several competencies that are highly contextual based on the game, its modality, and other players. This usually includes acquiring knowledge of the game, its genres, its platform, and the history of the same or similar games. Often, different games require different cognitive abilities from players. This could include aspects such as problem-solving skills as well as hand-eye coordination.

Critically, game-literate players can understand and apply the knowledge learned from one game across the genre and spectrum to similar games. This ability helps them learn to interpret and adapt to comparable game mechanics and dynamics that are experienced across different games.

This is often observed in gamers who can attain the following competencies with games. The first includes their ability to easily interact with the game. The other involves their ability to complete the game.

This can be especially different for younger gamers or those who are not familiar with specialized controls that are familiar to more seasoned gamers. Such is the case with video games and controllers whose layouts may not be recognizable to those who have never used them before. In this case, these players take much more time and effort to become literate and competent in these games compared to others.

Success here means that gamers can attain a higher level of functioning and literacy with the game as it is often intended by designers. Once they can master controls and game interfaces, they are equipped to activate their own agency to exert their will in the game.

This can then be used to tackle, solve, and surmount challenges that can come from any number of different formal elements. Most commonly we see these in puzzles, boss fights, and other aspects of level and game design.

At its heart, gaming literacy also involves tacit understanding and application of gaming rules, behaviors, and expectations. Such understanding helps players better navigate new games where there are often different expectations from players.

This is usually observed in games with unique symbology. Understanding symbology - and context - is necessary in aiding players with taking advantage of more complex systems within games.

This is because games often act as miniature “systems” or simulation of another phenomenon. This can occur with realistic simulations that are meant to accurately replicate real life training situations such as with flight simulators.

Otherwise, game systems could be highly abstract such as those that replicate market pricing based on supply and demand for stock trading games.

Often, players must create their own level of meaning through game play as they develop their own understanding of symbology, iconography, relationships, and cause and effect of game elements.

By doing so, they create a personalized level of understanding that helps them develop a method to interpret, engage, and critique other similar games. Thus, improving their own literacy.

This can be seen in children who know and understand the rules for simple games such as tag. The expectation is that there are one or more players who are “it” and must tag the remaining players.

The same mechanic can be seen in games like hide-and-seek where the “it” player must likewise find and tag the hidden players. Developing understanding and competency of the tagging mechanic in one game can be applied to the other.

Game literacy can also be interpreted as media literacy, such as games are another form of media created for consumption. Therefore, there is an innate connection between the ability to understand and interpret other forms of media such as film, television, and literature as with games.

A closer analog to game literacy are natural languages where there are similarities through parts of speech for nouns, verbs, adverbs, and syntax. Likewise, games have game mechanics and dynamics which are not exclusive to specific games; but can be recognized with other games in similar genres.

Video games are ripe examples for medium literacy as they share many commonalities with narratives and literature; but offer a more immersive environment for engagement.

The commonality between video games and narratives is that both contain a story or element of progression. The main difference is the way in which that story progression is communicated is different with games compared to other mediums.

It is helpful to think about games as a medium worthy of interpretation and literacy because games can be used as analogs to replicate and simulate problems existing in the real world.

Therefore, educators can use games through games-based learning and serious games as means to reinterpret and present these problems in novel ways for students to engage, study, and interact with them.

This form of engagement can furthermore be developed into critical studies of games and how they present their content. An apt example is Sid Meier’s Civilization Series and how it portrays expansion, colonization, and development.

Interpreting these games not only brings attention to these issues but also examines the game itself as a cultural artifact and a piece of media which is representative of the society that created it.

It is also necessary to understand game literacy by examining it in relationship to other societal contexts. Specifically, how players come to engage and make meaning from their game play experience and how that meaning informs their relationships with other players and their approach to playing other games.

This is often represented in player centered communities that arise from specific games and specific titles. These communities may not have been created by game publishers themselves; but exist as a means of connecting and communicating with others who share the same competencies, interests, and communities tied to a specific game. A great example of this are the communities created by massive multiplayer online games where real-life trading occurs for in-game assets and currency.

The rise of these communities and the players that inhabit them are especially interesting for game literacy as they must create, adapt, and implement a whole new set of normative behaviors for this game that may not carry over to other games and communities.

Therefore, those who inhabit these communities further the narrative created in-game by game designers and developers and iterate on the aspects of these fantasy worlds.

This means that the social context of game play, game communities, and game literacy are intertwined with one another. So, it makes sense to promote the general understanding of games as worthy mediums for engagement, review, and criticism. Doing so, helps educators redefine the use of games as literacy tools and as an aid for achieving instructional goals.

Now let’s take a moment to discuss video game literacy. The way that much of game literacy is perceived today is through digital games and video games. This is relevant because video games - as in the other forms of gaming media - represent a form of cultural currency.

Video games are highly prevalent due to their ubiquity of access across computers, laptops, tablets, handhelds, and mobile devices. Because of this, it is important to understand video games as its own specific and separate form of media that requires its own literal interpretation.

Therefore, support of holistic video game literacy is on the rise as the form of engagement that players take with it. This can be interpreted both as players’ abilities to successfully engage and play video games as well as the ability to interact and design them.

The most common comparison between video games and other forms of media is that of literature. However, that doesn’t mean that one can interpret and criticize each medium according to the same rubric.

Rather, the form of engagement between the two of them influences how users attain literacy. Both literature and video games require consumption. But video games require interaction, engagement, and decisions. Conversely, literature requires reading and comprehension.

The form of interpretation that both literature and video games possess is that players and readers are often challenged to explain, frame, situate, and interpret both forms of media within separate contexts.

The seasoned player may be able to compare the latest first-person shooter offering to the games that have come before it. Likewise, a well-read scholar will also be able to criticize and examine contemporary works against classical examples.

However, video games are often accompanied by additional challenges. One of which is the comparison and application of different game components, mechanics, and dynamics which make up the game’s internal system. These factors can often be re-used across specific genres of games.

Therefore, video game literacy relies on players’ abilities to recognize these often-used gaming conventions and apply what they know to a new game.

An example of a common conception in video games is that of the player avatar. This is frequently represented in massive multiplayer online games where the avatar represents the player in the game world and all of the cosmetic and pragmatic information of that avatar as it exists and interacts within the game world.

Perhaps the most discussed call to action with game literacy is for greater parental involvement to better understand and interpret the effects games have for different children.  Doing so includes the side effect of the ability to discuss games in a healthy manner and further curate children’s’ experience with games.

One of the most common hurdles to surmount with parental involvement is to address parental disinterest in games.  This can occur when the definition of “gamer” is widened to include adults who play on mobile devices as well as consoles and even tabletop games.

Hurdling this step means that parents can engage with children in more proactive and responsible ways. The first of which involves leading meaningful conversations with children about their gameplay experience. Doing so helps them situate, relate, and interpret the rules, mechanics, and dynamics of games with analogous representations in the real world.

Likewise, this parental involvement and activity with games helps parents utilize and promote games-based learning as an educational approach where games are included as a medium of for teaching and learning.

Game literacy may not be a critical factor for game designers and developers. But it’s important when considering the player experience and the user experience when playing and engaging with games.

Game designers are especially critical of gaming literacy because their work will ultimately be shepherding in the gaming paradigms for the future. This can be surprising for many game developers because, they can also be laughably bad at playing their own games.

Despite this, game designers are still challenged to be familiar with different gaming conventions and how they are applied and combined to create new games.

This is important from both an iterative and a quality control standpoint. Such is the case with game development and playtesting. Continual playtesting; testing rules; and examining the player experience all powerfully influence an individual’s gaming literacy.

Ultimately, the challenge with gaming literacy for game designers and developers is to continually play, revisit, and iterate with games. That could come from a design standpoint. That could also come about through continual play and through reinforcement of main game mechanics and the game’s core loop.

This brings us to feedback and the concept of “attempts” in game literacy. The core loop represents a fundamental and critical aspect of formal game elements. It’s important because it reinforces what players are doing continually throughout a game to its conclusion.

This is why it’s important to establish a strong and repetitive core loop that helps players develop competency and game literacy quickly through play.

This can be done through core loop design that allows players to make multiple attempts towards a given objective so that there are minimal repercussions and consequences.

Other players can also aid in the process by recommending new players “beginner” friendly games for those that may not be so game literate. The selection of these specific games are important for those who require an opportunity to demonstrate basic competency in the game in order to eventually succeed at playing it.

Often, some of the easiest games to introduce to new gamers are two player abstract games. These games often have a very light ruleset and can be played with two players: a novice player and the host. Such a structure and relationship make it easier for new players to develop a burgeoning game literacy through both simple structured game play and an instructive host.

This can also be observed in video games that include a built-in tutorial that first introduces players to basic concepts in the game. The tutorial is returned to in order to help players iterate on these basic concepts and apply them to new ones that are revealed throughout play.

The result of which provides an analog for players to follow when games are used for teaching and learning with games-based learning.

Games-based learning must be leveraged by utilizing players’ game literacy. Otherwise, the most captivating aspects of games such as problem-solving and learning through iteration cannot be leveraged for learners’ success.

This means that for games-based learning, serious games, and simulations to have the greatest impact; both the learners and educators must have established game literacy. However, this is easier said than done when both parties have varying different experiences and interpretations of applied games.

Digital and video games can often be leveraged for this purpose for both educators and instructional designers. They often represent an accessible format for both parties to gain an understanding of basic game mechanics, dynamics, and heuristics of design.

This is necessary when adapting existing games for teaching and learning as educators are often called to host and teach the game to learners. This includes highlighting the goals, objectives, rules, and core loop of game play.

The need for game literacy stretches even further with serious games. These are games that are created from the ground up for applications other than entertainment.

Therefore, they often require that players become accustomed to the structure and gameplay so that they can engage and apply lessons and takeaways in more applicable formats. This is often accompanied after a successful debrief from educators based on players’ experiences with the game and how they navigated its challenges.

Gaming literacy continues to evolve as the greater landscape of games and their applications expand outwards. This is represented in the rapid development of digital and video games which have grown exponentially in complexity.

Original video games were relatively simple systems involving only the player and the game. Now, current offerings include wildly expansive worlds where players interact with each other in vast simulated environments with other individuals around the world.

This has expanded into serious games where the application of games has grown from more than just entertainment. Now, gaming literacy encompasses not only the formal elements of games required for players to engage competently; but also includes analogies for how games represent valuable lessons and applicable takeaways.

These changes have also evolved player preferences. Previous generations of gamers were accustomed to certain styles of play; accessibility; and expectations from games.

While current gamers’ demands are wholly different based on the progress of technology. This often includes cloud accessible content; multiplayer support; and continuous development and support for new content.

This evolution and development of games can be seen with mainstay massive multiplayer online games such as World of Warcraft which is based on the structure and style of popular tabletop role-playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons.

Current offerings in this vein reflect the development that World of Warcraft has had over the decades while also producing new content and formats that create new ways for players to engage with games while remaining true to legacy titles that helped create it.

Some may argue the priority and importance of game literacy. However, if this episode demonstrated anything, it’s that gaming literacy is an important aspect of media literacy as well as the application and use of games-based learning, simulations, and serious games for teaching and learning.

Furthermore, game literacy has the added benefit of helping players learn and iterate more through the study, modification, and application of games.

Additionally, the development of gaming literacy enhances players cognitive abilities, fosters creativity, and ultimately promotes collaboration and teamwork. The development of critical game literacy also helps players realize that there are different ways and multiple paths that they can take when playing games as well as when learning from them.

Ultimately this demonstrates the highest level of player agency and self- determination in applied games for learning.

This episode explored game literacy as well as defined the concept for discussion. Game literacy requirements were included as well as their relationship to the formal game elements and rules for play and engagement. Game literacy was compared to media literacy as well as how others engage with games in a social context.

Video game literacy is often the type of game literacy that is discussed in public spheres. Therefore, this episode specifically examined video game literacy as well as parental involvement in becoming more game literate.

Game literacy was discussed in the realm of game design and development: especially when it comes to learning experientially through the feedback loop cycle.

Finally, game literacy was explored as an aspect of games-based learning as well as how interpretation of game literacy continues to evolve and change over time. Often with positive benefits for players, learners, designers, developers, and educators alike. 

I hope you found this episode useful. If you’d like to learn more, then a great place to start is with my free course on gamification. You can sign up for it at www.universityxp.com/gamificationYou can also get a full transcript of this episode including links to references in the description or show notes. Thanks for joining me!

Again, I’m your host Dave Eng from games-based learning by University XP. On Experience Points we explore different ways we can learn from games. If you liked this episode please consider commenting, sharing, and subscribing.

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Internal Ref: UXPMSXPIWLFV