On today’s episode we’ll cover the relationship between play and work. Games are a type of work if you think about it. We invest our time in games. We give games our attention. We give games our mental capacity. But why do we do that?
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On today’s episode I connect with my colleague Tim Collings from 4i Leadership on finding and capitalizing on motivation in the new year.
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On today’s episode we’ll cover the differences and similarities between Narratives, Toys, Puzzles, and Games. Narratives, toys, puzzles, and games all share some similar characteristics. But what makes them different and how do games tie them all together?
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On today’s episode we’ll cover Meaningful Choices. A more serious definition of games is that they are a collection of meaningful choices. But these choices are often difficult to create. Choices can extend from many different things such as where a player should travel to; how they should spend their resources; and how a character is created and customized.
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On today’s episode we’ll cover fun factors in games. It’s no surprise when someone tells you that games are fun. Fun is one of the reasons that we play games. But what makes games fun and how can incorporate that into our designs?
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On today’s episode we’ll cover that feeling of triumph called “Fiero” we get when playing games. Have you experienced that feeling of triumph before? The one you get from completing a really difficult level or beating an experienced opponent? You know, when you throw your hands up over your head in triumph? That feeling is called fiero.
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On today’s episode we’ll cover the gamer grind. One of the most characteristic things about today’s crop digital games is the grind. The grind, grindyness, or grinding aspect of some games is an aspect that most gamers have experienced at one time or another. But what does that mean? How do players experience it? How can designers and educators of games-based learning address the grind in our designs?
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On today’s episode we’ll cover…. different player types: achievers, explorers, socializers, and killers. Games and students have many things in common. One of the biggest commonalities are the type’s people they cater to. There will be the first year introductory courses that enroll mostly college freshmen. There are expansive games like Fortnite that appeal to competitive gamers. In between there are a plethora of different options available for many different types of students and gamers alike.
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On today’s episode we’ll cover the Real Fake Rules of Games. Black Mirror’s season five premiere Striking Vipers has an oddly coincidental connection to games and the “lusory agreement” the players follow when playing them. If you haven’t see the episode yet, please note there are spoilers ahead (as well as sexually explicit content from the episode).
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On today’s episode we’ll cover simulations vs games. Games and simulations are two things that seem talked about in the same circles. Sometimes they even get misinterpreted for one another. They do share some of the same characteristics. But, games and simulations are different from one another. Before we jump into what those differences are, let’s first define what we mean by games.
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On today’s episode we’ll cover feedback loops in games. Feedback is an important part of the learning process. Feedback is also really important for games to be engaging and fun. Feedback in education is based on providing the student with tangible information. Students can then use that information to improve their learning, knowledge grasp, or retention.
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Gamification is supposed to be fun. That’s why businesses, organizations and individuals use it on a daily basis. Why else would someone play games? But what are the ethics of gamification? What stops one business or organization from doing something nefarious? Is there a limit to gamification? Who should govern gamification? Should it be up to academics, the government, or individuals to police how gamification is used?
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On today’s episode we’ll cover formal game structures. Formal game structures are the cornerstone on which game designers build their experiences. These structures shape what the designer intends to convey. These structures also help define what the player hopes to takeaway. Recognizing these formal structures helps your players define their experience. Games are a technology.
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Structuring learning is one of the hardest things for an instructor to do. Sometimes that means reusing a syllabus. Other times you have to fit 16 weeks’ worth of content into 10 weeks. In either case, making sure that your students meet all course learning outcomes in your course’s time frame can be difficult. That’s when structuring your class can be gamified. Many instructors rely on a schedule in order to break up their content. You can use that schedule to gamify your course structure.
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On today’s episode we’ll cover Using Games for Learning Some of the most common applications are gamification, serious games, and games-based learning. But, that is not what many people see in practice. There are some really popular interpretations of learning games. Those focus on a few areas like the following: Scoreboards keeping track of players’ progress. Playful feedback in activities, and Tracking of students’ goals and achievements. On their face, these all contribute to the field of games-based learning. But there are definitely some other things you should consider when using games for learning. Motivation is one of the most critical areas for games-based learning. Specifically, we aim to use intrinsic motivation.
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There are many types of games available for people to play and enjoy. One of the most familiar and heartwarming ones are narrative driven games. These are games where the player often plays the protagonist. Here, you play as a single avatar. You explore the world and different paths in the story. If you’ve ever read the “Choose your own adventure” type of books then you know what I’m talking about. As the character, you interact with and make decisions as you move through the world. When reading the book your turn to page –whatever- in order to see what happens. If you liked this episode please consider commenting, sharing, and subscribing.
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In this episode I connected with Matthew Stevens of Lessons Learned Simulations and Training. In this interview we discussed the meaning and purpose of humanitarian work; Matt’s career working n the field; as well as how he uses serious games and simulations for teaching and training others.
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In this episode I connected with James York a lecturer at Tokyo Denki University. In this interview we discussed James’ path towards Toko Denki University; his work with the Ludic Language Pedagogy Journal; his approach to using games for teaching and learning; and the special challenges of teaching language through game play.
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I connected with my colleague James Sterrett the US Army Deputy Chief, CGSC Simulations & Exercises Division. In this interview we discussed Dr. Sterett’s work with simulations, war games, and his philosophy on incorporating gaming into teaching and learning.
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Many people already know what games are and how to define them. But do you know anything about “serious” games? Serious games are games. But they’ve been designed with an educational purpose. Serious games were not created to be played for amusement or entertainment.
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