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Evelyn: Game Tests

Don’t judge a book by its cover – Sarah’s Game

What was the most frustrating moment? I loved this game but it was sometimes frustrating getting things wrong over and over.

What was your favorite moment? Making connections with people I know. 

Was there anything you wanted to do? See below

If you had magic wand to wave what would you do? See below

What should be improved in next version? I think the game worked well but there could be progressive amounts of background (facts) we learn about people. They still could be completely irrelevant to the quotes; it’s like you’re getting to know somebody but you still may not know what they are going through. Or it could make you connect to and empathize with them more. Just thoughts.

What’s the game’s message? You never truly know what somebody is going through

The game in 3 words: unique & good art

To death do us part – Tori’s Game

What was the most frustrating moment? Nothing!

What was your favorite moment? The attention to detail was so good I loved seeing the themed elements

Was there anything you wanted to do? Have part 2! I want to solve the crime!!

If you had magic wand to wave what would you do? Part 2

What should be improved in next version? I liked your thoughts on box design. Maybe for future iterations have simple instructions (it could be just a phrase). Maybe one of those yellow confidential file folders?? Love this though.

What’s the game’s message? You are the detective. The game in 3 words: wedding murder mystery

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Tori’s Murder Mystery Game/Riddle

This Game was very thought out and well done. I loved it because it seemed like every character had some kind of motive whether it be small or large, which made it difficult to specify one person that did it. 

There were so many props and fully written up interviews with several people that we had fun bringing to life with some role play. 

Overall this was a very fun game. I especially liked the fact that we all won! Points for everyone!

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Week 4 – Game for a Podcast

Concrete Genie: I chose this game from the “Games for Change” website becasue I feel like it is not the topic that I myself can necessarily say that I experinced. However, it is one that I have witnessed a lot, whether it was back when I was younger or I observe it now when I am at work since I am around a lot peopke daily. This is a serious issue whether we choose to acknowledge it or not.

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Week 4 – Serious Games

Last Resort Game Review

Created by the one and only Professor Ames, this is a more intense iteration of chess. This version of chess welcomes a more aggressive, yet strategic playstyle. First, there are civilians that each player should strive to save. The civilians can be taken by either side, making the experience a fight for possession. Next, there is a nuke, which is in white’s ownership. Although white has a nuke, and may seemingly be more powerful, black’s troops are a pawn with the movement of a bishop, knight or rook. This way, black will have to put in more of a strategy with an equal opportunity for winning. The nuke can be seized by either team, making the whole experience much more chaotic. I like this chaotic feel to the game, making the typical, relaxing chess mindset irrelevant. With these new play factors incorporated, it also makes me feel smart when I figure out the system. Although I will say, the game seemed easy in resulting in a tie. The game can also feel like it can go on for a while, with black and white fighting for the civilians. The playstyle can seem very back and forth. However, there is a second version of this game, and I’d be willing to see what changes were made.

5 Serious Game Ideas:

  1. Cybersecurity Defense – Players take on the role of a cybersecurity analyst defending a corporation’s network from various types of cyberattacks. They must identify implement countermeasures and respond to security breaches time. The game teaches concepts like encryption, firewalls, threat detection, and incident response, with escalating levels of difficulty.
  2. Restaurant Tycoon – This game revolves around the hardships of working as a chef in a fancy restaurant. You are constantly pressured by the head chef and are timed to prepare certain foods. One player is the chef, while the other player is the head chef. The head chef times and tracks the amount of points the chef gets, while the chef sees how far they can get before they miss an order. This is a point-based game, which gives you the initiative to beat your previous score.
  3. House Crafter – A person plays as an architect, designing an effective layout to a house. The goal is to design the house in a way that can withstand multiple waves of environmental tragedies, or robberies. You can iterate and learn based off of mistakes, but you must manage funds and resources to maintain the house. The situation grows more challenging, as the house endures more catastrophic events that put dents in the building.
  4. Investigation Nation – The goal of this game is to pick a crime from a specific part of the world, which alters what type of crime scene you will investigate. This is a problem-solving game, where you have to discern what has happened at a crime scene. For example, a crime scene in Italy might have to do with certain factors around the area, that could affect the decision of how the crime happened. There can be clues sprinkled in the crime scene, which can additionally help you make an assumption.
  5. Bees Knees – As a bee, it is your job to maintain the colony and family you are a part of. You must be alert and aware of your surroundings, so you are able to increase the hive. Some bees may die, and it is your job to reduce the amount to which bees are dying, so the honey output can be maximized. As you work with other bees, you must overcome obstacles, tribulation and challenges in being a bee.

Week 4 Questions

  1. What learning games have you played? Can you categorize them by the theory of learning types: behaviorism, constructivism, or social nature? If you played more than one which was the most effective?
    • The only learning game that I can remember was FunBrain. FunBrain was a website (still up and running but not the same) which involved solving math problems, determining shapes and patterns, as well as training your cognitive thinking. There was also a board game, and every few tiles there would be a minigame which trained your knowledge. On the other hand, the website was for kids up to 12th grade, so the difficulty could vary. I’d categorize this game with learning constructivism, based on the inquiry-based learning and problem-solving activities.
  2. Is gamification bullshit, what is Ian Bogost’s argument, and do you agree? Where have you encountered it outside of class and what was your experience?
    • Ian’s proposition is that gamification “is marketing bullshit, invented by consultants as a means to capture the wild, coveted beast that is videogames and to domesticate it for use in the grey, hopeless wasteland of big business.” I’d say that I agree to some extent, but depending on how aggressive the gamification is. For example, if gamification completely sucks the concept of productivity out of a task, turning something serious into a game, I think that it can be unnecessary. On the contrary, I feel that it could motivate people to complete a mundane task, so in some cases gamification could be fun. My only experience outside of class was probably in school, when my teacher made a prize system from earning in-class points. At the time, it was fun, as it encouraged me to engage more and earn little prizes. In this case, I think gamification can be useful.
  3. What is a serious game and why aren’t they chocolate covered broccoli?
    • Serious games are games withstanding a purpose other than pure entertainment. Serious games combine elements of game design, technology, and educational principles to engage their players in insightful experiences. Serious games can deal with societal problems, earthly problems or awareness in a particular matter. Serious games aren’t chocolate covered broccoli, because they can still be entertaining and don’t sugar code what they are. For example, flight simulator can be a serious game, engaging the player in the educational circumstance of flying a plane. However, flight simulator is still fun, as some people want that experience of flight.

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Week 4 – Serious Game Ideas

Climate Change Simulator
Players take on the role of global leaders tasked with managing climate change. They must balance economic growth, environmental protection, and social welfare while dealing with natural disasters and resource scarcity. The game uses real-world data and scenarios to help players understand the complications of climate change.

Mental Health Journey
This game would simulate the challenges and strategies for coping with mental health issues like anxiety, depression, or PTSD. Players navigate various life situations, making choices that impact their well-being. The game educates players about coping mechanisms, therapy, and self-care while emphasizing empathy for those experiencing mental health struggles.

Sustainable City Builder
Players must design and build a city with sustainability in mind. They need to balance the use of renewable energy, green spaces, waste management, and public transportation while facing challenges such as population growth, economic constraints, and climate-related events. The game teaches urban planning and environmental responsibility.

Historical Problem Solver
This game places players in different historical periods (e.g., World War II, the Industrial Revolution, Ancient Greece) and asks them to solve real-world problems or challenges from those times, such as designing a military strategy or dealing with an outbreak of disease. This teaches players about history, critical thinking, and problem-solving in historical contexts.

Crisis Management and Response
Players are put in charge of managing a crisis (e.g., natural disaster, pandemic, or economic collapse) and must make quick decisions to save lives and resources. The game would require strategic thinking, teamwork (multiplayer options), and adaptability, offering an educational perspective on emergency management, public health, and risk analysis.

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Game Review Week 4

Was it fun? Yes, to an extent.

What were the player interactions? Taking each other’s pieces and asking where opponents pieces are on the board.

How long did it take to learn? About 20 minutes without assembly, the instructions were rather long.

Would you play it again? Maybe, but I would have to review the rules again because I am still not totally sure how to play this game.

Analyze the game using the 3 act structure. Act 1: Was assembling the pieces together (cutting and glueing). Act 2: Was setting up your pieces on the board. Act 3: Was rolling the dice, asking your opponent where their pieces are, and capturing their people.

What are the collaborative and or competitive aspects of the game? Stealing each other’s pieces and guessing where they are on the board. The competitive aspect is to steal your opponents pieces before they steal yours.

What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout? I am not really sure if therev is a standout metaphor for this game but it is on the lines of move quick and strategize where you put your pieces.

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Color Word Game Prototype.

Rules: Slap down on the cards when a color or a word matches the previous color or word on the next card. If you slap down and it isn’t a match you get that many cards taken from you. If you see a wild card placed down it is a free slap! If a wild card is placed down at the start of a round then the color in the top right is the color you have to match a word or color to. The person with the most cards wins. 

Correct matches

Ex : Red and Red Match //// Ex : Green and Red Match

Incorrect Matches

Ex : Blue and Green //// Ex : Red and Orange

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Week 4 Questions

What learning games have you played? Can you categorize them by the theory of learning types: behaviorism, constructivism or social nature? If you played more than one which was the most effective? I remember play a lot of learing games in grade school. I am turning to remember them all but here’s some I remember: Space Cadet, Dance-mat typing, conjugamos, Kahoot, and Blooket. I know there were so many more but I just can’t rember them all. Most of these I would say were either constructivism or behaviorism. I found most of these game effective. I always liked to pay Blooket or Kahoot to review for test.

Is gamification bullshit, what is ian bogost’s argument and do you agree? Where have you encountered it outside of class and what was your experience? Yes, I would say that it is bullshit because I feel like the definition of a game can be very lose. I recently went to the casino, and some people would argue that the machines there are “games”. Now to me they aren’t games because I just press a button one time and the machine does the rest. Believe me I know that it is a me problem, just because I like to have control of the game and I am also waiting to be able to interact with the so called “game”. The “games” at the Casino have no sense of interaction betwen the user and the product other than pressing one button.

What is a serious game and why aren’t they chocolate covered broccoli? A serious game is one that teaches or wants to get a learning message across to the audience. They aren’t chocolate covered broccoli because that would be a topic or product that would require learning experience.

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Game Mechanics

Natives and Colonizers

Game Overview Players split into two opposing cultures: Natives (defenders of the land) and Colonizers (conquerors and exploiters of the land). The game board consists of two-sided modular tiles representing different types of land.

To start, the land is all native land, which consists of forests, rivers, mountains, plains, and sacred sites. However, if a colonizer plays a “Deforestation” card, the forest tile they are standing on gets converted to barren land, making the piece easier to capture and industrialise. 

The map can be rearranged each game for variability, making each playthrough unique.

Each side has unique goals:

  • Natives: Protect the land, Expand your tribe, and reclaim your land.
  • Colonizers: Exploit the land, eliminate native resistance, and build cities/factories.

Board Setup

  • Players randomly arrange land tiles to create a unique map.
  • Some tiles are special landmarks (sacred sites) that influence gameplay by being harder for the colonizers to take over (must roll double the tile’s amount in order to complete the action of “deforestation” on a sacred site.
  • Colonizers start at the board’s edge and expand inward, while natives start scattered across the map.

Game Play

  • Players: 2–6 (split into two teams: Natives vs. Colonizers)
  • Map: Hex-based board representing a landscape of forests, rivers, and open land. As well as potential extra barren lands after deforestation which make it easier to claim and take over due to barren land’s number being only 2
    • Grassland (15): Takes a roll of 4 to control
    • Forest (15): Takes a roll of 6 to control
    • Mountain (4): Takes a roll of 10 or higher to control.
      • Mountains cannot be converted into settlements
    • Water (6): Costs one additional move to cross and cannot be controlled or converted
    • Barren land: Created by deforestation of grasslands or forests and takes a roll of 2 to control 
  • In order for either side to claim their land, through either deforestation (colonizers), or maintaining balance (Natives), one must place their action card and roll the same or higher than the amount on the Hex in order to claim that said land. (ex: if a colonizer wishes to convert a grass field, they must roll a 4 or higher when they place their action card) 
  • Objective: Gain control of the map by converting tiles into Settlements, and progressing towards Cities (Colonizers) or reclaiming them as Wilderness (Natives) all the while gaining tribe members until one becomes a Nation.
  • Set-Up: Each player receives 21 landscape tiles randomly selected and take turns building the map. The players will also place their initial settlements during this phase. 
  • Each player rolls 2 D6s on their turn to determine movement across the modular board.
  • Movement rules:
    • Roll a D6 to move freely upon any Hex that is touching.
    • Colonizers: Move efficiently on industrial land. but are -2 movement points in forests, rivers, and cannot cross mountains ever.
    • Natives: Move freely through natural terrain but have -2 movement points on colonized terrain due to stealth restrictions.
    • Crossing water reduces movement by 1

Card Deck System:

A. Event Deck (Global Effects) If any player rolls a 13 in any scenario, draw an event card affecting all players. Examples:

  • “The Great Storm” – Movement is halved this turn.
  • “Disease Breakout” – Natives lose some of their people (which means Natives cannot roll next round).
  • “Spirit Awakening” – Natives gain bonus strength this turn. (plus 4 on their next roll)

B. Native Action Deck Natives draw from a deck with unique abilities reflecting their connection to the land. Examples:

  • “Forest Ambush” – Cancel a colonizer’s move and deal damage.
  • “Spirit of the River” – Move units across water tiles without penalty.

C. Colonizer Action Deck Colonizers draw from a separate deck with industrial, military, and expansion abilities. Examples:

  • “Rapid Expansion” – Place an extra settlement this turn.
  • “Deforestation” – Remove a forest tile.
  • “Militia Reinforcement” – Strengthen military presence on the board.

Game Pieces

Avatars:

  1. Natives
  • Scout
    • Main piece of the natives, roll die to determine movement across board
  • Warrior
    • Can hold owned tiles, granting them plus 2 in order to capture
  • Shaman
    • Can be placed at a religious site or a tribe to add plus 4 to tile
  1. Colonizers
  • Explorer
    • Similar to scout, this piece moves across the board to capture tiles
  • Militia
    • Soldier piece that can hold tiles, granting plus to in order to capture
  • Governor
    • Can be placed at Settlements in order to provide additional support, add plus 4 to the tile. 

Strategy & Balance

  • Players can hold onto cards and play them at strategic moments.
  • Some cards have conditional requirements (e.g., must control a certain number of tiles before using).
  • Deck-building mechanics could be introduced, allowing players to customize their playstyle.

Win Conditions

  • Natives Win If they maintain enough sacred sites, restore destroyed land, and or create 2 Nations.
  • Colonizers Win If they industrialize 14 numbers of tiles, giving them a City
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Q n A

  • Questions
    • what learning games have you played? can you categorize them by the theory of learning types: behaviorism, constructivism, constructivism or social nature? if you played more than one which was the most effective?
    • I’ve played many different learning games, mostly for school in the past. These include:
    • Study Island: Behaviorism game, as it is a game that rewards correct responses and reinforce learning the more it is repeated/also gives the player results.
    • Assassins Creed Discovery Tour: Constructivism – due to the ability to explore the map to learn more about history.
    • Legos: not sure if this is a game to everyone but its a game to me: Constructionism – due to the playability of building things.
    • For Social Learning: I’d have to say Kahoot, as even though I wouldn’t always get to collab, the ability to play with a partner VS the whole class is a potential for some fun collab work.
    • Constructionism is my favorite but that’s also because I’m a sucker for Legos.
    • is gamification bullshit, what is ian bogost’s argument and do you agree? where have you encountered it outside of class and what was your experience?
    • Ian argues that gamification is BS due to the fact that instead of working on making a game interesting or engaging to the player, a lot of times people just attempt to make a game with win and loose mechanics rather than engaging the player and making them feel a certain way. This reminds me of the type of games I’ve had to play for school, such as study island, where the games were more fun than the tests sure, however they were the least bit of engaging.
    • What is a serious game and why aren’t they chocolate covered broccoli?
    • A serious game is a game designed with the soul intention of being worth more than just entertainment to the player. This means that there is typically a deeper message or meaning behind the gameplay itself. Its not chocolate covered broccoli because that’s just veggies covered in desert (AKA learning in disguise that isn’t that great at hiding it)
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Week 4 Questions

Reading Response questions 

  • what learning games have you played? can you categorize them by the theory of learning types: behaviorism, constructivism, constructivism or social nature? if you played more than one which was the most effective? I forget the game name, but in high school, we used this grammar and punctuation website and we had to complete learning modules in it by fixing sentences. They tried to make this more fun by having the sentences tailored to your specific interests and you could pick musical artists, movies, and cartoon characters that would be featured in your sentences. Another one that I remember playing was the games based on the Super Why show on PBS. I remember having to spell out certain words to do things in the game, but not much more than that. I think that these games were mostly behaviorism because it was very much rinse and repeat and not necessarily fully integrated into making the experience as a whole good. While I can’t think of many more examples, I don’t think that behaviorism would be the most effective, and I think that constructivism or social nature could be much more effective.  
  • is gamification bullshit, what is ian bogost’s argument and do you agree? where have you encountered it outside of class and what was your experience? Bogost says, “More specifically, gamification is marketing bullshit, invented by consultants as a means to capture the wild, coveted beast that is videogames and to domesticate it for use in the grey, hopeless wasteland of big business, where bullshit already reigns anyway.” Essential Bogost says that gamification is something that companies do to try to sell more product, expand their audience and they just do it as a way to expand themselves. This can be done in a very sloppy manner. I think that I would tend to agree with Bogost. One example of where I have encountered this are the playable ads that I see Progressive using quite often. To me, they don’t really seem very effective and are just poor quality ads that don’t make me want to get Progressive anymore. It also just feels exploitative because it seems directed towards younger children, and I don’t know why they would do that except to increase brand awareness UNTIL they grow up and can purchase insurance. 
  • What is a serious game and why aren’t they chocolate covered broccoli? According to the article, “Serious Gaming is used to teach and train K-12 students or as professional development”. You want to avoid chocolate covered broccoli “serious games” that are just education with a sweet coating trying to make it a little more fun as an afterthought. It’s not really effective of convincing people that the topic as a whole should be enjoyable and engaging and its not as fun unless the game fully integrates mechanics with problem solving, for instance. 

Games from the games for change site for podcast

  • I particularly looked at the free games on the site because they would be most accessible to myself and a larger audience. Here are some that stood out to me:
    • A Blind Legend – a game designed for the visually impaired 
    • Datak – A Serious Game About Personal Data
    • Gamer Girl
    • Harmony Square
    • Heirloom
    • Quandary 
    • Sky: Children of the Lights
    • Syndesi
    • Tendar
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Reviews and Thoughts on Games in Class – Week 4

Observance Game Review 

  • Was it fun? Yes, this game was fun. The gameplay is a lot like Battleship and I quite enjoy that game normally. 
  • What were the player interactions? For me, I played as the US border patrol side and I got to do different search patterns to try to find the people that were trying to cross the border. I would call out the space that I was out and what search formation. If I found someone, they were captured and taken out of the game. I also got to hide the churches and green card like you would with the ships in Battleship, and kept it a secret from the other player. The other player from the Mexico side would ask me for coordinates to search for the churches and the green cards. When they found them, it allowed them to have a safe space to rest and be able to safely cross the border.  
  • How long did it take to learn? This game didn’t take very long to learn at all, thanks to it being very similar to Battleship. 
  • Would you play it again? Yes, I would play this game again. I liked the games message and gameplay and I would like to see who would do better if the roles were reversed. 
  • Analyze the game using the 3 act structure. In the first act, the US border patrol side places the churches and the green card without letting the Mexico player know. Players take turns moving their characters in and out of and around the board, each searching for different things. The second act would have been after the first few turns and when there were significantly more characters out on the board. The US border patrol player started to place a few walls that blocked both players’ path, and each player started to find a few of what they were looking for. The third act of the game was when there was only 1-2 characters from Mexico remaining. That meant that they would either safely cross the border or be captured from the US side. When all the characters were captured or safely crossed the border, the game ended. 
  • What are the collaborative and or competitive aspects of the game? This game was definitely competitive, as players played as the US border patrol vs citizens from Mexico looking to get a better life. The players directly opposed each other, with the US side trying to remove the Mexican characters from the game, and the Mexican side just trying to safely survive. 
  • What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout? The game’s metaphor is about illegal immigration between Mexico and the United States. I liked that each of the characters had their own backstory about what led them to be in that position for either side, as it really humanized the situation and gameplay. The standout mechanic for me was being able to pick different search formations, and I somehow always seemed to pick the wrong one, where I would have caught them had I picked the other one. 

Thoughts on Ames’ chess game 

While I didn’t get to play and I don’t really know much about normal chess, I really like that message of this game of chess. I found the mechanic of the bomb to be super interesting and would love to see how the game plays out if someone decided to use it. I also thought that it was super clever and interesting to include the little citizen pegs in the sandy parts of the chess board. I think that helps people think about the citizens that are often caught up in the middle of war, as opposed to just having the chess game stacked in the favor of one side. 

Thoughts on Train

I think that this is a super effective and clever way to communicate the message of the Holocaust in a game format. I find it interesting that this game is something that would really only work in a gallery setting. I also like how the designer made it so that players were compliant in making bad decisions, but they didn’t know until the very end of walking through the exhibition. I would really like to experience this in person, but I don’t really want to personally play the game myself, but I would love to watch others’ reactions to this experience. 

Thoughts on Síochán Leat (aka The Irish Game)

I really love how this designer decided to make a game to teach their kid about their background. It makes me think about how cultural education could be taught even more so through games. I also think that the design of the game board looks super interesting with some of the pieces almost appearing to float above the ground. 

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Week 4 – 5 Serious Game Ideas

  • Drag Queen Dress Up – In this game, you play as drag queens getting ready for shows and events. You get to pick hair, makeup, and outfits, but you also have to attend events like visiting a children’s hospital, doing a book reading, brunch, etc. This game is to reduce the stigma that drag queens have, with the media believing that all drag queens are sexualized (some definitely are, but not all), etc. 
  • Realistic Driving Sim – A driving simulation where there are lot of random road things that come up that will potentially damage your car—potholes, random objects, etc. The lower the car that you drive in the game, the harder it is to drive without getting some serious damage. 
  • Summer Camp – a game where you play as a teen day camp counselor that needs to navigate the tricky world of caring for and watching children with 0 prior experience. You don’t have training for children with intellectual and physical disabilities, which makes caring for those children even harder, all while managing 20 other children. Your goal is to make sure that all children have a happy and good time. The game would expose some of the children’s “backstories” throughout the game, like what their athome life is like, and you may need to make the decision to report some not great things you hear. This game is based on my experience with being a day camp counselor and seeing that some of the children that I worked with really needed that experience and that that was what they had to look forward to during the day. I learned about some of the backgrounds of abuse that they had and it absolutely broke my heart. However, it was a difficult experience because I wanted to try to make sure that all the children had a great time, but I was unprepared for a lot of the situations that arose, since I was just a teenager myself. (Sara also helped inspire this game with her prototype about not knowing what others are going through!!)
  • Safe Food Practices – a tabletop game where you interact with actual food pieces (very interactive like the children’s play food sets or interactive children’s books) to complete certain cooking tasks to make a dish. Another player plays as the inspector as you complete these tasks and they won’t tell you what they are looking for, but they will let you know when you failed to complete the task in an unsafe manner. In this way, players must be extra careful with how they handle the food, as anything they do wrong could get their restaurant shut down. While this sounds like a silly game, I think this game could be important if I incorporate actual safe and unsafe food practices into the game and provide a little bit of background information on it. 
  • It Could Be Anyone of Us – A game (very vague at this point) about not to trust everyone that you meet. You must make decisions to go along with different strangers, however you don’t know their actual backgrounds. Someone could be a serial killer, or just a flat out mean dude. Based on who you decide to trust, your actions will have consequences. I see this as a card game, but other than that, I’m not sold on any mechanics.