Week 3

Mary Flanagan’s Perspective: Flanagan argues that games go beyond entertainment, serving as platforms for critical engagement where players exercise agency and find meaning through interactions with rules, environments, and narratives. Her perspective highlights the social, political, and cultural dimensions of games, emphasizing their ability to reflect and influence real-world issues. Chris Crawford’s Perspective: Crawford, a game designer, defines games more rigidly as interactive experiences where players make decisions in response to challenges. He emphasizes the interactive nature of games, viewing them as simulations in which player choices directly impact the outcome. Katie Salen & Eric Zimmerman’s Perspective: Salen and Zimmerman define games as structured systems governed by rules that establish goals and outcomes. Their focus is on the structured nature of gameplay, emphasizing the balance of skill and chance in achieving objectives. They see games as frameworks that guide player experiences. Key Differences: The primary distinction among these definitions lies in their focus: Flanagan considers the broader cultural and critical impact of games, Crawford emphasizes interactivity and decision-making, while Salen and Zimmerman concentrate on game structure and mechanics. An activist game is designed to inspire social, political, or cultural change. These games encourage players to critically engage with real-world issues, such as inequality, human rights, and environmental concerns, prompting reflection or action. Activist games often challenge traditional narratives and power structures, using gameplay as a medium for social commentary. Games like checkers and Chess fall under the category of perfect information games, where all players have access to the same knowledge about the game’s state at all times. Other examples include: Checkers: A deterministic game where all moves and positions are visible to both players. Tic-Tac-Toe: A simple example where both players can see the entire board and every move made. Chess: Both players can see where the pieces are and what they do. Chance-based or gambling games have historically been linked to spiritual or religious beliefs. Many ancient cultures viewed these games as a means of interpreting fate, divine will, or omens. The element of randomness in such games was often thought to reflect the influence of gods or spirits, making them tools for decision-making or religious rituals. The tension between games and governing or religious institutions dates back centuries. In Ancient Rome and medieval Europe, certain games were banned due to their associations with gambling or because they were seen as distractions from religious and civic duties. More recently, games like Dungeons & Dragons (which faced backlash in the 1980s) and violent video games such as Grand Theft Auto have been criticized for their perceived moral or social impact. A fox game is a game where players have partial but not complete knowledge of the game state, leading to uncertainty and requiring strategic thinking. Modern examples include: The Mansion of Happiness was an early American board game designed to teach moral and spiritual lessons. Players progressed by making choices aligned with Christian virtues like honesty, kindness, and piety. The game served as a tool for moral instruction, particularly for children. Artists from the Fluxus and Surrealist movements often used games as a way to challenge conventional artistic and societal norms. Surrealists, in particular, believed that games involving chance and randomness could unlock deeper levels of creativity, freeing players from rational constraints. Games provided a space for experimentation with absurdity, symbolism, and the subconscious. Games have been reskinned and repurposed throughout history to reflect different cultural or historical contexts. During World War II, pinball machines were modified to include patriotic or war-related themes. Similarly, Fluxus artists reimagined games like Monopoly and Ping Pong as critical or experimental experiences, subverting traditional values through altered gameplay and aesthetics. By modifying classic games like Monopoly and Ping Pong, Fluxus artists made statements about art, play, and society. Their approach disrupted traditional interpretations of these games, transforming them into tools for creative expression, social critique, and commentary on capitalist values. Artists such as Lilian Ball, Marcel Duchamp, Takako Saito, Yoko Ono, Gabriel Orozco, and Ruth Catlow have used war-themed games to explore themes of conflict, violence, and power dynamics. Through game-based artwork, these artists critique militarism, the human cost of war, and the commercialization of violence, challenging traditional portrayals of warfare in culture. In critical or serious games, player agency—the ability to make meaningful choices that influence the game’s outcome—is essential. A strong sense of agency enables players to engage deeply with the game’s themes, narratives, and mechanics, making the experience more impactful. Without agency, players may feel disconnected from the game’s message, reducing its ability to provoke thought or inspire change.

Guest Speaker Notes

Empathy Game on Fleeing The country and being different than everyone else 

studies said that it did change peoples empathy “a little bit”. 

Got a positive result but it didnt matter because it wasnt big enough. 

“Who is gonna sit down and decide to play a game that will encourage change”

people are not looking for games that encourage change as much. 

Take the lolipop. When you take it it starts the game. your on a zoom call. Tells the story of a facebook stocker. The dangers of sharing your information online. 

You also control the information that the players get at a certain moment in time and throughout the game.

Week 2 Questions.

I have only played or remember playing one Advergame. It was the minion rush game promoting dispicable me 2 or 3. it was a fun game it was pretty much subway surfer but reskinned. It did not however make me wanna watch the movie. The app is no longer on my phone and i forgot about the movie. so this game did not work on me but I can see it working for the younger kids at the time. Tooth Protector worked so well because they made it to where eating snacks was not a bad thing, it was human nature. Too much snacking however can lead to tooth decay. Escape worked to well because it makes the player aware of the quotidian tribulations that would cause such a need in the first place, and then uses search-engine optimization to get the game into the hands of people likely to be suffering from those tribulations. The game not only musters a procedural rhetoric of burdensome coercion, but it actually turns that rhetoric inside out, encasing the game inside the very experience chat reveals it. Chace the Chuck wagon and Shark bait failed due to a combination of poor marketing, lack of appeal, and technical or gameplay shortcomings. Volvo’s Drive for Life initiative was a safety awareness campaign aimed at educating drivers about road safety and reducing traffic-related fatalities. It aligned with Volvo’s long-standing reputation for prioritizing vehicle safety. Some brands that used in-advergame advertising were Coca-Cola – Featured their products and branding in games like The Sims and FarmVille. McDonalds – Included branding in various mobile and online games, often as part of promotional campaigns targeting younger audiences. Pepsi – Released their own game, Pepsi Invaders, and included in-game ads in racing and sports games. Nike – Integrated ads into sports games like the FIFA and NBA 2K series, featuring virtual gear and branding. Burger King – Created the Sneak King game for Xbox as part of a promotional campaign, incorporating the brand directly into gameplay. Red Bull – Frequently features in extreme sports games and racing games, aligning with their brands energetic image. General Motors – Showcased their vehicles in racing games like Gran Turismo and Forza. One of the first home-console advergames was Pepsi Invaders (1983), which was created for the Atari 2600. It was developed by Coca-Cola as a promotional game to target its competitor, Pepsi. The game was essentially a modified version of Space Invaders, where players shot down the letters spelling PEPSI instead of traditional alien enemies. It was never sold commercially but was distributed in limited quantities to Coca-Cola employees, making it one of the earliest examples of a home-console advergame. The Toilet Training game, developed as an educational tool, is considered sophisticated due to its use of behavioral psychology principles, interactive learning, and gamification to reinforce toilet training in young children. Do I agree? Yes, to an extent. If the game effectively applies these psychological and educational principles, it can be a helpful tool for parents. However, its sophistication depends on the execution. some toilet training games may be too simplistic or gimmicky to truly make a difference. Traditional methods combined with digital tools may offer the best results. Advergames and anti-advergames both use interactive engagement, persuasive messaging, and gamification to shape player perceptions and behaviors. They create emotional connections through immersive experiences, whether by reinforcing positive brand associations or using satire to critique corporate practices. Both rely on persuasion theory, narrative framing, and user experience design to ensure their messages are compelling and memorable. Cultural awareness is key, as anti-advergames often challenge the same consumerist behaviors that advergames promote. While advergames aim to enhance brand perception and drive sales, anti-advergames seek to expose corporate manipulation, yet both showcase the power of interactive media in influencing public opinion.



5 Game Ideas To Change Peoples Minds.

  1. Recycle City – This game will include a main character whos goal is to recycle as much as possible because it helps them finantially in the game. it is almost a source of curancy. I chose this michanic because i want the people who play this game to realize that recycling can help not only the earth but your pockets too.
  2. Ballet Barrage – In this game my goal is to get people to vote. To do this i will highlight the concequences of not voting ( obviously over exaggerate them ) and show them the power one vote can have on an outcome.
  3. Soul Food – This game will persuade people to eat better by giving them speed boosts when they chose a vegitable over a brownie while moving through the map. (subway surfers type of game)
  4. Electric Bill – In this game the main character “Bill” has to keep his houses energy bill down or he loses. you have to run around the house turing lights off that your antagonist son keeps leaving on. it gets harder and faster as time goes on.
  5. Smart Spending – In this game you will simulate someone going through life making smart finantial decistions and good choices lead to long term wealth and bad decitions lead to bankruptcy.

Endless Game/ With wrinkle

My idea is going to stem off my unboxing game where you unbox things satisfyingly and get cooler tools and cooler boxes to unbox. my wrinkle is going to be adding the amazon logo to everybox to get people to purchase things from amazon. Maybe if you unbox so many boxes in game then you get a free purchase from amazon under $20.

Week 1 Questions

  • Questions
    • What are the issues Ian Bogost raises about social games with Cow Clicker?

His issues were Inframing, Compulsion, Optionalism, and Destroyed time.

  • How do social games like FarmVille enframe friends?

They make it so that friends arent really your friends they are just resourses for you to help yourself and the game developer.

  • How do social games destroy time outside of the game?

In the article Bogot says “Social games so covet our time that they abuse us while we are away from them, through obligation, worry, and dread over missed opportunities.”

Thoughts on the games we played in class.

My favorite game by far was Townscrpaer. I love it when a game is really simple, yet you can build or do insanely complex things within it. I was dissapointed when I saw it was 4.99 in the app store 🙁

The first game Getting Over It was cool. there was a similar game that blew up last year that was a similar concept of trying to get to the top without falling. I was not a fan of Getting Over It but i do like the one that blew up this year because I am better at that running mechanic.

5 Games Ideas with no ending.

Game 1: Collect cans on the street and go from homeless to rich and try and see how rich you can get. 

Game 2: Amazing Amazon. Fill boxes and complete orders to get cooler boxes and more complex orders. 

Game 3: Unboxing game where you unbox packages and get new tools to unbox it. 

Game 4: you are given a prompt with materials and you have to go out and find those recourses to build that certain thing

Game 5: Pop it. If you do it before the timer runs out then  you get a cooler pop it

Strike Force Presentation

Strike Force: Shooter card game

Strike Force is a turn-based, team card game where players strategize to attack or defend, using a variety of weapons, specials, and items to eliminate the opposing team. Each team has a total of 100 health points, and the goal is to reduce the other team’s health to zero first.

Setup

1.Teams: Divide players into two teams. Each team shares a health pool of 100 HP.

2.Decks: Shuffle the deck of weapon, special, and utility cards and place it in the center.

3.Starting Hand: Each player draws 2 cards.

4.Turn Structure: Each turn has a Buy Phase and an Action Phase.

Phases of Play

1. Buy Phase

  • At the start of each round, players can use the Buy Phase to draw or discard up to 2 card for each player on the team to improve their hand. This allows players to strategize based on their role (offense or defense).

2. Action Phase

  • Teams decide to attack or defend based on the cards in hand.
  • Attack: Players choose weapons and special cards to deal damage to the opposing team.
  • Defense: Players use defensive cards to protect their team’s health pool.

Weapons

  1. Assault Rifles (ARs):
  • Ammo: 10 shots
  • Damage: 1 damage per shot
  • Special Rule: Discard after use 

2. Submachine Guns (SMGs):

  • Ammo: 10 shots
  • Damage: 1 damage per shot
  • Special Rule: Discard after use 

3. Shotguns:

  • Ammo: 1 shot
  • Damage: 10 damage
  • Special Rule: Discard after use 

Specials

  1. Grenades: 1 throw 
  • Damage: 10 each player total of 20 (splash damage) 
  • Special Rule: Single-use, discard after use.

2. Rocket Launcher:

  • Damage: 15
  • Special Rule: Single-use 

3. Riot Shield:

  • Defense: Blocks 5, 10, or 15 damage based on the specific shield card. (note, if you use the 15 strength shield for a 5 or 10 damage attack you dont get to keep it and save the remaining heath on it. you must discard it.) 

4. Smoke Grenades:

  • Special Effects: saves both teammates. 
  • Defense: Avoid all damage for one round.
  • Special Rule: Single-use, discard after use.

Gameplay Example

  1. Turn Start: Each player draws 1 card.
  2. Buy Phase: Players can choose to exchange their card to help their team. (1 card change per player.) 
  3. Action Phase:
  • Team A decides to attack with one player using an Assault Rifle (10 shots for 10 damage each) and one using a grenade (20 damage).
  • Team B decides to defend, with one player using a Riot Shield that blocks 20 damage and another using a Shotgun to deal +10 damage 
  1. Damage Resolution:
  • Team A deals a total of 30 damage (10 + 20), but Team B’s Riot Shield blocks 20, so they only take 10 damage.
  • Team B’s shotgun deals 10 damage, so at the end of the round both teams lose 10 health.
  1. End of Round: The round ends, and the next turn begins with each team adjusting their strategy based on remaining cards.

Winning the Game

  • The game continues until one team’s health reaches 0 HP. The remaining team is declared the winner.

Playtest #1 

My first playtest encountered several challenges that highlighted areas for improvement in the game design and rule set. From the start, players had numerous questions because the rules lacked sufficient clarity . This not only slowed the pace of play but also disrupted the overall experience.

One key issue was the lack of detailed instructions regarding how the ammunition system worked, which created confusion and impacted gameplay mechanics. Additionally, a significant misprint on the shotgun card caused further imbalance. The card stated that the shotgun had 10 shots, each dealing 10 damage. This gave it the potential to deal 100 damage in total, which far exceeded the damage output of any other weapon in the game. This oversight inadvertently created an unfair advantage and disrupted the intended balance of the game.

The feedback from the playtest was crucial  for identifying areas to improve and ensuring a smoother, more engaging experience in future iterations.

Playtest #2 

The second playtest showed significant improvement in the mechanics, as the initial issues were resolved. With those addressed, new feedback emerged regarding the frequency of certain cards appearing during gameplay.

Initially, I included four shield cards, each offering protection against 5, 10, 15, or 20 damage, and gave them equal representation in the deck. During play, however, it became apparent that the abundance of shields made it difficult for players to deal meaningful damage, which disrupted the game’s balance and pacing. So I removed the 5 protection shield completely. and reduced the amount of shield cards that occured. 

Another area of concern was the smoke grenade card, which caused confusion among players. Initially, the card dealt damage when thrown, leading players to interpret it as an offensive item. However, my original intent was for it to be used defensively, allowing players to avoid incoming damage for a single round. To address this, I removed the damage aspect entirely, and during subsequent use, the card functioned as intended, enhancing strategic play.

These adjustments have clarified gameplay mechanics and improved the balance of the card distribution. The playtest provided valuable insights, and these changes have brought the game closer to its intended design. Future iterations will focus on refining the deck composition further to ensure an optimal balance between offense and defense.

Playtest #3

The third playtest marked a significant milestone in the development process, offering a vastly different experience compared to the first two sessions. With the rule set clarified and all prior mechanical issues resolved, gameplay proceeded seamlessly, and no complaints or concerns were raised by the players.

The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with players fully engaged and enthusiastic about the game. Many offered creative and constructive suggestions for expanding its mechanics, including ideas for introducing new weapons and incorporating features that allow players to influence or control each other’s actions. These suggestions reflect the players’ deep interest and investment in the game.

This successful playtest confirmed that the core mechanics and overall balance are now well-established. It also provided an exciting opportunity to consider future expansions and enhancements. Moving forward, I plan to evaluate these suggestions and explore ways to further develop the game while maintaining its accessibility and appeal.

Whats Next:  

Next, I plan to enhance the depth and strategic complexity of the game by introducing special abilities for players. These abilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Sabotage: Temporarily disable an opponent’s weapon for one round.

• Stealth: Prevent the player from being targeted or attacked for one round.

• Overwatch: Automatically launch a counterattack when the player is attacked.

These abilities will add a new layer of strategy by encouraging players to time their usage carefully. To maintain balance, each special ability will have a cooldown period, becoming available for use once every five rounds. This recharge mechanic ensures thoughtful gameplay and prevents overuse of these powerful abilities.

Bradys Bingo Rule Set

in bradys bingo the oldest of the group starts off my choosing an event on thier board and reading it out to the group. if someone in that group says they have done that then whoever asked the question puts a chip on thier board covering that event. once you cover 5 events in a row says BINGO! and they win. if no one has done it then you dont put any chips on the board.

Strike Force Rule Set

Strike Force is a turn-based, team card game where players strategize to attack or defend, using a variety of weapons, specials, and items to eliminate the opposing team. Each team has a total of 100 health points, and the goal is to reduce the other team’s health to zero first.

Setup

1.Teams: Divide players into two teams. Each team shares a health pool of 100 HP.

2.Decks: Shuffle the deck of weapon, special, and utility cards and place it in the center.

3.Starting Hand: Each player draws 2 cards.

4.Turn Structure: Each turn has a Buy Phase and an Action Phase.

Phases of Play

1. Buy Phase

  • At the start of each round, players can use the Buy Phase to draw or discard up to 2 card for each player on the team to improve their hand. This allows players to strategize based on their role (offense or defense).

2. Action Phase

  • Teams decide to attack or defend based on the cards in hand.
  • Attack: Players choose weapons and special cards to deal damage to the opposing team.
  • Defense: Players use defensive cards to protect their team’s health pool.

Weapons

  1. Assault Rifles (ARs):
  • Ammo: 10 shots
  • Damage: 1 damage per shot
  • Special Rule: Discard after use 

2. Submachine Guns (SMGs):

  • Ammo: 10 shots
  • Damage: 1 damage per shot
  • Special Rule: Discard after use 

3. Shotguns:

  • Ammo: 1 shot
  • Damage: 10 damage
  • Special Rule: Discard after use 

Specials

  1. Grenades: 1 throw 
  • Damage: 10 each player total of 20 (splash damage) 
  • Special Rule: Single-use, discard after use.

2. Rocket Launcher:

  • Damage: 15
  • Special Rule: Single-use 

3. Riot Shield:

  • Defense: Blocks 5, 10, or 15 damage based on the specific shield card. (note, if you use the 15 strength shield for a 5 or 10 damage attack you dont get to keep it and save the remaining heath on it. you must discard it.) 

4. Smoke Grenades:

  • Special Effects: saves both teammates. 
  • Defense: Avoid all damage for one round.
  • Special Rule: Single-use, discard after use.

Gameplay Example

  1. Turn Start: Each player draws 1 card.
  2. Buy Phase: Players can choose to exchange their card to help their team. (1 card change per player.) 
  3. Action Phase:
  • Team A decides to attack with one player using an Assault Rifle (10 shots for 10 damage each) and one using a grenade (20 damage).
  • Team B decides to defend, with one player using a Riot Shield that blocks 20 damage and another using a Shotgun to deal +10 damage 
  1. Damage Resolution:
  • Team A deals a total of 30 damage (10 + 20), but Team B’s Riot Shield blocks 20, so they only take 10 damage.
  • Team B’s shotgun deals 10 damage, so at the end of the round both teams lose 10 health.
  1. End of Round: The round ends, and the next turn begins with each team adjusting their strategy based on remaining cards.

Winning the Game

  • The game continues until one team’s health reaches 0 HP. The remaining team is declared the winner.

Week 2

Question Set 1

  1. What Mechanics would you like to use for a game with a theme that revolves around being the size of a nanometer? I would play around with the scaling of things and make the player have to change sizes to fit through different objects. 
  2. Who are you making games for?  I am making games for my little brother and my roommate. 
  3. Who will be your playtesters outside of class? My older brother my roommate and my teammates. 

Question Set 2

  1. Can you think of a game you were able to play without referring to the rules?  Rock paper scissors, connect 4, black jack, 31 (scat), LCR, euchre
  2. How do you define what a game is?  I would say its up to the creator. You can make a game out of pretty much anything. As long as there are set rules and and end goal with a winner. There doesn’t always have to be a loser. 
  3. What features can make your games more intuitive?  Keeping the rules simple and a clear explanation of the rules. 

Question Set 3

  1. What was your gateway game? What do you play to introduce others to gaming?  I think a good gateway game is mario kart or something on the wii. 
  1. What features do gateway games share?   I feel like gateway games have to have a somewhat easier difficulty level so that they can win and get hooked on that winning feeling. They also should have lots of pretty colors and look pleasing to the eye. 
  2. What are the 10 beautiful mechanics and what should you aim for with your own?  You should aim to make the game easier fir the player to do little things in the game. Such as when you killed someone in Fortnite early in the games life. You has to pick up all the individual things that they had. Later on in the games life when you killed someone they made it so that if you just walk over them you collect their stuff. This speeds up the game a lot more. 
  3. How does luck and strategy factor in to game play?  Luck and strategy are very different yet go hand in hand. One could get lucky because they used good strategy or one could get lucky with bad strategy. 

Game Ideas thats can be played using cards

game 1: Players use cards representing the four classical elements—Fire, Water, Earth, and Air—to battle against each other. Each element has strengths and weaknesses, and players must strategically play their cards to defeat their opponent’s cards. The goal is to win the most rounds by having the stronger element in play.

Card Types :

Fire: Beats Earth and Air, but loses to Water. 

Water: Beats Fire and Earth, but loses to Air.

Earth: Beats Air and Water, but loses to Fire.

Air: Beats Fire and Water, but loses to Earth.

Game 2: this game is for two people. One player picks up a card from the standard 52 card deck. The next player has to guess higher or lower with ace being the lowest and king being the highest. 

Game 3 : This is played with a standard 52 card deck. You deal the cards out to all players in a clockwise direction till there are no cards left. Each player picks a card and puts it in the center face down if someone spots a match to their card they shout “Match” and that player picks up all the cards in the middle. The winner has the most cards. If two players say match at the same time then it is a tie and the next round is double or nothing. 

Game 4:  Be the first player to make a hand totaling exactly 10 points. Use a standard 52-card deck. Remove the face cards (Jacks, Queens, Kings) from the deck. Aces are worth 1 point. Shuffle the remaining cards and deal 3 cards to each player. The rest of the deck goes face down as the draw pile.

Rules

 Each player looks at their hand and tries to make a total of **exactly 10 points** using any combination of their 3 cards. On each turn, a player may: Keep their hand and pass their turn. Draw a new card from the deck and discard one from their hand to keep a total of 3 cards. The game continues with players drawing, discarding, and trying to make exactly 10 points. The first player to reach exactly 10 points says “Ten!” and wins the game.

Game 5 Use a standard 52-card deck. Shuffle the deck and deal 5 cards to each player. Place the remaining deck face down in the center as a draw pile. Players take turns drawing a card from the draw pile and discarding one card from their hand. The goal is to collect 5 cards of the same suit (hearts, diamonds, clubs, or spades). Players must always keep 5 cards in their hand after every draw and discard. The game continues with players drawing and discarding until one player has 5 cards of the same suit. The first player to collect 5 cards of the same suit wins the game!

Catagories play test

the most frustrating pasrt about the game was trying not to repeat what someone had previously said. my favorite aspect was the fun catagories. some of them i didnt know a lot of but there were ones where i could have gone on for days. If i could change one thing it would be the point system because if you knew a lot of things in that catagory you would not always be rewarded. the game was fun