Category: Game Design Studio 2

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  • what advergames have you played? did they influence a purchase?

I’ve never personally played any advergames, and I’ve also never been influenced to purchase anything from them.

  • why do the advergames tooth protector and escape work? What makes chase the chuckwagon and shark bait fail?

In Tooth Protector, the game’s underlying theme is to show the player to consider the reality of eating sugary snacks, it’s rationalistic. In Chase, the game is trying to convince players to buy the product and it isn’t considering that players may need a better reason to just buy it (or convince their parents to buy it)

  • what does volvo’s drive for life accomplish? 
    I really enjoy how the essay states this, “in Volvo Drive for Life the goal is to traverse the mundane reality of automobile transit.” It’s completely up to the player on how to drive the vehicle, but it shows the reality of the safety features of Volvos cars
  • what company used in-advergame advertising 

Dodge used this advertising, in their Dodge Stow n Go Challenge, they advertised Bed Bath and Beyond’s store to buy.

  • what was one if the first home-console advergames and what beverage was it for? 
    One of the first home-console advergames was Kool-Aid Man, “a video game for the Atari 2600 and Mattel Intellivision home console systems”
  • what makes the toilet training game sophisticated and do you agree?

Because not only were the mechanics of the game great to play, it let the player experience the demonstrative advertising, with procedural representation of their products. I do agree!

  • what do advergames and anti-advergames have in common, and what principles do they share?

They show that products and services have a function whether it’s good or bad, “the reasoned and conscious interrogation of individual wants and needs, rather than manipulated subservience to corporate ones”

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5 Game Ideas That Explore Change in Players

  1. A game that explores domestic violence in relationships, and how different types of abuse form and using resources to help put an end to the abuse
  2. A game that divulges into littering, with different types of boards like the beach, a forest, the city, and you as a player need to be proactive to help clean up your board before the planet (your board) dies.
  3. A trivia game about real facts that aren’t taught in schools, that everyone should know. Facts about LGBTQIA+, BLM, Climate Change, Human Body, etc.
  4. A game that speaks on empathy, and compassion, makes you have a deep loving connection with something, to having it taken away from you. Makes you react a particular way, with no personal choice, ex. You go about your daily life and mourn in private, or You have time to mourn, but you can’t do it in certain situations because people will tell you you’re over exaggerating.
  5. Final game that speaks on mental health, and stereotypes surrounding certain mental illnesses. Like a Guess Who? game
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week 1 questions

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

Ian lists his most important concerns such as, Enframing, Compulsion, Optionalisim, and Destroyed time.

I actually agree with him, especially in the Compulsive area.

  • How do social games like FarmVille enframe friends?

Social Games like FarmVille enframe friends by not making them friends, but as Ian says makes them valuable sources for materials, it’s not that you’re working together with them, you’re just using them.

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

Social games can cause a compulsion, which can almost cause an addiction, and that wastes (or destroys) time out of your day, because you and your friends start to rely and expect each other to play (enframing)

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Week 2 – Persuade

5 Game ideas that explore change

  1. Trashy-Trudger – You are a turtle in the ocean, except there is an abundance of trash floating around in the ocean. The turtle is a marble, which has to be rolled to the other side in order to get to the other turtles. Every time you successfully roll to the other side, more trash is added to the board. You roll a dice to see how much trash is added to the board, which could potentially block your path.
  2. Donkeys Vs. Elephants – This game revolves around the tense political environment between two parties. One person is a donkey, and the other is an elephant. There are three tabs to knock over, with a slingshot for each person. The goal is to knock over the three tabs of the opposite party, and the first person to get all three tabs wins. However, there is a large crowd of people in between of the parties, which can alter the path of slingshotting. On the beginning of someone’s turn, they can roll a dice to move the crowd however many times the dice rolls. (Politics control the public.)
  3. Phone fiend frenzy – The goal of this game is simple – which is to make it to the other end of the city. You must use your phone to navigate the city, but you mustn’t use your phone too much, as looking at your phone while walking could make you run into something. Certain distractions might pop up on your phone as you walk, so you have to use it wisely.
  4. Paper Pleasing – The objective is to make a successful business in selling paper. However, you have to find unique ways to make the paper without using too many trees. The trees are limited, so you have to manage the amount of which you cut them down to make enough money. You use the managed money to make other types of paper.
  5. Internet Warrior – This is a trivia game. A group of players are asked fairly tricky problems, whether it is a riddle or a word problem. The individual player is allowed to search up the answers on the internet, at the cost of points for dishonesty. The ratio of not being able to find the answer on google can outweigh the point opportunity, risking points. If the player can avoid suspicion cheating, they can keep their points.

Thoughts on The McDonald’s Game

This game is very hard in my opinion. There is a lot of managing that you have to do in so many different positions at McDonald’s. You have to take care of the cows, manage money and serve customers (on top of other considerations). I can see how McDonald’s is trying to prove the point that there is a lot that goes into managing the corporation. As a game, there is too much for me to worry about. It is also easy to lose money, and hard to get the money back up. I feel that this is a game that definitely has to be practiced. One other thing I’ll note is that the game is a bit sad. You are instructed to SHOOT the cows when they get sick. Instead of caring for the cows, they are disregarded. I guess the game is being brutally honest, which is respectable. I understand that the game isn’t 100% realistic, but at the same time I can see how it could be sugarcoating a potential harsh reality.

Week 2 Questions

  1. What advergames have you played? Did they influence a purchase?
    • Come to think of it, I haven’t really played any advergames. I think I’ve noticed a few advergames over the years, but they never really entice me. I can’t help but view them as a marketing tactic rather than a playing experience, so I never usually engage. The only advergame I played recently was The McDonald’s game, which was very difficult. I didn’t really feel tempted to purchase any McDonald’s after playing, but the game isn’t going to stop me from eating at McDonald’s. I think advergames are clever in pertaining to the gaming community, however.
  2. Why do the advergames tooth protector and escape work? What makes chase the chuckwagon and shark bait fail?
    • Advergames such as Tooth Protector and Escape effectively integrate their branding into gameplay, while making the playing experience more seamless and meaningful. The gameplay itself is considered addicting, with interesting concepts and simple features. On the contrary, games such as chuckwagon and shark bait do the opposite. The connection between gameplay and branding is superficial or unclear. These games don’t integrate the product’s core value into the gameplay, making players less likely to feel a deeper connection with the brand. The game mechanics are even considered generic.
  3. What does Volvo’s drive for life accomplish?
    • Volvo’s Drive for Life campaign blends brand values with an engaging experience. It seeks to connect players with emotional and personal aspects, aligning with the brand’s concept of protecting life. On the values of safety, the campaign uses persuasive gameplay and storytelling to convey these ideas in a way that’s memorable. This way, these games aren’t just an advertising platform but a commitment to safety and responsibility.
  4. What company used in-advergame advertising
    • Chevrolet
  5. What was one of the first home-console advergames and what beverage was it for? 
    • Kool-Aid Man, which was on the Atari 2600 in 1983. As you could guess, the beverage was for Kool-Aid.
  6. What makes the toilet training game sophisticated, and do you agree?
    • One of the main mechanics, which was the urination mechanic was considered remarkable. It implements a strange attractor that draws and repels the player’s cursor target in an increasingly haphazard fashion. The lack of control the player has over the urination stream is also unique, as it simulates intoxication. I can’t say I agree with these mechanics being “sophisticated.” It’s hard for me to be impressed, with all of the newer, crazier game mechanics being implemented today. However, the mechanics are essential for making a good game, in which I can see how this game looked fun.
  7. What do advergames and anti-advergames have in common, and what principles do they share?
    • Advergames and anti-advergames use mechanics in order to communicate a message. Whether it is a story or gameplay, both types of games involve the players emotionally and cognitively. Both utilize video games to create a more impactful message than traditional forms of advertising media, showing how games can be used not just to entertain, but to influence and shape consumer perspectives. In short, typical principles of persuasion are used through interaction, immersion, and engagement with the player.
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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.
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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.

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Week 1 Question Set

  1. Ian Bogost shows that social games such as Cow Clicker, are usually boring and overall repetitive. In this game, you click a cow every few hours which just relies on the players addictive tendencies.
  2. Games like Farm Ville use friends as resources, which can make friendships sort of more like a transaction / sale rather than a real connection or bond.
  3. Social games force players to check in once in a while or watch advertisements in order to skip timers. By doing this, you feeled tied up in the game since you are waiting for a timer to run out.

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Week 1 Questions

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

Ian Bogost critiques social games like Cow Clicker for several issues:

Enframing: Social games reduce friends and social interactions to mere resources to be exploited for in-game progress, rather than fostering genuine connections.

Compulsion: These games create addictive, repetitive behavior, drawing players back through manipulative design that exploits human psychology, much like slot machines. (boo gambling)

Optionalism: Social games often make gameplay optional and shallow, with actions that can be skipped by spending money, removing meaningful player effort.

Destroyed Time: Social games invade players’ time even when they’re not playing, creating anxiety about missed rewards and fostering a sense of constant obligation.

How do social games like FarmVille enframe friends?

Enframing refers to how the game treats friends not as people but as resources that players can use to advance in the game. (Don’t worry, I also had to look it up.) One example of this is as follows:

Externalizing Social Value: Rather than interacting with friends in ways that build genuine relationships, the game turns these interactions into transactions—asking friends for in-game help, sending virtual gifts, or recruiting them to join the game.

How do social games destroy time outside of the game?

Social games like FarmVille destroy time outside the game by creating a sense of obligation that lingers even when players aren’t actively playing. Some examples of this include:

Obligation to Return: Since social games are built around timers and rewards, players feel like they have unfinished business, leading them to think about the game when they should be focusing on other activities. It’s not just about the time spent playing but the time spent thinking about or planning when to play.

Interrupting Daily Life: The game’s mechanics make players feel like they need to constantly check in, and this can take away from time spent on more meaningful or productive tasks as they prioritize the game to avoid feeling guilty about missing out.

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Week 1 Response | Dill DeSantis

Game Thoughts:

  • Painstation: The concept is absolutely hilarious, but it’s honestly hard to say if I’d actually go through with playing it; On one hand, I don’t like being hurt – but on the other hand, it would be an extremely unique gaming experience.
  • Getting Over It: I’ve had several opportunities to play this game, but i have deliberately chosen not to because I already know I wouldn’t have the patience for it. I don’t dislike it, I think it’s a good looking and well-designed game, but it’s simply not a game I want to play; it seems like you can either love or hate it, there’s no middle ground.
  • Townscaper: I was pleasantly surprised by this game; the quality, sound design, and visuals were above what I expected from the pictures. I can certainly see the appeal, but I cannot imagine that I would stick with for long, as the options seem quite limited.

Questions:

  • Ian Bogost critiques social games for their manipulative design. He argues that they reduce friendships to mere in-game assets, not genuine connections. Developers exploit this by integrating viral mechanics that encourage players to recruit others, not for fun but for engagement metrics. He also highlights how these games rely on compulsive loops, keeping players hooked with minimal effort yet endless repetition. The most concerning issue, however, is the sheer amount of wasted time—players may spend hours completing trivial tasks, reinforcing an artificial sense of progress.
  • Social games like FarmVille turn friendships into transactional relationships. Instead of fostering genuine social interaction, these games treat friends as resources to be used for in-game progression. Players are encouraged to “invite” others to perform tasks like watering crops or feeding animals, making progress feel dependent on social obligation rather than personal strategy. While this mechanic can create a sense of community, it ultimately prioritizes engagement over meaningful social connections.
  • These games seep into daily life, constantly demanding attention even when not actively playing. Push notifications remind players to check in, fostering a sense of urgency to return. Additionally, time-based mechanics—such as waiting for crops to grow or buildings to finish—keep players tethered, stretching gameplay across hours or even days. Many games capitalize on this by offering microtransactions to speed up progress, effectively monetizing patience and further reinforcing time-wasting mechanics.
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Other thoughts on games played in class

Painstation 

Painstation reminds me of a more intense version of those games where you would need to hold a metal stick thingy and it would randomly shock a player until everyone was eliminated. I like to think that I would play Painstation if I had an opportunity to, but I’m such a wimp about everything I probably wouldn’t if I saw someone else get hurt playing it. I never even played that shocking game because I was scared. I definitely know some people who would play this game now and it would be super entertaining, but I think some people could take it too far. 

Getting Over it

I had never seen or played Getting Over It until now. I think I would enjoy watching other people play it, but I don’t even know if I would want to attempt to play it myself. I think that I would be really bad at it and I don’t want to experience the frustration.

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Week 1

Ian Bogost points out that social games, like Cow Clicker, are often boring and repetitive. In Cow Clicker, all you do is click a cow every few hours, which highlights how these games rely on simple, addictive mechanics instead of meaningful gameplay.

Games like FarmVille treat friends as resources. , which can turn friendships into something more like a transaction than a real connection.

Social games often force players to check in frequently or wait for timers to run out. This can make people feel tied to the game.

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Game Design 2 – questions w.1

  • What are the issues Ian Bogost raises about social games with Cow Clicker? Ian Bogost doesn’t like social games for the following reasons: (1) Enframing contacts from social media is brought into gaming. Friends become resources; (2) The encouragement of compulsivity; (3) Optionalism – the fact players don’t have to play (4) they destroy the time we spend away from them.
  • How do social games like FarmVille enframe friends? Connections and friends become resources to collect and harvest.
  • How do social games destroy time outside of the game? They may punish players for not playing as much or for time away from the game.
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Thoughts on games showed in class

Painstation: If I am being honest, I am not totally sure what my actual thoughts are on this game. In one sense I feel like my dare devil side would totally play this game. However, I feel at the same time that I would be hesitant to.

Getting Over It: I wasn’t even playing the game personally, I was justa watching other’s play and it was driving me crazy. I would not be able to play this game myself because it would drive me insane and make me want to throw my device across the room.

Townscraper: This was my favorite game out of all of them that was showed because it was just so oddly facinating. I would have played this game for hours when I was younger. My only complaint is when I went to go download the game I was upset because it’s not a free game.

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Sara Estus – Week 1 Questions and Thoughts:

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

The creator of “Cow Clicker,” Ian Bogost, raises multiple issues about social games. First, he states that they are “enframing,” as he states, “friends aren’t really friends; they are mere resources. And not just resources for the player, but also for the game developer, who relies on insipid, “viral” aspects of a design to make a system replicate.” Bogost also states that social games are built on compulsion, as players “obsess for more and more.”  Furthermore, he states these games are seeping with optionalism, allowing players to play a lot, or a little with little effort. Of course, the main issue Bogost ends his statement with is that players who partake in social games experience a substantial amount of destroyed time. Players will obsess over tens of hours of playtime to complete simple tasks.

How do social games like FarmVille enframe friends?

Like Ian Bogost’s statement, social games enframe friends as a means of gaining resources for games. Farmville is a perfect example of such as you can “invite” your friends to help you tend to your crops and livestock on your farm, while also helping them in exchange. I have never played Farmville, but from my understanding of the mechanics of the game, a lot of time and effort from your friends is extremely important to help you move forward into the game.

How do social games destroy time outside of the game?

               Social games destroy time outside of the game by being consistently prevalent in one’s day. If you play a game on Facebook and have notifications enabled, you will get update notifications from the game telling you that “something is ready!” and will feel enticed to come back to the game. However, there is also the factor of some games depend on time to unlock and “build” things. You may have to wait a day or two, etc. But many games also combat this by having a “pay to play” feature that now ruins the factor of spending time in the game, now your real money is being implemented too.

Game Thoughts: Painstation

I think it is interesting to see how artists and creators (manufacturers) can create such a unique game that can create such a unique experience. The game, Painstation compels its players to decide if playing a simple game of pong is worth getting whipped, burned, and electrocuted. I feel like I would be up to the challenge to play just to be able to say I tried it. (Though I feel like I wouldn’t last very long.)

Game Thoughts: Getting Over It

I have seen this game, and own this game on multiple platforms. It is such a silly but also aggravating game to play. But it is surely one you really can’t ever put down. You keep coming back telling yourself “I can do it this time!” but surely you never really do. Being able to say you have completed the game is for sure a bragging right.

Game Thoughts: Townscaper

I have played games similar to this one, such as “The Block” on Steam. I don’t personally enjoy neverending mindless games such as these. But I can appreciate the art style, sounds, visuals, and calming factor of the game.

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Game Design 2 – Week 1 Questions

  1. What are the issues Ian Bogost raises about social games with Cow Clicker?
    • He riases the idea about how social games can be rather addictive. Basically the game gives you a cow, that you can click on it and when you click it provides you with more clicks so that you can upgrade your cow. Many find it as a challenge to beat the time delay thus making it highly addictive.
  2. How do social games like FarmVille enframe friends?
    • FarmVille enframes friends because you may be pressured by a friend or family tobplay the game so they can recieve an extra bonus. Farmville skillfully manages Social Pressure by giving players bonuses whenever they invite friends to the game.
  3. How do social games destroy time outside of the game?
    • Many social games can destory time outside of the game bu consuming a lot of a person’s time. This can often lead to neglect in my other responsibilties and priorities.