Category: Game Design Studio 2

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Persuasive Rewritten Game

Check It Out (Librarian Game)

Game Concept:

  • Never-ending library simulation where you play as a librarian
    • Stamp, scan, and recommend books to visitors

Goals:

  • Teach players the value of literacy and libraries
  • Show the invisible labor of librarians
  • Encourage empathy and thoughtful engagement

Mechanics:

  • Checkouts & Recommendations: Match readers to books
  • Visitor Engagement Meter: Satisfaction impacts outcomes
  • Discovery Points: Reward thoughtful interactions
  • Time vs. Quality Tradeoff: Rushing = less effective service
  • Never-Ending Loop: New visitors, returning books, seasonal events

BTS Workings:

  • Persuasive: shows the impact of literacy and service
  • Empathy–driven: players feel responsibility and influence
  • Dynamic: constant challenge keeps players engaged

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5 Game Ideas on Serious Topics

Parentified

Game Concept:
 Parentified is an interactive narrative game exploring the experience of children forced to grow up too fast in households where adults are emotionally absent or overwhelmed. Players navigate daily crises, manage household responsibilities, and handle the emotional labor of caretaking, experiencing the constant tension between competence and neglect. Based on That Dragon, Cancer (emotionally-driven interactive storytelling).

In Case You Didn’t Know

Game Concept:
 In Case You Didn’t Know is a narrative-driven social simulation that immerses players in the emotional labor of constantly justifying their feelings. Players navigate interactions with friends, family, teachers, and bosses, balancing honesty, self-advocacy, and emotional preservation. The game focuses on empathy, fatigue, and the invisible effort of being believed. Based on Undertale (empathy-driven social interactions, consequences without failure).

The Spoon Tax

Game Concept:
 The Spoon Tax is an interactive simulation that explores the concept of limited mental bandwidth and the everyday cost of emotional and cognitive labor. Players live a day in the life of someone navigating mental health challenges or chronic fatigue, where even basic tasks, such as showering, texting, eating, and leaving the house, require energy that feels disproportionately high. All the while losing spoons until you realize it’s 10 AM and you have no spoons left. Based on the “Spoon Theory” in disability and mental health communities

You Don’t Look Depressed – 20 Questions Edition

Game Concept:
 You Don’t Look Depressed – 20 Questions Edition is an interactive social simulation that explores the invisible struggle of high-functioning mental illness. Players navigate a day in the life of someone whose external life appears perfect: school, work, and social obligations all checked off, while internally every task and interaction drains energy. NPCs “guess” about the player’s well-being through yes/no/neutral questions, mirroring the 20 Questions mechanic, while players balance honesty, energy, and credibility.

Family Group Chat

Game Concept:
 Family Group Chat (based on Heads-Up) is a social simulation that explores the emotional tension, passive aggression, and hidden rules of family digital communication. Players navigate a group chat where every message, emoji, reaction, or read receipt can escalate or de-escalate conflict. Silence itself is a strategic choice, and timing is as important as content.

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Helpful Article To Share

Hey found this article that I found useful for the class about designing games:

Martin, A. (2021, July 10). Designing games for change. Good Thinking. https://medium.com/good-thinking/designing-games-for-change-110fc443ef8e 

Summary in Bullets:

  • Games are more than entertainment; practice for real life
  • “magic circle” lets players experiment and fail without real-world consequences
  • Games are effective for exploring behavior change, systems, and complex decisions
  • Play is real cognitive work
  • Good games build:
    • collaboration
    • critical thinking
    • confidence
  • Fun is essential; if it’s not engaging, it doesn’t work
  • Example: a game made with teens in Zimbabwe to address women’s health
    • Players were involved through co-creation and playtesting, not top-down teaching
  • Overall, games help people explore who they are and who they could become in a safe space
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3 Game Reviews – 1.22 Week 2 Persuasion

The McDonald’s Game

  • Was it fun?
    • Not really. It was more stressful than fun and honestly kind of annoying.
  • What were the player interactions?
    • You’re just clicking around trying to manage the whole McDonald’s system. It felt like Papa’s Freezeria but way more chaotic and way less clear.
  • How long did it take to learn?
    • It took a while to even get a basic idea of what was happening. Even after reading the directions, it still didn’t fully make sense.
  • What was the most frustrating moment or aspect?
    • Not knowing what to buy or when things were gonna happen, like when the cows were getting taken to the barns. The blinking lights and fast pace stressed me out bad.
  • What was your favorite moment or aspect?
    • Honestly, just finally kind of understanding what was going on, and that took way too long.
  • Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
    • Yeah, I wanted to actually play with intention instead of just clicking random buttons and hoping for the best.
  • If you had a magic wand to change, add, or remove anything, what would it be?
    • I’d make the corporate objective way clearer, especially for people who don’t already know how these systems work. I’d also simplify the interface and change the aesthetic to appeal more to high schoolers or young adults.
  • Is this a game you would play again?
    • No. Even after the directions, it still didn’t really make sense, and the stress outweighed the fun.
  • Analyze the game using the 3-act structure.
    • Act 1: You load in and are immediately confused by all the moving parts.
    • Act 2: Everything speeds up, the lights start flashing, and you’re just reacting instead of thinking.
    • Act 3: You kinda get the idea, but not enough to feel accomplished — more just relieved it’s over.
  • What are the collaborative and/or competitive aspects of the game?
    • There aren’t really any. You’re just fighting the game itself and the clock.
  • What is the game’s metaphor and which mechanics stand out?
    • The game is basically a metaphor for corporate fast food systems being overwhelming and impersonal. The standout mechanics are multitasking, fast pacing, and constant alerts.
  • Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku.
    • Blinking lights, no clue
      Cows disappear, I panic.
      Capitalism.

Monopoly Game

  • Was it fun?
    • Yeah, it was fun, especially as the white man. But that fun felt weird because it was obvious I was winning off advantages other people didn’t get.
  • What were the player interactions?
    • The interactions made inequality super obvious. Playing against minority and female groups showed how the system mattered way more than effort or skill.
  • How long did it take to learn?
    • It was easy to learn because it’s basically OG Monopoly rules. Since I already knew how to play, I could focus more on what the game was saying instead of how it worked.
  • What was the most frustrating moment or aspect?
    • Watching minority and female players fall behind with no real way to recover. The wealth gaps got big fast, and it felt unfair on purpose but still hard to watch.
  • What was your favorite moment or aspect?
    • Winning. Buying up property and becoming the one percent felt good, even though it also made me aware of how messed up that is.
  • Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
    • Yeah. I wanted to actually fix the system or help balance things out, but the game didn’t really let that happen.
  • If you had a magic wand to change, add, or remove anything, what would it be?
    • I’d make the game way more specific to different communities like a Pittsburgh-based board. I’d also add age differences (Boomers vs Gen Z, Gen X, Millennials), tariffs, higher school taxes in certain areas, and more customized chance cards to reflect a real economy.
  • Is this a game you would play again?
    • Yes. Even though it was uncomfortable, it made me think a lot about privilege, inequality, and how systems work.
  • Analyze the game using the 3-act structure.
    • Act 1: Everyone starts with different resources, and the imbalance is clear right away.
    • Act 2: The rich get richer, the gaps grow, and it becomes obvious who’s winning.
    • Act 3: There are clear winners and losers, and it feels like the outcome was decided from the start.
  • What are the collaborative and/or competitive aspects of the game?
    • It’s definitely competitive, but there’s also this shared realization happening. Everyone is watching inequality play out in real time, even while trying to win.
  • What is the game’s metaphor and which mechanics stand out?
    • The game is basically a metaphor for capitalism and systemic inequality. Unequal starting positions, buying property, and collecting rent really show how privilege compounds over time.
  • Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku.
    • All I do is win
      Rules decide who gets ahead.
      Fun, but insightful.

CoolSpot

  • Was it fun?
    • No. This game was definitely not a CoolSpot (pun intended).
  • What were the player interactions?
    • You’re basically just jumping around trying not to die. It felt like a weird mix of Flappy Bird and Mario, but without the fun part of either.
  • How long did it take to learn?
    • It didn’t take long to figure out the controls, but even after that I was still confused. Like, I knew how to play, but not why I was playing.
  • What was the most frustrating moment or aspect?
    • The game moves way too fast and the graphics made me feel sick. Everything felt overwhelming, and half the time I didn’t even know what the objective was for certain rounds.
  • What was your favorite moment or aspect?
    • Honestly… none. No part made me want to keep playing.
  • Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
    • Yeah, I wanted to actually understand the goal of the game, but it never really explained that.
  • If you had a magic wand to change, add, or remove anything, what would it be?
    • Realistically, I wouldn’t change anything because this game feels far from saving. But if I had to change something, it would 100% be the graphics.
  • Is this a game you would play again?
    • No. I would rather not play this game ever again. There was zero appeal.
  • Analyze the game using the 3-act structure.
    • Act 1: You start playing and immediately feel confused and overstimulated.
    • Act 2: The game speeds up, everything gets more chaotic, and the frustration builds.
    • Act 3: You stop playing not because you mastered it, but because you’re over it.
  • What are the collaborative and/or competitive aspects of the game?
    • There aren’t any. You’re just competing against the game itself, and even that doesn’t feel rewarding.
  • What is the game’s metaphor and which mechanics stand out?
    • If there is a metaphor, it’s probably sensory overload. The fast pace and intense visuals stand out the most, and not in a good way.
  • Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku.
    • Too fast, too chaotic
      Jumping with no real reason.
      Not cool. At all.
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Week 1 Response Questions for Painstation, Townscaper, and Calvinball

Painstation:

It was fun to watch people play this game since I didn’t have to participate in it, but I don’t think it’s a game I would actually want to play myself.

It seems like a pretty easy game to learn and grasp.

The most frustrating aspect seems like it would be getting shocked or burned.

I feel like I would need a strap to hold my hand down on the machine otherwise I would just continuously pick my hand up.

No I don’t think i would play this game.

The game setup is to stand on opposing sides and place your hands on a marked area. You then play a game of Pong against your opponent and any time you miss the ball there is pain administered.

The competitive aspects are to play pong and win against your opponent and hopefully not receive the most amount of pain. Or maybe for some people the competitive aspect is to survive the most amount of pain before bowing out.

The game’s metaphor seems to be to experience the physical pain of losing combined with like a style of pain reinforcement for repeated losing. The clear standout mechanic is the fact that it is putting its players in physical pain while playing.

I thought it was Pong.
But it’s actually pain.
Ouch. Ouch. That’s hurting.

Townscaper:

Yes it was fun, I could play it for hours.

You could interact with colors, the water, and other buildings once you have them.

It doesn’t take that long to learn, the only real mechanic is clicking.

The most frustrating aspect was figuring out how to undo something.

My favorite aspect of the game were the colors and sounds.

I kind of wish that people and more animals would pop up once you build up enough of the city and they would just wander around and make other calming noises.

I would add the people and animals if I had a magic wand.

Yes I would definitely play it again,

I don’t really feel like there is a 3 act structure for this game since there is not real conflict or resolutions for it. And There aren’t any collaborative or competitive aspects for it either. It’s just a calm, chill, time-passing game.

As a metaphor it feels very much like a zen garden or like a limited virtual LEGO set but there is no real deeper metaphor or something that it’s trying to bring awareness too, that I’ve found.

There is nothing here

Oh look! I’ve built a small town.

It’s no good. Start Over.

Calvinball

Calvinball was fun, but very low energy for what I feel like Calvinball is meant to be.

Player interactions included throwing a ball around and making new rules for the game.

It’s easy to learn but since new rules are always being added and the game is always changing, it is a continuous learning process and can be a lot to juggle while trying to keep the rules in mind.

The most frustrating aspect was trying to come up with new rules on the fly when you got the ball. My favorite aspect was hearing other people’s rules.

The nice thing about Calvinball is that if there is something you want to do you can just implement it as a rule or just do it because the only rule of Calvinball is that it can’t be played the same way twice.

Yeah I would play Calvinball again

The setup is to create yourself some rules for the start of Calvinball, the confrontation is the constant reinvention or competing rules and gameplay, and the resolution would be when the game ends through some ridiculous rule, point system, or players lose interest.

I think the collaborative and competitive aspects are essentially the rule making because you have to make rules up as a whole in order to establish the game but you can make a competitive rule that gives you an advantage over other players. If you have more than 2 players you could have collaborative aspects where multiple people team up with the rules they create to form an alliance to win.

I think the game as a metaphor wants to be a commentary on creative freedom and a rejection of traditional, arbitrary, rigid rules for how people want you to live your life.

Differs every time.

How can I make myself win?

Is that a tiger?

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Week 2 Game Reflections

The McDonalds Game

I kind of love like a real world involved game scenario where you have multiple different aspects to keep track of in order to succeed, so in theory it is fun in that aspect because I like trying to run a fake successful business, but it’s also just so fast paced and chaotic and I was struggling with some of the game mechanics working well which made the game more frustrating for me.
The motivating factor that gets me to keep playing is kind of the need to make a successful business and try to keep the customers happy, while still engaging and learning about all the unethical practices that these kinds of large corporations engage in.
I feel like the game is pretty good at being persuasive, the little popups that happen that frame why people are unhappy or protesting your business are educational in a satirical way and give you a lot of things to think about the way the world works.

The games metaphor is to draw attention to the unethical and destructive nature of large fast food corporations. The game mechanics that standout to me are the options to like bribe local politicians or advertise to certain groups that are more easily persuadable than others, or the ability to feed or not feed diseased cows to other cows, or customers.


Let’s be ethical!

Oops someone ate a sick cow.

Now my monies gone.

Intergroup Monopoly

It was kind of fun because of the people you play with but since Monopoly is already kind of tedious and contentious game it was a lot less fun than a normal game of monopoly and it makes the game run a lot shorter than normal.

I think there are only really motivating factors for the people who get to play as the middle class white man or the 1% because you have such a bigger advantage over everyone else. It’s not very motivating to play as the female or minority character unless you enter a state of determination to try to beat the odds.

I think it’s pretty persuasive with the message it’s trying to get across. The point of the amended rules is to point out the issues with wealth inequality and how certain groups of people in life have an easier time getting ahead because of certain advantages they are born with or given throughout life.

The game mechanics that standout out are the amended rules for players 2, 3, and 4. having to pay an extra 50% for properties or only being able to buy properties under $100 which is only like 2 spaces on the board. Only being able to move half your roll for a female, or going directly to jail as a minority if you roll higher than a 7 or if you can’t afford to pay another player or the board.

It’s Monopoly

Oh no wait! This is too real.

Now my monies gone.

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Week 2 Homework

    • generate 5 new game ideas that explore changing players minds about … (climate change, energy, politics, etc.)
    • Did the 5 new game idea with Aleah and Lauren, should be in Aleah’s post

  • Post thoughts on what we played in class
  • I spent most of class playing Intergroup Monopoly and I did not enjoy it. I was forced into the “minority” rule set which made the game extremely boring and basically unplayable. I spent 90% of the game in jail and couldn’t purchase anything. For me, it was just a dice rolling simulator where the outcome of the die did not effect my gameplay what so ever. The game is made to be unfair from the start but I understand what its trying to explain in how they use real world stereo types and advantages to try and convey the difficulties/ ease of each stereotypes real world expierence.

  • what advergames have you played? did they influence a purchase?
  • In class I played Cool Spot, the advergame for 7-up. Suprisingly, it makes me despise 7-up and did not make me want to drink it at all. The game barely actually advertized 7up except for the title screen, and the gameplay had nothing to do with it. I think the lack of effort put into the game makes me feel like 7up is trashy, which makes me not want to buy their product.
  • why do the advergames tooth protector and escape work?
  • Tooth Protector and Escape work because the gameplay directly matches the message they are trying to teach. Players protect teeth or avoid danger as part of the game, which reinforces the lesson through gameplay. The message is built into how the game works, not just shown through logos or text.
  • What makes chase the chuckwagon and shark bait fail?
  • These games fail because the product has nothing to do with the gameplay, just like coolspot and pepsiMan. The brand is added on top of a generic game, and the game would be the same even without it. This makes the advertising feel lazy.

  • what does volvo’s drive for life accomplish? 
  • Volvo’s Drive for Life promotes the idea that safe driving is important. The game rewards players for careful driving, which matches Volvo’s brand image. This helps communicate the company’s values through gameplay.
  • what company used in-advergame advertising 
  • Red Bull used advergame advertising by placing its brand inside games instead of making the whole game an advertisement. This allows the brand to appear naturally in the game environment. Other companies do this now adays in movies as well.
  • what was one if the first home-console advergames and what beverage was it for? 
  • One of the first home-console advergames was Pepsi Invaders for the Atari 2600. It was made for Coca-Cola and focused on attacking the Pepsi brand, which made it a clear example of early advertising through games. I find it interesting that they put their competetor into the name of their game, it could give a false message.
  • what makes the toilet training game sophisticated and do you agree?
  • The toilet-training game is sophisticated because it copies real life routines instead of just giving rewards. It teaches through practice and repetition. I agree because this makes the lesson more effective and the gameplay can be translated to real life actions.
  • what do advergames and anti-advergames have in common, and what principles do they share?
  • Both advergames and anti-advergames try to persuade players through gameplay. They use rules and systems to communicate ideas instead of just telling players what to think.

Reflection questions Monopoly

What made the experience fun or not?

I didn’t have much fun with the game because i got the role of the minority. Like I said at the top of my post, this rleset basically made the game umplayable. I spent most of the game in jail and not actually buying properties or even paying other players. The other rules gives you a huge advantage as to where the winner is basically set from the start of the game.

What is the motivating factor to get or keep players playing?

For me at the start I wanted to play to try and win with this handicap that was gives, but soon into the game I got bored. Im not sure how the others felt playing with the super buffed roles, but I can;t imagine it was that fun because the game would seem too easy.

Is the game persuasive, and what is it trying to get you to do outside of the game?

This game is persuasive in the sense it wants you to understand how other people have it in the real life world. It tries to put you in the shoes of more or less fortunate people to try and get you to understand how other peoples lives run, whether they be easier or more difficult.

What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout?

I would say the metaphor is that not all people have it equal and that some people have to work hard just to get by, while others play with that kind of money for fun. The biggest mechanic is the rule set that have each player trying to succeed in different ways.

Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku.

This game is unfair

no matter what you do here

minorities lose

Reflection questions Cool spot

What made the experience fun or not?

I didnt really have fun with this game. I havent played many old games so maybe this game was well made but it felt super choppy. It was super simple which made it kinda repetitive, and the screen was so small you could barely see what was coming ahead of you.

What is the motivating factor to get or keep players playing?

I guess the motiviating factor is to win the game and get points, but it seems kindof simple to have any acheivement in complelting it.

Is the game persuasive, and what is it trying to get you to do outside of the game?

It’s persuasive in the sense it wants you to go and drink 7up but they don’t do a good job of it. The game has nothing to do with the product and they just slap their logo on a game.

What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout?

The metaphor is to buy their product i suppose. THey try and have you kill enemies and collect coins but that doesnt have anything to do with their product, so im not sure their relation.

Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku.

a common rip off

game is lazy and the ads

are not related

Reflection questions Mcdonalds

What made the experience fun or not?

I actually didn’t hate this game. It had some layers and was actually related to mcdonalds. You had to run the farm and the company/advertisement type things, which gave the player alot to do. The game was decently fun because it wasn’t rinse and repeat and there was an actual challenge.

What is the motivating factor to get or keep players playing?

The motivation is to have your mcdonalds company be succesful and not go bankrupt. Players keep playing because they want to succeed.

Is the game persuasive, and what is it trying to get you to do outside of the game?

The game has to do with mcdonalds so it puts that in the players mind, but at the same time it shows the killing of cows and gentically modified soy as well as bribery. This puts a little negative tone towards mcdonalds which can effect the player’s opinion.

What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout?

The metaphor is that there are multiple different factors in order to succeed, and that sometimes you have to sacrafice quality and health in order to be finacially successful.

Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku.

farm cows and soy fields

talk to corporate people

succceed and make money

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Questions Week 2

What advergames have you played? Did they influence a purchase outside of the game? I played the cool spot. It did not influence me to play the game because it wasnt very persuasive. The goal of the game does not have anything to do with 7up and there wasnt anything during the game that implicitly or explicitly said “go buy 7up”.

Why do the advergames ”tooth protector” and “escape” work? What makes ”chase the chuckwagon” and “shark bait” fail? “Tooth Protector” and “Escape” work because their gameplay directly represents what the product does or values. “Chase the Chuckwagon” and “Shark Bait” fail because the gameplay has little meaningful connection to the brand.

What does volvo’s “drive for life” accomplish?  Volvo’s “Drive for Life” reinforces the company’s focus on safety through careful driving mechanics. The game persuades by rewarding responsible behavior rather than showing ads.

What company used in-advergame advertising ? Coca-Cola used in-advergame advertising by placing branded elements inside games. The advertising exists within the game world rather than being the entire game.

What was one of the first home-console advergames and what beverage was it for? One of the first home-console advergames was Pepsi Invaders for the Atari 2600. It was created to promote Pepsi by positioning Coca-Cola as the enemy.

What makes “the toilet training” game sophisticated and do you agree? “The Toilet Training” game is sophisticated because it models real behavior through gameplay systems rather than simple rewards. I agree because it persuades through process instead of just visuals or branding.

What do advergames and anti-advergames have in common, and what principles do they share? Both advergames and anti-advergames use gameplay rules to persuade players. They share the principle of procedural rhetoric to communicate meaning.

Intergroup Monopoly

What made the experience fun or not? It was fun for me. I was Player 1 who was the middle class white male. This meant that all the rules for Monopoly were normal and I did not have to follow any special rules like the other players did.

What is the motivating factor to get or keep players playing? I think the motivating factor for me would be the incentive to watch the other players fail. The other players were all at a disadvantage and were rarely given any advancements.

Is the game persuasive, and what is it trying to get you to do outside of the game? Yes the game is persuasive because it is attempting to demonstrate the what the real world is like for middle class white males, females, minorities, and the one percent. Outside of the game it is trying to make you see how the real world functions and maybe help others that arent as fortunate as you or to strive to be at a better place than you are currently at.

What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout? The games metaphor is, Thats life. The mechanics would be to buy properties, spend money, role die to move your player, try to stay out of jail, negotiate properties, and dont go bankrupt.

Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku. role the die to move. properties equals money. dont go bankrupt.

The Mcdonald’s Game

What made the experience fun or not? I didnt enjoy it because I found it hard to make money.

What is the motivating factor to get or keep players playing? The motivating factor to keep other playing would be the incentive to make money and become a successful company.

Is the game persuasive, and what is it trying to get you to do outside of the game? Yes the game is persuasive. It is trying to show you the behind the scenes to making McDonald’s a successful company even if success means you need to be unethical.

What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout? Success doesnt come easy. The mechanics that stand out would be farming, killing cows, making business plans such as bribing politicians and healthcare workers, tell children what is good for them, and hire workers at McDonald’s.

Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku. farm land and kill cows, make lots of business decisions, dont go bankrupt.

Cool Spot

What made the experience fun or not? The game was not fun because it was very old, the graphics were bad, and the general game was boring. There wasnt enough for me to do to become entertained.

What is the motivating factor to get or keep players playing? The motivating factor could be to make it to the end of the level and collect red dots for points along the way.

Is the game persuasive, and what is it trying to get you to do outside of the game? The game is not persuasive and doesnt try to make me do anything outside of the game.

What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout? reach the end of the level, kill enemies along the way, collect red coins for points, jump, run.

Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku. very simple game, dodge enemies get coins, finish the level.

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Game Design 2 Week 2 Homework

  • What advergames have you played? Did they influence a purchase outside of the game?

Lego Online Games, Minecraft, Five Nights at Freddy’s. Now I haven’t played these in years as a kid I always wanted the toys and merch to go along with these games and franchises. To this day I still purchase Lego’s and I went to Halloween Horror Nights Orlando to go see the Five Nights and Freddy’s house to fulfill my childhood.

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

In Tooth Protector the player protects teeth from germs and sugar. The act of playing already teaches that teeth are fragile and must be cared for just like real dental hygiene. In Escape Work you must plan, react quickly, and survive a disaster. This mirrors real-life emergency behavior. The game models the correct actions, not just explains them. They fail because the gameplay has nothing to do with them. These games use branding as decoration, not persuasion.

  • What does volvo’s “drive for life” accomplish? 

It persuades players that safety is a skill and responsibility, not just a feature. Practicing safe driving through your gameplay could either persuade good or bad decisions on the road depending on how you drive.

  • What company used in-advergame advertising 

7-Eleven used in advergame ads inside games placing branded products directly into gameplay rather than building a game around them.

  • What was one of the first home-console advergames and what beverage was it for? 

Pepsi Invaders, it was a modified version of Space Invaders made for Coca-Cola sales reps, where players shot the word “PEPSI.”

  • What makes “the toilet training” game sophisticated and do you agree?

It is sophisticated because it uses symbolic actions rather than direct branding, reflects cultural pressure, shame, and control, and persuades through systems, not slogans. I agree because I think it’s sophisticated because it expresses a social argument, not a commercial one.

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

Both advergames and anti-advergames use rules, systems, and player actions to persuade through procedural rhetoric meaning the game’s mechanics make the argument. The difference is that advergames promote brands, while anti-advergames use the same tools to critique corporate power and social systems.

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Game Design 2 Week 2 Reflection

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

Monopoly (The Simpsons)

What made the experience fun or not? No, Monopoly is not my favorite game. The spin on it is definitely interesting, but makes the chances pretty unfair. I was playing as the 1% and I had 10x more properties and money than anyone else.

What is the motivating factor to get or keep players playing? Maybe if I was playing as the minority I would be more motivated to get more money and more properties.

Is the game persuasive, and what is it trying to get you to do outside of the game? I wouldn’t say persuasive because it was very unfair for some players. I mean I could say it is persuasive in the terms of actual reality, because some of the roles are real world struggles.

The McDonalds Game:

What made the experience fun or not? I think it could be fun, the instructions are a little unclear though on how to navigate and get around the game. Although, I like the graphics and the concept of it. Reminds me of heyday in a way.

What is the motivating factor to get or keep players playing? Keeping the business alive and not going bankrupt, Managing the farm, the the cow factory, to the restaurant, to the corporate office. Managing all 4 can become a challenge so I think that becomes a motivating factor.

Is the game persuasive, and what is it trying to get you to do outside of the game?

I think the game is maybe trying to get you to want to go to McDonalds and make you think they have a good process behind their business. They want you to trust the business and buy more burgers from them.

CoolSpot:

What made the experience fun or not? No I think it seems kind of frustrating, the controls look hard to use and hard to see, probably from it being so old. I think if you know how to use the controls though it looks like a lot of fun and a good challenge.

What is the motivating factor to get or keep players playing? Moving forward on the map, killing the shell looking things, collecting more coins and points. The free roam aspect is kinda cool too you can go backwards.

Is the game persuasive, and what is it trying to get you to do outside of the game? Yes I think the goal is to make people want to buy 7 up , not really sure what the little bean thing is looks like the mascot maybe, but I think if you enjoyed the game your more prone to buy the drink.

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Week 2 Game ideas

Aleah, Mason, Lauren

  • Theme: Politics as systems, not heroes
  • Genre: Satirical management sim
  • You don’t control leaders you control the system around them: media bias, lobbyists, public fear, misinformation.
  • Even “good” leaders fail if the machine is broken.
  • Mind shift: Political outcomes are shaped by systems, not just individuals.

  • Theme: Air pollution & corporate denial
  • Genre: Survival horror
  • The air is slowly becoming toxic. You wear a mask, but filters are expensive, rare, and controlled by a private company.
  • The world looks normal at first… until you remove the mask and see the truth:
  • Buildings are rotting
  • People are coughing black smoke
  • The sky is decaying
  • The company insists everything is safe.
  • Mind Shift: The scariest thing is that the truth is optional.

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  • Theme: Climate normalization
  • Style: Semi-cooperative / social horror
  • Core Mechanic
  • Disaster cards (fire rain, mass floods, toxic fog) are drawn every round.
  • But players also draw Normalization cards that force them to act like nothing is wrong.
  • If anyone reacts with fear, the group loses resources.
  • Horror Twist
  • The more disasters happen, the fewer panic responses are allowed.
  • Mind Shift: You realize you’re suppressing fear to survive.

  • Theme: Fossil fuel dependence
  • Style: Engine-building horror
  • You feed a central Engine with Fuel cards to keep cities alive.
  • The Engine mutates, demanding more every round.
  • You can shut it down but doing so kills cities immediately.
  • Mind Shift: The system only exists because you keep it alive.

  • Theme: Collective guilt
  • Style: Reverse victory
  • Every time you “fix” a problem, the world worsens.
  • The only way to win is to stop playing, but the rules never say that.
  • Mind Shift: The game teaches you when to walk away.

PERSUASIVE ENDLESS GAME (FROM WEEK ONE)

The persuasive purpose of this digital pet experience is to emotionally connect users to their virtual companion by making them feel responsible, needed, and valued, encouraging consistent engagement through care-based gameplay. By showing that the pet depends on the user for its happiness and growth and becomes lonely when neglected the experience taps into empathy and attachment rather than rewards alone. This motivates users to return often, form a bond, and unlock new pets, reinforcing the idea that their time, attention, and kindness truly matter.

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Week 1 Question Set – Ian Bogost

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

I think he sort of raises the question of the pointless activities we are entertained by in this society. Clicking something for the sake of clicking something again – and then his game which was supposed to be satire actually became popular for the exact thing he was “fighting” against

  • How do social games like FarmVille enframe friends?

Games like these affect how we interact with others – how we give gifts, compare ourselves, base our value off of our qualities and material. Even how people make friends shifts and can make people look at the things differently if they’re used to being in a virtual, different environment.

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

It can potentially make us waste the time we have just to play the game again. If the focus is the game, that changes the way we interact with the time we have

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Week 1 Questions

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

Ian Bogost argues that social games like Cow Clicker rely on repetitive, meaningless actions and waiting mechanics that replace real play with habit and obligation. He criticizes how these games exploit social pressure and player attention to drive monetization rather than provide meaningful or creative gameplay.

  • How do social games like FarmVille enframe friends?

Friends are used to boost your farm. The more friends you have, the more progress your farm will have.

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

Social games can quietly destroy time outside the game by bleeding into everyday life, even when you’re not actively playing.

Getting over it

Was it fun? Yes

What were the player interactions? using the mouse to click and drag in order to move the man’s hammer.

How long did it take to learn? 2 minutes

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? making sure that you dont lose your progress by falling since you cannot save the game or get checkpoints.

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? my favorite moment was being able to learn how to maneuver the guy so that you can start making progress.

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? jump without being able to move your hammer.

If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything

from the experience, what would it be? being able to save your progress or add check points.

Is this a game you would play again? Yes _____ No ______ Why? yes because it challenges me to keep trying.

Analyze the game using the 3 act structure. The beginning is you start at the very bottom of the map. The middle is climbing the map to the top while trying not to fall back to the bottom. The end is making it to the top.

What are the collaborative and or competitive aspects of the game? The collaborative aspects are with the gamer and the game itself. The competitive aspect is the drive to finish the game.

What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout? The games metaphor would be: Dont give up. The mechanics that stood out was the clicking and dragging to make the man move.

Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku. Use the hammer to maneuver the movements of the man. Don’t stop climbing. Don’t fall.

Townscaped

Was it fun? yes

What were the player interactions? clicking to add and remove buildings, platforms, and bridges

How long did it take to learn? 1 minute

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? learning how to delete something

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? changing the colors of the buildings.

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? build more specific buildings like choosing if it becomes a platform or a roof.

If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything

from the experience, what would it be? i would add different building options so that you could choose what you are building.

Is this a game you would play again? Yes _____ No ______ Why? yes because it is relaxing.

Analyze the game using the 3 act structure. You start the game with just water. The middle is building the structure. the end is that there is no ending.

What are the collaborative and or competitive aspects of the game? the collaborative aspect is between you and the game because you are clicking to build structures.

What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout? The games metaphor is: Keep calm and click on. The mechanics that stood out was the clicking to build and break structures.

Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku. Tap to make buildings. Change the color of the buildings. Make a long click to delete a building.

Calvin ball

Was it fun? depends

What were the player interactions? making rules with a ball to create a game.

How long did it take to learn? 2 seconds.

What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? when someone makes a rule that automatically makes them win or the rule is not your favorite.

What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? When the game is more than just a bunch of random rules and has a goal.

Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? I dont think so.

If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything

from the experience, what would it be? Not that I can think of because the object of the game is to make new rules.

Is this a game you would play again? Yes _____ No ______ Why? yes because it can be fun when people make good rules.

Analyze the game using the 3 act structure. you start with player one who makes the first rule. the middle is the players continuing to make more rules. The game only ends if someone makes a rule for the game to be able to have a winner, otherwise the game will not end.

What are the collaborative and or competitive aspects of the game? it is collaborative because everyone is making rules and it is competitive because you are trying to “win”.

What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout? Dont make rules that only benefit yourself. The mechanics that stand out is the use of the ball. The game is literally to have a ball and make all the rules yourselves, yet everyone assumes you throw the ball even when it was never stated.

Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku. Make rules. Throw the ball. Try to “win”.

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Week 1 Questions: Game Design 2_MB

-Ian Bogost comments on how these games are essentially meaningless, repetitive, and have nothing to them. The point of these games is simply to have something to do, which makes them less engaging than they should be and gives other games bad names.

-“Friends” on these social games are tools for advancing and getting money. They allow you to trade currency and items in order to make yourself better, without having any real connection to these people.

-If a social game tells you “3 hours till next reward”, then the player is constantly waiting and anticipating those next three hours, causing a cycle of dependency on these games, which is very unhealthy. It can destory meaniningfdul moments by having the time be focused on a game.