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.