WIKI
Submissions
Susan Connell
EDTEC 670
Fall 2003
- Francois
Dominic Laramee
Based on extensive experience designing electronic games, Francois Dominic
Laramee is a prolific writer and editor on the subject of game design
and development. He has served as lead designer, producer, programmer
or screenwriter for more than 20 games published for a variety of formats
including: personal computer, Game Boy, interactive television and the
Internet. Ultimate Baseball Online, The Insane Adventures of Happy McGreed,
Steppenwolf: The X-Creatures Project, Arcane 2: The Stone Circle, Arcane:
The Online Mystery Serial are a few of the games to which he has contributed
in various capacities.
With more than a dozen years’ of experience in the field, Laramee
also works as a business process consultant to game development studios
and began working as an instructor at the school of computer science
of Concordia University
in 2002 along with serving as game design and game history instructor
at the National Animation
and Design Center in Montreal.
His published work includes editing and authoring articles in Game Design
Perspectives (Charles River Media, ISBN: 1584500905) and Secrets of
the Game Business (Charles River Media, 1584502827); writing content
for the television game show Wizz, the board game Cranium: Édition
Québécoise and several trivia web sites; and authoring
more than 80 articles, columns and book chapters about game development
for numerous periodicals and books in both French and English. Subjects
have covered game design elements, writing design treatments and issues
relating to the use of comedy in games, which ties in to his occasional
work as a freelance comedy writer.
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- World
War II Online
 World
War II Online is an elaborate role-playing simulation game that
is classified as a massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) due to the
vast number of players, in the thousands, worldwide. Like the war it
simulates, this game goes on 24 hours a day with real people representing
characters in the British, French and German armed forces. Players have
elaborate missions and command structures and engage on a battlefield
represented by a half-scale map of Europe with accurate terrain modeling.
Players can command and operate a selection of precisely modeled vehicles,
watercraft and aircraft while using a variety of period weaponry. Virtual
uniforms, weapons, and vehicles were designed with realism in mind and
based on historical data. Each player views the action from a first
person perspective, seeing only what that character would see. Players
can hide in vegetation, seek shelter in abandoned buildings, sneak up
on the enemy, and re-enact most activities of a real soldier at that
time. Each soldier in the game is controlled by another player, with
no computer drones to alter the course of events or force players into
a predetermined path. Action is determined based on the decisions of
the thousands of players logged on at any given moment - giving them
the chance to change the course of history - in their virtual world.
Winner of numerous industry awards including GameSpy's
2001 Gamers' Choice Sim of the Year and IGN's 2001 Persistent World
Game of the Year, World War II Online was launched in 2001 and has been
upgraded numerous times to add features, enhance realism and increase
functionality. The game works with both Windows and Mac OSX platforms
and is available for $19.95 as a 130MB download or on CD. After a 30-day
free trial, playing the game requires a $12.95 per month subscription
fee.
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- Implications
of the Modality Principle in Game Design
Because audio can be somewhat more difficult to implement in e-learning
projects, games and simulations, it is often overlooked in favor of
printed text used to describe on-screen graphics and animations. However,
cognitive theory and research indicate that, when practical, use of
audio narration to explain a visual presentation enhances understanding
and related problem solving. Specifically, spoken words (audio) can
best be used to describe a graphic or how to use a visual component
rather than simultaneously delivering that graphic along with the same
word in written form. However, when used gratuitously or redundantly
(for self-evident graphics), audio can actually cause a distraction.
In some cases, it may be advisable to keep verbiage available as an
option in printed form as a memory aid or as an alternative source for
the hearing impaired.
Cognitive research shows that people process pictorial information in
a separate channel from auditory/verbal information. Since the capacity
of each channel is limited, graphics and supporting onscreen text vie
for limited visual bandwidth as the viewer cannot look at graphics and
supporting text simultaneously. Conversely, when verbal information
is presented in audible form it enters the cognitive system in a different
channel where it can be comfortably processed simultaneously. Tests
have shown that subjects presented with animation and simultaneous narration
generated from 41 to 114 percent more solutions than those presented
with animation and onscreen text - even though the information presented
was identical.
When considering the implications of the modality effect in game design,
it is also necessary to be aware of circumstances that may impact its
application. These circumstances might include the ability of the hardware
to support audio, whether the environment where the game will be played
is appropriate for audio, budgetary limitations, language limitations
and the hearing ability of the audience.
Reference:
Clark, R.C., and Mayer, R.E. (2003) e-Learning and the Science of
Instruction. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.
Mousavi, S., Low, R., and Sweller, J. (1995) Reducing Cognitive Load
by Mixing Auditory and Visual Presentation Modes. Journal of Educational
Psychology, 87, 319-334.
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- VTC.com
- Software Training for the Creation of Simulations and Games
The Virtual Training Company (VTC.com) produces online and CD-based
training for a wide variety of software in the form of short, concise
QuickTime movies that go step-by-step through each software application.
The movies are designed so that the viewer can also run the corresponding
software and work along with the movie which can be stopped and started
as necessary to keep the right pace. Each "chapter" is broken
into short, easy-to-digest chunks.
While not strictly a simulation, the tutorials provide a very flexible,
somewhat interactive way to learn a variety of software programs. More
significantly, from a game or simulation designers perspective, VTC's
course catalogue features training for more than 100 software titles
on both the Macintosh and Windows platforms. Titles include several
versions of Macromedia Flash, Authorware, Cold Fusion, Director and
Dreamweaver; Apple's iMovie, QuickTime VR and Final Cut Pro; Meta Creations
Bryce, Poser and Infini D; Courses are also available for various programming
languages such as Java, Perl, Visual Basic and C++ and operating systems
as well as productivity and business programs. Additional subjects include
general tutorials about areas such as Sound Editing, Troubleshooting,
Web Publishing, Digital Photography, Scanning and Color Management.
The company plans to expand their services by adding new features such
as online testing,  training
for newer versions of existing software and more networking and business
software courses. In addition they are developing K-12 educational training
modules covering mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry and others.
Courses are available on individual CDs with higher resolution graphics
and sound for about $99 each. The online versions are available on a
subscription basis for $25 per month and the first three chapters for
every course are available free online. The free chapters provide an
excellent introduction to a wide variety of software for initial training
or a bit of try-before-you-buy simulation.
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- Mihaly
Csikszentmihalyi - the Man and the Pronunciation
Csikszentmihalyi (chick-sent-me-high-ee)
"...even without success, creative persons find joy in a job well
done. Learning for its own sake is rewarding..."
 Mihaly
Csikszentmihalyi is best known for his research and writings on the
subject of Flow
- the state where individuals become so absorbed in an activity that
they lose track of time and enjoy the activity for its own sake. A former
professor and psychology department chair at the University of Chicago,
he is currently the Davidson professor of Management and director of
the Quality of Life Research Center at Claremont
Graduate University. He is also a member of the National Academy
of Education and National Academy of Leisure Sciences. In addition,
he is the author of more than 120 articles and several books, including:
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience: Good Business: Leadership,
Flow, and the Making of Meaning and Finding Flow: The Psychology of
Engagement With Everyday Life.
Born in 1935 in Hungary, his worldview was shaped by the misery he saw
all around him as a young boy during World War II. With this background,
he set about in search of positive alternatives - trying to determine
what gave people joy and satisfaction. His search involved extensive
empirical research starting with artists and creative people. His studies
have extended to include business, sports, games
and education, including work with Montessori educators. Though not
without critics,
his work has been hailed by diverse leaders from former President Bill
Clinton and British Prime Minister Tony Blair to business executives
and even a Dallas Cowboys football coach.
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- Simulation
Gaming Exchange - Directory with
an International Focus
The Simulation/Gaming
Exchange (SGX) is an academic site produced by Honors and Masters
students from the School of Computing at the National University of
Singapore. It serves as an online clearinghouse for gaming and simulation
technology with an emphasis on education, training and research. The
site's primary audience comprises researchers, university faculty, school
teachers, trainers, modelers and simulation developers. It is sponsored
by Simulation &
Gaming: An International Journal of Theory, Design and Research,
as well as of the International
Simulation and Gaming Association (ISAGA).
 The
site is essentially a user-managed directory that provides links to
simulation and gaming subjects organized and cross referenced by Subject
(as in academic discipline, e.g. Arts, Engineering, Physical Science,
et al), Format (e.g. Role-Playing, Virtual Reality, Edutainment, etc.)
and Professional Aspects, an area that includes information about associations,
calls for papers, conferences, copyright issues and related issues.
Because of its international focus, it includes links to a number of
sites beyond the commonly referenced North American resources.
SGX allows registered users to list and categorize sites of interest
to the simulation and gaming audience. Registration is free and registered
users can choose to receive updates when new information is posted.
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- GameDev.net
- Online Resource for Game Developers
Founded in 1999, GameDev.net
has become one of the leading online communities for more than 250,000
game developers, from the most experienced to those just starting out.
The founders created the site as a resource where game designers could
obtain and freely exchange information. The site contains news, technical
articles, how-to information, contests, software, a newsletter, forums,
a chat network, job offers, designer diaries, game dictionary and a
special area for beginners. GameDev's staff members have been  producing
game development sites since 1996 and several staff members have written
books on the subject, but the very active community of game developers
fostered by the site contribute a majority of the content.
Originally conceived as a joint effort by several game development sites
to join forces by interlinking their sites. Ultimately the founders
determined that one cohesive large site would be more effective and
GameDev.net was born. The site has received numerous awards and recognition
and has often been described as "the best place on the Internet
to learn about game development."
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- Apple
Computer's Involvement in Educational Games and Simulation
An early proponent of the use of computers and other technology in education,
Apple Computer has
supported extensive research and other initiatives related to various
aspects of instructional technology. Starting in the mid-1980s, Apple
computer funded the Apple Classroom of Tomorrow (ACOT) to study a cross-section
of about a dozen classrooms in North America and Europe. The goal was
to determine how the use of technology by teachers and students might
change teaching and learning. While the ACOT program concluded in the
late 1990s, it was followed by more broad-based research efforts undertaken
by the Learning Technology Group and participants in the Apple Learning
Interchange. These efforts have focused on moving beyond the classroom
and leveraging the Internet and a variety of multimedia technologies.
"A
Taxonomy of Simulation Software" by Kurt Schmucker, a Principal
Scientist with Apple's Learning Technology Group, provides a detailed,
if somewhat dated, overview of simulation in an educational context.
Although Apple itself was not a developer of games, the widespread use
of their computers in educational settings, meant that some of the earliest
eLearning games and simulations were developed for Apple computers including
the Apple
II and Macintosh. In the formative years, Apple's consistent and
graphically rich user interface made it easier for students to focus
on the games themselves rather than how to get the computer to play
them and also enabled more realistic simulations or dynamic game playing.
These games have covered a gamut of disciplines from typing exercises
to physics simulations to role-playing history lessons. While the graphical
interface playing field has largely leveled, Apple's early research
about and promotion of the use of educational games and simulations
contributed greatly to their early and ongoing development.
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- Comedy
in Games
Though
not used extensively in games, comedy is one of the most popular forms
of entertainment. In Game Design Perspectives, Francois Dominic Laramee,
noted game designer and sometimes comedy writer outlines a few tried
and true "recipes" or comedic formats that can be incorporated
into game play.
Running Gags consist of jokes that have a repeating element and fall
into three categories:
* Repetitive: where the same thing happens many times
* Looping: uses the same device to set up a series of punch lines
* Crescendo: where the same general joke is used with increasingly outrageous
punchlines
Reversal scenarios involve delivering the perfect comeback or putdown
to a bully, bad guy or loudmouth. A key element in an effective reversal
is letting the audience believe that the antagonist is getting the upper
hand, when he is actually setting himself up.
Divergent Thinking uses a set of reasonable circumstances to draw an
absurd conclusion. Laramee notes that this can be effective when used
in dialogue but can cause unacceptable confusion or frustration when
incorporated into game play.
Other comedic elements can include:
* Personification
* Transposition
* Exaggerations and Understatements
* Face Value
* Visual Humor
* Misunderstandings
* Stupidity
Laramee's tips for building comedy into games are summarized in Using
Humor in Games.
Reference:
Laramee, F.D. (2002) Comedy in games. In Laramee, F.D. (Ed.), Game
design perspectives (pp. 284-290) Hingham, MA: Charles River Media,
Inc.
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- User
Interaction Principles
A key element of the game designer's job is to understand the available
technology well enough to make it virtually transparent to the game
player. Part of achieving this goal involves not trying to attempt more
than the underlying technology (be it the web, a handheld device, a
PC, a video game or a supercomputer) can comfortably deliver to the
user.
In Game Design Perspectives, Sim Dietrich describes six principles
of user interaction that will guide game designers on any platform to
achieve the highest level of usability from whatever platform they are
using.
These Principles are:
Consistency
To avoid distracting the user, it is important to maintain consistency
in areas such as art style, frame rate and sound style. For example,
if only a slow pace can be maintained steadily, it is better to work
within that constraint than to distract the users with brief bursts
of speed that are not sustainable.
Rhythm
Users often pick up on subtle rhythms in game play. Because of this,
it is best to assure that timing matches visual and audible clues present
in the game to help users learn the controls and strategies as well
as to facilitate their immersion in the game play.
Expressiveness
To personalize games, players will generally use whatever forms of communication
and expression are offered by the game interface. These can include
the ability to choose character names or colors, built-in chat features,
styles or levels of play and select weapons or playing pieces. The more
opportunities players have to personalize the game experience, the more
likely they are to become invested in the game.
Orthogonality
Clean design calls for minimalist controls with clear functionality.
An important component of usable controls is orthogonality where distinct
actions are controlled separately without interfering with each other.
A typical alphanumeric keyboard is an example of an orthogonal control
device because pressing any key has no effect on any other key. A simpler
4-way joystick is only partially orthogonal in the pressing up or down
affects each other, but does not affect pressing right or left. The
key is to optimize the need for orthogonality while maintaining simplicity
by keeping controls to a minimum.
Context
Contextual controls are those that attempt to anticipate what the player
will want to accomplish based on the environment established by the
game without limiting appropriate choices. In this way the designer
can reduce the number of controls while maintaining a large number of
overall options. For example, if a wall is blocking a player's progress,
the forward button could automatically become a climbing button.
Fluidity
Fluid controls are particularly important on a console where control
options are limited and text menus require extensive screen real estate
to be visible. It is essential that the controls be easy and consistent
to manipulate to allow the player to focus on the game and not the controls.
Reference:
Dietric, S. (2002) Six principles of user interaction. In Laramee, F.D.
(Ed.), Game design perspectives (pp. 157-161) Hingham, MA:
Charles River Media, Inc.
Additions
or refinements made to:
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