6/1/2015 Rethinking the Library Game: Creating an Alternative Reality with Social Media Jason J. Battles Valerie D. Glenn Lindley C. Shedd The University of Alabama

6/1/2015 Libraries and Gaming Gaming in Libraries Wii, DDR, Rock Band, board games Libraries in Games Second Life Library Games General focus on information literacy

6/1/2015 Libraries and Gaming Why create a library game? Promote information literacy Highlight library resources Engage users Don’t we need a programmer? No. You just need creative staff members, clear game objectives, and web skills.

6/1/2015 Learning Objectives of the Game Highlight resources and collections Special Collections Electronic Journals Online Course Reserves Initiate students on how to access and search these resources Encourage critical thinking of participants

6/1/2015 What Will Engage Students? “Academic Games Are No Fun” 3.shtmlhttp://games.slashdot.org/games/07/12/05/ shtml Games they play Halo and Call of Duty MMOGs like World of Warcraft Guitar Hero and Rock Band Online sites they use Facebook YouTube Twitter

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Finding the Right Game Format Libraries cannot directly compete with most commercial games Determine your available resources Financial Human Incorporate popular social media sites to engage students where they are Develop manageable game objectives and a strong concept to keep players

Alternate Reality Games (ARG) Web-based and story-driven design Disguises the fact that it is a game at all No defined rules Runs over a fixed period of time Player reveals the plot and goals through interacting with game components 6/1/2015

Alternate Reality Games (ARG) This is Not a Game by Dave Szulborski Internet-based and story driven Examples: Indiana University’s ARG work s_the_freshman_fifteen_with_skeleton_chase/ s_the_freshman_fifteen_with_skeleton_chase/

Why an ARG? Non-traditional approach that is more engaging for players Does not require large budgets or a team of programmers Social media sites are natural locations for game components ARGs have been successful in marketing movies, television shows, and video games Why not libraries? 6/1/2015

Our Game - Project Velius

6/1/2015 Considerations in Building our ARG Development directed by diverse team of library personnel with limited resources No additional funding No team of programmers Limited student work allotment Game must be completely online Game should be accurate representation of how library resources are accessed and used

6/1/2015 Building an ARG Story creation is the most important element of ARGs, but it is also the most difficult The story plays out like a screenplay The creation of game assets is dependent on the creation of the storyline

6/1/2015 Project Velius Storyline Developed over several months by three committee members Main character and her boyfriend work at a biotech company He goes missing She uses clues found in library resources and social media venues to find him

6/1/2015 Our Game – Project Velius Library Resources Unique historical collection Electronic journal article Online course reserves Social Media Components Web sites

Social Media Components Facebook group Served as the hub of the game Facilitated player interaction Twitter accounts YouTube video WordPress blogs 6/1/2015

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Web Sites Main gateway for the game Fake biotech corporation involved in a questionable research program Student homework site that was only discoverable through game clues 6/1/2015

Running the Game

6/1/2015 Running the Game Ran over a six week period from September 17 to October 22, 2009 Blogs and Twitter were the main tools used for character interaction Members of the development group took on the roles of the characters

6/1/2015 Running the Game - Continued These puppeteers made blog posts and tweets timed by a detailed script They also built the story’s alternate reality through backdated blog entries One person served as a game master to help players via the Facebook group

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Marketing No carrot Flyers, news ad, web ad Bibliographic Instruction sessions Freshman compass courses English 101

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Assessment Web stats Google Analytics WordPress Survey of players End of game event

6/1/2015 Lessons Learned Start with a bang! Keep them interested Resist controlling the tempo or gating player progression Consider the length of the game Build something you can easily replicate Find collaborations to help with aspects of the game that are not your strength

6/1/2015 Lessons Learned - Continued Understand the limitations and use policies of any social media tools you intend to employ Think about the need to track players Create buy-in among the campus community

6/1/2015 Next Steps Follow advancements in technology, gaming, and instruction Continue to examine what motivates players in games Find ways to include students in the creation and development Consider external collaborations

6/1/2015 Contact Information Jason J. Battles Valerie Glenn Lindley Shedd