Questions?

Games and Learning Jose Zagal Electronic Learning Communities Lab College of Computing & GVU Center Georgia Institute of Technology

Learning from games  Using games as the subject of learning.  What does it mean to study and learn about games? What are the challenges?  Can this teach us anything about learning?  How can you make the most of what you already know about games?  A new form of literacy?

Research  My research explores these questions by designing collaborative online environments for people who are learning about games and studying games. ….and trying to understand HOW learning happens in these environments …and what can we do to IMPROVE them

GameLog and GameOntologyWiki  GameLog Online blogging environment for gamers  GameOntology Wiki Developing concepts and vocabulary for understanding games Creating new knowledge!

Students taking Game courses Overview Game studies scholars Currently use (Blogging tool ) Reflect on gameplay experiences by using Will help them contribute to

Online blogging tool for games Multiple, parallel blogs (one per game) Can help you: Connect game elements across multiple games Gain insight on how the experience of playing a game changes over time

Blog entry

 Ongoing games studies research project Started in 2002  Led by Michael Mateas (UCSC) & Jose Zagal (GaTech)\  Hierarchical classification of structural elements of games and the relationships between them  Focus on elements that affect or define gameplay  Currently over 150 entries  Always Evolving  Entries are constantly created and refined  Grounded in videogames (not generated abstractly)  Exists on a wiki 

Name: To Own Parent: Entity Manipulation Children: To Capture To Possess, To Exchange Description: Entities can own other game entities. Ownership does not carry any inherent meaning, other than the fact that one entity is tied to another. Changes in ownership can not be initiated by the owned entity. Ownership can change the attributes or abilities of either the owned or owning entity. Ownership can be used to measure performance, either positive or negative. Ownership is never permanent; the possibility of losing ownership separates ownership from an inherent attribute or ability of an entity. Ownership of an entity can change in variety of ways, including voluntary and involuntary changes of ownership. It is important to note the difference between owning an entity, and using an entity. For example, in Super Mario Bros, when Mario collides with a mushroom, the mushroom is immediately used and removed from the game world. Mario never owns the mushroom. Strong Example: In Super Mario World Mario can collect mushrooms (or fire flowers or feathers) to use later. Mario owns these entities and can make use of them later. Weak Example: In Ico, the player character must protect a girl called Yorda. While the player only directly controls Ico, his actions are very closely tied to leading, guiding and protecting Yorda. One could argue that Ico, in effect, owns Yorda because of the way they are tied to each other. Game Ontology – Sample Entry

Game Ontology Wiki The current ontology has been migrated to a Wiki Pages are end user modifiable.

Game Ontology Wiki The current ontology has been migrated to a Wiki There is a record of the evolution of the knowledge being created.

Game Ontology Wiki The current ontology has been migrated to a Wiki Every page has an associated discussion page. Discussion is separate from object of discussion.

Game Ontology Wiki The current ontology has been migrated to a Wiki Watchlists Keep track of changes to pages you are interested in.

Games Studies Scholars Game Studies Scholars Currently use the Game Ontology to explore game studies research questions. For example: Neubauer, S. (2006) - The Gameplay Video Segmentation Method, MFA Thesis, School of Media, University of Applied Sciences, Stuttgart Söderqvist, T. & Larsson, C. (2006) - Items in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games, MSc Thesis, IT University of Goteburg Zagal, J., Mateas, M., Fernandez-Vara, C., Hochhalter, B. and Lichti, N. (2005) "Towards an Ontological Language for Game Analysis", Selected Papers of the Digital Interactive Games Research Association Conference (DiGRA 2005), Vancouver B.C., June, Fernandez-Vara, C., Zagal, J., Mateas, M. (2005). "Evolution of Spatial Configurations In Videogames", Selected Papers of the Digital Interactive Games Research Association Conference (DiGRA 2005), Vancouver B.C., June, (nominated for Best Paper Award) Zagal, J.P., Fernandez-Vara, C., Mateas, M. (In press) "Gameplay Segmentation in Vintage Arcade Games", Ludologica Retro, Volume 1: Vintage Arcade ( ), Bogost, I. and Bittanti, M. (Eds)

Students taking Game Courses ThinkGame - Summary Game Studies Scholars (Blogging tool )

What’s in it for you?  Gain a deeper understanding of the medium of videogames  Get better at expressing and communicating ideas about games and gameplay  Help you better analyze and understand videogames  Use what you already know to contribute to the field of game studies

Contact Information  Jose Zagal  Electronic Learning Communities (ELC) Lab  Experimental Games Lab (EGL) egl.gatech.edu

My Research Study  Voluntary!  Anonymous No one but you and me know you’re in the study  No extra work involved I just want permission to study the assignments you’ll do for class anyways I may want to talk to you during the semester.  Won’t affect your grade in any way  You can drop out of the study whenever you want. No questions asked.

Thank you for participating !