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Battle of the Titans:Battle of the Titans:

Katrin BeckerUniversity of Calgary

September 2006

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REMEMBER : Table of findings

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OverviewOverview

1. Why Do This?

8. Next Steps7. What I Learned

6. Game Play Experience

2. How?

3. What is a “good” game?

4. Why these games? 5. The GamesMario / Math Blaster

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0. Introduction

Games teach.

People learn from games.

Are Games Educational?

(I don’t care)

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0b. What are the Questions?

What must be learned to get through this game?

How does this game facilitate that learning?

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1. Why Do This?

Ultimate goal:Design good instructional games (GIG)Teach people how design GIG

IF good games teach, then we canlearn how by studying the masters.

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2. How To Do This? (methodology)

Most good games were not designed to be educational…..

at least not on purpose.SO,

their designs are not framed in educational terms.

BUT,to design instructional games, we need that……

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2. How To Do This? (methodology)

One Answer:PRETEND it was designed that way.

Can re-capture design through reverse engineering.

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3. What is a “good” game?

Popular:• good sales (really good)• Critical acclaim

That makes it good because:- don’t get awards & sustained sales if the game is frustrating; no fun; too easy; too hard; annoying; too predictable…..

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4. Why these Games?

All the teachers love Math Blaster– (don’t ask the kids…..)

Mario– Same genre & style– Small console (handicapped graphics &

power)– Good Game

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5a. The Games: Mario

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5b. The Games: Math Blaster

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6a. Playing Mario

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1

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1-1

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1-1

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1-1

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1-1

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1-2

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1-3

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1-3

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1-toad

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1-4

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1-*

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1-A

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1-*

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2-1

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2-2

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3-C

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D

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Field

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6b. Playing Math Blaster

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7. What I Learned

Similar learning requirements.Obstacles are arbitrary.Differences in graphics/sound/animation

not central (although play a role).

Learning Mode is trial and error.

Game vs Learning elementslearning elements arbitrary

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7-1. Supporting Trail and Error

Status Displays

Action FeedbackChoice

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Summary of Findings

Status Displays•Obviously tied to gameplay•Persistent, running•Always shows % completed, lives left, power-ups, points.

Action Feedback•Every interaction associated with a sound – collisions, hits, inaccessible paths.•Shooting goombas makes them go away.

Choice•All courses repeatable any time.•Each ‘world’ is different.•“Game over” and lost life returns you to main map.

Status Displays•Tied to learning objectives•Summary, after course•Never shows progress except shield strength.

Action Feedback•Some interactions associated with a sound – right & wrong answer sounds very similar.•Shooting robots slows them but has no other effect.

Choice•Single path through courses – only choice is equation set.•Paths and ‘worlds’ are same for each set. •Loss of shield power returns you to beginning of course.

Mario MathBlaster

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7-2. Supporting Trail and Error

Status Displays

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7-2. Supporting Trail and Error

Status Displays

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7-3. Supporting Trail and Error

Action Feedback

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7-3. Supporting Trail and Error

Action Feedback

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7-4. Supporting Trail and Error

Choice

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7-4. Supporting Trail and Error

Choice

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8. Next Steps (or, so now what?)

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Image / sound Credits:Super Mario Bros.

http://www.gamespot.comhttp://www.gamespy.cimhttp://www.ign.com http://mario.nintendo.com/ http://marioevolution.free.frhttp://www.infendo.comhttp://forums.nintendo.com/Sound captures from http://mario.nintendo.com/ by SoundForge 4.5

Math BlasterK. Becker (screen captures by

Screen Shot Deluxe 7.0 http://www.broderbund.com/ )Sound captures by SoundForge 4.5

Nintendo DShttp://www.nintendo.com/http://www.gameinformer.com

Monitor Screen http://www.hp.com