CONCEPTUALIZATION'S ROLE IN GAME INTERACTION:

POSSIBILITIES AND RESTRAINTS OF THE

MEDIUM David Richard Moore

Patton College of EducationOhio University

moored3@ohio.edu

About concepts

Concepts have definitions, however, definitions are merely summaries of concepts, to “know” a concept is to be able to take action on it.

Entities have attributes which may or may not assist in conceptualization

Attributes that assist one in discriminating one concept from another are called Conceptual Common Denominators

Cues are hints that assist one in conceptualization Examples are critical to learning a concept (the more

the better) Easy examples are prototypical Hard examples are the extremes

How to teach a concept

Provide a definition (logical first step, but often a hindrance)

Provide examples of the concept

Provide non-examples

Give learner opportunity categorize concept

Provide feedback

Provide more examples of the concept

Provide more examples of the concept

Demonstrate hierarchy of the concept (super-ordinate, co-ordinate, sub-ordinate)

The Gaming Hypothesis

Commercial gameplay is infinitely malleable and leads to a flow experience THUS Education gameplay is infinitely malleable and leads to a flow experience.However, I argue that this is not the caseRequires a close examination of the components and

supposition of this argument (your consent is dependent upon your agreement)

Revised hypothesisEducational gameplay has limited utility in current

manifestation, other digital corollaries have potential

What is commercial gameplay?

Interaction

Means is the end. No ends beyond itself

Creation of “Flow” experience

Non-gaming correlates (my characterization)VideoStrategyLogistics

Core = think arcade style

Macrostructure of a game conceptual transaction

Subject identity “My ship” (my base, me)

Identification “Missile” (finger, pointer)

Object entity “Alien” (target, concept)

If you have an educational activity that requires identification and volume then games should be ideal.

BUT….

What is flow?

Anxiety

Arousal

Worry

Apathy

Boredom

Relaxation

Control

1/8 of the possibilities

What is interaction in gameplay

IdentificationStimulus / Response

Association Identity property

Conceptualization Hierarchical structure

What is malleability?

Ability to change ….infinitelyAssociation is limited (most games) – limited

educational value Speed Volume Size

Conceptualization (better games) – slightly less limited educational value Add subconcepts As well (speed, volume, size) Artificiality of the concepts Hierarchy

Old School

New School

Claim: Gameplay at its best is a conceptual transaction

Categorization is the foundation of conceptualization.

Conceptualization is how we know the world It is the mental integration of two or more entities into a single

unit Almost any term can be considered a concept (dog, democracy,

pasta, table) Concepts are mental short hand, they help us “chunk” phenomena

information

Characteristics of concepts Hierarchical Infinite Differentiated on “Conceptual Common Denominator”

Game elements aren’t merely unique entities….they are instances of classes. Interacting with them requires a conceptual transaction.

To make DDA’s you simply refine the concept

Require player to make finer discriminations amongst concept stimuli (speed, pitch, shape, hue, movement, grue-ability, association, etc.)

Require player to making association based on numerous concepts

Require the player to make finer response

First-order concepts

First-order concepts are fictions that have no apparent usefulness beyond their ability to be identified; they have unity and little else. Their advantage is that they are endlessly malleable. There are no logical constraints on their manipulation. An infinite number of Dynamic Difficulty Adjustments are possible. In other words, first-order concepts are created for no other purpose than gameplay.

Second-order concepts

Concepts that are required in reality are second-order concepts. Second-order concepts are not malleable, they are what they are because the describe entities that must be known, classified and identified in real-world transactions. To know them one must respond to them in set and established ways and that restricts the degree of freedom allowed in their use and application.

Democracy

Idealism

Kantian

Thrifty

Instructional dilemma

First-order concepts are those MANUFACTURED for gameplay.

Second-order concepts are those that must be ACCOMODATED for gameplay.

Instructional dilemma

First-order concepts are those MANUFACTURED for gameplay. Proven to be a viable avenue for fun and flow

Second-order concepts are those that must be ACCOMODATED for gameplay. Still work in progress, educational and fun is largely elusive

How many educational games outsell commercial games? How many educational games provide clear learning goals? How many fan communities exist around educational games? How many educational games are played more than

commercial games. We either don’t know how or the medium won’t support it.

Advice

Avoid educational gameplay with second-order concepts

Learn to create DDA work with fewer degrees of freedom It isn’t that second-order concepts can’t be placed in gameplay,

just that making DDA do not have infinite degrees of freedom.

Focus on concrete concepts

Think economics Could learners learn the same content faster and cheaper

otherwise?

Watch out for corollary encroachment

Find where games can contribute and where they can’t

We either don’t YET know how to make educational games YET

OR

the medium won’t support education.