Hey Guys , I’ve been slacking with the posts lately I apologize for that. But this semester has been going great , I can now say I have successfully created a working game. Never give up guys , work with what you have!!! So I am going to do something different Guys I actually want to show you the rubric that I used to analyze my Game . If you guys are interested in creating your own game you can also follow this rubric ( credit given to Professor Duncan).
| GAME ELEMENTS | ANALYSIS |
| Game title and authors/company | Med-Races -Jared Bowen |
| URL where the game can be found | Paper Based Game |
| LEARNING ELEMENTS | |
| Learning objective – What is the game trying to teach? What learning experience is the game attempting to create for the player? | Effectively give prospective Nursing majors an insight into the field of Nursing. |
| Primary game mechanic – What is the dominant form of interaction the player has with the game? How does this support or obscure the learning objective? | Mastery of Content. This allows the player to effectively learn while playing the game whether getting the answers right or not The player must use general knowledge to effectively make correct decisions/ answers to move on in the Game. |
| Physiological/cognitive/social/behavior processes – Which of these systems is most affected by the game design? How does the design attempt to affect this system? | The most affected system is the cognitive system which is dealing with Decision making. This allows the player to think from their own knowledge and in-cooperate in into the game. |
| FORMAL ELEMENTS | |
| Number of players – How many players are engaged in the game? How do players interact with each other and the game (e.g., competitive or coorperative)? | There can be a number of 3-4 players. The game is competitive. |
| Game objective – What is the primary objective of the game? Does the game objective reinforce the learning objective? | The primary objective of the game is to climb the ladder to the top and become the next Head Nurse. Yes the game objective reinforces the learning objective. |
| Rules and procedures – What are the rules of the game? How do these complement or conflict with the game and learning objectives? | The first person to start is determined by rolling dice, the higher the number wins. The dice is rolled each time a card is drawn. There is an Admin in place of holding the cards and keeping count of each player’s correct decisions. The Admin also keeps track of the time the player has to answer the question as in each level the time decreases If the player gets a questions wrong one the other players may be allowed to role again to give the correct answer.. Each level of the Game amounts for a different number of cards being answered to proceed. This can be set by the Admin of a default of 3-2-3-3-2-2 can be played with the game.( First level need to answer three cards to move on , the last level need to answer two) Once a player gets the number of required correct answers they move to the next level. The first person to the End side of the board is claimed as the Head Nurse. This allows the player to think harder each time a question is answered wrong , in hope that they move up the ladder to become the Head Nurse. |
| Resources – What items are accrued during the game? What resources are spent? What governs the exchange of resources? | Dice, Cards , Player pieces, timer |
| Conflict – How is conflict between players or game elements introduced, maintained, and resolved? | Conflict is introduced through, loss of time throughout the levels. |
| Boundaries – How does the game prevent players from behaving in a certain way? How might this limitation be fun? How might it contribute to the objectives? | Players aren’t given ample time to answer each question in every level. As the higher they get up the ladder the less time they have to answer the question given to them. This allows the player to think off from their own knowledge as quickly as possible. Doesn’t allow the player to stretch the game and make it slow paced. |
| Outcome – How does the game end? Does the outcome conflict with the objectives? | The Game ends after the player answers the two final questions and has reached the End sign of the Game. They now become the Head Nurse of the Game. No conflict with the objective of the Game. |
| DRAMATIC ELEMENTS | |
| Character – Who is the main character? What is their motivation? What is the relationship between the character/avatar and the player? | The main character is the Player. Their motivation is receiving the title and becoming Head Nurse. The character and the player are one. The player has to enter a form of role play and play as if he/she were a Nurse. |
| Challenge – What challenges are presented to the player/character? What skills must the character/player learn or master? | Challenges presented to the player are decision making problems in the form of questions. The character will learn about different information/skills in different Departments in the Nursing field. |
| World building – In what fictional world does the game take place? | The Game takes place in the fictional world of a hospital. The player goes through different departments in the hospital trying to move up the ladder and become the top nurse. |
| Premise – What is the general premise of the story? | You are a nurse in a Hospital, Your goal is to race to the top and become the head nurse. |
| Story – Does the story use a linear, branching, or emergent narrative? How do player interactions relate to the narrative? | The story is just a base story; there is no formal story of the game. Just formed on the basis that you are a Nurse and want to become the top nurse of the Hospital. |
| Play – In what way is the game playful? Of the many types of play, which is most prevalent? Which of the players in Bartle’s Taxonomy is most likely to enjoy this game? | The game is playful through the aspect of competition, trying to be number 1. The players in the Achievers group of Bartle’s Taxonomy are most likely to enjoy this game. |
| Dramatic arc – How are tension and resolution controlled in the story? How does the story create conflict in the game? | The story creates conflict through not allowing the player to achieve the Head Nurse seat without going through the different departments and not answering the set amount of cards in the Department. |
| SYSTEM DYNAMICS | |
| Objects – What objects are used to build game systems (e.g., houses in Monopoly)? | There is a non-moveable ladder that brings the player from level to level, Objects representing the different players. Dice to decide who gets to go first for each card draw. |
| Properties – What object properties are required for the game systems (e.g., house values)? | In this Game there are no attainable items. The only thing that is attainable is the number of correct answers in each Department. |
| Behaviors – What object behaviors are required for the game system (e.g., buying)? | The object behaviors are answering the decision making problems correctly. |
| Relationships – What are the basic relationships between system elements? What controls the dynamics of the system? | The dynamics of the system is controlled by the time and the admin. |
| Economies – Does the game system exist as an economy (e.g., Monopoly or SimCity)? If so, how does the economy change over time? | The Game system does not exist as an economy. |
| Emergent systems – What new systems emerge from game play? Are there procedurally generated systems? | There aren’t any new systems that emerge from the game. |
| Interacting with systems – What information about the system is exposed to the player and what is hidden? How do players interact with the system, control the system, and received feedback from the system? | N/A |
| FUNCTIONALITY, COMPLETENESS, & BALANCE | |
| Functionality – Is the game fully functional? | Yes , the game is fully functional |
| Completeness – Is the game complete? Is there a voice not being represented? | The game is based for Prospecting Nursing majors and covers just that. It is not a Game for any other major besides Nursing. |
| Balance – Is the game balanced? Is there a dominant strategy? Is the game symmetrical? If not, is the imbalance intentionally part of the design? | All the players have an equal chance of winning the Game. The game is fair and able to be played by all the subjects. |
| FUN AND ACCESSIBILITY | |
| Fun – Is the game engaging? How do elements that support engagement promote or obscure learning? | The Game is Engaging, the elements promote learning because it is not expected that every questions is going to be answered right , after every card the correct answer is given. Whether the question is answered right or not, knowledge is attained. |
| Player choice – What choices are meaningful in the game? How do these relate to the objective? | The choices to answer the questions in a timely matter is important, if you don’t answer in the time allotted turn is automatically given up. Teaches the player about the environment of nurses they are time restricted, and have to work time efficiently. |
| Fun killers – Are there parts of the game that are broken? What parts feel like micromanaging? What parts of the game are stagnant or boring? Are there insurmountable obstacles, arbitrary windfalls/calamities, or inconsequential choices? | One thing may be, deciding who will go after a wrong answer is given. Not sure if another dice role should decide or I should change it to something else. |
| Accessibility – How easy is it to play the game? How long does it take to learn the game? How do players learn how to play? | It is very easy to play the game. The gam doesn’t need to be learned just roles need to be filled. Players learn how to play through the rules given with the game. |
