| GAME ELEMENTS |
ANALYSIS |
| Game title and authors/company |
Happy Feet by Project 17 |
| URL where the game can be found |
N/A |
| LEARNING ELEMENTS |
|
| Learning objective – What is the game trying to teach? What learning experience is the game attempting to create for the player? |
The game is trying to teach players how to overcome social anxiety. The learning experience that this game creates is having the knowledge to associate in conversation and learning how to break out of isolation. |
| 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? |
The dominate form of interaction players have with the game is one to one. This means that players actually interact with other players based on the group dancing. This supports the learning object because players will be allowed to participate in group dances while also breaking free from their social anxieties. |
| 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? |
Social process is affected by the game design because the game player will be put in a social environment while learning how to feel comfortable in a group dance. Behavior process is also affected because it will alter the game players feeling of being isolated into becoming for open. |
| 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)? |
20 players can be engaged in this game. Players interact by participating in group dances. |
| Game objective – What is the primary objective of the game? Does the game objective reinforce the learning objective? |
The objective of the game is to benefit from the overall experience of dancing and learning how to break out of social anxieties. The game objective does reinforce 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 rules of the game are simple, dance until the music stops and rotate partners. This does not create conflict with the game objective. |
| Resources – What items are accrued during the game? What resources are spent? What governs the exchange of resources? |
No items are accrued during the game, perhaps an exchange of numbers at most. No resources are spent. There is no exchange of resources. |
| Conflict – How is conflict between players or game elements introduced, maintained, and resolved? |
Only conflict between players there might be is if the other person is not intrigued with the game player’s conversation. This can be resolved by continuing to play the game and learning how to build more interesting conversations. |
| 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 may behave the way they choose to. Because it is an interaction game it will help the game player see how other people behave and therefore help them make decision of whether or not to continue the conversation. |
| Outcome – How does the game end? Does the outcome conflict with the objectives? |
The game ends when the last two players are left on the dance floor. The outcome does not conflict with the objective. |
| 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 game player himself. |
| Challenge – What challenges are presented to the player/character? What skills must the character/player learn or master? |
The challenge the game player faces is learning how to bring up a spontaneous conversation. The game player must master the skill of becoming socially interesting. |
| World building – In what fictional world does the game take place? |
N/A |
| Premise – What is the general premise of the story? |
There is not storyline, but just group dancing and learning how to break out of social anxiety. |
| Story – Does the story use a linear, branching, or emergent narrative? How do player interactions relate to the narrative? |
N/A |
| 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 because there are many forms of dancing therefore it is versatile and allows the game player and others to have a good time and workout. Those of which are Socializers will enjoy this game. |
| Dramatic arc – How are tension and resolution controlled in the story? How does the story create conflict in the game? |
Tensions can increase if the person says something unnecessary. |
| SYSTEM DYNAMICS |
|
| Objects – What objects are used to build game systems (e.g., houses in Monopoly)? |
N/A |
| Properties – What object properties are required for the game systems (e.g., house values)? |
N/A |
| Behaviors – What object behaviors are required for the game system (e.g., buying)? |
Broom or stick |
| Relationships – What are the basic relationships between system elements? What controls the dynamics of the system? |
N/A |
| 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 is based upon a group dance. |
| Emergent systems – What new systems emerge from game play? Are there procedurally generated systems? |
N/A |
| 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? |
Nothing crazy, music, dance floor, your feet, and courage is all it takes to play this game. |
| FUNCTIONALITY, COMPLETENESS, & BALANCE |
|
| Functionality – Is the game fully functional? |
Yes, the game is fully functional. Anybody can move to the rhythm of music. |
| Completeness – Is the game complete? Is there a voice not being represented? |
Yes, the game is complete. If there is a voice that isn’t heard, it may be those that don’t know how to dance. |
| Balance – Is the game balanced? Is there a dominant strategy? Is the game symmetrical? If not, is the imbalance intentionally part of the design? |
The game is perfectly balanced and symmetrical. The only strategy you need is to be swift and confident. |
| FUN AND ACCESSIBILITY |
|
| Fun – Is the game engaging? How do elements that support engagement promote or obscure learning? |
Yes, the game is very engaging, it helps promote learning for those that don’t know how to dance will now learn. They will also learn how to be sociable and not shy. |
| Player choice – What choices are meaningful in the game? How do these relate to the objective? |
Choices are meaningful in this game especially when pairing up with a dance partner. This relates to the objective by using your social skills to know what type of people your around therefore making the right choice to hang around that circle. |
| 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? |
No this game is fully functional, all you really need is music and a group of people (20). The only way this game is boring is if the music playing has no sass. |
| 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? |
The game is very easy to learn; it does not take much time at all to learn. The players will learn to play the game based on the directions given. |
