danny's analysis of community planit

Danny’s analysis of Community PlanIt

Professor Carrie Heeter, Michigan State University

A place-oriented, multiplayer, collective-action game framework

Primary website: communityplanit.org

Main Ideas:• Part of an ongoing design-research project on games and civic engagement

• Makes community planning playful

• Gives everyone the power to shape the future of their community

• Provides a context for civic learning and action

• Each game instance focuses on a particular community, runs for a limited time (3 – 8 weeks)

Research & Development:• Developed in 2011 – 2012 by the Engagement Game Lab (engagementgamelab.org), an applied-

research lab at Emerson College in Boston.

• Funded by Knight Foundation, with support from Emerson College.

• Original development team: 4 professionals, plus many college students.

• Current team (for new game instances): a part time developer, part of a writer, a researcher, and a

project coordinator.

• Budget approximately $300k, including implementation & research.(team & budget details via personal communication with project leader, Dr. Eric Gordon)

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Platform and distribution:• Browser-based Flash, with minimal hardware/software requirements.

• Simple, cartoon-like graphics.

• Players must register for a free account; no cost to participate.

• Can participate in multiple game instances, using one player account.

• Each game instance has its own website, launched from the primary CPI site. Instance websites remain

accessible after the game closes. Game results are posted in the instance website.

• Past (closed) game instances:

2011: Boston Public Schools

2012: Detroit, MI; Quincy, MA.

2013: Salem, MA; Philadelphia, PA.

• Currently-active game instance: Malmo, Sweden.

• Each game instance produced & promoted in partnership with local community organizations. E.g.:

What’s “The Point”? – City of Salem, North Shore CDC, Metropolitan Area Planning Council

Target audience:• Everyone in the focal community, such as a city or a school system.

• Children under 14 need parent/guardian permission to join.

• People outside the focal community are allowed to participate (interest implies a stake in community).

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Serious Goals:

According to primary website:• Involve a variety of stakeholders in a process to improve the community.

• Give everyone an opportunity to express viewpoints and ideas.

• Collected input used by community planners to determine real-world decisions, including funding for the

most popular causes.

According to Gordon research paper:• Cultivate civic learning, a form of engagement that combines participation with the act of reflection,

through developing trust relationships and reflective capacity.

• Engage as many stakeholders as possible in providing meaningful input to decision-makers.

• Provide opportunities for stakeholders to learn about the planning process through creation and sharing.

• Give the community a tool with lasting benefits after the specific intervention had ended.

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Player Goals:

Overarching:• Influence the community’s planning process.

• Receive recognition from fellow stakeholders for contributions.

• Win money for preferred local causes, and rank high in coin leaderboard.

Intermediate:• Complete mission challenges and provide input to earn coins that can be assigned to local causes.

• Receive “likes” and comments on posts in missions and in the “Soapbox” discussion forum.

• Earn awards (badges and coins) for various accomplishments in missions or in the “Soapbox”.

Game-instance Analyzed:

What’s “The Point”? – city of Salem, in Massachusetts

• Very recently active (Jan – Feb 2013)

• Personally acquainted with area (visited Salem several times)

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Game-instance Website Structure: Launch page

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Intro video (standard here; some game instances have custom-produced video)

Brief text intro to community & overview of game



Game-instance Structure: Player welcome pageCoin score, ranking, badges earned

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Link to mission challenges

Links to game results:

visualizations & raw data



Core Play Mechanics:

Answer questions in the mission challenges• multiple-choice: some opinion, some have right answer (the “Crat trivia barriers”)

• open-response: player can write as much as wants; sees other players’ responses after posting

• “empathy”: realistic fictional narrative with a personal predicament to resolve

• some challenges require player to place a “pin” on a Google map

• some challenges and the Crat trivia barriers have optional resource that player can view for reference:

map, chart, or link to another website

• “boss challenge” at end of each mission: has a right answer, requires more search/analysis/interpretation

of data in accompanying resource (website, Google search, map)

Each successfully-completed challenge and trivia barrier earns game coins.

“Like” and post comments on other players’ responses to open-response challengesResponses are color-coded according to “hotness” (numbers of likes and comments).

Post questions and ideas in the “Soapbox” discussion forumCan attach video or supporting files.

Propose a new Cause in the “Bank” section of the site

Pledge coins earned toward specific Causes

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Game-instance Structure: Mission challenges

Each of 3 missions:

• Focused on one major aspect of community (history/demographics; business/housing/safety; recreation)

• Was open for ~1 week, with specific start and end dates

• 12 challenges (questions with open-response or multiple-choice answers) + 4 trivia barriers (m/c)

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Map of challenges in Mission 1; sun icon indicates current challenge. Sequence left->right; must correctly answer each “Crattrivia barrier” (blue guy with bow tie & hat) to access next group of open-response challenges (building icons)




Sample of challenge questions in Mission 1:

If you were asked to give a guided tour of the Point, where would you go first? Place a pin on the map indicating where

you would begin the tour, and explain your choice. Where might you go from there? (Google map)

Crat trivia barrier: Where do most people in the Point migrate from (country of origin)?

Mexico

Dominican Republic (correct answer)

Canada

Brazil

Portugal

Charles Lee is a Korean-American from New York, visiting Salem with his wife, Sarah. Sarah owns her own nail salon

and Charles works at Best Buy. They don't get much vacation time, but Charles really wanted to visit Salem because

he's obsessed with ghosts and other supernatural phenomenon. They've been on every ghost tour in the town and stocked

up on Salem t-shirts and souvenirs. Charles has been all over the city of Salem, but everyone he meets tells him to stay

away from the Point. The ghost tour guide told him it's not a very attractive area, and it's dangerous to walk around the

neighborhood, especially at night. "The Point is not worth visiting," he says. Explain why Charles is wrong, or why he is

right.

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Sample of challenge questions in Mission 1: (continued)

What are the neighborhood's top attractions (both for visitors and people who already live there)? Select all that apply.

Numbers show how many players selected that response

18 Places of worship / religious organizations

26 Healthcare

63 Dining out

43 Grocery shopping

27 Personal care (e.g., salon or spa)

29 Consumer products (e.g., clothes)

27 Professional services (e.g., legal)

95 Cultural, social, entertainment

Attach a photo, share a video, or describe a place in the Point that you consider beautiful, and explain why.

Crat trivia barrier: Why is the Point called the Point?

73 It's named after Stage Point, the filled-in marsh that used to be there (correct answer)

33 Because of the way it points out into the harbor

19 Because it was the first point that settlers visited in 1634

20 Because it points the way to Marblehead

Tell us about a time you took pride in where you live (even if you do not live in the Point). What do you think would

make you more proud of your neighborhood?

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Take a moment to look at the map of the neighborhood (click the icon on the left to launch the map). We asked some

people in the Point what they thought were the boundaries of the neighborhood. This map was developed with their

feedback. Do you agree with the boundaries? If you do not agree that it is accurate, what would you change and why?

It's time to go shopping. Your refrigerator is getting empty, your pantry is running low on staples, and come to think of it,

you need a tube of toothpaste and a perscription filled, too. Where do you go to get all of these things? If you live in the

Point, how far away do you need to travel, and how do you get there? If you don't live in the Point, where do you think a

Point resident would need to go?

Imagine you've been asked to write a news article about something that happened in the Point for the Salem News. What

would you report on? You can choose any event from the last year, even if it seems minor to others, or nobody else

reported on it. Write a headline, and upload or describe a photo to accompany your imaginary article. If you want, you

can explain more about your article in your comment.

“Boss” trivia barrier: Why are so many of the buildings in the Point built around 1914? (for reference, link to Google

search on “salem ma 1914”)

7 An economic boom led to increased real estate development

5 An urban renewal plan was put into effect

67 There was a fire that year

1 There was an earthquake that year

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Sample of challenge questions in Mission 2:

How well do you think the city government of Salem is doing to meet the needs of people who live in the Point? Explain

in your comment, or suggest improvements. (reference link to City of Salem website)

18 Poor

4 Very Poor

49 OK

26 Good

12 Very Good

In Salem, slightly more people own their house or unit than rent. What is the most common living situation in the Point?

(reference chart of “Occupied Housing Units By Tenure and Number of Units in Building”)

8 Most own a single-family house

6 Most rent a single-family house

71 Most rent a unit in a small building (nine units or fewer) (correct answer)

17 Most rent a unit in a large building (20 units or more)

What's your favorite place to eat in the Point? Put a pin on the map to show us where you go to chow down, and explain

what makes it so special. (Google map)

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Timothy is a single parent who lives in the Point with his two daughters. He is bilingual, and attended public school in

Salem before enrolling in trade school to become an electrician. He's been working for his brother’s electrical company

for the last nine years. Timothy has had a pretty rough life, but has worked hard to be a positive influence in his

community. He loves to talk to people, and is quick to start up a conversation with anyone he meets in the

neighborhood. For years, Timothy's brother has managed to keep his electrician shop on Congress Street open, but

lately, business has fallen off. He needs to attract more customers or think about moving to a new location. What do you

think is the best way to help Timothy and his brother?

Adding more trash barrels to an area is one way to reduce litter. If you could place trash barrels anywhere in the Point,

where would you put them? Pick the one place that needs them most, and place a pin on the map. Use your comment to

explain your choice, and offer other suggestions.

“Boss” trivia barrier: Shetland Park is a business park located on Congress Street. About how many companies have

office space there? (reference link to Shetland Park website; need to look in tenant directory)

48 About 130

11 About 90

7 About 40

6 About 20

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Game-instance Structure: “Public Square” area

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“Soapbox”discussion forum. The 10 most popular and active (“Hot”) conversations from Mission Challenges, Soapbox, and Bank Causes, aggregated based on the number of comments and likes, are promoted to the “Buzz” page.



Game-instance Structure: “Public Square” area

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Awards listing. The criteria and coin value of each award.

Collaborative accomplishments

Competitive accomplishments



Game-instance Structure: “Bank” area

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An accounting of coins that have been collected and pledged during the run of this game instance.



Game-instance Structure: “Bank” area

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Listing of local causes, ranked by number of game coins pledged.

Comments posted

Cause name and description

Pledge amount

Total pledges

Ouroboros Magic Circle of Community PlanIt

Player-Player

Interactions

Rules

Mechanics

(Actions or

Procedures)Resources

Conflict or

Challenge

Characters

Premise or

Story

System

Dynamics

Player

Experience

Outcomes(serious goals)

Copyright Carrie Heeter, 2013

GOALS

ENVIRONMENTAL

COMPONENTS

FORMAL

COMPONENTS

Player Goals

Designer’s Serious

Goals

End State (Game

Outcomes)

GAMING CONTEXT

Pre-Game

Context

During Game

Context

Post-Game

Context

Relation to Real

Life

Game World

or Board

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Forms of Fun:

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Theories:

CompetitionDiscoveryProblem-Solving

Social People-Fun

Social Cognitive Theory

Problem-based Learning

Situated LearningExtrinsic

Motivation

Distributed Cognition



User experience: Ferrara’s 5 Levels

AestheticsSimple, clear, attractive graphics. Playful tone.

UsabilitySimple controls, familiar presentation, fairly easy to navigate. Good use of Google Translate.

High emphasis on text may be problem for low-literacy players.

BalanceLittle progression in difficulty. Some scaffolding through player interactions. Unbalanced incentives for

“likes” and comments. Available time for missions may be insufficient for busy players.

Meaningful ChoicesOpen-response challenges leverage wide variety of player experience and interests.

Ability to pledge coins toward preferred Causes with real-world consequences.

MotivationIntrinsic motivation supported by autonomy, competence, and relatedness aspects of SDT.

Extrinsic motivation for supporting favored Causes, and by earning awards.

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User experience: Freedoms of Play

Freedom of Effort - High• can complete as many challenges as desired within current mission, in any order

(constrained by “Crat” trivia barriers)

• can review, “like”, and comment on other players’ posts as desired

• can start or respond to conversation threads in “Soapbox”

• participation limited to the time span that each mission is open

Freedom of Experimentation - High• can express views and opinions in various ways, to see effect on “likes” and comments

• can propose new Causes, evaluate popularity

Freedom of Identity – MediumPlayer expected to represent own real identity accurately, but can exercise empathy in some challenges

Freedom of Failure – Medium• feedback mostly provided by other players

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Feedback and Rewards:

Feedback to posting mission challenge responses, questions/ideas in “Soapbox” discussion forum:

• “likes” and comments provided by other players: fixed-ratio, highly-variable-interval reinforcement

• Color-coding of response display, according to “hotness” (numbers of likes and comments)

• Pros: authentic, builds lateral trust

• Cons: limited and unpredictable amount -> hard to learn from

Feedback to pledging coins toward specific Causes:Final leaderboard of Causes in Bank section

Rewards:• Earning coins from completing challenges: continuous reinforcement

• Earning awards (badge + coins): fixed-ratio or variable-interval reinforcement

• Leaderboard of players and affiliations, based on total coins earned

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Challenge Data Visualization: Bubble Mode

Each bubble represents a single response to selected challenge; bubble size indicates popularity; bubble

color indicates response sentiment (red = negative, green = positive, gray = neutral).

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Clicking on bubble opens a pop-up showing the response post and any comments

Text of selected challenge question

Can filter responses by gender, age, stake, etc.



“Big-picture” Results Visualization: Demographics & Participation

Interactive graphs (hover mouse pointer over each segment). Players’ prior civic experience

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Number of players that completed challenges in Salem game; a plurality completed 30% - 40%



Results relating to Serious Goals:

Salem data-visualization results applied to primary website serious goals:

Goal: Involve a variety of stakeholders in a process to improve the community.

Results:

• Players were socioeconomically diverse

• Young (plurality under 18), less-educated (majority without college education)

• Substantial plurality with no/little prior civic planning experience or communication with government

Goal: Give everyone an opportunity to express viewpoints and ideas.

Results:

• 191 active player posted over 2600 responses

• 70% of players self-identified as being within the community

• Bubble visuals show wide variety of responses

Goal: Collected input used by community planners to determine real-world decisions, including funding

for the most popular causes.

Results: No data yet

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Results relating to Serious Goals: (continued)

Goals and results reported in Gordon research paper (unpublished):Based on similar game-instances in Boston Public Schools (2011) and Detroit (2012). Data gathered

through in-game interaction analysis, player interviews & focus groups, post-game “finale” meeting.

Goal: Cultivate civic learning, through developing trust relationships and reflective capacity.

Results: Substantial evidence of increased lateral trust in other players, affiliated groups, and citizenry.

Significant anecdotal evidence of player reflection on planning issues, process, roles.

Goal: Engage as many stakeholders as possible in providing meaningful input to decision-makers.

Results: Players were socioeconomically diverse, many from usually-underrepresented groups.

Goal: Provide opportunities for stakeholders to learn about the planning process through creation and

sharing.

Results: Some anecdotal evidence (in-game responses & comments) that sharing led to learning about the

community planning process.

Goal: Give the community a tool with lasting benefits after the specific intervention had ended.

Results: Detroit city-wide survey ranked CPI as the most “hopeful” engagement strategy.

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Gems/Surpluses:• Great usability, especially for players familiar with social networking sites

• Use of Google Translate helpful for ELL players

• Freedoms of effort and experimentation

• Effective in building trust, relatedness, and empowerment among community stakeholders

Anti-Gems/Deficits:• Participation timespan very limited (3 specific weeks); if someone’s too busy or away at that time …

• Mechanics rely on text reading & writing; problematic for low-literacy stakeholders

• Challenges that require map- or chart-reading skills, or website search, should have some scaffolding

• Scalability: high cost of pre- & post-production for each game instance (planning, development,

outreach, data visualization, …)

References:Ferrara, J. (2012) Playful Design: Creating game experiences in everyday interfaces. Rosenfeld Media.

Squire, K. (2011) Video Games and Learning, chapter 5. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

“Forms of Fun” and “Theory” card graphics from Dr. Heeter’s Support for Game Analysis slide deck.

Gordon, E. and Baldwin-Philippi, J. (2013, working paper). “Playful Civic Learning: Enabling Lateral

Trust and Reflection in Game-based Public Participation”

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