the six facets of serious game design: a methodology enhanced by our design pattern library

The Six Facets of Serious Game Design:

A Methodology Enhanced by our

Design Pattern Library

B. Marne, J. Wisdom, B. Huyn-Kim-Bang, J-M. Labat

[email protected]

DPs for the 6 Facets / EC-TEL 2012 Marne, Wisdom, Huyn-Kim-Bang, Labat 2

Serious Game Design is about Collaboration

◼ 2 types of experts● With some different

skills● And some common

skills◼ Must work together to

design a serious game◼ With the common goal

to mix fun and learning


Outline

◼ Research Questions◼ The Six Facets of Serious Game Design◼ The Design Pattern Library◼ Discussion and Future Work◼ Conclusion


Research Questions

How to help...◼ Pedagogical Experts to understand the aims, means,

and methods of the Game Experts?◼ Vice versa: Game Experts to understand the aims,

means and methods of Pedagogical Experts?◼ Both stakeholders to speak the same language during

the design of a serious game?

→ We have built a conceptual framework:The Six Facets of Serious Game Design


Outline



The Six Facets of Serious Game Design

◼ A conceptual framework aiming● To improve design process● To extract Design Patterns

◼ Each facet is an aspect of the design process defined by:● A common design problem● A general solution● The type of experts involved


– Facet #1 –Pedagogical Objectives

◼ How to define the pedagogical content?

◼ Describe the knowledge model (including misconceptions) of the domain and the educational objectives


– Facet #2 –Domain Simulation

◼ How to respond consistently and coherently to the correct or erroneous actions of the game players within a specific unambiguous context?

◼ Define a simulation based on a formal model of the (educational) discipline


– Facet #3 –Interactions with the Simulation

◼ How to engage the players by allowing them to interact with the simulator?

◼ Define the interactions with the formal model through the intrinsic metaphor chosen for the specific SG


– Facet #3 –Interactions with the Simulation

◼ How to engage the players by allowing them to interact with the simulator?

◼ Define the interactions with the formal model through the intrinsic metaphor chosen for the specific SG

Intrinsic metaphor: “a virtual environment and a gaming experience in which the contents that we want to teach can be naturally embedded with some contextual relevance in terms of the game-playing [...]” [Fabricatore 2000]


– Facet #4 –Problems and Progression

◼ Which problems to give the players to solve and in which order?

◼ Design the progression taking into account both required knowledge acquisition (pedagogy) and the progress of the player (fun) from one level to the next


– Facet #5 –Decorum

◼ Which type of multimedia or fun elements, unrelated to the domain simulation, will foster the motivation of the players?

◼ Define some visual, audio atmosphere and a scenario to foster motivation


– Facet #6 –Conditions of Use

◼ How, where, when, and with whom the game is played?

◼ Define the conditions of use of the SG: it can be played by one or several players, in class or online, with or without an instructor etc.


Outline



A Design Pattern Library to Foster Collaboration

◼ A formal language to describe good practices● Design Patterns [Alexander et al. 1977]

Context, Problems, Forces, Solution, Examples, Related patterns

◼ A set of common best practices● Domain centered● Indexed into a pattern language to be found easily

◼ A lexicon ● built thanks to the DPs to foster communication and

collaboration


Previous Work

◼ DPs for TEL → no game design aspecte.g.: [Delozanne et al. 2007]

◼ DPs for Games → no pedagogical aspecte.g.: [Aldricht 2009], [Björk & Holopaienen 2005]

◼ DPs for Serious Games: mixing fun and pedagogy.e.g.: [Kiili 2007]

→ Our goals:◼ Collect reusable DPs for SG design◼ Organize them within our conceptual framework


Methodology

◼ Bottom-up → empirical method◼ Steps:

● Collect DPs ([Kiili 2007], [Björk & Holopaienen 2005], etc.) They are reusable

● In-deep analysis of 6 SGs design documents Partner companies: KTM-Advance, Ad-Invaders

● Interviews with designers● Analysis of several successful SGs

→ 42 Design Patterns Collaborative Library


Example #1: “Reified Knowledge” (1)

Facet #4: Problems and progression◼ Context:

● A variety of competences and knowledge issues◼ Problem:

● helping users become more aware of their acquired knowledge

◼ Forces:● how to give feedback and maintain the player in the

Flow?● How to use feedback to enhance motivation?


Example #1: “Reified Knowledge” (2)

◼ Solution:● Represent items of

knowledge or skills with virtual objects to be collected

◼ Examples:● America’s Army,

Ludiville...◼ Related Patterns:

● Object Collection


Example #2: “Time for Play / Time for Thought” (1)

Facet #3: Interactions with the simulation◼ Context:

● A Game-Based Learning Blend with a list of educational objectives, including high-level knowledge

◼ Problem:● How can one teach high-level knowledge?

◼ Forces: ● Difficulty to concentrate on the interactions of the game while being

engrossed in high-level thinking at the same time● Instantaneous interaction in video games while some knowledge

acquisition requires standing back and taking time to ponder over what is to be learned


Example #2: “Time for Play / Time for Thought” (2)

◼ Solution:● Define 2 phases:

Intensive action phases for practice and training→ Implement Pedagogical Gameplay during action phases(discovery, experiencing emotionally, or experimenting with new knowledge)

Reflective phases for thought and reflection (less intensive phases)→ use Debriefing to return to what has been happening during the action.

◼ Examples:● Defense Immunitaire (game with two phases), Ludiville or CellCraft (games with

Debriefings)◼ Related Patterns:

● Pedagogical Gameplay, Debriefing, Reified Knowledge, Advanced Indicators, Two Learners Side by Side


A 42 Design Patterns Library

◼ [Facet #1] Pedagogical Objectives: Categorizing Skills, Price Gameplay vs. Educational Goals

◼ [Facet #2] Domain simulation: Simulate Specific Cases, Build a Model for Misconceptions, Elements that Cannot be Simulated, An Early Simulator, Do not Simulate Everything

◼ [Facet #3] Interactions with the simulation: Museum, Social Pedagogical Interaction, Serious Boss, Protege Effect (K), Advanced Indicators, Validate External Competencies, Questions – Answers, New Perspectives, Pedagogical Gameplay, Microworld Interaction, Time for Play /Time for Thought, Quick Feedbacks, Teachable Agent (K), In Situ Interaction, Pavlovian Interaction, Debriefing

◼ [Facet #4] Problems and Progression: Measurement achievements, Surprise, Smooth Learning Curve (GD), Fun Reward, Game Mastery, Freedom of Pace, Reified Knowledge

◼ [Facet #5] Decorum: Object Collection, Local Competition, Loquacious People, Graduation Ceremony, Fun Context, Wonderful World, Narrative Structures (GD), Serious Varied Gameplay, Informative Loading Screens, Hollywoodian Introduction, Comical World

◼ [Facet #6] Conditions of use: Two Learners Side by Side

http://seriousgames.lip6.fr/DesignPatterns


Outline



Fieldwork

◼ Tested with 20 students in video game (ENJMIN school)● DPs on game design were not useful for them● Not enough DPs on educational aspects (useful for them)

◼ Tested with 2 teachers (secondary school and university)● DPs on game design were very useful for them (solutions of

gameplay to pedagogical problems)◼ Tested during a collaborative SG design (Donjons &

Radon)● DPs helped the game designer to take pedagogical aspects

into account.◼ Community evaluation started (online library)


Future Work: Evaluation of the DP Library

◼ Analysis of the Library users tracking logs

◼ Compliance with the specifications of an SG made with or without DPs:● We are building a typology for

SGs based on the Six Facets● Define the initial type: type of

the SG the stakeholders asked for

● Compare with the final type: type of the SG that has been made

Valences of a typical TEL system


Future Work: Evaluation of the DP Library

◼ Analysis of the Library users tracking logs

◼ Compliance with the specifications of an SG made with or without DPs:● We are building a typology for

SGs based on the Six Facets● Define the initial type: type of

the SG the stakeholders asked for

● Compare with the final type: type of the SG that has been made

SG with an intrinsic metaphor


Outline

◼ Research Questions◼ The Six Facets of Serious Game Design◼ The Design Patterns Library◼ Discussion◼ Conclusion


Conclusion

◼ Our DP library can give elements of a language that helps pedagogical experts to understand aims, means and methods of game experts

◼ Video game experts are interested in some more pedagogical oriented DPs

→ We have built a collaborative web site for our DP Library where users can:

Vote and comment on DPs Translate DPs Modify and create DPs

http://seriousgames.lip6.fr/DesignPatterns


Pedagogical Objectives: States of the Water


Formal Simulation Model: PVT Diagram


Interactions with the Simulation: Tower Defense Interactions


Problems and Progression: Measurement Achievements


Decorum: Comical World


Another View of the Facets

the six facets of serious game design: a methodology enhanced by our design pattern library

Documents

game experts

game design experts

serious game design

game designers

labat2serious game design

game producers

main types of experts

methods of pedagogical