Playability Design Pattern in Educational Video Game

1. Laboratorio de Investigación en Videojuegos y E-Learning GEDES - UGR Playability Design Pattern in Educational Video Game AmerIbrhim, Francisco L. Gutiérrez Vela, José Luís González Sánchez, Natalia Padilla Zea

2. Contents • Introduction • Playability and Design Pattern • Design Pattern For Educational Video Game • Conclusions and further work Laboratorio de Investigación en Videojuegos y E-Learning

3. Introduction • Educational video game EVG • User-Centered Design UCD • Player-Centered Design PCD • Player Experience PX • Extending UCD Laboratorio de Investigación en Videojuegos y E-Learning

4. EVG Development Process

5. Introduction • Do we need Design Pattern in EVG? • The Importance of Design Pattern • Balancing fun and education. • Playability and player experience. • Game experience evaluation. Laboratorio de Investigación en Videojuegos y E-Learning

6. Playability and Design Pattern • How can playability and design pattern improve the Player Experience. • Playability in EVG. • Definition The set of properties that describe the player experience in the gaming environment, the main goal of which is to provide enjoyment and learning in a playable and learnable context for the duration of play. • Attributes Laboratorio de Investigación en Videojuegos y E-Learning

7. Educational Playability Attributes • Satisfaction: the generated pleasure and satisfaction • Learnability: understanding and mastering the game system • Effectiveness: improving the current PX • Immersion: absorbing players in the virtual world • Motivation: prompt a player to reach the game goal • Emotion: the player response to the stimulus of the game • Socialization: game capacity to support the social experience • Supportive: supporting player during the game time • Educative: mastering and achieving the educational goal Laboratorio de Investigación en Videojuegos y E-Learning

8. Design Pattern for EVGs • Design Pattern Taxonomy • Elements of a Design Pattern Laboratorio de Investigación en Videojuegos y E-Learning

9. Design Pattern Taxonomy I • Interactive Integration • Balanced EVG • Interface Structure • Adaptive Content • Active Support • Reward • Related Support Laboratorio de Investigación en Videojuegos y E-Learning

10. Design Pattern Taxonomy II • Knowledge Realism • Knowledge Correctness • Game Reality • Beneficial Play • Incremental Learning • Motivated Play Laboratorio de Investigación en Videojuegos y E-Learning

11. Design Pattern Taxonomy III • Knowledge Growth • Embedded Learning • Skills Improvement • Shared Experience • Social Awareness Laboratorio de Investigación en Videojuegos y E-Learning

12. Elements of a Design Pattern • Name • Problem • Description • solution • Elements of the Game Affected • Playability Elements Affected • Relations with other patterns • Consequences • Example Laboratorio de Investigación en Videojuegos y E-Learning

13. Example: Balanced EVG Problem How do we create a game in which all fun and educational aspects are included? Laboratorio de Investigación en Videojuegos y E-Learning

14. Balanced EVG Description EVGs have playful and educational contents, and producing an EVG in which both these aspects are included is very difficult, as both contents form the EVG and determine the success or failure of the game. Thus, failure to balance these contents impacts negatively on player experience. Laboratorio de Investigación en Videojuegos y E-Learning

15. Balanced EVG Solution presenting the EVG contents in the same stage without one dominating the other during the entire game, or at any game stage; emphasizing the need for game contents to be well-structured and carefully-chosen throughout the videogame design to produce an integrated EVG; Presenting educational content indirectly and adding playful content with the goal of maintaining the game story; Keeping these contents compliant in terms of goal visualizing and achieving. Laboratorio de Investigación en Videojuegos y E-Learning

16. Balanced EVG Elements of the video game affected Applying this pattern affects the challenge type and frequency, the presented tasks, and the game objectives in all game steps. Laboratorio de Investigación en Videojuegos y E-Learning

17. Balanced EVG Playability elements affected This pattern should provide a degree of fun to encourage and motivate players to continue playing. In this way, it ensures the EVG’s effectiveness as an educational system. It is related to the attributes Satisfaction, Motivation, Effectiveness and Educative. Laboratorio de Investigación en Videojuegos y E-Learning

18. Balanced EVG Relations with other patterns This pattern is directly related to the Interface Structure pattern. The Co-Pattern relation between these two patterns produces the best integration between video game components, and also ensures that an interactive playing environment is presented to players. Laboratorio de Investigación en Videojuegos y E-Learning

19. Balanced EVG Consequence This pattern ensures that players are entertained and provided with interesting content. It also ensures that the playful and educational contents are balanced in order to produce a successful EVG. The use of the pattern facilitates cognitive immersion and game mastery. Laboratorio de Investigación en Videojuegos y E-Learning

20. Balanced EVG Example WolfQuest is an immersive 3D wildlife simulation game, Based on real topographic maps of Yellowstone Park and realistic graphics, which lets players join a wolf pack made up of friends in the multiplayer version or seek to perfect their hunting skills and build their own pack in the single player version. Laboratorio de Investigación en Videojuegos y E-Learning

21. Conclusions and further work • Game design patterns are powerful tools • Format of Design Pattern • Player Experience Improvement • Player Experience Evaluation Laboratorio de Investigación en Videojuegos y E-Learning