This is the presentation of my MA thesis "Playing (with) Educational Games: First and Second Order Gaming", held on Nov 11th 2009. The complete thesis will be downloadable at http://blogs.epb.uni-hamburg.de/metagames/

1. Thesis Presentation
Playing (with) Educational Games
First and Second Order Gaming
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

2. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Starting points
Guiding questions
• Promises of game based learning:
What are the traits of game and play?
• Educational game design:
How to achieve an integrated experience?
• Game contents and games as medium:
How to challenge criticism and change?
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

3. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Pathways
What this thesis is about
• 1. Games and play
Virtuality, expressive choice, repeatability
• 2. First order gaming
Integrated educational game design
• 3. Second order gaming
Metagaming, transmediality, unusability
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

4. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
1. Games and play
Important game traits
• Virtuality
• Expressive choice
• Repeatability
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

5. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Virtuality
A game breaks, makes and takes ‚reality‘.
«Playing is a complex sequence of anarchistic
toying, innovative game creation and rule-
complying gaming, of turning aspects of reality
into virtuality.» [p.8]
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

6. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Virtuality
A game breaks, makes and takes ‚reality‘.
«Playing is a complex sequence of anarchistic
toying, innovative game creation and rule-
complying gaming, of turning aspects of reality
into virtuality.» [p.8]
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

7. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Virtuality
A game breaks, makes and takes ‚reality‘.
«Playing is a complex sequence of anarchistic
toying, innovative game creation and rule-
complying gaming, of turning aspects of reality
into virtuality.» [p.8]
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

8. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Virtuality
A game breaks, makes and takes ‚reality‘.
«Playing is a complex sequence of anarchistic
toying, innovative game creation and rule-
complying gaming, of turning aspects of reality
into virtuality.» [p.8]
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

9. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Expressive choice
A game is a sequence of decisions.
«Playing is about choices and the communication
of these choices: What I choose to do within a
game – and that I choose to be in a game in the
first place.» [p.8]
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

10. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Expressive choice
A game is a sequence of decisions.
«Playing is about choices and the communication
of these choices: What I choose to do within a
game – and that I choose to be in a game in the
first place.» [p.8]
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

11. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Expressive choice
A game is a sequence of decisions.
«Playing is about choices and the communication
of these choices: What I choose to do within a
game – and that I choose to be in a game in the
first place.» [p.8]
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

12. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Expressive choice
A game is a sequence of decisions.
«Playing is about choices and the communication
of these choices: What I choose to do within a
game – and that I choose to be in a game in the
first place.» [p.8]
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

13. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Repeatability
A game is played often - but is always different.
« (...) playing is not about finding the one true
path, but about mapping the terrain.» [p.16]
„The Sims“
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

14. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Repeatability
A game is played often - but is always different.
« (...) playing is not about finding the one true
path, but about mapping the terrain.» [p.16]
„The Sims“
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

15. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Repeatability
A game is played often - but is always different.
« (...) playing is not about finding the one true
path, but about mapping the terrain.» [p.16]
„The Sims“
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

16. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
2. First order gaming
Integrated educational game design
• Moderat constructivist approaches
• Narrative design
• Rule design
• Problem: bias of design
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

17. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Theories
Moderate constructivist approaches
• Situated cognition (Brown et al.)
Culturally embedded knowledge acquisition
• Anchored instruction (Bransford et al.)
Narrative delivery of problem and method
• Cognitive flexibility (Spiro et al.)
Different perspectives and configurations,
on a complex domain by the same learner
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

18. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Games as micromedium
«While classic media deliver structured information,
games provide a structure for the experimental
formation of structured information.» [p.13]
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

19. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Narrative design
Providing context and meaning
«(...) narratives help understand and play (...)
games, and render moves and strategies
expectable, understandable, and meaningful,
while at the same time stabilising the culture
the game is played in.» [p.20]
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

20. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Narrative design
Providing context and meaning
What... Destroy
TradeHunting
War Teams
Progress
Competition
Growth
1. Visual and behaviour association
Gathering
2. Micronarrative
Protect
3. The Vantage Point
4. The Path
5. The Tree
How... 6. The Garden
7. The Field
8. The Market
9. The World
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

21. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Rule design
‚Objective‘ boundaries and consequences
«If the closed, simplified game environment has to
resonate the actual field of application, then the
required mechanics to perceive, judge and act
should do, too.» [p.22]
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

22. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Rule design
‚Objective‘ boundaries and consequences
Mode of cooperation
What is the role of co-players, opponents, allies, or friends?
cooperation | comptition
Mode of jurisdiction
What moves are allowed, and what are the consequences?
algorithmic | interpretative
Role of information
Is possession of knowledge or its generation important?
Examples... depletion | replenishment
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

23. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Rule design
‚Objective‘ boundaries and consequences
Mode of cooperation
What is the role of co-players, opponents, allies, or friends?
cooperation | comptition
Mode of jurisdiction
What moves are allowed, and what are the consequences?
algorithmic | interpretative
Role of information
Is possession of knowledge or its generation important?
Examples... depletion | replenishment
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

24. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Rule design
‚Objective‘ boundaries and consequences
Mode of cooperation
What is the role of co-players, opponents, allies, or friends?
cooperation | comptition
Mode of jurisdiction
What moves are allowed, and what are the consequences?
algorithmic | interpretative
Role of information
Is possession of knowledge or its generation important?
Examples... depletion | replenishment
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

25. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Problem: bias of design
Moderate constructivist approaches
«(...) there is the problem of a cultural bias ingrained
in the choice of fitting rules and narratives (...) that
tend to produce questions already answered. What is
seen as an asset for effective first order game design
is a liability for criticism and reflection in face of a
given, invisible framing.» [p.32]
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

26. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
3. Second order gaming
• Radical constructivist approaches
• Metagaming
• Transmediality
• Unusability
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

27. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Theories
Radical constructivist approaches
• (Un)decidable questions (von Foerster)
Creating and/or discovering knowledge
• Medium as formative space (Luhmann)
The (usually) invisible, pre-selected and given
environment of thought, creation and communication
• Contexts, choice & conflicts (Bateson)
Questioning expectations and breaking habits
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

28. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Games as accessible medium
«(...) how to challenge and support a reflective and
creative ‘stepping out’ from within (...) to raise
awareness for the medium “game”, as well as for its
specific limitations, manipulative dangers and
stereotypes (?)» [p.32]
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

29. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Metagaming
Pop up the hood.
• Cheats and walkthroughs
• Exploits and emergent gameplay
• Skinning
• Extensions and conversions
• Integrated (re)creations
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

30. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Metagaming
Pop up the hood.
«With metagaming a game’s frame of reference is
temporarily or indefinitely transcended, modified
and embraced anew.» [p.45]
Exploit Skinning
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

31. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Metagaming
Pop up the hood.
«With metagaming a game’s frame of reference is
temporarily or indefinitely transcended, modified
and embraced anew.» [p.45]
Exploit Skinning
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

32. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Metagaming
Pop up the hood.
«With metagaming a game’s frame of reference is
temporarily or indefinitely transcended, modified
and embraced anew.» [p.45]
Exploit Skinning
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

33. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Transmediality
When it‘s worth to be retold.
«(...) a game created as potential educational toy
should facilitate transmedial play as well as digital
networked game genres would do: Both are accepted
as in principle polymorph, constantly changing in
their forms and inspiring respectively spawning new
ones.» [p.45]
Machinima „Turning real“
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

34. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Transmediality
When it‘s worth to be retold.
«(...) a game created as potential educational toy
should facilitate transmedial play as well as digital
networked game genres would do: Both are accepted
as in principle polymorph, constantly changing in
their forms and inspiring respectively spawning new
ones.» [p.45]
Machinima „Turning real“
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

35. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Transmediality
When it‘s worth to be retold.
«(...) a game created as potential educational toy
should facilitate transmedial play as well as digital
networked game genres would do: Both are accepted
as in principle polymorph, constantly changing in
their forms and inspiring respectively spawning new
ones.» [p.45]
Machinima „Turning real“
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

36. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Unusability
You don‘t want to play it again.
«(...) game design decisions which deliberately
and unbeknownst by the user turn a game
unworkable, aporic, disbalanced and disturbing,
where it should be intuitive to use, guiding, fair
and entertaining.» [p.45]
„September 12th“ „Starpower“
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

37. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Unusability
You don‘t want to play it again.
«(...) game design decisions which deliberately
and unbeknownst by the user turn a game
unworkable, aporic, disbalanced and disturbing,
where it should be intuitive to use, guiding, fair
and entertaining.» [p.45]
„September 12th“ „Starpower“
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

38. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Unusability
You don‘t want to play it again.
«(...) game design decisions which deliberately
and unbeknownst by the user turn a game
unworkable, aporic, disbalanced and disturbing,
where it should be intuitive to use, guiding, fair
and entertaining.» [p.45]
„September 12th“ „Starpower“
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

39. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Conclusion
Media specific design | second order gaming support
• Playing is both a compliant and anarchic
form of perception and action
• First order gaming:
Integrated game design for a consistent
experience of content and game
• Second order gaming:
Challenging games and content to be seen
and treated as created, modifiable toys
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009

40. Games and play | First order gaming | Second order gaming
Leaving the frame of presentation.
Wey-Han Tan • MA Thesis Presentation | ePedagogy Design | Visual Knowledge Building • UIAH | UHH • Nov 11th 2009