COMM 190 comprehensive final exam study guide 2023
gamification (definition)
application of gaming principles to non-gaming contexts
what is a game?
a structured experience with clear goals, rules that force a player to overcome
challenges, with instant feedback
three gaming principles
structure and rules
challenges
feedback and rewards
pros of gamification
fun
engaging
motivational
can release dopamine
rely on "threshold effects"
can induce a "flow" state
allow for meaningful content delivery
cons of gamification
It has always existed, not a new breakthrough science
Desensitizes people to reality
Overly commercial
Often poor excuses for games
Potentially addictive
structured play
another term for "games"
Governed by rules
Presents specific challenges and goals
Can still be exploratory and creative
unstructured play
lacks rules and formal guidelines, often exploratory and or/creative
Homo Ludens (man the player)
written by Johann Huizina
suggest play is primary to and a necessary (though not sufficient) condition of the
generation of culture
concept of "magic circle" is first discussed
"magic circle"
"games are magic world where rules of game set it apart from rules of real world"
body play
spontaneous desire to get ourselves out of gravity
object play
playing with objects
linking brain to hand
social play
playing with others and developing relationships through play
,rough and tumble play
cognitive, emotional and physical play
very important for developing children
imaginative play
story telling and imagination
typically play is solo within yourself, still important
ritual play
example is winning the world series in baseball
narrative play
We all have an internal narrative that's our own inner story
Narratologists
game should be "read"
school of literature
Ludologists
games should be played
what is the importance of play
-Practice survival skills (in low stakes environments)
-Encourage sociability (games with rules can help teach us about society's rules)
-Teaches flexibility and adaptability
-Enjoyment
-escape the "real" world
How can digital games convey many other existing entertainment media within
them?
Sports (madden or wii sports)
novels (halo series)
magazines (walking dead series)
movies (heavy rain or bioshock series)
art (prince of Persia series)
music (guitar hero)
In most basic form Digital games are____that stores and recreates info
computer code
what does ESA stand for?
entertainment software administration
what does ESRB stand for?
Entertainment Software Rating Board
what does gaming culture encompass
Major conferences (e3, GDC, PAX)
Modding of games and UGC
Pro gaming or esorts
Cosplay and fan fiction
Spinoffs and merchandise
Countless message boards, fan sites, and wikis
Gamification
how old is the first known board game and where was it discovered
, Senet, 3500 BCE
although dice have been around for at least 5000 yrs
early digital games
1952: Tic tac toe was computerized (A. S. Douglas)
1958: Tennis for two (William A Higinbotham)
1962: Spacewar! (steve russel)
1st generation of games
arcade and home games (70's)
2nd generation of games
Atari, etc. home consoles (70-80's)
3rd generation of games
NES (80's)
4th generation of games
Gameboy, Super NES (90's)
5th generation of games
PS1, N64 (90's)
6th generation of games
PS2, Gamecube, Xbox (2000's)
7th generation of games
Xbox 360, PS3, Wii (2000's)
8th generation of games
Xbox One, PS4 + Tablet and phone gaming (current decade)
local gaming industry (Pennsylvania)
1,059 employees
contributes 41.9 million to state economy
national gaming industry
32,000 employees
$21.53 billion in sales generated
global gaming industry
67 billion in revenue
traits of console games
Playable on xbox, playstation, wii, etc
High production value
Can take years/hundreds of employees to create
Up to $60 to purchase physical (disc) version of software
traits of handheld games
Playable on Gameboy, DS, ps vita, etc
Portable
Moderate to high production value
Up to 40 to purchase physical (cartridge) of software
traits of computer games
Computer games
Playable through pc or mac
Budget depends on distribution method
gamification (definition)
application of gaming principles to non-gaming contexts
what is a game?
a structured experience with clear goals, rules that force a player to overcome
challenges, with instant feedback
three gaming principles
structure and rules
challenges
feedback and rewards
pros of gamification
fun
engaging
motivational
can release dopamine
rely on "threshold effects"
can induce a "flow" state
allow for meaningful content delivery
cons of gamification
It has always existed, not a new breakthrough science
Desensitizes people to reality
Overly commercial
Often poor excuses for games
Potentially addictive
structured play
another term for "games"
Governed by rules
Presents specific challenges and goals
Can still be exploratory and creative
unstructured play
lacks rules and formal guidelines, often exploratory and or/creative
Homo Ludens (man the player)
written by Johann Huizina
suggest play is primary to and a necessary (though not sufficient) condition of the
generation of culture
concept of "magic circle" is first discussed
"magic circle"
"games are magic world where rules of game set it apart from rules of real world"
body play
spontaneous desire to get ourselves out of gravity
object play
playing with objects
linking brain to hand
social play
playing with others and developing relationships through play
,rough and tumble play
cognitive, emotional and physical play
very important for developing children
imaginative play
story telling and imagination
typically play is solo within yourself, still important
ritual play
example is winning the world series in baseball
narrative play
We all have an internal narrative that's our own inner story
Narratologists
game should be "read"
school of literature
Ludologists
games should be played
what is the importance of play
-Practice survival skills (in low stakes environments)
-Encourage sociability (games with rules can help teach us about society's rules)
-Teaches flexibility and adaptability
-Enjoyment
-escape the "real" world
How can digital games convey many other existing entertainment media within
them?
Sports (madden or wii sports)
novels (halo series)
magazines (walking dead series)
movies (heavy rain or bioshock series)
art (prince of Persia series)
music (guitar hero)
In most basic form Digital games are____that stores and recreates info
computer code
what does ESA stand for?
entertainment software administration
what does ESRB stand for?
Entertainment Software Rating Board
what does gaming culture encompass
Major conferences (e3, GDC, PAX)
Modding of games and UGC
Pro gaming or esorts
Cosplay and fan fiction
Spinoffs and merchandise
Countless message boards, fan sites, and wikis
Gamification
how old is the first known board game and where was it discovered
, Senet, 3500 BCE
although dice have been around for at least 5000 yrs
early digital games
1952: Tic tac toe was computerized (A. S. Douglas)
1958: Tennis for two (William A Higinbotham)
1962: Spacewar! (steve russel)
1st generation of games
arcade and home games (70's)
2nd generation of games
Atari, etc. home consoles (70-80's)
3rd generation of games
NES (80's)
4th generation of games
Gameboy, Super NES (90's)
5th generation of games
PS1, N64 (90's)
6th generation of games
PS2, Gamecube, Xbox (2000's)
7th generation of games
Xbox 360, PS3, Wii (2000's)
8th generation of games
Xbox One, PS4 + Tablet and phone gaming (current decade)
local gaming industry (Pennsylvania)
1,059 employees
contributes 41.9 million to state economy
national gaming industry
32,000 employees
$21.53 billion in sales generated
global gaming industry
67 billion in revenue
traits of console games
Playable on xbox, playstation, wii, etc
High production value
Can take years/hundreds of employees to create
Up to $60 to purchase physical (disc) version of software
traits of handheld games
Playable on Gameboy, DS, ps vita, etc
Portable
Moderate to high production value
Up to 40 to purchase physical (cartridge) of software
traits of computer games
Computer games
Playable through pc or mac
Budget depends on distribution method
