Wicked Problems and Designing Games for Change

Dr. Cynthia CalongneCTU Doctoral Symposium, April 17-19, 2014

Wicked Problems

• Hard to characterize• No simple solution• Ambiguous or complex• Diverse perspectives• Changing conditions• Global impact

Wicked Problem Examples

• Public Planning and Policy– Global climate change– Human trafficking– Drug trafficking– Natural hazards– Social injustice– Healthcare– Pandemics– Nuclear

Addressing Wicked Problems

• Novel solutions for unique problems – Normal tactics will fail– Exploration by trial and error– Solution defines the problem

• Potential steps lead to consequences• Solutions are neither right or wrong• A symptom of another problem• Reciprocal cause and effect

Types of Wicked Problems

• Environmental• Economic• Spiritual• Political• Medical• Social• Moral

How Can Emerging Media Help?

Global CommunicationGlobal Argument

Social MediaPresencingDiversityGames

 

MIT’s Action Research Global Wellbeing and Gross National Happiness Lab

Presencing and Emerging Media

  Virtual-Physioception

Motivation Intersubjective Presencing

Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs)

Transdisciplinarity

Body awareness(Mehling, Gopisetty, Daubenmier, Price, Hecht & Stewart)

Virtual Self (Fox & Bailenson; Ratan; McCreery)

Social Presence (Biocca et al.; Blascovich)

Player Identification (Van Looy)

Supermorphic Persona (Young)

Metacognition Theory (Flavell)

Being (Maslow)

Grit (Duckworth)

Generativity (McAdams )

Intrinsic (Dickey)

Intrinsic v. Extrinsic (Finkelstien)

Volunteerism (Shye)

Avatar appearance (Baylor)

Presencing- (Senge et. Al; Scharmer)

Transformed Social Interaction (Bailenson, Beall, Loomis, Blascovich &Turk; Bailenson)

Presence in VWs – (Allmendinger, Suter)

Dialogue (Bohm)

Transformed Social Interaction in CVEs- (Bailenson)

CVEs- (Montoya)

WoW- (Yee)

3D Visualization (Siau, Nah, Mennecke & Schiller; Sonnewald)

Manifesto (Nicolescu, Montuori) Team Science(Stokols)

Team cognition (Salas & Fiore)

Complexity Theory (Morin)

Wicked Problems- (Rittel; Conklin)

Courtesy of Dr. Barbara Truman, research in presencing and transdisciplinarity

Presencing

Sharing

theSocial Space

within theMind Space

thruGames &

Simulations

Everyone Matters

Benefits of Games

Games can stimulate

• Problem solving• Critical thinking• Digital literacy• Strategy & tactics• Motor skill development• Collaboration• Leadership & courage• Socialization

Game-based learning

• Vision & creativity• Sustainability• Immersion • Learning retention• Heutagogy• Knowledge networks• Socio-technical skills• Entrepreneurship

Game Design and Prototyping

Roleplay, Social Games and Simulations

Leveraging a Game-Based Culture

• Alternate reality games• Augmented reality• Games for change• Serious games• Gamification• Social games• MMORPGs• MMOGs

Design Games for Change

•Define the problem and desired outcomes•Identify the possible genres and tactics•Explore the story and game mechanics•Identify the EM tools, technology and resources•Design the quests •Integrate the story, quests and game mechanics•Play the game•Evaluate the desired outcomes and aesthetics

Design Goals, Game Elements and Outcomes

By Jane McGonigal http://janemcgonigal.com/learn-me/

Game Genres and Play Styles

Types of games

• Word, trivia or puzzle• Scavenger or Treasure Hunt• Action or adventure• Real Time Strategy (RTS)• Roleplay game (RPG)• MMORPGs• Arcade or Video games• First Person Shooter (FPS)• Simulations (Sims)• Board or card games• Mobile and social games

Play styles

• Individual or social• Multiplayer cooperative• Multiplayer competitive• Everyone is a winner!• Last man standing – PvP• Player vs Environment• Roleplay• Capture the flag• Team wins• High score• Social and free play games

Designing the Game Components

Design Concepts

Game Mechanics

• Rules• Objectives• Environment• Setting• Win Conditions• Challenges• Treasure, Loot or Gold• Badges• Reputation

Roleplay Games

• Story• Terrain • 2D or 3D Graphics• Strategies• Conflict• Players• Non-Player Character (NPC)• Enemies or Monsters• Competition

Game Controls and Observation

Game Scoreboard

A Few Design Distinctions

Strategy Game

• Game engine• Modeling

– 2D diagrams and 3D objects

• Character Creation• Level & Strategy Design• System Integration• Game Events • Win Strategy - Objectives• Quality Assurance

– Unit & Integration Tests– Play and Usability Tests

Virtual World Game

• Virtual World Simulator• Rapid Prototyping

– 3D Game Objects

• Bots (NPCs) and Avatars• Linking Object Models

– Designing Holodecks

• Multimedia & Animations• Rubrics - Objectives & Outcomes• QA - Change Management

– Object Behavior Tests– Integration, Play & Usability Tests

Requirements for the Environment & Aesthetics

Activity

•In groups of 3-5–Identify a problem –Identify a game genre for investigating it

»Explore the problem»Explore possible solutions

• Discuss the forces at work–The mnemonic = the words that end in –al

Prototyping the Game’s Design

A Game Designer Demos Her Game Badge

Emerging Media Tactics

• Global conversation– Social networks

• Social media• Semantic Web• Mobile technology• Cloud computing• Game-based culture

Designing Collectible Card Games

Crowdsourcing the problemTrial and error

Willingness to fail

Game Activity

•Using games for change–Identify the EM strategies for your game–Review its features and behavior

»How it uses the Web»How it leverages socialization & collaboration»How it supports individual play

• Describe the game mechanics–How do the players “win” at the game?

Mayan Temple Game Simulation

  Non-Player Characters (NPCs)

Players and NPCsStory, characterization and

aestheticsDevelopment of quality models

and game prototypes

Collaboration, Communication andTransdisciplinarity

Scene from a CTU Emerging Media Sick Bay

Immersive and Mobile Games

Courtesy of Dr. Andrew Stricker

Designing a Game Inside a Game

Photo by C. CalongneGame Design by AgileBill Firehawk

Wicked Problems and Designing Games for Change

Dr. Cynthia CalongneCTU Doctoral Symposium, April 17-19, 2014

Game Activities