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LTEC 5240 Assignment 2: Personal Preferences in Gaming

Consider the materials covered. Were there any games of gaming innovations that stood out to you? Why? Share a bit about your favorite games both traditional and digital) and provide some insight into why they appeal to you? Would you consider any of these to be educational? Your response should be at least 300 words. Delve deep and reference examples and resources where possible.

Watching through the videos chronicling some of the most popular video games got me thinking about an article I read in LTEC 5210 on Yokoi’s Theory of Lateral Innovation. While cutting edge technologies can catalyze the creation of new games, it is often games that use or perfect existing technologies that become the most memorable games. World of Warcraft’s game engine was outdated when it came out, and yet it is the most popular MMORPG of all time. StarCraft was not the first RTS out there, but it certainly one of the most popular. Yokoi’s theory states that designers should spend more time focusing on “the novelty of the play and the interactions between player and system” rather than just using the most advanced technology out there (Warren & Jones).  Being on the bleeding edge can “interfere with designing innovative products because of excess focus on the technology rather than on the innovate use of it” (Warren & Jones). As such, good games tend to be highly polished and new technologies complement but aren’t the focus of the experience.

The Mass Effect series is an example of innovation at work.  The games certainly aren’t the first RPG out there nor is it first shooter out there. The interactive storybook aspect of games has always been there, but the amount of choice you are allowed to have is incredible.  Add that to an incredibly compelling story, an immersive environment and at least for ME2 and ME3 fun shooting mechanics, and you have one of the best games of all time.  It would be a bit of a stretch to call it “educational.” You can always learn something from good storytelling.

Pokémon would be another example of a laterally innovative game.  It isn’t the first RPG out there.  But appealing to peoples need to collect (gotta catch them all) makes it one of the most popular game franchises out there. It would also be a stretch to call Pokémon educational.  I guess you could say there is some strategy, and you could learn a little about animals when you read the Pokedex but it has no learning objectives.

As an educator, I have overused Kahoot and Quizlet for my examples of well-made educational games.  They are a very innovative use of smartphones and network technology.  However, one of the best “games” I have seen in a classroom doesn’t use computers at all.  One of my teacher friends created a horse race game just using paper horses cut out of construction paper. Students got to advance their horses when they got quiz questions correct, and their horses fell back when they missed them.  It would seem that my friend was using Yokoi’s theory without even knowing about it.

Warren, S. J., & Jones, G. (n.d.). Yokoi’s Theory of Lateral Innovation: Applications for learning game design. i-manager's Journal of Educational Technology.


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