This is a page where us teachers compile our answers to written questions, primarily those that are asked in the framapad link during the supervisions. In the future, it will be regularly updated at the end of each supervision session with the answers from that session.

Module 4

From the latest supervision

What do you mean by <x> in question <y>?

Michael: Always ask us if you're unsure about any of the questions, that's absolutely fine. But they're imprecisely worded and they're open to reasonable interpretation - including yours. 'Darkness' for example can mean dark patterns, or it can refer to dark themes underpinned by dark game mechanisms, or perhaps broader sociological aspects such as sexism, racism or the like. Check with us if you're unsure, but as long as you frame your essay in a way that connects it to the topic of the course and relevant literature from the course, the questions may have many different kinds of appropriate answers. Define your terms in the text, and if that's a fair reading of the question then you're fine.

General advice on writing this assignment and choosing a question and activity/game

Michael: When considering what you are writing about, remember that this assignment is not only about listing the features that would make the activity/game fit the question but also asks you to investigate and discuss the consequences of including these features.
Anders: Examples of such listings would be: outlining what game elements the gamification uses, pointing at where the pervasive game breaches the magic circle, making an interpretation of a non-game to fit the definition of a game, or point at the darkness of a game design. Examples of the consequences resulting from your listed features would be: altered behaviour due to a new framing of the activity, how the idea of what we consider games are challenged by these features, what out-of-game consequences these features might generate.

From prior supervision this module

When is the correct time to talk to you about our plans? When we have decided on a question or done some background work?

Staffan: As soon as possible. Fail fast (so to say) so you can 'fix' your plans.

Pauline: You don't need to do a lot of background work before talking to us. It is a good idea to have thought through what your plan is, and done a "sanity check" as Staffan calls it, so that you can clearly explain why you think that your choice of game, pervasive game, or gamified activity is a good choice, and what the main things are that you plan to focus on. But you don't need to have written a lot or done extensive reading before discussing your idea.

"Reveal the darkness of a game design […]" - does 'a game design' mean you should focus on one game or a general game design element that might appear in several games?

Pauline & Anders: Focus on one game and its implementation/design. It could be good to include comparisons to other games that also use the design element, to provide nuance or contrast - maybe they did it ethically 'better' or something. But prioritize going into details about a single game and the darkness within it.