To write or not to write, that is the question...

I have been thinking, and actually drafting the book titled "Game Design Methods". I started one chapter in early 2012, but stopped until now--the end of 2012.

Before I restarted to write this book, I was curious about how many books on “game design” have been published and sold in Amazon.com. My search showed 151,350 results. So why bother to write another book on game design? I should be focusing on writing journal articles or academic book chapters that will contribute to my academic credential. But when I flashed back the experience of reading books on game design, I remembered how difficult it was to comprehend books written by foreigners—I mean non-Malaysian—before having the experience of staying in the UK and the US. When the lack of vision on how people design games in Western world might provide enormous space for imagination, the need to  comprehend without understanding the socio-cultural contexts in the Western world could become a barrier to exellent game design.

I am fortunate to have the opportunity to study and work in Western countries, but the opportunity came only after I reached the age of 27. My world view prior to 27 years old was pretty narrow, and I believe most if not all of my young students in Malaysia share the similar world view like mine. I sensed the lack of vision among my students, which prompted me to write this book for them. Therefore, I tried to include examples and concepts which I think suitable for Malaysian students who study game design. 

Perhaps, I should write it in Malay...

Juiciness as the visceral design manifestation in games

Juul (2010) highlighted the component of juiciness in games and related it to Norman's visceral level of emotional design.

Juiciness occurred in both hardcore game and casual game, but in different conditions:

…hardcore game design has diegetic juiciness, which is juiciness within the game world, but casual game design is characterized by nondiegetic juiciness, which is juiciness that take place outside the game world. Hardcore juiciness takes place in the 3-D space of the game; casual juiciness takes place in screen space, but addresses the player in player space (Juul, 2010, p50)

Casual game design commonly features excessive positive feedback for every successful action the player performs. Casual game design is very juicy. 

Apart from juiciness, herewith the other four components of casual game design:

1. Fiction: The player is introduced to the game by way of screenshot, a logo on a web page, or the physical game box. Casual games are generally set in pleasant environments. Casual game design has emotionally positive fictions as opposed to the mostly emotionally negative, “vampires and war” settings of traditional video games.

2.       Usability. The player tries to play the game, and may or may not have trouble understanding how to play. Casual games presuppose little knowledge of video game conventions. Casual game design is very usable (for educational purpose as well).

3.       Interuptibility. A game demands a certain time commitment from the player. It is not that casual games can only be played for short periods of time, but that casual game design allows the player to play a game in brief bursts. Casual game design is very interruptible. 

4.       Difficulty and punishment. A game challenges and punishes the player for failing. Casual games often become very difficult during the playing of a game, but they do not force the player to replay large parts of the game. Single-player casual game design has lenient punishments for failing. The experience of punishment in multiplayer casual game design depends on who plays. 

References:

Donald Norman. (2004). Emotional design: why we love (or hate) everyday things. New York: Basic Books.

Jespal Juul. (2010). A Casual Revolution: Reinventing video games and their players. Cambridge: The MIT Press. 

Game Goal vs. Design Goal

My students who are studying MMD1033 Game Design Principles always mix up two different matters--the game goal and the design goal when they write their game design document (GDD).

Game goal is what the player or avatar that represents the player intends to achieve in the game world. In most games, that would mean winning the game. In this sense, the designer should put himself / herself in the player's shoes when setting the game goal and any associated objectives.

Design goal is what the game designer intends to challenge players in the game world. Game challenges are formed by setting the game rules (what players can and cannot do) and the game goal, after considering the level of skills, knowledge and progress of the players.

To contrast the game goal and design goal, herewith an example that involves both of them:

• Game goal: Mario to rescue the Princess Peach from Bowser and save the Mushroom Kingdom.
• Design goal: to challenge the speed, accuracy and consistency of player's hand-eye coordination in controlling a game character (Mario) in a 2D or 3D game world.  

To players, they might not be able (or needed) to differentiate the above mentioned differences, especially when they play through first-person perspective. But it is important for game designers, and those who intend to re-purpose games (e.g. GBL teachers) to understand and take advantage of the differences.

The differences are obvious in games that feature background story or narrative (e.g. God of War, Super Mario Bro, etc). However, in games that were constructed with the three classical elements (rule-based, goal-oriented and feedback-driven), the delineation becomes implicit or blurred. Still, it is essential to separate game goal and design goal, particularly in diagnosing the success or failure of a game.

Goal and rules setting might be easy to game designers, but balancing the goal and rules with players' progressive enhancement and accumulation of knowledge and skills is tricky, because it involves tracking the learning progress of players, and learning happens in games through feedback mechanism. In other words, measuring players' learning progress over their in-game achievement is the key to get the game goal fits with the design goal. And this is very important to GBL or LBG practices--the design goal has been tuned towards education. 

In a word, game designers should be well-versed with the structural elements of games. By well-verse, I mean not only knowing what they are, but also knowing what they are not.

Gamification: Turning Activities in Daily Living into Games

Gamification is a term I heard of alongside with "edufication". Herewith my understanding of these two concepts:

Gamification is a process of turning non-game playing activities in daily living into game-like activities. The root word, gamify, means turning something into games.
In contrast, edufication is a process of turning non-education matters--mainly formal and semi-formal--into educational matters. The root word, edufy, means turning something into education matters.
The relationship between gamification, edufication and game-based learning (GBL) could be explained in a funnel diagram:



Both gamification and edufication need subject matter contents, and they can complement or even support each other. For example, car driving activity can be gamified into a car driving game, and the game can then be edufied to be used in a GBL practice. The subject matter contents of the car driving activity, including fundamental car mechanics (knowledge), manuvearing a car (skills), and driving etiquette (attitudes), can be restructured to form the six structural elements of games, as shown in the following diagram:

How to gamify and edufy? Different game experts would take different approaches. To me, I will first deconstruct the subject matter contents into measurable or operationable units, and then classify these units into the six elements of games. To achieve these tasks, one may need the knowledge and skills of instructional systems design (ISD) for the deconstruction, and game design and development (GDD) knowledge and skills for the reconstruction. In other words, this involves two fields of studies.

Once the game is ready for playing, then it can either be used for teacher-less GBL practice or teacher-led GBL practice. And GBL would be a field of study that combines ISD and GDD.

Matt in Knowledge Nation Inc. introduced me to a fantastic gadget for gamification--the FitBit, in which it claims to be able to fit (read as gamify here) fitness into your day.

Prior my trip to San Francisco, I've signed up for a free online Gamification course, offered by Prof Kevin Werbach from University of Pennsylvania. The course will be started on 27 Aug 2012. I am eager to learn about Werbach's views on gamification.



Let our children benefit from the advancement of e-learning and game-based learning

(Adapted and translated from my article published by Sin Chew Daily on 23 July 2012)

The Malaysian Ministry of Education (MOE) might amend the Ordinance to allow students to bring computers and mobile phones to school. To scholars who actively promote e-learning as well as game-based teaching and learning, this is a positive matter, because this would provide a platform for academics who engage in research related to technology-enabled learning to practice the outcome of their studies. When tablet PCs, laptops and smart phones are appropriately used in schools, they can be powerful tools  for students to gain instant information and interactive media that will facilitate autonomous remedial and discovery learning activities. To teachers who are capable of using the electronic devices to promote efficient and effective teaching, teaching would become relaxed and fun. There are voluminous empirical research findings that illustrate the use of e-learning and other technology-enabled teaching and learning strategy in schools. Unfortunately, due to the absence of proper channels to obtain such evidence, the general public could only see the disadvantages instead of potentials of the use of these electronic devices.

In recent years, it would be fairly common to see lecturers and professions in tertiary institutions at home and abroad who can make good use of the blog, Twitter, Youtube video, Facebook and other online social media in conducting their classes. Under the promotion of paperless teaching and learning, college and university students can set up study groups of various subject matters, and submit their assignment to tutors or lecturers through Facebook; while the lecturers could provide learning feedback through such study groups anywhere anytime. In addition, the electronic game-based teaching initiative advocated by the Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI), is showing positive progress, so that future teachers who are undergoing teacher training programmes would know how to make the best use of electronic technology, thereby allowing a new generation of students to achieve learning outcomes efficiently. Nineteen primary and secondary schools which are adopted by UPSI will be invited to participate in a series of game-based learning activities. Once the reaction and effect of the initiative are proven positive via scientific validation, the programme will be rolled out to the whole country.

The Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) is actively promoting student-centered learning (SCL) among public institutions of higher education (IPTAs) to enable students to plan their own learning progress: they choose the courses they intend to take each semester, and decide their learning methodology, which include the use of electronic technology. This, to some extent, guides the students to be responsible for their own decisions, leading to become Malaysian with the sense of responsibility. As a prelude to entering university, the MOE has began to promote SCL in primary and secondary schools, and the amendment of the relevant regulations is just an initiative set to achieve this goal.

Teachers who have negative attitude towards this proposed amendment of Ordinance might be those who have not grasped the knowledge, skills and attitudes of electronic teaching and learning. The Educational Technology Department of MOE is planning and preparing in-service teacher training courses on e-learning and GBL now. Of course, since the strategic plan would have significant impact upon the national educational policies, guidelines and expenses, it would not be appropriate to announce the plan to the public before its completion. 

Malaysian parents might not be familiar with the use of electronic technology in teaching, which lead to the nonacceptance of allowing the electronic devices to entre schools. In fact, parents can try to think from a positive perspective, and take advantage of the modification of this Ordinance, making the teaching methods in our primary and secondary schools keep abreast with the advancement of electronic technology. For example, parents may use some of the existing parenting and homeschooling apps to monitor their children's academic performance and school activities. This would promote a new generation of parent-child relationship, and the establishment of a harmonious family that is based on the use of electronic technology. 


Technological products per se are not good or bad; the good or bad is determined by how people use them. What the parents and teachers who are well-verse in using electronic technologies should pursue is 'how to form favorable learning situations for children', rather than demanding the children to give up technology. Situations that is beneficial to children's learning are not formed by constraining children's learning methods; instead the situations are formed through the creation of a conducive momentum for learning, and active facilitation of autonomous learning. 

Money matters

I found the info on the salary in Singapore (see Salary.sg), and I pick some game production related jobs to share with  my students here (in SGD):


1. Managing director/ Chief executive officer – $29,102 [This is what I want my students to earn to be my boss]

7. Chief operating officer/ General manager – $15,005 [including those in game studios?]

10. Creative director (advertising) – $14,750

11. University lecturer – $14,000 [minimum qualification is PhD, this is what I probably will get]

13. Software and applications manager – $12,280 [digital games are software in a broader sense!]

26. Marketing and sales representative (ICT) – $9,396 [those who sell games]

34. Customer service manager – $8,462 [Online game customer service manager??]

37. Sales and marketing manager – $8,125

38. Management and business consultant – $7,982

39. Quality assurance manager – $7,848

45. Information technology project manager – $7,570

51. Education manager – $6,998

52. Producer (stage, film, television, computer games, video and radio) – $6,970

74. Software, web and multimedia developer – $6,065

76. Artistic director (stage, film, television and radio) – $5,834

99. Information technology testing/ quality assurance specialist – $4,800

For us Malaysian designers to beat these figures, we need to have global mindset. Our clients should no longer be limited to Malaysian. US, China, Japan, Korea and Middle East countries could be our main source of clients. Once the idea of glocalisation becomes a reality, getting salary higher salary than those working in Singapore is no a problem. When this happens, our brothers and sisters who are working in Singapore will return to us--after all, money really matters. 

How to avoid being addicted by game playing in the game design career

I knew this will happen:

My students who study game design and development misused my saying "I am not playing game, I am doing research".  

I think to achieve the status like me: getting paid for playing games, you need to discipline yourself and be professional in game playing. Before starting to play a game, you should set your mind whether you are playing the game for fun, for study (game design), for research (for review) or for other purposes. Once you have your mind set, you should decide up front how much time you should spend on playing this particular game. Then promise to yourself that you will abide the preset time limit, and begin playing according to the limit. 


So, it is YOU who decide when you want to study a game, design a game, or even get addicted in a game. And this will lead you to being a professional game designer!

List of my students' blog

Herewith the list of blogs created by my students in Game Design Principle course:

1. Nor A'lia http://sayangaliasam.blogspot.com/

2. Eyma http://isseyma.blogspot.com/

3. Dila http://nuradilasakirani.blogspot.com/

4. Rabiatul Adawiyah Bt Muhammad http://naqiadda.blogspot.com/

5. Nur Syazwani http://wanielovepancake.blogspot.com/

6. Nurul Hazirah http://playgroundforothers.blogspot.com/

7. Norul Husna http://husnahanna.blogspot.com/

8. Nor Amira http://mieyra-ramani.blogspot.com/

9. Deyn http://iamainzuddin.blogspot.com/

10. Syahmi http://syahmi93aiman.blogspot.com/

11. Mohd Firdaus http://mohd-firdauz.blogspot.com/

12. Haidar http://hdrgamerz.blogspot.com/

13. Hanisah http://akubudakgames.blogspot.com/

14. Siti Nur Hanim http://abcgamerz.blogspot.com/

15. Muhammad Arifin http://itsmearifin.blogspot.com/

16. Norhayati http://sesucilavender.blogspot.com/

17. Nor Hazuraine http://aboutfavouritegame.blogspot.com/

18. Ainun Madhiah http://mirmozebangbangboom.blogspot.com/

19. Carolina  http://carolina93-carolina.blogspot.com/

20. Mail  http://regersugah0507gmail.blogspot.com/-DINA

21. Muhamad Zawawi http://senyumsayamanis.blogspot.com/

to be continue...

Guide for Teacher-less GBL practices

I am developing a guide for student-centred game-based learning (GBL) practice. 

	Teacher-less explicit learning	Teacher-less implicit learning
Pre-game playing (off-game)	A meta-game or a paratext is needed to substitute the role of human teacher, either through a non-player character (NPC) like Professor Owl, or an omniscient / omnipotent invisible mentor.  The NPC and mentor should inform players the intended learning outcomes (LOs) and the targeted badges in an upcoming game playing session. Players are aware of the LOs but do not know what, when, where and how the content or features link to a particu­lar LO presented to or encountered by them.	Players are aware that they are going to play a game but they do not know whether the game is related to their formal learning or not.
During game playing (in-game and off-game)	Players are aware that they are both players and learners in the game playing session. The NPC could be an in-game or off-game facilitator or coach who supports learners’ in-game performance. Players would realize their attainment of LOs through instant in-game feedback.	Players are not aware that they ought to be learners in the game playing session. No presence of teachers, nei­ther in-game or off-game. Players would not regard in-game achievement and feedback given as attain­ment of any form of formal learning.
Post-game playing (off-game)	The NPC holds a debriefing discussion for players to review their play­ing and learning experience. The debrief­ing session should guide players in analyzing and interpreting their in-game performance. Players should be able to re­late specific content or feature of the game to particular LO after the debriefing. The NPC provides guidance for enhancement and remedial measures of learning.	Players are guided by the in-game debriefing session to analyze and interpret their in-game performance. The debriefing mechanism provides guidance for enhancement and remedial measures of playing. The debriefing mechanism informs players how specific achievement in game playing can be transferred to formal learning or other games.

I received requests for advice and consultation on GBL matters from time to time. Thus I think it might be sensible to provide some info about this here. If you are interested to know more about how GBL could be practiced in your institution, you may get in touch with me in person at whtan@fskik.upsi.edu.my. For non-profit organisations, I may offer pro-bono consultation service (as a form of community service as a Malaysian civil servant); whereas other entities may approach my employer, Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI) for the rate of consultation fee. Proposal for collaboration (in a group) or cooperation (in a team) from both academic researchers and commercial researchers are welcome, but subject to the approval of UPSI.

My aim is simple: I wish all teachers can teach happily and all learners can learn happily--and game-based learning is the way to be!

Game-based teaching: A teacher-led approach for using games in classroom

In recent years, when colleagues from other departments or institutions knew that I am doing R&D in games and game-based learning, they ask for guidance on how they can use games in their teaching. With reference to Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction, I proposed the following steps for using games in classroom teaching:

Events of Instruction	How games can be used
a.       Gain attention	Pre-game playing briefing. Teachers can do either one or a combination of the following activities to gain learners’ attention: The history about the game to be played The story of the game to be played (if the game has narrative element) The reason behind game-based learning practice or the use of games in the particular lesson (suitable for older children) Introduce the avatars or game characters in the game world (if any) Inform learners the game goal and objectives of particular levels or stages, i.e. what the hero / heroine intends to accomplish at the end of the game Assign specific roles to students and brief them their responsibilities of bearing those roles. (for RPGs) Inform learners the rules teacher set for the specific playing session, probably should highlight the reward (for being obedient) and punishment (for breaking rules).
b.      Inform learners of objectives	Depending on teacher’s lesson plan—either to practice implicit or explicit learning (see Tan, Neill & Johnston-Wilder, 2012), teacher may or may not inform learners of the learning objectives (not to be confused by the in-game character’s or avatar’s objectives). If teachers chose to inform learners of objectives, they should elaborate how the game playing experience is related to the attainment of learning objectives. If teachers chose not to inform learners of objectives, they should inform learners that both success and failure in game playing are  parts of the learning process, and promise to debrief at the end of the game playing session (before the end of the lesson).
c.       Stimulate recall of prior knowledge	If the game is related to knowledge which learners supposed to have constructed in previous lesson(s), teachers should brief learners on how prior knowledge could be applied in winning the game. Or at least, conduct a verbal quiz to stimulate recall of the knowledge, and then explain what kind or which portion of the prior knowledge is related to the game to be played.
d.      Present the content	In game-based learning practice, this means letting the learners to become players and start playing. Ideally, teachers should be allowed to play the game in advanced, in order to estimate the possible length of completing a specific game. However, if this is not possible or preferable, the teachers may refer to game developers of the game in advanced, acquiring the normal range of time needed to complete the game.
e.      Provide learning guidance	If there were learners who managed to complete the game earlier than the normal range, then teachers may appoint them to act as peer-coaches. Peer-coaches are encouraged to assist their peers—with teacher’s moderation—to complete the end. In the case where no players were managed to complete the game within the normal time range, teachers should provide hints, tips or options of possible solutions to players. If none of the players were capable to complete the game at the supposed pre-planned game debriefing, teachers should demonstrate how the game can be completed, or at least inform the solution to all in-game challenges. It is important to relate how the solutions are linked to learning objectives and game goal / objectives. In the case of open-ended games (e.g. simulation games), the length of the play session should be set in advanced, and then informing the players, probably during the pre-game briefing.
f.        Elicit performance (practice)	In most games, the performance elicitation will be done behind the scene through the tracking system. Individual learner’s performance will be recording in the game database (in the form of matrices). Teachers can monitor individual learner’s performance by referring to the metrices.
g.       Provide feedback	In-game immediate feedbacks are automated to avoid interference of game flow. Off-game immediate feedback might be provided either by peer-coaches or teacher who physically watch specific learner’s play. The feedback should be constructive and positive, which may scaffold the learner’s completion of the game.
h.      Access performance	Teachers can view the overall performance of individual learners at the end of each game session, i.e. through the matrices. A debriefing session should be organized to show how the overall game score, badges, etc are related to the attainment of learning objectives. The debriefing can also be student-led, in which students are given opportunities to discuss among their peers, and then present the output of the discussion (see Tan, Johnston-Wilder & Neill, 2010).
i.         Enhance retention and transfer to the job	Learners should be encouraged to blog, chat, video or post their in-game actions in social media websites. Teachers who are interested to game surround can also write a blog post or two, and have it shared with the learners.

AURA 2012 for Diploma in Game Design & Development Programme

Two weeks ago, I was entrusted by colleagues in Creative Multimedia Department to chair the organising committee of AURA (Akademik Unggul Raih Anugerah) 2012 for students of Dip in Game Design & Development programme. We had a meeting last Tuesday to plan and distribute tasks to each committee member. 

Today, we ran the programme and herewith my quick reflection:

A banner had been designed for the event, but since it contains intellectual property of Nintendo Co., a request for using the IP in the banner was made by sending an email to Nintendo US. Disappointingly, herewith the reply received from Nintendo:

Thanks for writing. I appreciate your interest in Nintendo and all our video game products for your talk session. To us, it represents a great sign of success and recognition of the Nintendo brand. 
We are grateful for all the requests we receive for permission to use Nintendo properties; however, we receive thousands of requests and do not have adequate staffing to review them all. Therefore, our general policy is to decline all such requests, no exceptions. I realize this isn’t what you wanted to hear and thank you for understanding. 
Although we are unable to grant permission, use of Nintendo properties without our formal permission may still be allowed depending on the circumstances. You are encouraged to seek your own legal counsel if you have any questions about whether your particular proposed use is permitted without Nintendo's authorization. This is not a comment on whether we believe your particular proposed use is permissible—Nintendo cannot provide legal advice.  

So the first lesson learnt, we won't be given formal permission to use IPs that belong to established game publishers. Eventually, we could only circulate the banner within UPSI. Nonetheless, the attendance of academics from other faculties showed that the banner actually attracted people to join the talk, so it served its function well anyway.

-----------------------------------------
Lunch were actually not allowed to be served in AURA 2012. However, donation and offerings made by lecturers of Creative Multimedia Department had turned impossible into possible--where there's a will, there's a way.
-----------------------------------------
Students were really supportive and enjoying the AURA. I personally felt this before the event when my students from Game Design Principles course eagerly submitted their puzzles to me--wishing to make participants entertained. The MCs, the facilitator of PNGS calculation and the volunteered performers had charmed the event. Other helpers, particularly those who handled food and drinks during tea breaks and lunch time had done an excellent job. Bravo!  


So I strongly believe that the students are ready to take over my role as the chair of organising committee in the next AURA. 

“Fancy yourself as a Sudoku whizz? Can you complete the tasks faster than all your friends? Well, now comes the ultimate test - the world's most difficult puzzle.” Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/  (Designed by Arto Inkala)

You may check the answer here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/9360022/Worlds-hardest-sudoku-the-answer.html

Find the alphabet of “e”

Find the alphabet of “c”

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Proposed by Hazirah, Ainun & Harzuraine (Sem 2 students)

Creative Industry Talk by Mr BuZz

(Designed by Nur Syuhada -- characters and graphics are courtesy of Nintendo) 

Creative Multimedia Department, Faculty of Art, Computing and Creative Industry, UPSI has organised a talk on "The Need for Game Industry". The talk was given by En. Bazil Akmal Bidin (a.k.a BuZz), the Coordinator of International Game Developers Association (IGDA), Malaysia Chapter.  

The importance of portfolio and positive personality

The two most important things fresh graduates who studied games should have are excellent PORTFOLIO and positive PERSONALITY. This actually echoed what I keep mentioning to my students and those working in game industry--a game speaks louder than words. BuZz differentiated three types of portfolios: game arts, game design and game programming. Students should identify their preference and passion in either one of those strands of the game industry during their formal education, and then focus on it. Students are encouraged to use Job Requirement specifications advertised by game studios as the guide to self-evaluate their knowledge and skills for the game industry. BuZz showed examples of portfolio contents for each of the strands, and listed the type of jobs available for students to pursue: 


Game Arts: (portfolio should contain 2D character design, 3D character models) 

• Art Director
• Lead Artist
• Lead Technical Artist
• Concept / 2D / Pixel / GUI / Sprite Artist
• 3D Modeler / Animator
• Texture Artist

Game Programming: (portfolio should contain good variable naming convention, codes comprehensible by third parties)

• Chief Technology Officer
• Lead Programmer
• Engine Programmer
• Tools Programmer
• Graphics / AI/ Physics/ Network/ GUI/ Sound Programmer
• Gameplay / Game Programmer

Game Design: (portfolio should contain samples of level design, complete game flow diagram)

• Lead Game Designer
• Game Designer
• Story Writer
• Level Designer
• Game Scripter 
• GUI / Interface Designer

Others:

• Game Tester
• QA Lead
• Assistant Producer
• Executive Producer
• Audio/ Sound Designer
• Community Manager
• Game Journalist
• Marketer
• Modder, etc. 

Money Matters

In terms of salary in Malaysia, the current average monthly pay for diploma holders is between RM1,600 ad RM2,300; for Bachelor degree holders is between RM1,800 and RM2,500. Depending on the quality of portfolio, some really talented graduates may receive RM3,000 to RM4,500 per month. After 2 to 3 years working in the game industry, one should be getting RM3,000 to RM5,000 per month. But if the salary did not increase along the years, it could be due to the lack or absent of continuous professional skills or knowledge development. Those who have more than 5 years working experience should be able to determine what they deserve in terms of salary. 

UPSI's Current Position

After the programme, I took our guest speaker, Mr. BuZz both our campuses plus tasting Yik Mun Pau. He was impressed by what we have—the academics, the students and the physical buildings, which would be the determining factors for our success in nurturing high quality talents. So we are now in the right track of establishing friendly links with the local game industry.

Useful resources for use in game courses and R&D 

Meanwhile, for those who did not manage to attend the talk, I have taken some notes and added my comments upon the links given by Mr. BuZz, which could be used in P&P and R&D:

1) Game Career Guide (www.gamecareerguide.com):
we should find a way to get our game design courses listed in this guide in the future. I will do it after the approval of our degree programme

2) Tom Sloper's Game Business Advise (www.sloperama.com)
We might refer to some of the materials from Tom in our P&P when the courses we teach in related to game business. But beware that some of the ideas are rather outdated!

3) BreakingIn: Preparing your career in games (http://archives.igda.org/breakingin/)
Containing useful interviews of potential bosses for our graduates.

4) IGDA Malaysian Chapter (www.igda.org.my)
Vacancy, seminar and social events info, posted by Malaysian game developers (www.igda.org.my)

5)Malaysia Game Developers Community (www.mgdc.com.my)
This is a good place for us to scout for the next guest speaker in the future. 

Reflection of the Training for Trainers in Game-based Learning Workshop (Session 1)

I facilitated my first Training for Trainers (TOT) workshop in Creative Multimedia Department this Monday (9 April 2012). Before the training was started, I read a shocking email about the death of a colleague--Dr. Roskang Jailani (http://roskang.blogspot.com). Dr. Roskang was my Head of Department before I left UPSI in March 2008 for my PhD study. It was really hard for me to start the workshop, esp when it is dealt with games and game playing, in which fun is a must. Nonetheless, I should not disappoint others who attended the training. I started by mourning for Dr. Roskang--life must go on.

To me, the aim of conducting TOT among academics in the department is twofold:

• to share knowledge and interest of individual academics, which could keep others aware of the expertise and strength within the department, thus complementing each other in daily academic practices. 
• to prepare ourselves for continuous challenges to be faced when dealing with people in other academic institutions and business entities in the creative industry. 

As my colleagues are experts themselves in their own field of study, thus it was quite awkward to "train" them. But then such session would be a great platform to share knowledge, skills and experience. In sharing, it involves give and take. From the feedback I received, I should be more direct and less "theoretical". Since the trainers will eventually train school teachers, thus the content should be more directive, instead of constructivist. In fact, I was exposing them to possibilities of game, rather than feeding them with existing game-based learning (GBL) solutions. But they expect to pick-up-and-use immediately.

Ideally, one would need to establish the background understanding before he or she start using games in teaching practice, or else misuse might happen, which make the scenario worst then not using games at all. In practice, people are so use to pick-up-and-use approach. This prompted me to review my approach--how to make in-depth theoretical content become pick-up-and-use?

I thank the support of Dr. Zam, my current Head of Department for making the TOT happened. In fact, the TOT was more like a discussion rather than me talking all the time. Herewith slides and presentation recording to share with you.

[The slide presentation plus narration will be placed here later]

Training for Trainers Game-based Learning Workshop (Creative Multimedia Department)

The first Training for Trainers (TOT) GBL Workshop, organised for academics in the Creative Multimedia Department of FSKIK (Faculty of Art, Computing and Creative Industry) will be held on the 9th April 2012 and 16th April 2012. Herewith the topics to be covered in the training:

Dr. Tan Wee Hoe (9 Apr)

• The nature of games: digital versus non-digital games 
• Game-based learning versus learn-based gaming: Case studies of GBL and LBG practices
• Guidelines and strategies for using games in educational contexts 

Dr. Muhammad Zaffwan Idris, aka Dr. Zaff (9 Apr)

• Design Thinking in game and game-based learning 

Dr. -Ing. Maizatul Hayati Mohamad Yatim, aka Dr. Mai (16 Apr)

• Playing games vs designing games
• Educational programming languages (game authoring and creation tools)
• Theory & Practices: Designing and developing a simple game using Scratch

I have been looking forward to run this workshop since January--after I conducted two sessions of workshop on exploring the potential of games and GBL for UPSI teacher trainers, technicians and supporting staff in FSKIK and staff of the Centre for Educational Technology and Multimedia (no longer exist) on 17 and 18 January 2012. 

The purpose of conducting this workshop is to nurture trainers in GBL practice among the academics of Creative Multimedia Department. I would like my colleague who have interests in GBL practice to become professional trainers through training. When this training reaches its maturity one day, a training module would be developed in parallel with the offer of Postgraduate Certificate in Game-based Learning. 

There are two highlights in this TOT: Dr. Mai and Dr. Zaff. 

In UPSI, Dr. Mai is an recognised expert in GBL--her research publications were cited in International Journal of Game-based Learning (IJGBL). When she pursued a doctorate in Germany, she developed a set of usability guideline for designing game authoring tool for children. (See her PhD thesis). In a broader sense of GBL, designing game is indeed a form of deep learning based on games, as opposed to learning through game playing. So I am eager to learn more from Dr. Mai in her session. 

Another highlight is Dr. Zaff, who received his Professional Doctorate in Design from Swinburne University of Technology. Recently I discovered that he has burning interests in designing innovative toys for education. As an expert in branding of institution of higher learning, Dr. Zaff's insight on games used in education is worth your serious attention. 

Another thing...

I will share a book chapter that I am writing now with the participants. So do attend this session and preview this chapter. 

For those who are not invited, no worry. I will get my newly appointed Research Assistant to record the audio (I decided not to show my face) for post-workshop sharing in this blog. 

Applying Grants for GBL R&D: An On-going Struggle

I have been trying to kick start R&D related to GBL since my return to Malaysia from UK in March 2011. My excitement was great as I had just completed my PhD in GBL. However, the proposals I wrote--two to Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) and another to Prototype Development Research Grant Scheme (PRGS)--were rejected by Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE).

Herewith the topics of the rejected proposals:

1. Games as Instructional Interventions: Constructing a Learn-based Gaming Model for In-game Coaching and In-game Practice Design 

2. Formulating Heuristic Design Principles through Sun Tzu’s The Art of War: A Knowledge Transfer Model for Revitalising Ancient Chinese Wisdom for Use in Modern Design

3. eGET (eGlossary for Educational Technology) 

I felt really sorry for these rejection, mainly because I disappointed colleague and friends from UK, Hong Kong and Malaysia who entrusted me as the proposed project leader. Nonetheless, I believe there might be other sources of research fund available for these projects. I have confidence in the quality and professionalism of people who joined me, and I will keep an eye on other funding opportunities.

When I discussed the rejection with some professors in UPSI, they said the panels who reviewed the proposals might not know what I ACTUALLY want to do. In other words, the potential and importance of games and game-based learning practice for education are alien to senior academics in Malaysia. Therefore, I sense the need to promote GBL practice first before sending any more research proposals.

I managed to secure a mini-fund worth slightly over RM7000 (less than USD2500) to explore the potential of games and GBL through the eyes of teacher trainers. Also, I am grateful to have great support from my superiors and colleague in Creative Multimedia Department, Faculty of Art, Computing and Creative Industry. In a team, we initiated a series of activities to promote GBL at faculty-level, university-level and hopefully national level later. Once the right time arrives, I am ready to apply research grants again.  

Welcome to GBL4Malaysia!

Good day and welcome to GBL4Malaysia!
This is a blog I started to share my ideas, insights and opinions in game-based learning (GBL) practice, especially those related or dedicated to Malaysia. This is actually part of my initiatives in promoting GBL in Malaysia.

Before keeping a blog here, I wrote things about GBL occasionally in my other blogs. So my first task is to centralising what I had written in to past to here, probably with some editing to suit the contexts in Malaysia. Then I will share the drafts of chapters or book-in-writing here for you to comment. I also plan to share the records of my visits and participation in events related to GBL here.

I personally see this as a good start and I hope your visit to GBL4Malaysia become a meaningful experience.