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!