Transcript Wired For Fun: An Introduction to Online Gaming and Programming in Your Library Steven Kraus Skills Development Advisor Ontario Library Service – North [email protected].

Wired For Fun:
An Introduction to
Online Gaming and
Programming in Your
Library
Steven Kraus
Skills Development Advisor
Ontario Library Service – North
[email protected]
Agenda
From your service desk, you have seen
young patrons participating in online
games. Games have come alive in public
libraries.
•
•
•
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Some Statistics on Gaming
Why Gaming is so popular
Gaming and socialisation
Opinions on gaming – Socialization Theory,
Medical Research, Perspectives and Education
Theory
• Gaming tie ins – Movies, Music, Social
Networking, Communities and Socialization
• From a Programing Perspective – What should I
do to promote and support gaming in the library?
• Resources, Tips and Opinions and other good
things
Gam(es)ing…as a format…
To Game or Not to Game…
How many Teens are “online”…
94% Teens are Online
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89% Access the Internet from Home
77% Access the Internet from School
71% Access the Internet from Someone else’s house
60% Access the Internet from the Library!!!!
7% Access the Internet by other means
Teen Content Creators
http://www.pewinternet.org/Presentations/2009/~/media/Files/Presentations/2009/Teen%20content%20c
reators%20pdf.pdf
Gaming Statistics
97% of teens ages 12-17 play computer, web, portable, or
console games.
Additionally:
• 50% of teens played games “yesterday.”
• 86% of teens play on a console like the Xbox, PlayStation, or
Wii.
• 73% play games on a desktop or a laptop computer.
• 60% use a portable gaming device like a Sony PlayStation
Portable, a Nintendo DS, or a Game Boy.
• 48% use a cell phone or handheld organizer to play games.
http://www.pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/Reports/2008/PIP_Teens_Games_and_Civics_Report_FINAL.pdf.pdf
Gaming Statistics
• 53% - of all adults play video games of some kind,
whether on a computer, on a gaming console, on a cell
phone or other handheld device, on a portable gaming
device, or online
• Among older adults 65+ who play video games, nearly
a third play games everyday, a significantly larger
percentage than all younger players, of whom about
20% play everyday.
• Out of all the gaming devices, computers are the most
popular among the total adult gaming population, with
73% of adult gamers using computers to play games,
compared with 53% console users, 35% who using cell
phones, and 25% using portable gaming devices.
Adults and Video Games by Amanda Lenhart, Sydney Jones, Alexandra Macgill Dec 7, 2008
http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2008/Adults-and-Video-Games.aspx
Why is Gaming so popular?
• A “new” kind of “social” activity
• Healthy Escapism???
• Tie Ins to other “fun” activities?
Growing Up A Gamer…
The Individual's Role
• You're the star. You are the center of attention of
every game, unlike, say, Little League, where most
kids will never be the star.
• You're the boss. The world is very responsive to you.
• You're the customer, and the customer is always
right. Like shopping, the whole experience is
designed for your satisfaction and entertainment;
the opponents are tough, but never too tough.
• You're an expert. You have the experience of getting
really, really good ... early and often.
• You're a tough guy. You can experience all sorts of
crashes, suffering, and death--and it doesn't hurt.
“The gaming generation." Library Technology Reports 42.5 (2006): 18+. General OneFile. Web. 30 Mar. 2010.
Growing Up A Gamer…
How the World Works
• There's always an answer. You might be frustrated for a
while, you might even never find it, but you know it's there.
• Everything is possible. You see yourself or other players
consistently do amazing things....
• The world is a logical, human-friendly place. Games are
basically fair. Events may be random but not inexplicable....
• Trial-and-error is almost always the best plan. It's the only
way to advance in most games, even if you ultimately break
down and buy a strategy guide or copy others on the really
hard parts.
• Things are (unrealistically) simple.... You can figure a game
out, completely. Try that with real life.
“The gaming generation." Library Technology Reports 42.5 (2006):
18+. General OneFile. Web. 30 Mar. 2010.
Growing Up A Gamer…
How People Relate
• It's all about competition. You're always competing; even if you
collaborate with other human players, you are competing
against some character or score.
• Relationships are structured....
• We are all alone. The gaming experience is basically solitary,
even if played in groups....
• Young people rule.... Paying your dues takes a short time, youth
actually helps, and there is no attention paid to elders.
• People are simple. Their skills may be complex,
multidimensional, and user-configurable, but their personality
types and behaviors are simple....
"The gaming generation." Library Technology Reports 42.5 (2006):
18+. General OneFile. Web. 30 Mar. 2010.
Growing Up A Gamer…
What You Should Do
• Rebel. Edginess and attitude are dominant elements of the
culture.
• Be a hero. You always get the star's role; that is the only
way to succeed or get satisfaction.
• Bond with people who share your game experience, not
your national or cultural background....
• Make your own way in the world. Leaders are irrelevant
and often evil; ignore them.
• Tune out and have fun.... When reality is boring, you hop
into game world. When a game gets boring, you switch to
one that isn't. (2)
"The gaming generation." Library Technology Reports 42.5 (2006):
18+. General OneFile. Web. 30 Mar. 2010
Your Potential Audience…
“One of our teen patrons who recently moved to our small town came to tell
me that one of the video games we purchased for the programs was not
compatible with the system we purchased. He asked to ride with me when I
took it back and helped me pick out another game to take its place. He
asked me if I owned the library. I replied that I was the director
but that I didn't own the library, I only managed it. He asked
me who did own it and I replied, "Well, you do." I explained
that public libraries were owned by the citizens that used them
and/or lived in the community, and that their taxes went to
pay for the services. He thought about it for a minute and said
"That's really cool! I guess I'll have to hang out here more since
it's mine." It made my day”.
--Beth Wheeler Dean,
Guntersville (AL) Public Library (1)
Levine, Jenny. "Chapter 3: Libraries, videogames, and civic engagement."
Library Technology Reports 45.5 (2009): 11+. General OneFile. Web. 24 Mar. 2010.
Case Study Content…
Lessons Learned in the Gaming Sphere…
• Gaming isn't just for kids anymore, and the average
age of today's gamer is thirty-five. Libraries can
reach out to twenty-somethings and thirtysomethings, a traditionally underserved audience
itself, using a variety of gaming programs.
• Once certain groups find out that one demographic
is allowed to game in the library, they often request
it for themselves because gaming has become such a
pervasive activity in our society.
• Gaming is a great way to bring diverse groups of
people in the community together.
• Trivia nights are an easy--and inexpensive--way to
offer gaming for adults.
Levine, Jenny. "Chapter 4: A powerful draw beyond youth culture."
Library Technology Reports 45.5 (2009): 19+. General OneFile. Web. 24 Mar. 2010.
Case Study Content:
Pro-Gaming…
“Students have become avid information seekers,
based on easy access to technology. The
preference is passive information reception in the
form of entertainment rather than through the
more challenging critical thinking process (Okan,
2003). Yet, it is argued that, when used
effectively, technology especially digital games
develop critical thinking skills through actively
solving problems (Hostetter & Clemens, 2002)”.
Green, Mary, and Mary Nell McNeese. "Using edutainment software to enhance online learning."
International Journal on E-Learning 6.1 (2007): 5+. General OneFile. Web. 24 Mar. 2010.
“Learned” Techniques
Interactive learning techniques used in DGBL (Digital Game-Based Learning)
vary from sophisticated problem solving to basic memorization:
• Practice and feedback, sometimes associated with drill-and-kill
programs, can be valuable for learning facts or basic skills through
repetition.
• Learning by doing adds the elements of exploration, discovery, and
problem solving.
• Learning from mistakes is lifted from reality (trial and error). Players
move forward until an error is made; sometimes they must return to the
beginning and start over.
• Goal-oriented learning is related to learning how to do something, and
motivates students to push on to overcome failures.
• Discovery learning and "guided discovery" are associated with
adventure games, which involve problem-solving scenarios.
• Task-based learning involves students solving a series of tasks or
problems that build on each other and gradually increase in difficulty.
Guidance and modeling are provided to assist players with learning
skills.
Deubel, Patricia. "Game on! Now educators can translate their students' love of video games into the use of a valuable, multifaceted learning tool." T H
E Journal [Technological Horizons In Education] 33.6 (2006): 30+. General OneFile. Web. 24 Mar. 2010.
Case Study Content:
“Learned” Techniques cont…
• Question-led learning is connected with quiz games in which
players reason among options.
• Role-playing provokes reflection, which is an important part
of learning. Simulation, adventure, strategy, and puzzle games
require players to consider options, which means that games
incorporating these strategies might move at a slower pace.
• Coaching provides assistance to help solve problems and
move through a game.
• "Accelerated" (multisensory) learning incorporates memory
techniques and a see-hear-do approach that appeals to
multiple learning styles. The strategy has proven to be
effective in learning foreign languages (see www.
acceleratedlearning.com).
Deubel, Patricia. "Game on! Now educators can translate their students' love of video games into the use
of a valuable, multifaceted learning tool." T H E Journal [Technological Horizons In Education] 33.6 (2006):
30+. General OneFile. Web. 24 Mar. 2010.
Selecting Game Types
• Games can roughly be categorized as Action, Adventure,
Fighting, Puzzle, Role-playing, Simulation, Sports, and
Strategy. Choosing the appropriate type depends on the
content to be learned and/or mental processes to be
developed (see "Choosing the Right Game," left). Several
other variables must also be considered, including:
• Students' age, characteristics, gender, competitiveness, and
previous gaming experience.
• The game's target age level, which indicates the likelihood
that students will understand the rules and possess the
necessary motor skills for playing by them.
• Gender and racial diversity. In its choice of characters,
language, or situations, does the game offend or slight any
particular group of students?
• Number of players. How many can play at one time? Will too
many be left sitting on their hands?
Deubel, Patricia. "Game on! Now educators can translate their students' love of video games into the use of a valuable,
multifaceted learning tool." T H E Journal [Technological Horizons In Education] 33.6 (2006): 30+. General OneFile.
Web. 24 Mar. 2010.
The Nuts and Bolts of Gaming
Teens who play Games
74% of Gamers are interested in Racing Games (NASCAR, Mario Kart,
Burnout, Need for Speed, Gran Turismo)
72% of Gamers are interested in Puzzle Games (Bejeweled, Tetris,
Sudoku)
68% of Gamers are interested in Sports Games (NBA 2010, Madden
Franchise, NHL 2010, Tony Hawk)
66% of Gamers are interested in Action Games (Grand Theft Auto,
Halo, Call of Duty)
61% of Gamers are interested in Rhythm Games (Guitar Hero, Dance
Dance Revolution, Rock Band)
59% of Gamers are interested in Strategy Games (Civilization V, Star
Craft, Command and Conquer, Risk)
Honorable member mentions: First Person Shooters, Role Playing,
MMOG’s (World of War Craft)
Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project. Gaming and Civic Engagement Survey of Teens/Parents, Nov. 2007-Feb. 2008. Teens who play
games n=1064. Margin of error is ±3%. Note: games listed in parenthesis were provided to respondents on an as-needed basis by interviewers;
not every respondent received the prompts.
Definition Alert!
Massively Multi-player…
• MMORPG (Massively multiplayer online roleplaying game)
• MMORTS (Massively multiplayer online real-time
strategy)
• MMOFPS (Massively multiplayer online firstperson shooter)
• MMOSG (Massively multiplayer online social
game)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_gaming
Socialization Theory…
“What complicates the analysis (of online
gaming) is the role of players in creating MMOGs
(Massively Multiplayer Online Games). While
developers program the initial parameters of
such games, the interaction of the players
provides the substance of their virtual worlds,
creating behavior patterns, social rules and
collective institutions”
Playing on the digital commons: collectivities, capital and contestation in videogame culture. Sarah
Coleman and Nick Dyer-Witheford UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO, CANADA
http://mcs.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/29/6/934.pdf
Socialization Theory…
“The vibrancy of the online community
determines whether a game persists and
becomes profitable. Since MMOGs depend on
the multiple interactions of thousands of
inhabitants, all of whom use the game but none
of whom own it, they have, in a very general
sense, a commons component”.
Playing on the digital commons: collectivities, capital and contestation in videogame culture. Sarah
Coleman and Nick Dyer-Witheford UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO, CANADA
http://mcs.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/29/6/934.pdf
Socialization Theory…
“This is enhanced at a second, more specific
level, in that much of the governance of these
worlds is performed by player associations –
‘guilds’ or ‘clans’ – which evoke high levels of
voluntary cooperation, mutual aid and
resource-sharing among players.”
Playing on the digital commons: collectivities, capital and contestation in videogame culture.
Sarah Coleman and Nick Dyer-Witheford UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO, CANADA
http://mcs.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/29/6/934.pdf
Gaming and Literacy…
“Edward's digital games research and the design and
presentation of his PowerPoint achieved many of the Level 5
National Literacy Benchmarks (1) standards in English he had
previously struggled with. He was able to read and view
imaginative, informative and persuasive texts around digital
games that explored ideas and information related to the
gaming topics, themes and issues that he was interested in. His
research identified the narrative, themes and levels explored in
Dragon Ball Z Supersonic Warriors 2, as well as some of the
game's paratexts. He also used the PowerPoint presentation to
provide supporting evidence to justify his interpretations. As he
worked through the four roles of the reader, he inferred
meanings and messages in the digital games and analyzed
how social values or attitudes are conveyed and compared”.
Walsh, Christopher. "Systems-based literacy practices: digital games research, gameplay and design." Australian Journal of Language and Literacy 33.1 (Feb
2010): 24(17). General OneFile. Gale. Ontario Library Service - North. 23 Mar. 2010
<http://find.galegroup.com/gps/start.do?prodId=IPS&userGroupName=ko_gov_olsn>
Gaming and Medical Science?…
“…..Dennis Levi and colleagues at the University of
California, Berkeley, to begin a trial to see whether
gaming can help people with amblyopia (lazy eye
syndrome). Bavelier's results show gaming's potential
for clinical treatment, says Lotfi Merabet, a
neuroscientist at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical
Center in Boston, who uses games for visual
rehabilitation. He predicts gaming will become a
common clinical tool.”
Motluk, Alison. "Shoot 'em up combat is good for your eyesight." New Scientist 202.2702 (2009): 11.
Academic OneFile. Web. 23 Mar. 2010.
Social Networks and Gaming…
• Facebook – Apps – Farmville, Mafia Wars, Armies etc.
http://pagedata.insidefacebook.com/gainers/week/?cat_id=0&fanbase=0&official=1&sort=gain
• Multiplayer Online Games
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Runescape – http://www.runescape.com/
World of War Craft- http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/index.xml
Command and Conquer - http://www.commandandconquer.com/
Second Life - http://secondlife.com/?v=1.1
• Cell Phones and the world of “Apps”
– “Apple Inc. began selling Sudoku for its iPod digital device through
the iTunes Store in September 2006. Sudoku puzzles can also be
played on the Motorola Razr cell phone and two Palm Treo smart
phones, one of which runs the Palm operating system, while the other
runs Windows Mobile. Players say that the game is enriched when
played on such devices. They can play against other Sudoku fans
online, and the iPod offers colorful background graphics”.
Boehret, Katherine. "Playing Sudoku Without Pen and Paper." TecTrends 14 Feb. 2007. General OneFile. Web. 6 Apr.
2010.
Social Networking Experiences…
from a designer point of view…
"We are learning an awful lot about a very different type of
game experience than we are used to doing," Moore told
Reuters in an interview.
"We use social networks primarily right now for building
marketing tools," he said. "We then look at how do we build
games, and we will be doing that in conjunction with
Playfish."
EA Sports accounts for about 30 percent of the company's
overall revenue, which was $4.2 billion in the year to March
31.
"EA eyes Facebook sports games, more digital buys." CIOL (Jan 29, 2010): NA. General OneFile. Gale. Ontario Library
Service - North. 23 Mar. 2010
<http://find.galegroup.com/gps/start.do?prodId=IPS&userGroupName=ko_gov_olsn>.
Gaming Tie-Ins
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Serial Games – EA Sports
Final Fantasy
Super Mario
Tekken
Star Craft
War Craft
Franchises and Retro Gaming
Movie Tie-Ins
“Hollywood has long seen the appeal of videogame licensing deals. Having a hot new
computer game released in conjunction with
the latest blockbuster can mean added buzz
and ticket sales. And as games get more
sophisticated, there are even more ways to
forge movie tie-ins”.
"Online Extra: Syncing Hollywood and Gamers; The relationship between films and games
hasn't produced memorable offerings, complains Titanic director James Cameron, who aims
to change that." Business Week Online 7 Feb. 2006. General OneFile. Web. 29 Mar. 2010.
Movie Tie-Ins
“After Dave Long, the CEO of Seattle-based
Screenlife, discovered the technology to
randomly shuffle and track information on a DVD,
he was able to turn his prototype of a film-clip
trivia game, SceneIt?, into a mega-seller DVD
board game. Screenlife sold more than one
million games in 2004, up from the 30,000 units
it sold in 2002. With nearly $100 million in
revenue for 2004, the gamemaker projects 100%
growth for 2005”.
"Cover Story: Analyzing the buzz." PR Week [US] (2007): 17. General OneFile.
Web. 29 Mar. 2010.
Movie Tie-Ins
“The company's Scene It games, which consist of
a board game and DVD, are often co-branded
with pop culture entities like Disney, American
Idol, and James Bond. However, Nancy Jenkins,
Screenlife's PR director, says the company
noticed early on, from both online and offline
monitoring, that consumers made up their own
rules by eschewing the board and playing solely
with the DVD”.
"Cover Story: Analyzing the buzz." PR Week [US] (2007): 17. General OneFile. Web. 29 Mar. 2010.
Movie Tie-Ins
“Screenlife is five-year-old company that is
just one of many diverse organizations that
now view online monitoring as a high
priority. The company hired Evan Wight,
director of e-Marketing, in May 2006 to pay
closer attention to the space. Wight was a
senior producer at a local advertising agency”.
"Cover Story: Analyzing the buzz." PR Week [US] (2007): 17. General
OneFile. Web. 29 Mar. 2010.
Music Tie-Ins
“In the early 1990s, Machover and his team at the Media Lab
began exploring ways that hyperinstruments might allow
amateur, rather than trained, musicians to experience
musical virtuosity. These efforts found their most popular
expression in the simple yet powerful electronic "guitar" that
forms the heart of the Guitar Hero video game series. In
1995, two former MIT graduate students founded Harmonix,
the technological developer of the Guitar Hero, Rock Band,
and other musical games. Building on concepts developed
with Machover in the Media Lab, Harmonix revolutionized the
gaming world with the 2005 release of Guitar Hero”.
Vaughn, Vanessa E. "Machover, Tod (1953-)." Newsmakers. Ed. Laura Avery. Vol. 3. Detroit: Gale, 2010.
Discovering Collection. Web. 29 Mar. 2010.
Music Tie Ins
Guitar Rising is a music video game where the
player plays a real guitar as cued by the game’s
visuals. Following rock music sequences and
streaming notes, players play guitar melodies and
rhythms. Beginner difficulty levels are designed
for non-guitar players and hard difficulties will
challenge experienced guitarists.
www.guitarrising.com/
Quick Play Games
• Civilization V http://www.civilization5.com/
History Channel Gaming…
The History Channel: Great Battles of Rome
The History Channel: Civil War - A Nation Divided
The History Channel: ShootOut! - The Game
The History Channel: Dogfights - The Game
The History Channel: Battle for the Pacific
The History Channel: Lost Worlds
The History Channel: Battle of Britain 1940
The History Channel: Crusades - Quest for Power
The History Channel: Alamo - Fight for Independence
The History Channel: Civil War - Great Battles
The History Channel: Digging for Truth
Role Playing Games
“The concept is as brilliant as it is simple. Take a
traditional role-playing game--something like
Dungeons & Dragons, say--where a couple of
players assume heroic alter-egos and take part in
adventures both thrilling and strange. Now move
that experience, which usually takes place at the
kitchen table, and put it online. Now instead of
gaming with your regular group of four or five
local friends, you can game with thousands of
people from around the world.”
Coffin, Bill. "Rest in pieces." Risk Management 53.6 (2006): 4. General OneFile. Web. 8 Apr. 2010.
The future looks like….?
“With ever-increasing access to higher bandwidths and high-speed
Internet connections, more and more games will be downloaded
and played digitally. WildTangent ORB
(www.wildtangent.com)seeks to revolutionize PC gaming to make it
more like console gaming. WildTangent has its own PC platform
game development studio and has distribution agreements with
Dell, HP, Gateway, and Toshiba, meaning that their proprietary PC
Game Console for direct to desktop games is bundled to 25 million
new consumer PCs annually. Their gaming portal, WildGames
(www.wildgames.com), hosts 20 million players worldwide who
play 250 million game sessions a month, and it supports over 8,300
affiliates from top online game developers like HipSoft, PlayFirst,
Sandlot, and PopCap. (5) Using virtual tokens called "WildCoins,"
garners purchase sessions of ad-free gaming. Instead of having to
buy a subscription, players pay only for their actual playtime. The
company also has a try and buy model in which games can be
purchased for $19.95. Libraries might consider subscription
models, or even offering subscriptions or tokens as prizes for
gaming related programs”
Gallaway, Beth. "The future of gaming: gamers and gaming are changing with the times--are librarians?"
School Library Journal 55.11 (2009): 21+. General OneFile. Web. 30 Mar. 2010.
Selected Resources:
On Gaming / Gamer Culture
On Gaming from the CBC archives
http://archives.cbc.ca/arts_entertainment/media/topics/3607/
The Video Game Revolution PBS
http://www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolution/index.html
The Video Game Invasion
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/video-game-invasion/
Pure Pwnage – Mokumentary Web Series
(Just moved to Television for 2010)
http://www.purepwnage.com/
Questions/Comments/Contacts…
Steven Kraus
Skills Development Advisor
334 Regent St.
Sudbury Ontario
P3C 4E2
1-800-461-6348 ext. 228
[email protected]