"Reality, unlike games, is broken." – Jane McGonigal
For those who choose to go into academia, Jane McGonigal’s observation that people actually prefer work to entertainment may not be surprising. After all, we’ve chosen to enter into a discipline in which we make our own work. For McGonigal, … Read More »
So I have several friends who build/design games, of the table-top, videogame, and card varieties (the gents of Sancho Games, D&D writers, the maker of Chronotron, and folks who work for Sony, Irrational, and Bethesda). One of these games is … Read More »
One of the reasons why we play games is that they make us feel good – especially when we win. Athletics – sports, specifically – are the epitome of this sensation, as they integrate physical exertion and adrenaline with the … Read More »
One of the most central concepts behind my alignment of leadership and game studies is the idea that we can use games to achieve both an understanding of leadership, but also a certain kind of hands-on practical “experience” with leadership … Read More »
So today I was sent a link to the kind of educational game that typically makes me want to bang my head into a wall: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/04/26/walden-woods-video-game-based-on-philosopher-thoreaus-life/ In this case, part of my reaction is through no fault of the game … Read More »
So recently a friend brought this comic from The Oatmeal to my attention. What is interesting about it – speaking as a female gamer who doesn’t always “suck” – is that regardless of the sexist nature of the reactions being … Read More »
The design of the work flow is key here: the game constantly challenging you to try something just a little bit more difficult than what you’ve just accomplished. These microincreases in challenge are just big enough to keep sparking your … Read More »
The term “utility” keeps coming up in my readings and research, both leadership studies and gaming. David Hume mentions “utility” in “Of the First Principles of Government.” Garry Wills mentions it in Certain Trumpets: The Nature of Leadership. And it … Read More »
Having recently finished Jane McGonigal’s (2011) Reality is Broken, I’ve begun noticing a new trend in the study of “virtual worlds” popping up all over the place. This past fall, I was privileged to hear Edward Castronova’s plenary talk at … Read More »
Recently, I’ve been looking a lot more at game theory, leadership, and how the two relate in the context of videogame criticism, as well as “real life.” In terms of a discussion of ethics, the idea of “moral currency” seems … Read More »