What Do I Do Now?� Assessing Player Instructions �in Educational Videogames

Emily K. Johnson

University of Central Florida

ekj@ucf.edu

@ekjphd

Videogames Communicate Complex Information

• Videogames teach the player how to play as part of the game
• Playing difficulty and complexity typically increase as the player progresses in the game

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• Gee, J. P. (2003). What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. Computers in entertainment (CIE), 1(1), 20-20.

Videogames Communicate Complex Information

Symbolically Communicative; information is:

• Written
• Verbal
• Visual
• Algorithmic
• Audio
• Kinesthetic

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• deWinter, J., & Vie, S. (2016). Games in technical communication. Technical Communication Quarterly, 25(3), 151-154.

Videogames Communicate Complex Information

1. Tutorial levels: Separate levels that players are encouraged to enter before beginning the linear narrative of the main game. These levels provide short, highly scaffolded, and described procedural guides to new players, focusing especially on movement;
2. Integrated Stepped Tutorials: Gameplay stops and players are provided a message or visual representation of gameplay that teaches a new button, combination, feature, or strategy;
3. Integrated Narrative Tutorials: Like stepped tutorials, these are integrated into the gameplay or narrative, such as a non-player character asking the player lo do something to ensure that the player knows how to control the character or can enact a strategy; and
4. Adaptive Messaging: Messages that only appear when players do not succeed or are not employing the best strategy for the situation

deWinter & Moeller (2016): types of videogame tutorials

Framework for Instructive Elements in Games

• Medium of information (form)
• text, image, audio, video
• Function (information type)
• logistics, mechanics, strategy, educational content, game play
• Integration (visibility; level of integration)
• stops gameplay, embedded in the game world, integrated into the game, or obscured by the game
• Audience: target audience
• novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, or expert

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^MFIA!

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Framework for Instructive Elements in Games

• Medium of information (form)
• text, image, audio, video
• Function (information type)
• logistics, mechanics, strategy, educational content, game play
• Integration (visibility; level of integration)
• stops gameplay, embedded in the game world, integrated into the game, or obscured by the game
• Audience: target audience
• novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, or expert

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^MFIA!

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emPower through Play: Screen 1

• Medium: text, images, expand screen icon

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• Function: logistics

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• Integration: step 1 of the game

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• Audience: novice/someone just

starting the game

https://ucfgrl.itch.io/empower-through-play

emPower through Play: Screen 3

• Medium: text, expand screen icon

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• Function: logistics

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• Integration: stops the game

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• Audience: novice

https://ucfgrl.itch.io/empower-through-play

emPower through Play: Screen 9 (or so?)

• Medium: blue clickable text, scroll bar

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• Function: gameplay

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• Integration: embedded

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• Audience: all players

https://ucfgrl.itch.io/empower-through-play

emPower through Play: Screen 9 (or so?)

• Medium: blue clickable text, scroll bar (cropped out here)

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• Function: educational; gameplay

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• Integration: embedded

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• Audience: all players

https://ucfgrl.itch.io/empower-through-play

emPower through Play: Screen 9 (or so?)

• Medium: blue clickable text, scroll bar (cropped out here)

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• Function: educational

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• Integration: stops the game (end)

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• Audience: all players

https://ucfgrl.itch.io/empower-through-play

Analilia Scene 1 (tutorial level)

• Medium: text

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• Function: logistics

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• Integration: separate level

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• Audience: novices

Analilia Download

Analilia Scene 2 (tutorial level)

• Medium: text & images

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• Function: logistics

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• Integration: separate level

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• Audience: novices

Analilia Download

Analilia Scene 3 (tutorial level)

• Medium: text & images

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• Function: mechanic

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• Integration: separate level

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• Audience: novices

Analilia Download

Analilia Scene 5 (tutorial level)

• Medium: text & images

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• Function: mechanic

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• Integration: separate level

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• Audience: novices

Analilia Download

Analilia later in Scene 5 (tutorial level)

• Medium: text & images
• Function: game
• Integration: separate level
• Audience: novices

Analilia Download

Emily K. Johnson

University of Central Florida

ekj@ucf.edu

@ekjphd

What Do I Do Now?� Assessing Player Instructions �in Educational Videogames

Medium of information (form)

text, image, audio, video

Function (information type)

logistics, mechanics, strategy, educational content, game play

Integration (visibility; level of integration)

stops gameplay, embedded in the game world, integrated into the game, or obscured by the game

Audience: target audience

novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, or expert

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