Using Alternate Reality Games for Learning: Creating Games with Social Media Sarah Smith-Robbins PhD and the Bamboozlement Team

What is an ARG? A game played in reality, presenting a story that players can become a part of. Typically collaborative rather than competitive.

ARG or ERG? No “magic circle” Play happens in the wild!

ARG or ERG? Stories add meaningful connections between learning opportunities

ARG or ERG? Built using common, free, and familiar tools

ARG or ERG? Design relies on your needs: Time Level of commitment Goals and outcomes

The Manuscript Mystery!

Audience: Faculty and staff Timeframe: 10 days Objectives: Expose audience to the potential or ARG/ERGs for learning Engagement: Solving puzzles via common social media tools Content: Intriguing challenges related to university disciplines

On February 29, 2012 a manuscript was stolen!

Four suspects were revealed Maggie Ricci Gabriel Recchia Asmalina Saleh Ellen Jameson

Outcomes

#IUMM

Designing Your Own Game

AudienceTimeframe Objectives/Out comes EngagementContent Phase 1: Information Gathering Who are they? How will you reach them? What do you know about them and their level of interest? Is there an existing timeline? Does time play a role in the content already? What level of commitment can you commit to and for how long? What does the game need to achieve? How will you know it has been successful? What actions do you need on behalf of the players to demonstrate their achievement of the objectives? What content needs to be shared or gathered to achieve the outcomes? Example: -Audience: Incoming Freshmen -Timeframe: Orientation week -Objectives: To familiarize them with campus resources and create social connections -Engagement: Captive audience -Content: Locations on campus, interesting people

AudienceTimeframe Objectives/Out comes EngagementContent Phase 2: Limitations and Constraints What motivates them? Why will they be willing to play? How long will it take to achieve the objectives? Will your audience be motivated enough to play quickly or play long enough? Are there stages of outcomes (processes in learning)? What evidence will signify that each phase has been achieved? Does your audience already engage in similar activities? What formats are they familiar with? What content form/medium will work best to convey information? To demonstrate learning or engagement? Example: -Audience: They may be overwhelmed, hesitant -Timeframe: One week with other activities and commitments -Objectives: Easy tasks first (locations) easing into social activities -Engagement: 26% of incoming students have likely used a check-in app -Content: Check-in badges, but how to do the social?

AudienceTimeframe Objectives/Out comes EngagementContent Phase 3: Mechanics Competitive or collaborative? What tools is this audience familiar with? Will time be used as a way to motivate play? To influence motivation? To allow collaboration? Are the outcomes for the game, the designer, or the players? What do they entail? How can you make it easy for players to engage in the game? Will complexity cause higher or lower engagement? How will the content be parsed and released? Who makes the content and who does it get shared with? Example: -Audience: Competitive only if there is a motivating prize -Timeframe: Could we use the game to lead players to a “secret event” at the end of the week for those who play? -Objectives: Emphasis on the value that players will get -Engagement: First check-in during a guided event, make some check-ins part of orientation programming as a way of checking attendance -Content: All locations available at once or released over time?

AudienceTimeframe Objectives/Outco mes EngagementContent Phase 4: Game Experience What theme or tone will this audience be interested in? Will the experience be rapid-fire and exciting or slower and more puzzling? Does time influence the overall game or just one player’s experience? How does the game provide feedback on the progress toward the outcomes? How will players be motivated to achieve them? What is gameplay like? How should players feel while playing? Does the content suggest a theme that will connect the objectives to a motivation or engagement method that the audience will enjoy? Example: -Audience: Should we tie into the theme of the week or a theme related to the “secret event”? -Timeframe: Mix -Objectives: Earning badges, how will we track the social connections? -Engagement: Exciting, fun, interesting, a break from the stress of orientation -Content: Frosh Conquer Campus?

AudienceTimeframe Objectives/Outc omes EngagementContent Phase 5: Implementation Planning Recruitment, building interest in the game, explaining the way the game is played. Create a production schedule, play calendar, and assign tasks. Ensure that there are checkpoints to support sequential objectives are achieved. When will the audience be invited to engage in the game? How will you monitor their engagement? Is it necessary to respond and, if so, how frequently? Parsing content, ensuring that its released in the proper order, establishing any triggers to content. Example: -Audience: Launch prior to coming to campus? -Timeframe: Use the existing team or create characters? -Objectives: To familiarize them with campus resources and create social connections -Engagement: Intriguing messages in advance? Outright challenge during orientation? -Content: Structuring play to ensure the proper experience and reduce choke points that might stop play

Social: Players create their own pins and encourage others to check in there