Game Memo: Mystery Boxes

Gaming Memo

I feel like all of you know/agree with the list of important aspects but the important Idea is at the bottom. 

After careful thought, here are the main aspects of the game that are important for the the early start epic program / game.

 

1. It has to have a goal. In our case it is not only to introduce incoming freshman to the Chico campus but also to introduce them to how being a Chico state student can apply to them. Create Identity
2. It needs a Community of Practice. Other players
3. There needs to be guidance from mentors (legitimate peripheral participation)
4. There needs to be something created (Situated learning/context)
5. The Game needs to be hard enough to keep it interesting and it needs to create curiosity
6. Jane McGonigals Game principals
   1. Unnecessary Obstacles
   2. Emotional Activation
   3. Satisfying Work
   4. A Better Hope of Success
   5. etc.
7. It needs a storyline

 

 

Going off the idea we had in class about doing a mystery/scavenger hunt, something similar to clue or augmented reality, here are a few ideas about how we can tie in the important aspects listed above.

 

1. Have same or similar quests as last year to help students get to know Chico but also provide more quests on establishing one’s identity on campus.
2. The Students need a platform to talk to one another and organize. (Facebook Group)
3. The mentors should be heavily involved with the game and students
4. The Students will organize/collect things to create an end product like a potluck party, BBQ, movie on the lawn, etc
5. A mystery where students have to find/collect clues should keep the game hard enough to keep students interested.
6. Jane McGonigals Game Principles
7. The story line could be that something/someone is missing

Important part:
So here is just a blurb of what i’m thinking. The students organize groups by themselves on facebook. They create a team name and a logo and an identity. The game will be a mystery scavenger hunt. The students will find clues that take them through Chico. each clue will be in a box. Each box has a clue inside that leads to more clues inside more boxes. The boxes link together to create a giant screen. This screen will be a projector screen for a movie night showing on campus. We can do this on a lawn on campus or in a building on campus. ultimately the scavenger hunt should lead to this place where we can all join together. The mentors will serve as guides (spirit guides or the Watson to the Sherlock Holmes) They will keep track of the students activities as well as lead them to more clues and introduce changes to the game.