McGonigal and applied theories

So, as we have learned from our readings by McGonigal, she has some wonderful ideas about how game theory applies to real life. I don’t know whose post it was, but someone mentioned not knowing anything about the gaming world and totally getting it after reading McGonigal. Well, I am in the same boat. I am not a gamer, never really have been since Super Nintendo when I was a kid, and don’t know anything about, or keep up with, the new games. The only gaming knowledge I currently contain is from my boyfriend, who is a gamer. Not that that’s a bad thing. I went into the gaming section of our class being a little hesitant since I am not a fellow gamer, but reading McGonigal’s work has definitely peaked my interest. I even started taking a little more interest in my boyfriend’s gaming activities and asking him questions about how his games work, applying my new found knowledge to what he was telling me. I have told him about what we are doing in class and the book and am hoping I can convince him to read it… or at least some it, which I think he’ll appreciate.

Jane explains game concepts in a way I thought I would never in a million years know or care about since I’m not part of the gaming society, but I definitely have an interest in it now. Not to say that I’ve suddenly started playing games consistently, but I have actually played a few games with my boyfriend that I found interesting and was able to pick up on some of the game theories Jane was talking about. I’m even more interested now that we are actually using some of our new found knowledge to a game that will be played by real people.  So, I’m a little nervous about suggesting things, only because I’m not an expert on the gaming theory or world, but I have definitely thought of a few things that could, potentially, work or at least lead to bigger and better ideas.

So, I am really excited about this whole “Zombie Apocalypse”, but I am also really excited for, and have a few ideas for, the CLUE idea. I don’t know which one would be more fun, but they both seem like pretty strong options to explore and see what will, or can, work. I was always a fan of playing CLUE as a kid (and even to this day and age, even though I’m not very good at it). I thought, in order to make a real life version of this, we need to have some physical objects and locations that could lead the players/victims/students around the campus and community to start getting them familiar with their new home town. I also thought about the fact that there will probably be somewhat of a time restriction, so I thought of something that may work.

For the CLUE “rooms”: they could be buildings on campus +/or businesses that are willing to be a position.

“Weapons”: school related objects such as a pencil/pen, a laptop, lanyard, a full Kleen Kanteen, a heavy backpack full of text books

Suspects: A professor, Willie the Wild Cat, an intern, a student, a janitor, the president of the school

Everyone is pretty entertained by the idea of duping the students…which I am too, so I also think we should start them out in a boring lecture hall, such as one of the large ones at the PAC, and maybe talk about GE requirements or something rather boring. Then there’s a phone call about a murder. We’d have to think of how to get them on board with being the ones who should solve the crime though. Maybe something like “We don’t want the campus/community/police to know about this, so why don’t we work on figuring this out together (or something less cheesy than that).

So, they could start out in teams, instead of individual players. Each business/building can have one card to reveal, just as each player has multiple cards when starting out, and maybe even contain some kind of fact about school, the community, or the item on the card.

By visiting each location, the group will be able to eliminate some of their options until they have it figured out and the answer packet will be in one set location such as the BMU (for example).

They are not allowed to share answers with other groups and the first group to figure it out gets awarded….somehow. I haven’t thought about that part yet.

There are a lot of details to work out, which would come later if we decided on the CLUE option, but I think it has potential to be fun, get them to visit certain spots around Chico, and get them familiar with people, places, and things that they will see in, on, and around the campus and community.

I don’t know if this will pan out as well as the Zombie Apocalypse idea, which is also pretty awesome, but there’s a possibility it could work. Either way, I bet we’ll all come up with some pretty great ideas to make it fun, interesting, and unknowingly educational for them.

-Teri Snow