Experience Points

Real Fake Rules of Games On today’s episode we’ll cover simulations vs games.  On today’s episode we’ll cover the Real Fake Rules of Games. Black Mirror’s season five premiere Striking Vipers has an oddly coincidental connection to games and the “lusory agreement” the players follow when playing them. If you haven’t see the episode yet, please note there are spoilers ahead (as well as sexually exp...

Simulations vs Games On today’s episode we’ll cover simulations vs games.  Games and simulations are two things that seem talked about in the same circles. Sometimes they even get misinterpreted for one another. They do share some of the same characteristics. But, games and simulations are different from one another. Before we jump into what those differences are, let’s first define what we mean b...

Feedback Loops On today’s episode we’ll cover feedback loops in games.  Feedback is an important part of the learning process. Feedback is also really important for games to be engaging and fun. Feedback in education is based on providing the student with tangible information. Students can then use that information to improve their learning, knowledge grasp, or retention. Feedback in a game is pro...

Fearful Fun On today’s episode we’ll cover some unethical uses of gamification. Gamification is supposed to be fun. That’s why businesses, organizations and individuals use it on a daily basis. Why else would someone play games? But what are the ethics of gamification? What stops one business or organization from doing something nefarious? Is there a limit to gamification?  Who should govern gamif...

Formal Game Structures On today’s episode we’ll cover formal game structures. Formal game structures are the cornerstone on which game designers build their experiences. These structures shape what the designer intends to convey. These structures also help define what the player hopes to takeaway. Recognizing these formal structures helps your players define their experience. If you liked this epi...

Structure Gamified Learning On today’s episode we’ll cover structuring your gamified learning.  Structuring learning is one of the hardest things for an instructor to do. Sometimes that means reusing a syllabus. Other times you have to fit 16 weeks’ worth of content into 10 weeks. In either case, making sure that your students meet all course learning outcomes in your course’s time frame can be di...

On Using Games for Learning On today’s episode we’ll cover Using Games for Learning. Some of the most common applications are gamification, serious games, and games-based learning. But, that is not what many people see in practice. There are some really popular interpretations of learning games. Those focus on a few areas like the following: Scoreboards keeping track of players’ progress. Playful...

Moral Choices in Games On today’s episode we’ll cover Moral Choices in Games. There are many types of games available for people to play and enjoy. One of the most familiar and heartwarming ones are narrative driven games. These are games where the player often plays the protagonist. Here, you play as a single avatar. You explore the world and different paths in the story. If you’ve ever read the...

Lessons Learned Simulations and Training with Matthew Stevens In this episode I connected with Matthew Stevens of Lessons Learned Simulations and Training . In this interview we discussed the meaning and purpose of humanitarian work; Matt’s career working n the field; as well as how he uses serious games and simulations for teaching and training others.  Matthew Stevens Matthew Stevens is Director...

Ludic Language Pedagogy with James York of Tokyo Denki University   In this episode I connected with James York a lecturer at Tokyo Denki University . In this interview we discussed James’ path towards Toko Denki University; his work with the Ludic Language Pedagogy Journal; his approach to using games for teaching and learning; and the special challenges of teaching language through game play. Ja...

War Games with James Sterett, U.S. Army University/Command & General Staff College I connected with my colleague James Sterrett the US Army Deputy Chief, CGSC Simulations & Exercises Division . In this interview we discussed Dr. Sterett’s work with simulations, war games, and his philosophy on incorporating gaming into teaching and learning.  James Sterrett US Army Deputy Chief, CGSC Simul...

Serious Games On today’s episode we’ll cover Serious Games. Many people already know what games are and how to define them. But do you know anything about “serious” games? Serious games are games. But they’ve been designed with an educational purpose. Serious games were not created to be played for amusement or entertainment. For other educators like myself, serious games offer a distinct advantag...

Remote Adventure with Board Gaming with Education  In this episode of Experience Points I connected with my friend and colleague Dustin Staats from Board Gaming with Education on his program Remote Adventure.  In this episode we cover Games-Based Learning versus Gamification. There are some similarities and some differences. We also covered some tools that we like to use for integrating games into...

Gamified Learning Outcomes On today’s episode we’ll cover Gamified Learning Outcomes Games have goals. Classes have outcomes. Learning outcomes are a way for faculty, educators, and instructional designers to form and shape how a class will be structured. Game designers also form and shape the player’s experience through structures, loops, and other activities. Some may think that these two areas...

Student Gamer Centric On today’s episode we’ll cover the Student Gamer Centric Approach to Learning. One of the biggest changes to education has been the creation of a learner-centric model for teaching. I find this kind funny as I believed that teaching had always been learner centric. Aren’t students the main benefactor of learning? Isn’t that why we are all here? I can only come to that conclus...

The Nature of Games On this episode we cover “The Nature of Games.” What is a game? What makes a game? Games have been part of human history for many  ears. But do we even know what we are playing? What makes them fun, interesting, unique, and engaging? A game is a participatory activity where people play for pleasure and without a specific purpose. But can you really say that? Do people really pl...

Why Games On this episode we break down “Games.”  Here’s a question that never comes up in my presentations: “What makes games so appealing?” Usually people already know the answer.  So, they don’t ask the question. Lots of people have different reasons why they play games: because they like the characters or the story.  Because they want to escape from their everyday lives – even if it’s just for...