2048: Design for Educational Games
Crit 1 for 05418-Design Educational Games, Prof. Erik Harpstead, CMU
Introduction:
On 9th March 2014, a nineteen-year-old web developer from Italy called Gabriele Cirulli released an open-source game on Github that he had created over the weekend. His only objective behind creating the game was to test whether he could program a game from scratch. Over the next week, the game — simply called 2048 — ended up receiving over four million hits. He had developed the game as a “fun project over the weekend” and could not have possibly anticipated the attention that it received. Initially intended as simply an online game, it was soon made available on iOS and Android platforms since the creator was a believer in open source code.
Brief Description:
2048 is a simple mathematical sliding-block puzzle game based on the powers of two. Sliding block puzzle games are not new, with pictorial puzzles being the most widely known. However, this was the first one with a mathematical leaning to become as popular as it did. The gameplay is quite simple — online as well as on smartphones. The game consists of a 4 x 4 matrix of that initially display two random tiles containing numbers starting from the lowest whole number exponential power of two, i.e.- 2 ^0 or 2 ^1 = 2. All the tiles can be slid in one of four directions (up/down/right/left) using the arrow keys, if playing online, or simply by sliding on the screen if using the iOS/Android platforms. Two tiles having the same number combine to give the next exponential value of two. For instance, the tiles with the values 2 ^1 and 2^ 1 will combine to give 2^ 2 = 4. A move in any chosen direction is legal only if it results in a change in the matrix. The objective of the game is to slide the tiles mindfully in a way such that we achieve the tile for 2 ^11 = 2048 in the least number of moves.
Learning Objectives: The EDGE Framework encourages us to ask the following questions of the game that is being reviewed:
a) What knowledge or skills do players need to have before starting the game?
The most important prior knowledge that is required for playing the game is the basic understanding of the multiplication of two and/or the exponential powers of two. Usually, a basic level of mathematical understanding is sufficient enough to gain a grasp over this first part of the prerequisite knowledge up to at least the first few exponential powers of two.
b) What knowledge or skills can players reasonably be expected to learn from the game?
Objectively speaking, the most direct takeaway for the players from the game would be their knowledge of the higher exponential powers of two. Players would definitely be able to calculate the higher powers of two in a flash if need be, without the need for a calculator.
c) What knowledge and skills might they learn that go beyond what they encountered in the game?
The game is a puzzle with a singular objective that is possibly attempted by the players multiple times until completed — which speaks volumes of the problem-solving capabilities of the players. The perceptive players would hopefully realize that to solve the puzzle quickly, it is advantageous to keep the larger numbers in corners while moving the opposite end of the matrix. Additionally, strategically using the “undo” button can also prove to be
useful. All of these make the players better puzzle-solvers and encourage them to look at problems methodically.
Components — MDA: The EDGE Framework requires looks at three core components of the game and how they relate to the objectives.
a) Mechanics: The game has straightforward game mechanics since it is a two-dimensional, one-level, single-player game. The game takes place on a 4 x 4 grid, with numbers on the tiles. The player can move all the tiles in one of four directions, in what is called one legal move. If tiles with the same number collide, they combine to form a tile with a number corresponding to their sum, which is a higher exponential power of two. Starting with two
tiles with two in them, and every move giving rise to a new tile with either two or four on it and populating the grid, the objective of the player is to combine tiles with similar numbers to form a tile with the number 2048. However, the game does not necessarily end after reaching the 2048 tile and the player can continue playing to try and subsequentially reach
higher powers of two. The player also has an “Undo” button that goes back only one move. The game is over when there are no legal moves available in any direction. Players need to know the locations of all the tiles before choosing the right direction to swipe the screen, which can lead to important lessons in decision making because the undo button cannot go farther than one move behind in the reverse direction. Oftentimes, players are required to think quite a few steps ahead in advance to ensure that
the game does to end prematurely.
b) Dynamics: The sliding of the tiles in various directions to come up with a plan of action to tackle the puzzle and complete the objective gives rise to various dynamics of the game. Most players often realize early on that it is advantageous to corner the larger numbers and have the smaller powers of two on the opposite edge of the larger number to have a more organized approach to the puzzle. Furthermore, lining up the powers of two along any selected edge and then adding them when it becomes possible is usually a reliable strategy. Also, quite importantly, using the undo button strategically to influence the outcome of some of the new tiles can help get to the objective quicker. The game generates a fast-paced dynamic in the beginning when the numbers are smaller and the grid is less populated — which means that there is room for error correction. However, as the numbers start getting bigger and the grid starts filling up, the pace slows down as the players become more cautious of their moves. This translates into a low-risk low-reward vs. high-risk high-reward situation which is a possible real-life scenario.
c) Aesthetics: According to MDA, aesthetics here will be the experiential and NOT the visual aesthetics. The aesthetics of a game is the emotional responses experienced by the game dynamics. The game essentially has the “challenge aesthetic” but I would also like to add replayability and addictive aspect of it as aesthetics as well.
Learning Principles:
The game 2048 vividly demonstrates the following learning principles:
a) Immediate Feedback Timing: Provide immediate feedback on errors. The game involves getting continuous visual and audio feedback on every single one of the player’s moves –and hoping that the player adjusts his strategy as per the feedback to obtain the objective. The feedback is not typical and direct but is integrated into the part of the gameplay. When the player’s tiles combine it is positive feedback saying that those moves
are going in the right direction. However, when the player swipes in a direction and none of the tiles combine, it is negative feedback saying that something needs to change, i.e.-either the direction of the tiles.
b) Scaffolding: Structure content modularly. Build upon prior concepts when introducing new concepts and build towards a higher goal. As the name suggests, the primary objective of the game 2048 is to attain the tile with the number 2048. However, the game does not end there. Once a player reaches the 2048 tile, the game pops a prompt asking whether the player wishes to play for the next tile, i.e.- 4096. On achieving this newly provided objective,
the game prompts again to play for the next tile, i.e.- 8192 and so on. Thus, with each new level of competency that the player demonstrates, the game increases the stakes and makes the game more difficult.
c) Coherence: Refrain from using extraneous words, pictures, and sounds that do not serve the purpose of the game. The game is quite minimal in its design and uses only as many instructions as necessary. Additionally, the learning curve for the game is not very steep which ensures that the players are never bombarded with too much information.
Synthesis and Critique:
The EDGE Analysis of the sliding tile puzzle game — 2048 helps us understand the game’s educational objectives as well as its MDA framework. The game has simple and straightforward mechanics and dynamics, that are easy to understand and get around. These are well supported by its simplistic educational objectives. The learning principles are not too complicated and provide adequate assistance to the objectives, and the mechanics and dynamics of the game. The aesthetics are easy on the eyes but do not necessarily contribute much to the learning objectives. However, the rest of the EDGE Framework is evidence that learning about mathematics outside of the classroom is possible.
