Analog Game Idea
Brainstorming an Effective Conversation Game for Language Practice
When I read through the syllabus I expected that shifting from digital to analog games would be a challenge in the middle of the semester, but now I am feeling inspired. Designing and developing video games adds a lot of complexity that has little to do with game mechanics, objectives, and replayability.
Feeling quite eager to step away from Civilization V, I took one last look to single out some game mechanics that may be useful in an analog game. Then, I reviewed some conversation / party games that I have used for the purposes of language acquisition over the last few years.
Inspiration
Civilization V, just as any video game, incorporates common mechanics such as turn-taking, surprises, and choices to potentially solve problems (win).
Turn-Taking
Even with computer opponents, playing Civilization V requires you to click a button to change turns, which adds an artificial delay while your opponents make their moves.
I have also considered this type of delay when designing digital games with computer opponents. A few years ago I made a Tic-Tac-Toe game with a computer opponent. After testing, I decided to add an artificial delay as the computer’s decision was much too quick for the user to process. In fact, some users did not realize it was their turn unless there was some sort of waiting period.
Surprises
On many turns Civilization V throws some surprise at you, which usually amounts to a threat that you must address within a few turns. This helps to break from the monotony of managing game pieces and adds short-term and mid-term goals. Similarly, a classic board game like Monopoly introduces “chance” cards that could either help or hinder you. Analog games that involve strategy should introduce some surprises to help balance skill levels.
Choices
Besides ordinary tasks on each turn, being surprised in Civilization also introduces several response options. These options may or may not be helpful, though all seem equally plausible. This gives the player both a sense of control and risk.
Other Sources of Inspiration
In my role as a teacher, language exchange organizer, or language teacher trainer, I have explored whether certain commercial “conversation” games could be used to help students feel more relaxed during language practice (or at least move the focus away from vocabulary, grammar, and other sources of apprehension) and engaged in meaning-making. This situates language more accurately as a flexible communication tool and not as a thing that can be mastered to perfection.
Some of my favorites include: Bucket of Doom, The Metagame, The Game of Things, and Closer.
Among these, I feel that Bucket of Doom provides the most compelling and entertaining gameplay, mixing humorous situations with serious reasoning and debate.
My Idea: Paths to Success
After looking at my upcoming unit related to factors impacting quality of life and future plans, I came up with an analog game idea that I could potentially include in my courses for genuine user testing.
Learning Goal (skill)
To express beliefs and understandings about how to reach success in a career, family, or lifestyle
Materials
- Goal cards (e.g. “travel to more than 5 countries by age 30”, “have 2.5 children who love me”)
- Event cards (e.g. “your employer goes bankrupt”, “you complete a graduate degree program”)
Gameplay
5 event cards are distributed to players in groups of 4–6. One goal card is turned over and placed in the middle. To determine who goes first, students discuss recent successes/fortune and decide who has had the biggest recent achievement. This player goes first and decides whether to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise.
On their turn, a player chooses an event card and describes how it relates to the final goal. If others accept the answer, the player leaves the card under the goal card. If not, the player must keep the card. A “wild” card would allow a player to choose to retire the goal and draw a new goal card. The first player to get rid of all of their cards is the winner.
Areas of Improvement
I hope to hear suggestions from my classmates to help me improve the idea. However, I should explain a little more about the context in which the game will be used.
The game should encourage students to listen to their peers actively in order to further their acquisition of the English language. This is a challenge because students are all native speakers of Mandarin Chinese and have difficulty being patient with themselves and others in English when communication in their native language would be more efficient. Gameplay that distracts from this issue would be most effective.
