The Company
What values you see in the game, and how they are reflected in the choices made by the game designer (This is what we’ll grade you, the reviewer, on for this “Values at Play” assignment.)
The values emphasized in this game were against capitalism, large corporations, and worker exploitation. It seemed to be a commentary on the trajectory of society in working for large corporations and having little to no say in what actually happens. There was also a theme of personal integrity and standing up against complicit behavior as a member of these organizations. I thought it was especially interesting given the demographic of the class as the viewership as I’m sure a good chunk of Stanford students pursue these outcomes and are probably met with similar decision points where these values are questioned.
Thoughts on your experience relevant to the objectives in the rubric , specifically: How well did the game get you to care about the given topic or cause? How well did the game’s use of the medium fit the story? Did it have choices that were interesting and consequential to you? (Did any make you really stop and think?)
I think I already agreed with the author about the topics and values described in the story, but even so, I think it did a good job of investing you in the topic without being overwhelming.
They did an excellent job of making it feel really interactive and, well, real! There were moments I really felt invested because of the care and attention that went into the colors and puzzles.
I think that the story did a good job of culminating in a very intentional and thoughtful decision point at the end.
At least 1 thing you appreciated or thought was awesome
I thought the puzzles and the writing were excellent!
At least 1 thing you think they could improve on, if they were to turn it into their P4 project
I wish that the story were a bit longer and that we had the chance to get invested in some of the other characters along the way.
Tunnels
What values you see in the game, and how they are reflected in the choices made by the game designer (This is what we’ll grade you, the reviewer, on for this “Values at Play” assignment.)
The values of this game were not so clear cut as some others. It seemed that there was an emphasis on the value of exploration and taking risks as the game would only continue if you chose those options. It was also the final question of the game, which indicated that it had some meaning. There also seemed to be some emphasis on environmentalism.
Thoughts on your experience relevant to the objectives in the rubric , specifically: How well did the game get you to care about the given topic or cause? How well did the game’s use of the medium fit the story? Did it have choices that were interesting and consequential to you? (Did any make you really stop and think?)
I think the game did a nice job making you feel invested, especially how much I felt invested in Carpon’s story.
The game creator really leveraged the power of twine. I also think that a multi-decision game really lends itself well to something focused on exploration, so the medium completed the story nicely.
The first decision was pivotal, because making the wrong choice ended the game. I think that set the tone for the seriousness of the rest of the decision points. I felt that some of them in the middle weren’t great, but it was strong again at the end as you had to decide between two equally interesting and meaningful stories to end on.
At least 1 thing you appreciated or thought was awesome
The thing that really stood out to me was how good the dialogue was throughout the game.
At least 1 thing you think they could improve on, if they were to turn it into their P4 project
It was a great game, I think visual accompaniment would really strengthen it if it were to be used for a final project.
Murder in the Metaverse
What values you see in the game, and how they are reflected in the choices made by the game designer (This is what we’ll grade you, the reviewer, on for this “Values at Play” assignment.)
The values of this game were to emphasize caution when it comes to the advancement of technology and how it can take over lives, specifically the metaverse but alluded to other recent technologies as well. It also had themes of safety and trust with technology.
Thoughts on your experience relevant to the objectives in the rubric , specifically: How well did the game get you to care about the given topic or cause? How well did the game’s use of the medium fit the story? Did it have choices that were interesting and consequential to you? (Did any make you really stop and think?)
The story really gets you invested in the dark side of technology. It was almost reminiscent of 1984 for me. Fun to think about these concepts in a game rather than a conversation about how technology is ruining the world (like in social contexts).
It was perfect! Playing a coded game on my computer while being warned of the dangers of the metaverse. It was almost too good.
I think the choices didn’t seem particularly consequential because I wasn’t sure where things were going and there weren’t a ton of decision points.
At least 1 thing you appreciated or thought was awesome
The story was both well written and thought out. I kind of wish it were a book.
At least 1 thing you think they could improve on, if they were to turn it into their P4 project
I think there could have been more decisions throughout the story. I also think the ending could be improved upon as it felt somewhat abrupt.
