– Games = Messages, Not Just Play
– Games aren’t just for fun; they say things about real life.
– Animal Crossing → buying, debt cycle, wanting more… like real-world consumer habits.
– “Procedural Rhetoric” = Teach by Doing
– Games teach ideas through actions, not words.
– McDonald’s Game → tough choices, balancing profit/environment—experience the pressure.
– Rules Tell Stories
– Games use rules, not words, to show values.
– America’s Army → teamwork & discipline, “feel” military rules.
– Games = mini versions of real systems (schools, gov’t, cities)
– Test out systems, experiment.
– Sim City → budget, pollution, happy people—how systems work together.
– Change Views
– Bully → rethink social rules, question cliques, bullying.
– Games help us see $$, friendships, power differently.
– Make My Own Game = New Way to Share Ideas
– Games = rules, goals → say something big.
– Game about climate? Balance pollution vs. growth.
– Critiquing Games → See Hidden Messages
– Games = values in disguise. Ask: “What’s this game trying to say?”
I’m thinking about my game as a mini-world with its own rules, where everything from the choices players make to the consequences they face helps communicate its deeper message. I have a storyline in mind, but reading about how rules and consequences can evoke real emotions reminds me that I could use those elements to make the experience feel more intense and meaningful. Since Twine has limited interactivity, I’m wondering how I can still get creative with the choices and interactions to draw players in and really make them feel the impact of their actions.
