Adventure Ecology

General information

This Role Play Game is set up as an adventure game to help Arctic Explorers save the planet from Global Warming. You are first introduced to the team, which you will join. It seems to be an actual team of explorers who traveled to the North Pole on an expedition that ended June of this year (real time). The game takes place within boundaries or real life practices but the characters have been animated with avatars.

The first thing a player does is choose their own avatar (computerized character of self) and there are many different choices for looks. You can choose hair, face expressions, even accessories and clothing. After you are signed in to the team and have your avatar, you are given an assignment, based on a personality test that you complete. This short test is based on multiple intelligences, and the assignment given is according to where you tested. For instance, I tested strongest in the naturalist personality trait, so my assignments all had to do with nature. This assignment is downloaded to your computer in pdf format and can be read and followed outside of the computer part of the game. Things such as collecting nature items and relating them to pollution, examining animals for reactions to pollution, were parts of my assignment. After the assignment is given the player has an opportunity to search for answers (for the assignment) by using several tools available. There are even links to the BBC website for official news items and other articles for extra reading. Findings can be recorded and saved online in a special logbook, which can be shared with other players (or classmates). In addition to these “real” aspects, for special rewards after researching there are action games (video games to play) within the main game. Another feature of the game is to earn points (eeks), which you can use to accessorize your avatar, download wallpaper themes for your computer or update your control panel. There are many levels to the game, like levels within levels, and real video clips mixed with animation, to make the game multi-dimensional.

Analysis based on Flow Theory

Based on the Flow Theory, there are items within the game for every level of learner and every type of personality. Whether one would find and use them all is the key question.

o Task that the learners can complete – there are definite tasks to be completed. Within each checkpoint (E-C-O-L-O-L-G-Y), there is an assignment to be completed. You can take your assignment and take as long a time (or short) as you want. If you leave the game, your location and assignment will be remembered, and you can pick up where you left off when you return. You are free to complete as much or as little of each task that you desire. Within each assignment, there are multiple tasks to complete.

o Ability to concentrate on task – tasks are exciting and easily focused on. The levels of the game takes into account many learner types, by adding the quick paced video games within the assignment, the monotony some players might find is broken up. Extra points are given for these games as well.

o Task has clear goals – The main goal, to save the planet from global warming, is very clear, but not always how our character helps us accomplish this. However, the smaller assignment tasks are very clear, and can be printed out and completed with classmates or individually. The goals, whether you are playing to earn points, find ways to help global warming, get rewards and play games, are clear and varied. There is something here for every type of learner.

o Task provides immediate feedback – yes. Feedback is presented in the way of conversation with the other team members (avatars). Through text boxes, they keep you informed of how you’re doing and let you know when you’ve worked hard and need a break with a “game”. You also earn eeks along the way, another form of feedback.

o Deep but effortless involvement – yes. The involvement is immediate as you try to find your way around the control panel and figure out how to earn points. In the meantime you are actually learning a lot about the people affected by global warming and what we can do as individuals to help. This is the type of game that involves learning without knowing you are learning, while involved in the pretend aspect of joining the polar expedition.

o Exercising a sense of control over their actions – all players do have control over their actions. You are in control from the beginning, when you assemble your avatar. And because the assignments are given based on your personality profile (you can ask for a different one if you don’t like the one they give you), the feeling of control and personal attention is very high from the outset. As the game progresses you also make all your own decisions, decide what to look at, what to complete, etc.
o Concern for self disappears during flow - From the beginning, when you put together your avatar you feel a connection with the game and the people in it. They speak to your avatar and you respond with the mouse, which opens a dialog box next to your avatar. It is easy to become totally immersed in the game and lose concern for yourself as you play. You become your character.

o Sense of duration of time is altered – the time element is irrelevant in this game, because you can take your assignments away with you. In that respect time is altered. For instance, if a teacher decided to use this game in the classroom, the entire class could get assignments, come back to class, participate in completing the downloaded tasks, and then go back online to post to the log book. These could be compiled in a class book, which could be shared with the class. The online time would be much shorter than the actual time it takes to complete the assignments. Also because the play is interrupted by these secondary games of fun, time is skewed.