Learning Through Interaction, Part One: Mechanics

Watching parts of the Australian Open tennis tournament that's being held right now has been quite interesting. Not only have some awesome matches been played already, I actually understand what's going on during them. In previous years I've only had a passing interest in the sport, mostly because I had no idea what was happening but this year is different; this year I'm finding myself getting right into it, my new-found interest in the sport incredibly compelling. Who or what do I owe for this change of heart? Yep, videogames.

You see, lately I've been thinking about how games teach us to play: to understand and then use their mechanics to our benefit; to learn and then accept the rules that govern the systems we interact with and the information they demonstrate -- visually, aurally, physically (controls) and mentally (plot, characters) -- in order to immerse us into their worlds and compel us to continue playing. The more I've thought about it, the more fascinated I've become, reflecting on my own experiences as well as seeking out those of others. It's incredible, really, to observe which techniques developers use to communicate their games with us and then realise the potential impact that each design decision has had on a game's overall experience.

Even more incredible, I believe, is the pedagogical potential games have when it comes to learning stuff in the real world.

My tennis example above has been enlightening, thanks, in part, to the rules that form the sport's foundations and govern its play. These same rules can be taken from the sport in real life and be replicated in the virtual world, in videogames. The reason I now have an idea of what's going on in the Australian Open is because of my experience with playing Wii Sports on the Wii. While the aesthetics of the game and dynamics of each sport are distilled to the most basic form -- and, of course, the entire product was created as a tech demo for the Wii Remote -- Wii Sports still contains sports that exist in real life and therefore the rules that each sport is based on. By simply playing Wii Sports and enjoying the simplistic fun the game provides, I have indirectly learned, without realising it, how to play the sports in real life. Sure, I might not know every intricate rule or detail, but it's a start. By teaching me how to play and showing me the fun each sport can provide, my interest is piqued just enough that I may be compelled to investigate further, to research a particular sport and decide whether or not it is something I will enjoy in the future. It is here where sporting sims -- think FIFA or Madden -- come into the equation.

At the complete opposite of the spectrum when compared to Wii Sports, sport sims allow people fully invested in a particular sport the opportunity to play and enjoy it in the comfort of their own home. This allows them to experiment with the possibilities the rules of the sport and game(s) provides, live out fantasies they may have formed out of their passion for the sport or, in the case of physically disabled or severely ill people, enjoy something they love that they unfortunately cannot do in their real lives. But those are the obvious attributes of sport sims; a less obvious aspect of the genre is the fact that they can be the next step for someone whose interest in a sport is slowly developing and whom may want to pursue it further. Sport sims can allow people and players who know the basics of a sport to not only hone their skills, but learn about the more intricate and advanced details that can be found within, furthering their interest and enjoyment of the sport.

It's not just sport games, however, which can use their mechanics productively to teach about something in the real world. There are many games and many genres which can help ease a player into something they may enjoy in the future, to let them test the waters, so to speak and experiment with something they're unfamiliar with. Off the top of my head, I think about Cooking Mama and the various other cooking games out there which can, potentially, help people to develop a passion for cooking or show them how to cook meals they mightn't have been aware of previously. The Professor Layton series is another example that comes to mind, its shameless appreciation of puzzles and brainteasers wrapped in a neat art style and mysterious narrative that is at once accessible and incredibly compelling. Before playing Professor Layton And The Curious Village, I was always intrigued by puzzles and brainteasers, similar to those found in-game, but never did I actively attempt to pursue or solve them. What the game allowed me to do was engage with puzzles in a relaxed, no pressure environment, meaning I could approach them when and how I wanted to. It was this relaxed "at my own pace" feeling that made trying and eventually solving these puzzles enjoyable for me, the charming wit of Layton and his cohorts and the discovery of key plot points just the icing on the already wonderful cake.

The sports videogame genre might not receive the critical analysis and discussion it deserves, nor might it interest "hardcore" gamers when they've got so many first-person shooters to play, but it's certainly incredibly popular, proving to me that the genre has its place in this industry and is therefore worth thinking about. The notion that videogames -- basic or advanced -- can help players experiment, learn and enjoy a sport or particular culture is something I find fascinating, and I look forward to checking out more games in the future that can help me learn about something I previously knew nothing about. In the meantime, I'd like to take this discussion of teaching power in videogames in another direction so keep an eye out for part two in this short series soon.

Finally, Wii Can Play

Okay sorry, Wii puns are old. I didn't mean to remind everyone of something that was popular, and overused, over two years ago. It's just that, I live under a rock and have only just recently gotten my hands on a Wii so I hope you'll forgive me for not being able to resist the temptation to use a pun on the console's name. It won't happen again, I promise.

Yes it's true, I got my hands on Nintendo's popular console this week, completing my current generation collection and allowing me access to games that I have been wanting for a few years now. These include the expected titles like Mario Kart and Super Mario Galaxy, but it also includes the lesser known gems that I've had my eye on after reading about them such as de Blob and World Of Goo. The most important game I want to get my hands on though is Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, a game I have been craving ever since it was announced. I have no shame in admitting that I am a massive Metroid fanboy and as such, playing through another of Samus' adventures is one hell of an enticing prospect. Surprisingly, I have been able to contain my desire to play it quite well, mostly because I viewed the game as irrelevant to me while I didn't own the console. I do now, so as soon as I can afford it you can guarantee the game will have another purchase.

Moving along, my impressions of the console are brief. Including Wii Sports with the console is a no-brainer and I'm glad Nintendo chose to, as it is the best introduction to the Wii Remote and how to use it. Wii Sports demonstrates to you how fun it can be to mimic the on-screen action using motion, but more importantly it hints towards the potential that the Wii Remote can be used for -- some of which people have already seen, some of which is on the horizon using peripherals like Wii MotionPlus. For me, I get to start at the beginning, experiencing things that others have already forgotten about for the first time and finally getting to understand where and why they have gained their views on the various games out there. I look forward to it.

The most important thing to come from my short time with the console, I think, is something that doesn't involve me. The simplicity that the motion controls, coupled with a game like Wii Sports can provide means it's very easy for anyone to pick up and play the Wii. Everyone knows this already, but even so I found it very exciting to watch other people play it. One person in particular, my four year old sister, was very interesting to watch. As she is such a young age, she has no history with the medium like I do -- she doesn't know the difference between a PS3 or Wii and she certainly doesn't know the difference between 'normal' controls and motion controls. Naturally, her view is going to be different to mine and won't be influenced by the history and knowledge of the medium that I have, and so it was when she played it for the first time. Her reaction? A simple "WOW!" as she realised she was in control of the pointer on the screen and then subsequently the tennis racquet, baseball bat, bowling ball and golf club. Her elation as she experimented with the motion and hit the ball back across the court in tennis is something that I can't even describe. Instead of analyzing the experience like her older brother would (and did), she was instead just simply content to enjoy Wii Sports for what it was, a simple and fun video game.

Watching that right there, was what showed me what the Wii is about and I instantly understood why Nintendo chose to pursue the direction they have. While I was right to assume that motion controls or the direction they took wasn't going to interest me for too long, I am very glad that Nintendo chose to pursue it anyway. The result is, as we've now seen, an expanded audience but more importantly it is also a console that really can be played by anyone. How is that not a brilliant thing for this industry?

Preorder blues

So GTA fever is gripping the world, people are desperately watching and rewatching the trailers, browsing and rebrowsing the screenshots, even playing and replaying the older games in the series in an attempt to bridge the gap before April 29th. For some, however, it is more difficult than for others; I'm talking about preorder blues.

If you're not familiar with this feeling, let me fill you in. It's almost a chronic gaming disease, onset by the preordering of a game, or ordering of a game with a long delivery time. It causes people to reject their entire games library in an odd desperation for the one title they're so eagerly waiting for, hence ruining any chances of keeping entertained until the promised date. Some people suffer mild variations, whereby they'll suddenly feel less motivated towards particular titles or consoles; others, like myself, get it full blast, where day-to-day often no games are played at all due to a sudden immeasurable lack of aforementioned motivation for any and all games. My personal strain of the disease however often allows me to play other games in the series, and sometimes also casual games. Therefore, my experience of the GTA IV preorder blues hasn't been so bad; so far I've enjoyed several hours of GTA/London/2/3/VC/SA, as well as Wii Sports, PAIN and Ikaruga. Another strain seems to be one of concentrated, rather than lost, dedication; a friend of mine is currently spending all of his gaming time playing Call of Duty 4 and nothing else, having found a sudden increase in endless desire to play online and shoot up the prestige levels in the lost period of time before 29/04.

Lucky for me, I have this place to spend some time on too. Expect a surge in posting after my coursework is done - up until the 29th of course; I'll be taking at least a few days' leave from then...