Playing the Game - The Multiplayer Classroom: Designing Coursework as a Game - page 253

Lore

Lore involves the back story of the game — everything that has happened up until now.

It s up to you. Are you somebody who slowly eases into the shallow end of the

pool? Or do you dive into the deep end? Both of the approaches work. Choose
the one that is most comfortable.

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If you do choose to expand the lore, make sure that it is an integral part of the
design and development of the game. Just as you look for every opportunity to
translate coursework into gameplay, search out opportunities to reinforce the
lore wherever possible.

By the same token, don ' t try to force lore or game conventions on elements

where you can t make them work. There is a very real danger of obscuring

content with the mechanism by which you

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ve chosen to deliver it. Watch how
your students fall into this trap when they do their quest presentations.

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If you choose to allow your students to present class material, your role as an
active Game Master is essential. I will interrupt student presentations, asking for
definitions, challenging their assumptions, and clarifying important points.
These are meant to be quests after all. And quests are designed as a string of
obstacles players must overcome.

So, by all means, go for as many trappings of an actual game with which you feel
comfortable. Keep your balance. One of the primary challenges in game design is
balance. It shows up everywhere from the power of the player vs. adversaries to
the difficulty of puzzles to the balance between story and gameplay. It can be the
difference between hitting a home run and striking out. Maintain balance in all
elements of your multiplayer classroom.

Rules
Rules for playing the game are as obvious a part of the design as the rules that
govern our classrooms. Some come to us from government or the institution for
which we work. Others we create. Students expect rules. They want rules, no
matter how much they may complain or test them. Whether written down
formerly in a rubric, or not, they want rules that are clearly stated.