Runescape v. World of Warcraft

I was just perusing Lisa's(one of my classmates) World of Warcraft blog. I found her reference to a Stanford University Medical School study, where "researchers have shown that the part of the brain that generates rewarding feelings is more activated in men than women during video-game play." I can understand the science behind this study, but I have to wonder why I am not compelled to play video games. Is there a hard wiring issue? Interesting to consider.

Also in Lisa's blog I was drawn to an HBS article about the Gamer Disposition as it relates to their contribution to the workforce. Consider what business gurus see as the positive attributes of playing games.

"Today’s multiplayer online games are large, complex, constantly evolving social systems. Their perpetual newness is what makes them enticing to players. Each generation of games begets a new generation of participants who develop what we call the gamer disposition. It’s exactly the disposition you should want in your workforce. "



Five Attributes of Gamers:

• They are bottom-line oriented.
• They understand the power of diversity.
• They thrive on change.
• They see learning as fun.
• They marinate on the “edge.”

• Stanford Article
• Harvard Business School Article
  

A comparsion of WW and Runescape:

• Runescape is a game most played by teenagers from ages 13-15, but is also played by 9-12 year olds. World of Warcraft's complexity makes it harder for immature players to play.

• World of Warcraft is complex and hard to understand at first, and only allows certain classes per character. In Runescape, it's easier to follow along and see what's happening and what to do, and all "classes" can be accessed by a single character.

• Runescape only allows 1 character per account. World of Warcraft allows enough too fill most of the classes in a single realm.

• World of Warcraft is $15 a month. Runescape is only $5 a month.

World of Warcraft is full screen and requires more resources from the computer to play. Runescape is a browser game, made in java.

• Runescape's graphics may be the best Java can do, but they're still lacking. World of Warcraft has better graphics.
  

• World of Warcraft REQUIRES teams and levels for certain things. require a team for at.

On the Road to Rune

I was recently talking to my crew about my personal odyssey a.k.a playing video games. Interestingly, playing video games somehow allowed me to cross a generational divide. Suddenly, I knew about their world: multiplayer games, on-line chatting, user generated contact, a wired existence. I shared a similar experience with my son. We could look for Runescape images on-line, discuss how he performed a quest, or just laugh at how bad I am at the game. In short, we collaborated while playing Runescape, a pro-social aspect of gaming. I found it interesting that in the Peng article that those who were infrequent users as well as those who were heavy user also were incredibly social. My perception of gamers as reclusive nerds to a certain extent has been blown out of the water. Heck, I live with a gamer and I think he is pretty cool.

Tangentially, Ryan also failed to excel at his game, Halo. Consider a quote from his blog:

"I never became comfortable playing my game and it felt like my resistance was old and habitual. I remember not being allowed to sit down on the couch for long before my mother or father would demand I go outside and play. I enjoy physical activity and competition too much I guess. I feel like I am making a moral or ethical choice to eschew gaming because it is clear to me that I am gaining nothing when I play virtual games like Halo."

He and I both come from a athletic background. We both are competitive; we both found it hard to get motivated to play. I feel that same moral tug to condemn gaming out of kind, but I defer in that I really have gained something by playing. I have acquired a new language, a new media literacy that is essential in today's world. I said one of my goals for the class was to become more relevant. I feel like I have achieved that goal.

Spark

Just started reading an excellent book called, Spark: The revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain, by John Ratey, MD. Ratey is widely known for his work in the treatment of ADHD having co-author the bestseller, Driven to Distraction. Not surprisingly, Ratey's work in the field of ADHD highlighted a direct correlation between exercise and decreased ADHD symptoms, a mind-brain connection. Spark takes that notion a step further and asserts that physical activity does not just promote good health, rather it is essential to optimal brain function. In other words, Ratey, through some pretty compelling studies, contends that one must prepare the brain to learn through rigorous exercise. Can you hear all the coaches and teachers saying "amen" in unison?!?! Well, juxtapose Ratey's theories with Tony's Dickerson's research with e-learning and there are interesting correlations. For instance, Dickerson's gaming interface is based on 'traditional' neuro-cognitive studies. Nothing earth shattering! However, Dickerson's ability to harness the acquisition of data points through the game interface is indeed revolutionary. As Dr. Dickerson alluded to in his presentation, it appears that the use of his technology will improve performance in math and English over a control group. Further, it appears that this technology is particularly effective when used by "gifted students." We do not know, or more succinctly, Tony is not willing to tell us, the detailed results of his study, but quantifiable evidence which shows how individuals learn has far reaching potential in education and beyond. Imagine combining Ratey's work with Dickerson's and the possibilities are even more exciting.

To do is to learn:

Dewey (1938) expressed the belief that "all genuine education comes through experience."


"In our work, we have undertaken a design trajectory that conscientiously involves the development of an educational game with an explicit pro-social agenda. We have worked to develop the context of participation such that players are indeed compelled, if not required, to critically reflect on their participation and the world around them." --Sasha Barab--

There is a real paradox of learning in Runescape. What do I mean by that? Well, Runescape definitely is a 'good game." A good game as like James Gee defines it is not too hard, not too easy or, as my son James likes to say, a good game takes two years to play." Runescape definitely has that feature. The game begins with a trip to Tutorial Island where the player learns the 'essentials' of playing Runescape: skill acquisition such as chopping wood, mining; map skills, the economy of the game; and how to interact with NPC (non-player characters). Once a player has equipped themselves with the necessary skills they are free to play , an essential component of the " play before competence theory." In that way, Runescape mirrors Dewey's learning is doing model. However, as I have played the game over the last 10 weeks I am struck by some of the things I am learning, both positive and negative.

First, I do believe that the game promotes some 'real world skills' such as collaboration, executive skills, and logic and reasoning. Most notably, the linear nature of "leveling", the ability to move up in status, through the performance of various "quests" is probably Runescape's defining educational feature. The narrative is compelling enough to foster a deep sense of engagement; random events and mini-quest--both scaffolding exercises to promote skill acquisition --also to help foster deep cognitive engagement and stimulate further game play.

However, if one believes "all genuine education comes through experience" than one also has to assume that there is both pro-social and anti-social learning going on in Runescape. Specifically, as an adult and a parent, I worry that by nature Runescape is a game predicated on deception. Now I don't want to sound alarmists, as by nature this game is about dragons, wizards, imps, and knights; however, I do worry that to succeed in this game one has to lie, cheat, kill, pick-pocket, scam, lure, and deceive. Moreover, the demographic, while supposedly 13 years and older, is, in fact, 13 years and younger. Jagex Inc. markets the game to this age-group as evidenced by this advertisement in Scholastic Books Inc. The narrative of Runescape is "aged-down" for eight year olds in this Runescape secrets book. It knowingly is marketing to very demographic that it states, " is not mature enough for the content." In my presentation to the class, I talked about some of the more unsavory elements of the game such as luring (killing players for their possessions) as well as scamming(tricking low-level members). Barry pointed out in class that we were not playing these games to establish whether they were good games or bad; instead, we were trying to assess whether they fostered learning or not. I have to agree with the sentiments of one of my classmates when he stated that it is really impossible to separate the "good" learning form the "bad" learning. In other words, if Runescape teaches pro-social skills then it also must teach anti-social skills as well. I just don't think that the adolescent brain can filter the good from the bad. I think this quite from Kerouac's On the Road captures the essence of Runescape:

"I was beginning to get the bug like Dean. He was simply a youth tremendously excited with life, and though he was a con-man, he was only conning because he wanted so much to live and to get involved with people who would otherwise pay no attention to him."
- Jack Kerouac, On the Road, Ch. 1



Critique of Runescape: Tom's Games

Runscape Economy

"The people who make big budget commercial games have unwittingly discovered a great experimental tool," he said. They build these places; they make up some kind of lore about orcs and dragons and elves, and people go in and play the different roles. Meanwhile, indirectly, they have put in markets, governance structures, opportunities to communicate with others and create societies, groups, guilds and larger corporations of people."

• Edward Castronov, University of Indiana
• Arden: Game of Shakespeare
• Synthetic Worlds

The Runescape economy is complex:

• The Grand Exchange Market Watch is a guide and information resource for you to track prices and other information for items traded on the Grand Exchange within the RuneScape

• The RuneScape economy bears many similarities to economies in the real world. While general and specialty shop prices depend largely on the number of items in stock, player prices are influenced by many factors other than supply and demand. Real world economies behave differently from RuneScape's in some respects, however, particularly because of the limited time many have to play the game.

  There are several currencies in RuneScape; most currencies, however, are used in trading between non-player characters and players in certain areas. Therefore, coins will be treated as the exclusive currency for player-to-player trading in this guide.

  In general, there are several categories of item that players may obtain. Quest items and other untradable items are not covered here, as they have little to no impact on the player economy. Four main item categories, commodities, consumables, finished items, and discontinued items, will be discussed in detail in this guide.

• Coins (also known as gold, gold pieces, or gp) are the most common form of currency in RuneScape. They can be used to represent the value of virtually every single item in the game, as well as various services offered throughout.
• Money Making Guide
  

• General guides
• Jagex
• Events
• Adventurers' Tales
• Trivia

Jagex offers these guidelines to help maintain a balanced life and get the most out of playing RuneScape:

Take a break from the computer.

Exercise at least once a week

Remember, it is just a game.

When eating, take a break from the computer.

Don't ignore your real life friends, meet up with them on a regular basis

Work and studies matters: don't let playing a game stop you from doing well in your studies or at work.

Remember parents that it is up to you to help your child maintain a healthy balance so that your child can benefit from all the educational and entertaining aspect of RuneScape.


Educational Benefits of playing Runescape:

Ethical Entrapment

Yesterday's discussion with Sasha Barab really "sparked" a veritable flood of ideas and reactions to the idea of game design as a political or ethical statement. I found myself reflecting on this notion that designers are, very much like a writer, poet, movie director, or songwriter, bringing their own value system to the games they design. What ethical problem(s) they choose (or not choose) to address are subjective and a part of the game. Therefore, it is imperative to consider the origins or genesis of particular games as they relate to learning. Barab cited Herz, 1997, as saying most games are created by "multinational companies which are trying to appease the shareholders not the gods." Therefore, games like Grand Theft Auto and ManHunt 2, both controversial games from a pedagogical perspective, are about making money as opposed to learning. Barab's Atlantis Quest and Dede's River City are both examples of games which target a "directed" form of learning. In other words, each designer has national standards in, for instance, science which they want students to acquire as a result of playing their game. However, while Dede is more apolitical, Barab's design is decidedly political. He firmly believes that Virtual Worlds as learning tools are only powerful unless the knowledge acquired is "transfered" to the Real World. In fact, Barab's personal philosophy regarding good teaching and learning involves, in essence, Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. Specifically, as a result of No Child Left Behind, the movement in education is toward equipping every child with the same set of tools or learning objectives. Barab believes " society's virtuous commitment to aiding all students in attaining the same objectives may actually inhibit, rather than promote, human development." Ponder that notion for a moment: Is it possible for us to acquire the same knowledge, the same ideas, the same passions equally?!? Of course, not. Yet, I agree with Barab that we often stifle learning as people suppress their own perspectives and adopt societal perspectives. Barab views his role as this: " My task as an educator, friend, colleague, and fellow human being is not to "tell" or "socialize" others into some shared perspective, but rather to foster a passion for unique passions." Some might argue this is semantics, but there is a message here. By developing games like Atlantis Quest, Barab is creating a virtual world with a socio-scientific narrative. That is students are learning about hard science, but they are also learning about the ethical implications when science is applied to the real world. Barab calls this creating a situated learning environment or ethical playground, a world where students can use trial and error to investigate the implications of decision-making. These "ethical entrapments" force kids to consider and connect the narrative within in the game to the narratives going on in their community, their state, their country, their hemisphere. Further, it raises awareness that if we "act locally, think globally" we can offer examples of how students can directly impact the world around them through their own actions. A powerful message, indeed

Ethical Entanglement:

Woman is killed in a church for her Gp's (gold pieces). Then goes to alter to earn prayer points for increased health.

Barah: Our designs and the social agendas they carry:

Creative Interlude

Two videos on media. One on the progression from games to virtual worlds. The other on cyberbullying. Enjoy!

DD to Virtual Worlds:


Sticks and Stones:

Jagex: Branding vs. Gaming

Jagex Inc. introduced a new genre of games called Fun Orb to its wildly successful MMORG creation Runescape last month. Targeted at the "casual gamer" demographic, Jagex hopes to corner the market on older gamers who want a rich, in depth gaming experience, but don't have the time to dedicate hours on end in pursuit of that goal. This announcement is a major step forward for Jagex Inc. as it expands its presence in the gaming world. The Fun Orb launch hopes to capture the fastest growing segment of the gaming world, the adult market. Currently 32% of adults play video games. Jagex Inc. plans on harnessing this influential demographic.

Article:

FunOrb Video on Zergwatch : Internet Gaming Video

“Each game, you can really spend time playing, if that’s what you want to do. We want to give players the ability to just dip in on a five minute lunch break. But if they have two or three hours, they’ll also find plenty of things to do that will be great fun. We’re looking at the sort of game that five, six or seven years ago, they would have been putting in a box and selling on retail shelves. With the new technology, we can deliver this through the browser. Easily, there are 10 to 15 hours worth of solid gameplay really aimed more at the hardcore gaming market. We also like to think there’s something for everybody.”

To cheat or not to cheat?!?

In progress...


I recently began the interview process for our gamer paper. The two subjects in question where my eight-year-old son, James, and his buddy, Mitchell. Both are avid players of Runescape and their "gamer" skill-set relative to mine is like comparing the reading level of a first grader to that of a college student. We are, in short, many, many levels apart. However, we do share some of the same motivations for playing the game. Namely, we are interested in increasing our status to gain entry to more challenging levels of the game. James and Mitchell understand the principals of good games. That is they understand what motivates players to play so called good games. When questioned what makes a good game they gave the following response:

James: "A good game takes two years to finish...it can't be easy or it gets boring."

Mitchell: "Yeah, good games, like Runescape are challenging but they are also easy enough to gain status points..like through quests and acquiring skills."

James:" ... a good game is not too hard and not too easy..."

There it is in a nutshell. These two eight year-olds somehow intrinsically know what researchers are now discovering: good games both challenge, scaffold, and stretch players. But what happens when you are stuck...when you don't know where to go for answers? Interestingly, James and Mitchell gave some insight. According to them, once you have exhausted possibilities within the game, talked to friends both on-line and off-line, you head to the "cheat sites" as a last resort. Cheat sites?!?! That sounds as it is counter to good learning. Looking for an easy answer, a quick fix. When I asked them if they felt like "cheat sites were...well, cheating," they responded:

James: "It is something you do when you need help. I don't like to use it because then I don't figure things out for myself."

Mithcell: " You don't want to do it all of the time... if you do you are only trying to gain status not learn."

Media Literacy

What does it mean to tell a story in the 21st century?

Howard Gardner, Harvard's MI guru, recently wrote an article about media and literary. The following quote resonated with me:

"The other is the book's special genius for allowing readers to enter a private world for hours or even days at a time. Many of us enjoyed long summer days or solitary train rides when we first discovered an author who spoke directly to us."

"But whatever our digital future brings, we need to overcome the perils of dualistic thinking, the notion that what lies ahead is either a utopia or a dystopia. If we're going to make sense of what's happening with literacy in our culture, we need to be able to triangulate: to bear in mind our needs and desires, the media as they once were and currently are, and the media as they're continually transforming." (Washington Post)

Gardener's argument is dead on. We need to be flexible, harness the power of the technology and media, and shape its direction. IPods, computers, blogs, etc. are not going to go away. We as a culture need to embrace the power of technology or it's negative elements will comsume us.

Making Fire

Here is an example of acquiring a skill. More advanced skills allow you to delve deeper into the multi-tiered construct of the game. After our conversation last week in class, I realized I need to "acquire knowledge" by both asking and searching for skill acquisition knowledge. Here is one of the links I found quite helpful.

Runescape Knowledge

Here is an example of one of the postings:

Firemaking is not widely considered a Skill that serves any purpose apart from one or two Quests. This however, isn't quite the truth. It can be used when Cooking and is also just a good way of raising your Skill total.

There are no restrictions on when you can start Firemaking. It can be started at any Level and done anywhere where there are trees to be cut.

So how do I start Firemaking?

You will need these Items to start your Skill:

A Tinderbox:
This is the key item because this is the only item capable of lighting things.

A Woodcutters Axe. There are Axes made of all the different Metals in Runescape, below you will find the information about each.

Member's Only Items Shown In Yellow
Item Required
Level To Wield Required
Level To Use
Bronze Axe 1 1
Iron Axe 1 1
Steel Axe 5 6
Black Axe 10 6
Mithril Axe 20 21
Adamant Axe 30 31
Rune Axe 40 41
Dragon Axe 60 61

Acquiring more skills...with a little help from a friend.

James, my son and Runescape Master. Still learning some of the more basic skills, but with James' help I am able to experience some of the more difficult and dynamic parts of the game. Not surprisingly, this makes the game far more interesting. Here are a few example of some more advanced skills.







Click on picture to see animated gif of character fishing.










Click on picture to see animated gif of armor and weapon options for various players.


Interesting menu provided by Jagex in response to some negative press about Runescape. Specifically, that the game is addictive and promotes an unhealthy lifestyle.

Jagex offers these guidelines to help maintain a balanced life and get the most out of playing RuneScape:

Take a break from the computer.

Exercise at least once a week

Remember, it is just a game.

When eating, take a break from the computer.

Don't ignore your real life friends, meet up with them on a regular basis

Work and studies matters: don't let playing a game stop you from doing well in your studies or at work.

Remember parents that it is up to you to help your child maintain a healthy balance so that your child can benefit from all the educational and entertaining aspect of RuneScape.

Positive attributes of game according to McGowan, an online blogger

RuneScape's fictional world is very much like the real world. RuneScape has it's own currency allowing players to purchase anything they might need to live. Players can even chop wood, smith nails and weave cloth in order to build and maintain homes. Trading allows players to barter and make deals with each other inside the gaming community. With this trading the players can learn the structure of a working economic system. With learning the working of an economic system players can incorporate what they have learned into their everyday lives.

Negative aspects of the game according to Tom Game's, an online blog:

Runescape Exposed

Runescape Links

• Bullet Point List of information about Runescape. This list will grow over time.
• Runescape: The massive online adventure game by Jagex ltd.
• History and Lores: Home of knowledge and wisdom, repository of all true learning in the human kingdoms (and even some from beyond).
• About Jagex Ltd. Jagex Ltd is an independent developer and publisher of online games headquartered in Cambridge, England. With 3 offices altogether - 2 in Cambridge and 1 in London, Jagex has over 300 employee
• Jagex Miniclip Games. Alongside RuneScape, Jagex also offer a number of single player browser based games. These games are all free and work in your web browser, so simply click on one of the links below to start playing.
• Rune Headquarters: On-line site with links from acquiring status to self-help blogs.
  
• Runescape Billionaire: Virtual infomercial on how to become a Runescape billionaire without using "cheats."
  

Let's Get it Started

I have set up an account(really easy) and am about to embark on my foray into the the world of MMO's (massive multiplayer online games). Due to my former career as a teacher, administrator, and dorm parent at a New England boarding school I have some knowledge about gamers and games. However, I must admit I really did not like console games in my dorm as I felt they undermined the social nature of dorm life. (online games were in their infancy...or I just was plan ignorant. Why stare blankly at a video screen when you could be outside playing a game of stick ball or actually engage in conversation face-to-face? Four years removed from that situation, I am beginning to realize that what I thought of as parallel play is a different form of social interaction that I grew up with. In my youth, we invented games, played games, or engaged in athletic games. Gaming, in the technological sense, embodies many of the same elements in a virtual world. There is competition, creativity, problem-solving, all of which creates, as Gee calls it, a semiotic domain; a domain of symbols, lexicon, and shared experiences. The only thing lacking, in my opinion, is the kinetic learning that comes as a result of playing games which are active in nature. Interestingly, the current generation of kids do not have as much physical freedom as previous generations. By that I mean, previous generation were given more autonomy about how they spent their unstructured time. Going out to play meant just that: go out find some friends and make up your own play. This generation is the generation of organized activities, play dates, and helicopter parents. Adults dictate and orchestrate the lives of their children like no other in the history of mankind. Interestingly, however, the world of video and online games seem to be the new "go outside and play" world, a world devoid of parents to a large extent. The concern for me as parent is how large and diverse this domain is. The notion of playing in your neighborhood is replaced by let's play literally anywhere, both real and virtual. The possibilities are exciting, but a bit scary at the same time.

Merchanting

Merchanting: I do not begin to have the skills (or status) to perform this incredibly complex task, but I did stumble upon this video on Utube. It describes how to systematically acquire wealth by repeating a particular sale of a commodity over and over again. Unfortunately, after 6-7 hours of play I battled with a demon and lost. Losing means losing all of my skills, commodities, etc. I have to start from ground zero. Not great incentive to continue playing.

Gaining Power... To What End?

I am competitive person...always have been, always will be. Video games never appealed to me because there was never a definitive win/loss record involved. Sure you could get the top score, or in the case of Runescape, you could acquire the most power and wealth, but winning and losing were not intrinsically, at least to me, intertwined in the game. While I consider myself fairly athletic, manipulating a joy stick never constituted an athletic movement for me. Rather, video games, were a 'game of skill' akin to lawn darts. Do you I feel any differently after several hours playing Runescape? I am not really sure, to be honest. I have a basic understanding of the game: acquire survival skills, weaponry, magic, and most of all wealth. All of these attributes, acquired through the trial and error of play, allow me the opportunity to pursue more difficult quests and gain higher status. For instance, I now know how to chop down a tree, build a fire with flint and steel; and, subsequently cook raw shrimp to eat and, most importantly, gain strength for further quests. My knowledge of the game is so rudimentary at this point that my motivation to continue to play is still quite low. I have to invest a great deal more time in the game before I will feel a greater affinity for the game.

Skills I have acquired thus far:

Use of maps: manipulation of bird's eye view, different elevations, spatial relations
Barter: Free enterprise system. Goods for skills. (I have little to no skills at this point.)
Math: Need math skills to trade or purchasing expensive items
Social: Must be able to communicate with players both on and off-line. Acquiring knowledge from others is essential to the game.

This notion that one needs to play more, explore more, dovetails with the development of current pedagogy. Squire and Jenkins (2003) argue that a challenge for educators pursuing game-based learning pedagogies is that students' knowledge may not match with traditional school based practices. Instead, a student's ability to participate in complex social practices, learn new knowledge, and perform well in novel, changing situations needs to be considered valuable learning. Likewise, Simpson (2005) argued that children today spend more time outside the classroom - exploring, questioning and problem solving - than they do learning in school. This notion varies greatly from the views of Stuart Brown, president of the National Institute for Play. In a recent New York Times article, Brown called play part of the ‘‘developmental sequencing of becoming a human primate. If you look at what produces learning and memory and well-being, play is as fundamental as any other aspect of life, including sleep and dreams.’’ When questioned about play and video games Brown responded, " that while video games do have some play value, a true sense of ‘interpersonal nuance’ can be achieved only by a child who is engaging all five senses by playing in the three-dimensional world. " Tangentially, a study by a behavioral neuroscientist, Jaak Panksepp’s, believes ADHD is caused by an ‘‘overactivity of play urges in the nervous system.’’ Panksepp's belief is that "play therapy," extra opportunities for active play, negate the hyperactivity often associated with the disease. Similarly, a study (Loeppky 2006) about Runescape play and Asperger's disease, a mild form of autism, explored whether playing Runescape allowed Asperger's patients to exhibit stronger social and cognitive skills. The notion that video games, a solitary experience, might promote social and cognitive skills seems counter intuitive. Yet, recent study, Mangis (2003), stated that, “Gaming is becoming an increasingly social activity...nearly 60 percent of gamers playing with friends, 33 percent playing with siblings, and about 25 percent playing with spouses or parents. LAN parties and massive multiplayer online games are on the upswing.” This "gaming culture" becomes intriguing to those with Asperger's. The ability to interact with "fantasy" characters teaches appropriate social behavior.