"Games do talk back. In fact, nothing happens until a player acts and makes decisions." This is very true in Gardens of Times. Your garden does not grow if you just sit and stare at the screen.
Customization:
Gardens of Times has different levels. You can practice the first level as many times as you want until you are ready to move on to another level.
Agency:
Of course this game allows you to feel "ownership and control" as you defeat levels to build your garden however you want. You can place the artifacts where you want. You are in control.
Pleasantly Frustrating:
I had to choose this one because this is a feeling I often felt with the game. The game was doable, but challenging at times. I was frustrated when I knew I just saw and object, but I could not remember where I saw it.
System Thinking:
Garden of Times had me thinking about how my actions (what I build) would affect my future actions. Will I run out of room if I place an item in a particular spot and not be able to build my reputation?
Performance Before Competence:
The more I perform (play the game), the more competent I am. I do not have to gain competence before performance. As I practice, I get a better understanding of "how."
I thought that "interaction" would mean the cause and effect of the game and completion of the tasks; however, your point about how your decisions creates your garden is a good corellation as well.
ReplyDeleteMy frustration came with the game when I new my objective, or goal, but couldn't complete it because I ran out of energy! :-)
Really good connections between Gardens of Time and the Principles of Good Games and Learning!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post. The six principles you chose were all different than the ones I wrote about. Your ideas gave me a reason to go back and reread some of the principles. Your system thinking example was good. I hadn’t really thought about this idea but I understand what you are saying, I always found myself looking at price and reputation points. The game absolutely represented performance before competence. You could play the scene without having a clue and slowly realize what you were doing and looking for. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteSara,
ReplyDeleteI liked your example of system thinking in the game. I talked about helping neighbors for this principle and considering how it raises your status in the time traveling society as the game advances. You made a good example mentioning how you had to consider how your built your garden and its impact on future growth and tasks. I discovered this part of the principle as I advanced up from level 7 or so. I started getting prompted to add all these big things to my garden to complete these quests, and could not advance until I did it. It was then I started thinking back to all the junk I just threw into my garden at the beginning, and then about what stuff I would be adding in the future and how to fit it all!