Title: PeaceMaker – a game critique
General information about the game:
Background information
Impact Games is the developer of the game, PeaceMaker. The mission for the company itself is to create socially responsible gaming platforms that “promote deeper engagement with current events around the world, create avenues for reaching new audiences, and repackage diverse content into an interactive environment” (http://www.impactgames.com/index.php). PeaceMaker is a simulation game designed on real world events in the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts.
Play features
In PeaceMaker, one chooses to lead their country as the Israeli Prime Minister or the Palestinian President, with the goal of bringing peace to the region before your term in office ends (winning the game consists of achieving certain scores in two given areas – losing the game consists of the same general concept). “PeaceMaker is not a mere struggle between two sides. As the leader you have to consider several other groups and leaders involved in the conflict, including factions on your own side” (PeaceMaker tutorial, slide 4). In the tutorial session available, the player is walked through the information and actions available as the leader. Besides the tutorial session, there are three different levels of play: calm, tense, and violent. Each action available to the chosen leader also comes with the option of receiving input/opinions from different advisors prior to taking an action. Decisions are immediately followed with feedback on that decision. Approval ratings for your character and general moods of all parties involved are readily seen on the main screen of play.
Representation
Based on the game layout and the design assumptions, PeaceMaker does an interesting job of providing situations similar to real life (the game itself is inspired by real events) in that there isn’t a clear cut path to achieving a “win” for the game – instead, playing to win consists of balancing the needs and concerns of multiple perspectives that are in themselves, ever changing.
Analysis
Learner’s styles & Teaching / Learning objectives
For my analysis of this game, I chose the Accommodating learning style, based on one of Kolb’s learning styles, as my target learner group. This learning style is attracted to new challenges and experiences and to carrying out plans, tends to rely on others for information rather than carry out their own analysis, and are useful in roles requiring action and initiative (http://www.businessballs.com/kolblearningstyles.htm).
Based on my particular situation regarding my analysis of this game, I would set a list of learning objectives for this particular learner group consisting of Problem Solving, Decision Making, and Social Interaction with the rationale that my situational focus is not just about finding the “right” answer to solve a given issue, but “an” answer that satisfies multiple perspectives interested in that answer. These learning objectives all play a large part in achieving “an” answer like this.
Game components
I felt the game of PeaceMaker did an excellent job of incorporating all components from my game definition (a definition developed previously). Those components included having a goal, conflict in obtaining that goal, rules that structure obtaining the goal and dealing with the conflict, and that the game be intensively absolving.
Application
To integrate this game into my particular learning environment, I would introduce the game along with the learning objectives chosen above and provide initial instruction to go through the tutorial at least once prior to attempting actual play in the game. Assuming we were all working with full access to the game (and not just the demo), I would require the game to be played/worked on a certain amount each week. To provide an even more structured approach to game play and getting feedback from players in regards to the learning objectives (and since full access to the game includes the ability to save multiple games in progress), I would require each player to create multiple game profiles that were the same (each player would have a game played from each leaders perspective at each level of difficulty). This would provide our team the same starting baseline to use in discussions of these learning objectives and hopefully create some friendly competition in the process to encourage play. Discussions on game play would need to happen frequently (at least bi-weekly) with the intent of applying knowledge gained from game play based on the learning objectives into comparisons to closer daily life/work. Creating a 3D “map” of that closer, daily life/work (similar to the map on the main play screen of the game) could be also be very helpful in linking the learning objectives of the game.
Great description of the game and its play features. I really enjoyed your paragraph about learning objectives: You mentioned that you’d encourage your students to find “an” answer rather than “the” answer and rightly so, because this game doesn’t really seem to have a single correct solution, just like major decisions in real life. This would be most appropriate for Accomodating learners.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, your idea to structure the game play and require players to create multiple profiles would give you something measurable and would indeed create some friendly competition. Discussions arising from game play would also be thoughtful and “outside the box”. Excellent ideas!
I was thinking the same things - very challenging way to connect the game to learning objectives!
DeleteWhat teachers would be most interested in using this game? What content area or standards do you see it most connected to? (I know that standards should not dictate everything we teach, but they are huge components in developing curriculum for clases.) What level (academic, age, etc) of students would you recommend the game for?
This was a really great analysis of the game. I did not play or analyze this game so I found it very helpful to have your take on it. I found the Representation part especially interesting. Most of the time students look for the right answer, this game sounds as if it would be a good way to learn that its how one gets to an answer, not the right answer that matters. I would be very interested to see this game being played in the classroom. I feel that your learning style, Accommodating, was very appropriate, given the nature of the game. Also, I agree that having each player play through different perspectives would enhance the knowledge and discussions about the game. Well done!
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