Tourney – How to Gamify Learning with Design and

Tourney – How to Gamify Learning with Design and Technology
(Work in Progress)
Safak Korkut, Darjan Hil, Janine Jäger, Prof. Dr. Rolf Dornberger
University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW, Basel, Switzerland
safak.korkut@fhnw.ch
darjan.hil@fhnw.ch
janine.jaeger@fhnw.ch
rolf.dornberger@fhnw.ch
Abstract: "Tourney" is the title of a digital learning game, which aims at increasing the learning
outcome of students on various levels of their study programs. "Tourney" is being developed with an
interdisciplinary approach, critically focused on creating a content independent game framework for a
versatile application in the learning environment. This platform offers a well-designed, flexible and
multifaceted tool kit of exemplary self-learning sequences that the lecturers and also students can
enrich with their own structured content in order to create learning paths by choosing and arranging
modular elements. Additionally, the tool allows monitoring students’ learning progress.
Keywords: Game-based Learning, Gamification, Game Mechanics in Learning, Game Design
1. Introduction
This paper aims at informing the reader about the unique approach towards gamified learning of an
on-going internal research project at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern
Switzerland (FHNW) with the title “Simulated Reality”. An interdisciplinary team is developing a
content independent game framework, which runs as a web-application. Specific concepts from
computer games and gamification are adapted and implemented in order to increase the students'
learning outcomes as well as the quality of teaching and knowledge transfer.
The final outcome of the research project, a game platform called “Tourney”, is being developed with
a critical focus on design and state-of-the-art game technology. It provides a predefined set of game
rules that enable students to play a demanding quiz learning game. At the same time the platform
offers the necessary elements for the lecturers to be the game designers and create their own game
levels as well as to monitor the students’ learning progress. Furthermore, it is supposed to provide the
opportunity to optimize the learning content based on statistics retrieved from the game. The overall
goal is to promote the use of games in learning environments and raise the awareness for the
benefits connected to them, since they have the potential to increase the motivation of learners on the
one hand, and to learn about learning processes and improve knowledge transfer on the other hand.
2. Theoretical Background
The study of gamification and game-based learning is a growing interest of universities. The most
common definition states that gamification is the use of game thinking and game mechanics in a nongame context in order to engage users in problem solving (Zichermann, 2011). In one of the most
recent definitions, Brian Burke (2014), an Analyst for Gartner redefines “gamification” as “the use of
game mechanics and experience design to digitally engage and motivate people to achieve their
goals”. Even though the term game mechanics has often been generalized as points, badges and
leaderboards, in the field of game design these elements are grouped as feedback mechanics
(Zichermann, 2011; Herger, 2014). Game mechanics refer to a broader concept, which includes a
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fundamental support of design aesthetics, dynamic components as well as in-game physics to
establish their foundation (Mario Herger, 2014).
The effective application of gamification in the university context is a current challenge. It is important
to understand the target audience and their needs as well as the specific context of higher education
and the learning progress in the classes. The cause and effect relationship of the gamified elements
has to be defined and thoughtfully conceptualized in order to establish a fail-safe environment for
students during their engagement with gamified learning tools. According to Karl Kapp (2014), gamebased learning is the use of games to impart knowledge, skills and abilities to learners using selfcontained space. The use of games is supposed to provide motivation and an improved focus during
the learning progress. Any negative real-life impacts should be minimized or completely eliminated
(e.g. bad grading, punishment) in order to provide a safe environment (sandbox). In addition, the
challenges should neither be too hard nor too simple for the students. This way there will be a higher
concentration and a longer involvement with the activity (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990).
3. The Approach to Tourney
In the following chapter, the approach of the FHNW towards gamified learning in the context of
education is described. Details are given on the research project itself as well as the applied game
design and technology related elements of the developed game platform.
3.1 A brief project history
The project started as a strategic research initiative within the FHNW with researchers from five
different disciplines coming together to think about new ways of involving games into the context of
university education. The team members are part of the following five schools:
• School of Business
• School of Engineering
• Academy of Art and Design
• School of Applied Psychology
• School of Education
Different use cases of how teachers apply games for educational purposes have been collected and
evaluated. For example, psychology teachers work with role-plays during their classes while
economists use business scenarios and engineers work with simulations. Hence, the expectations
and requirements for games in the context of teaching are various and the main differences lie in the
content and the objective of the games. Therefore, the research team's approach is to avoid the
problem of content diversity by providing a game framework and tool kit for individual game creation.
The inspiration was found in LEGO, where single bricks represent imaginary content which can be
combined to a completely new form or context. The content independent game framework represents
this philosophy. The game framework is set up without any specific content, so the game designers
can create a game stage with their own structured content. By combining single predefined modules
and enriching these modules with content a game level or game stage sequence can be formed. The
game platform is being developed with an agile development approach of prioritization, evaluation
and development. Many features have been conceptualized and some of them have already been
realized and implemented in order to have a stable and playable game prototype. The project team
has combined the following aspects of game design, feedback mechanics, and game-based learning
principles.
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Figure 1: The modular game board of Tourney. (www.tourney.ch)
3.2 Game Mechanics
The current prototype consists of different modules that can be combined in order to create individual
learning paths. The game offers the player the possibility to either follow the shortest path to the finish
line or to break through all obstacles and explore the whole game level, and therefore earn more
experience points and collect more diamonds.
Figure 2: Four different machines that are used in Tourney in close-up. (From left: Content tile, easy
question module, hard question module and very hard question module)
The game stage is formed by colorful tiles which represent different functions (Fig.1). The most basic
tiles are the floor tiles that are used to build the paths on which the players can walk. The lecturers, as
game designers, can individually determine how the paths of their level look like. There are also
machine tiles (Fig.2). These represent the challenges that the players are confronted with. The main
task is to pass the barrier represented by one of the machines, and continue to unlock the path. A
machine can only be passed by giving the correct answer to the question. The machines are depicted
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in the gameplay as bridges, sliding floors and elevators. There are different sizes of machines,
representing the different levels of difficulty of the questions and tasks (Fig.2). This difficulty is predefined during the stage design by the lecturer. In the current prototype, the machines represent the
following functions in the game:
•
•
•
•
Multiple choice questions
Single choice questions
Questions that require uploading a file
Content tile
Figure 3: Example of a single choice question.
The content tiles (Fig.2) are special machines, which are unlocked only by passing through them.
Their function is to provide the player with information for the forthcoming challenges. The content
tiles can be combined with presentation slides, online videos, webpages and so forth.
Moreover, each level ends with a special tile. When the player reaches to the end of the game stage,
the “portal” tile transports the player to the next stage.
3.3 Game elements
The players are confronted with challenges throughout all levels. In order to provide a rewarding
environment and immediate feedback, the research team decided on certain game elements to be
implemented inspired from games, gamified tools and literature reviews. These elements are intended
to trigger motivation and visualize the progress of the players.
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Figure 5: The player figures level progression (From left: Tetrahedron (four faces), Cube or
hexahedron (six faces), Octahedron (eight faces), Dodecahedron (twelve faces), Icosahedron (twenty
faces)
The player in the game is represented by a figure, a platonic solid (Fig.5). The figures represent the
progress of each player. When the player answers more questions and by that collects more points,
eventually these points reach a predefined amount and the shape upgrades to the next complex
shape. The figure is an incentive tracking mechanic for the players. The complexity development of
the token represents the progress, but has no direct effect on the learning outcome.
One of the key game elements in the game is Experience Points (XP), which represent a quantified
system to measure the learning progress and to reward the players. Experience points are gained by
answering questions. The difficulty of the questions and the number of trials define the amount of
experience points to be rewarded. As a contrast to generic game concepts, in Tourney wrong
answers are also awarded, nonetheless with a reduced amount of XP, since there is still a crucial
learning outcome by knowing which answer is incorrect. In case of a wrong answer to a question the
player can try again or choose another path in the game stage.
Health points (HP) are used for keeping track of the learning progress. If a player answers wrong,
then he or she loses HP. With further incorrect answers the health damage increases. When a
player’s health reaches zero, the game is over and can be restarted. The player can restore health by
using special items or by collecting enough XP for the next shape complexity.
Figure 6: Diamonds as in-game currency and the currently implemented items (From left: Diamond,
restore health item, gain extra experience points item, eliminate a wrong answer item, skip a question
item).
Additionally, there are Diamonds, which are the in-game currency (Fig.6). A diamond is given as a
reward to each correct answer to a hard question. Also, a diamond is randomly given as a surprise
for a correct answer in easy and medium questions. It is possible to buy items with the collected
diamonds, which then can be used in the game. Currently there are four items implemented in the
prototype (Fig.6):
•
•
•
•
An item to restore health points.
An item to gain extra experience points
An item to eliminate a wrong answer.
An item to skip a question.
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3.4 Game Stage Design
Figure 7: Game stage editor interface (Prototype)
In order to build up game stages, a prototype for an editor interface is implemented which will still be
further developed and designed for better usability (Fig.7). In this prototype, it is possible to arrange
all game modules on the game board. The stage author can deploy the floor tiles and question
modules and generate the game stage. For the next release, it is planned that the game stage editor
will be directly connected with the author’s profile and it will be possible to drag and drop the modules
and create questions on the editor window easily and effectively.
Once the game stage is released, the players can play the level. The position of the questions is predefined by the experts (lecturers) in order to allow for progressive knowledge building and difficulty.
The player is free, in the limits of the stage design, to navigate on the board and answer the questions
in order to complete the stage. If a player cannot find the correct answer to a specific question, it is
possible for him/her to look for an alternative path or to use the “skip a question” item in order to
continue in the game. The game is designed with the scope of eliminating time pressure (as in many
exams) and establishing a safe environment for the player to pause the game and look for the right
answer in different sources. It is also planned to implement an additional information/hint button that
the stage author provide as help for the hard questions. This button will not be available in the first try,
but will automatically be activated after a wrong attempt.
4. Outlook
Currently, the project team is leading user-tests with lecturers on the prototype of Tourney with the
help of a questionnaire which has been developed by the School of Applied Psychology as an
evaluation tool for games. The teachers are observed to understand how they play the game in the
role of a student. The gained insights and feedback on the design of the game, the usability and the
technology will be used for further improvements and development of Tourney.
During the autumn 2014 semester, several lecturers of FHNW will implement Tourney in their
courses. The project team will conduct workshops with the lecturers to guide them in the process of
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game creation and establish awareness on the possibilities to use games, specifically Tourney, as an
additional self-learning environment next to the actual class activity.
The project team is currently evaluating several scenarios for the future development of Tourney:
• Data tracking and visualization of learning progress is to be developed and implemented.
Thus, a deeper research on the data and evaluation methods will be established for a better
understanding of skills and performance (learning analytics).
• A scenario for the commercialization of Tourney in the context of employee education and a
new concept and custom design of Tourney shall be developed.
• The platform will be opened for further collaboration with international institutions in the
context of game-based learning. An open source platform could be formed and a crowd
sourced community could continue developing Tourney.
• The project team is developing an interdisciplinary course, where students from different
disciplines are supposed to further develop the game-based learning concept in a guided
course environment. In a scenario like this, it is possible to see the future of the game
development in an “open and student sourced project”.
References
Zichermann, G., Cunningham, C., 2011. Gamification by Design: Implementing Game Mechanics in
Web and Mobile Apps. California: O'Reilly Media.
Burke B., 2014. Gartner redefines Gamification. Blog.gartner.com Gartner Inc. blog, [blog] 4 April.
Available at: http://blogs.gartner.com/brian_burke/2014/04/04/gartner-redefines-gamification/
[Accessed 26 April 2014].
Herger, M., 2014. Gartner redefines Gamification. Blog.gartner.com Gartner Inc. blog, [comment] 5
April. Available at: http://blogs.gartner.com/brian_burke/2014/04/04/gartner-redefines-gamification/
[Accessed 26 April 2014].
Kapp, K., 2014. The Quest for Learner Engagement: Games, Gamification and the Future of
Learning. [online] Available at: http://www.slideshare.net/kkapp/the-quest-for-learner-engagementgames-gamification-and-the-future-of-learning [Accessed 25 May 2014].
Csikszentmihalyi, M., 1990. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. New York: Harper and
Row.
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