Mechanical Madness
Context
This was a game created for my Games for Learning module in my Fall semester. Modules are 1-credit courses that are only 5 weeks long. Thus, this project had a more limited scope than did the semester-long Design Studio projects.
A colleague and I created mockups of an embodied game for players to learn basic car mechanic skills. We wanted to create a game where learners would learn real-world skills, like how to change a tire, change the oil, or replace the windshield wipers on a car. At the same time, we wanted to ensure our game was fun and engaging to play.
Preliminary Idea: Phone Game
The first iteration of this design was a phone game, similar to Diner Dash. We chose a phone game since this would be easily accessible to a wide audience of learners. However, we worried that the skills in the game would not transfer to real life. If learners were simply clicking through on a phone screen, they would not acquire the skills they would need to perform car maintenance in real life.
Chosen Idea: Embodied Video Game
In our second iteration, we decided to make our game an embodied video game. Embodied learning means that learning is enhanced by physical movement of the body. In our game, learners will wear finger-tracking gloves and will need to physically act out the steps of each maintenance task.
We chose to make our game embodied because we believed this would help facilitate "transfer"—meaning that the player would be able to apply the skills they learn in the game to a real-world scenario. For example, once the player learns how to change a tire in the game, they would be able to change a tire in real life. By physically acting out the necessary steps to perform a maintenance task in the game, they will be better prepared to tackle this task in the real world. I discuss embodied learning in further detail in the "Embodied Learning" section below.
We created mockups and story boards for this game, but making it fully functional was beyond the scope of this course.
Game Play
In the game, the learner plays as an apprentice mechanic working in a mechanic's shop. Customers will bring their cars in for repair, and the player will need to performance maintenance tasks on the cars.
After the successful completion of a maintenance task, the player will earn money that can be spent in the shop to buy new items.
At the start of the game, the player will be taken through a tutorial. The Expert Mechanic will provide scaffolding, helping the player to perform a basic maintenance task on a car. Here, the player will learn how to change a flat tire.
Each time a new maintenance task must be performed, the Expert Mechanic will walk the player through step-by-step instructions.
Once the player selects the toolkit, they will see a variety of items. The Expert Mechanic provides scaffolding, informing the player which tool they will need first when performing a tire change.
Here, the Expert Mechanic informs the player that they will first need the wrench.
Here, the Expert Mechanic provides step-by-step instructions on how to change a tire. The Expert Mechanic informs the player that the first step to changing a tire is loosening the lug nuts.
Overtime as the player levels up, the Expert Mechanic's scaffolding will fade, until they are able to perform tasks without any help.
Embodied Learning
To play the video game, the player wears gloves that track individual finger movements. To carry out a task in the game, the player needs to physically act out the task being performed. For example, when the player needs to loosen the lug nuts on a tire in the example above, the player will need to “grab” the wrench on the screen, and physically turn their wrist counterclockwise. Physically acting out the procedures will increase transfer—the skills learned in the game will be applied when performing these tasks on a real car. By physically acting out the procedures, the game utilizes embodied learning.
The finger-tracking gloves also allow for a greater ease of game controls. Using the gloves is pretty intuitive, since the player will be acting out the motions just like they would in real life. The player does not need to learn which buttons on a controller do what, since there is no controller. We hope this will allow for “low floors” for the game—that the game will be easy to pick up quickly.
Scaffolding
In my Introduction to Learning Engineering course, I learned about Cognitive Apprenticeship, which is inspired by traditional (physical) apprenticeship (Collins et al., 1991). The game is modeled after a traditional apprenticeship. In the game, an Expert Mechanic will provide scaffolding for the player. The Expert Mechanic will help the player to perform tasks within their Zone of Proximal Development—that is, tasks they can perform with some help, but would not be able to perform alone. For example, the Expert Mechanic provides step-by-step guidance on how to change a tire.
As the player gains competence, the Expert Mechanic's help will fade. This fading of scaffolding will continue until the player is able to carry out tasks on their own without any help needed.
To learn more about my insights about scaffolding, take a look at my insights page.
Motivation
To increase motivation, the player will earn money for each successful maintenance repair. The player will be able to use this money to buy items from the shop—for example, upgrades for their tools, higher quality oil, or clothing items for their avatar.
As the player progresses in the game, they will level up, and will be asked to complete increasingly challenging maintenance tasks. This will help the player to perform within their Zone of Proximal Development. Each level, the player be presented with new challenges to overcome. This way, the game will never be so easy that is boring or so hard that it is overly frustrating.
In addition, we added a competition aspect to our game—so players are able to play against the computer or against other online players. Some learners are motivated by competition, and will strive to beat the computer or other players.
Customization
Additionally, we included a feature where players are able to select which car they would like to perform maintenance tasks on. Some players may have the goal of increasing their ability to perform maintenance tasks on the car that they personally own. All cars are slightly different, and the procedures for various maintenance tasks may vary depending on the make and model of the car. Thus, we wanted to give the player the option of selecting their own car.
By providing the player with customization choices, they will also feel a greater sense of autonomy. When players are provided with options, they feel more in control, and their motivation increases.
What I Learned
This was my first introduction to using games to facilitate learning. I learned how to incorporate game-like elements into my designs. For example, games have different levels, each with increasing difficulty. When learners play a game and "level up," they take on increasingly difficult challenges. This facilitates continued growth and learning. In addition, learners will earn money by completing levels, and this can serve as a tool for motivation. Learners will want to play the next level to earn more money to spend in the shop.
I also learned how games can increase motivation—when playing games, learners are less frustrated by failure. In games, failure is just part of the process, and not something to be afraid of. In this way, failure can be seen as an "invitation" to try again, rather than simply a failure. When we use games to facilitate learning, we can help learners to persist.
I learned about the importance of play-testing when designing a game. Play-testing means testing out a mockup of your game by playing. During this project, there were multiple things that seemed to make sense of paper, but needed adjusting once we started playing. Even in the early stages, we were able to play-test by creating clickable mockups in Google Slides. This idea of play-testing goes along with the idea of testing early and often.
What I Did Well
This design includes "invitations" for a variety of learners. It is inviting to learners who enjoy video games, and to learners who own a car and would like to be able to perform maintenance tasks on it. The use of the finger-tracking gloves is also inviting, since it allows for a greater ease of game controls.
The design supports sustained motivation, because learners will earn money in the game and be able to purchase items. Learners will be motivated to continue playing and learn new skills along the way.
In this design, I worked to find the right balance of fun and learning. Since the design is primarily a video game, it should be fun and enjoyable to play. At the same time, the game addresses the learning objective of teaching the learner how to performance car maintenance tasks. I think I found a good balance of fun and learning in this design.
Next Steps
In the future, I would love to make this game a reality. For this project, we got to the stage of creating mockups and storyboards. We were not able to actually play-test the game using the finger-tracking gloves. It would be exciting to test whether the embodied element truly does increase transfer of the skills learned in the game to the real world.