(Begins May 11th - Ends May 18)
Read Ender's Game, Chapters 7 and 8, and respond to these questions:
Chapter 7
1) Ender has finally made a friend or two among the Launchies, when suddenly he's singled out again and promoted to an “army”, where he'll train and “play” with the big kids. Before he accepts the transition, he goes off in “Free Play”, and encounters a dreamlike string of locations and events. The adults refer to “Free Play” as a mind game. What does it reveal about Ender's psychological and/or emotional state? What does it reveal about the adults who designed the game? What do games reveal about the player, versus the designer?
2) Ender is transferred to Salamander Army. What does Ender learn from the leader of Salamander Army, Bonzo, throughout the chapter?
Chapter 8
1) Compared to Salamander Army, what is different about Rat Army? What is different about how it is organized and run?
3) At the beginning of the chapter, the adults discuss the consequences of making the battle game progressively more “unfair”. As game designers, is this ever an option we should pursue? At what point does strategy break down, and become anarchy?
Posted by Celestial at 10:54 AM
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Week 5 Blog: Ender's Game, Chapter 5, 6
(Begins May 4 - Ends May 11)
Read Ender's Game, Chapters 5 and 6, and respond to these questions:
Chapter 5
1) What kinds of strategies does Ender learn from watching the older boys play computer games in the game room? What are some of the weaknesses that the older boys demonstrate?
2) Do computer games train people to think like computers?
3) Throughout the book, Ender encounters a series of systems put in place by the adults. In chapter 5, he learns how to “play” at least one of these systems. Which system does he master, and to what benefit?
Chapter 6
There are two major games (game-like scenarios) explored in this chapter. One takes place in the battle room, and one takes place during Ender’s “Free Play” time.
1) What is different about the nature of reality in the battleroom? What issues arise due to these differences? What possibilities also arise? Have you ever faced these issues in computer/console game? How might we push these issues and possibilities in a new direction?
2) What kind of game is “Free Play”? What do you think of Ender’s responses to the guessing game?
Read Ender's Game, Chapters 5 and 6, and respond to these questions:
Chapter 5
1) What kinds of strategies does Ender learn from watching the older boys play computer games in the game room? What are some of the weaknesses that the older boys demonstrate?
2) Do computer games train people to think like computers?
3) Throughout the book, Ender encounters a series of systems put in place by the adults. In chapter 5, he learns how to “play” at least one of these systems. Which system does he master, and to what benefit?
Chapter 6
There are two major games (game-like scenarios) explored in this chapter. One takes place in the battle room, and one takes place during Ender’s “Free Play” time.
1) What is different about the nature of reality in the battleroom? What issues arise due to these differences? What possibilities also arise? Have you ever faced these issues in computer/console game? How might we push these issues and possibilities in a new direction?
2) What kind of game is “Free Play”? What do you think of Ender’s responses to the guessing game?
Monday, April 26, 2010
Week 4 Blog: Ender's Game, Chapter 3, 4
Thanks to everyone who responded to the first blog! Keep it up. Also, feel free to "follow" the blog for updates. :)
(Begins April 27 - Ends May 4)
Read Ender's Game, Chapters 3 and 4, and respond to these questions:
Chapter 3, 4:
1) What games are mentioned in Chapters 3 and 4? What games are being played in Chapters 3 and 4? What is the goal? What are the stakes? What is the scope?
2) Are games a suitable way of teaching and instruction? Are games the best way to teach and instruct? Should games be serious? Should they be fun? At what point is a game not a game?
(Begins April 27 - Ends May 4)
Read Ender's Game, Chapters 3 and 4, and respond to these questions:
Chapter 3, 4:
1) What games are mentioned in Chapters 3 and 4? What games are being played in Chapters 3 and 4? What is the goal? What are the stakes? What is the scope?
2) Are games a suitable way of teaching and instruction? Are games the best way to teach and instruct? Should games be serious? Should they be fun? At what point is a game not a game?
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Week 3 Blog: Ender's Game, Chapter 1, 2
(Begins April 20 - Ends April 27)
Read Ender's Game, Chapters 1 and 2, and respond to these questions:
Chapter 1:
“Ender doodled on his desk, drawing contour maps of mountainous islands and then telling his desk to display them n three dimensions from every angle.” (Card, 4)
1) Considering the quote above, is this a game? Is this play?
2) When the other children bully up on Ender, is this a game? Is this play?
3) What do you think of Ender’s strategy? What is fair play? How do we, as game designers, ensure fair play? Should we?
Chapter 2
“Peter opened his bottom drawer and took out the bugger mask. Mother had got upset at him when Peter bought it, but Dad had pointed out that the war wouldn’t go away just because you hid bugger masks and wouldn’t let your kids play with make-believe laser guns. Better to play the war games, and have a better chance of surviving when the buggers came again.
“If I survive the games, thought Ender.” (Card, 11)
1) What is the relationship between games and reality? Does violence in reality validate violence in games? Under what circumstances is violence in games acceptable? Can games go too far?
2) Who is the “bad guy” in Peter and Ender’s game? Why would you argue this?
Read Ender's Game, Chapters 1 and 2, and respond to these questions:
Chapter 1:
“Ender doodled on his desk, drawing contour maps of mountainous islands and then telling his desk to display them n three dimensions from every angle.” (Card, 4)
1) Considering the quote above, is this a game? Is this play?
2) When the other children bully up on Ender, is this a game? Is this play?
3) What do you think of Ender’s strategy? What is fair play? How do we, as game designers, ensure fair play? Should we?
Chapter 2
“Peter opened his bottom drawer and took out the bugger mask. Mother had got upset at him when Peter bought it, but Dad had pointed out that the war wouldn’t go away just because you hid bugger masks and wouldn’t let your kids play with make-believe laser guns. Better to play the war games, and have a better chance of surviving when the buggers came again.
“If I survive the games, thought Ender.” (Card, 11)
1) What is the relationship between games and reality? Does violence in reality validate violence in games? Under what circumstances is violence in games acceptable? Can games go too far?
2) Who is the “bad guy” in Peter and Ender’s game? Why would you argue this?
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