Lesson 2 Wrap Up and Looking Ahead

 

Summary

This lesson has introduced you to the basic historical, social and cultural background useful for understanding video games, the video game industry, and how it fits into, and relates to, the larger society and the historic flow of social development. Understanding the terms “play,” “games”, “story” and “leisure” is the foundation on which we will build future Lessons. And, as we prepare to look ahead, it is useful to have an initial understanding of two currently important phrases, “serious games” and “gamification.” As we will see in future classes, they are key components to many future developments in gaming and interactive media. Here is a brief summary of the lesson.

• Play and games appear to be a fundamental and essential part of human nature
• Play and games provide useful lessons and build important skills
• Play and games are different in important ways (unstructured and structured)
• The idea of “leisure” is a social construction and constantly evolves
• Many video games incorporate themes, styles and stories from pre-existing media
• There is a debate as to whether games are more like stories or play
• “Serious games” use the tools and techniques of video games in non-game contexts
• “Gamification” is the increasingly widespread use of game-type mechanics in non-game contexts

Check and Double Check

By the end of this lesson, make sure you have completed the readings and activities found in the Lesson 2 Course Schedule.

Looking Ahead

In the next lesson, we will explore the range of processes, components, and structures involved in the videogame industry.

 

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References

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