What is Well Played and Why?

Drew Davidson

Well Played• Well Read & Well Made• Analysis & Criticism• Gameplay & Narrative• Design & Development• Literacy & Mastery

Well Played• Started at GLS 3.0 in 2007– preceded by MiT4 in 2005– and 2nd ICEC in 2003

2nd ICEC in 2003

MiT 4 in 2005

GLS 3.0 - 2007

GLS 4.0 - 2008

Meaningful Play - 2008

GLS 5.0 - 2009

GLS 6.0 - 2010

Meaningful Play - 2010

Sandbox Summit - 2011

Well Played Books Video Games, Value and Meaning

• ETC Press• 1.0 – 2009• 2.0 – 2010• 3.0 – 2011• 65 Articles

GLS 7.0 - 2011• Well Played Track

What is it?• Live Play• Illustrate & Analyze• Quick Example

Sword & Sworcery• Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP• Old School Adventure Game• New School Social Media• March 2011 on iPad• April 2011 on iPhone, Touch• Music LP released April 2011

Making the Game• Indie– Superbrothers– Capy– Jim Guthrie

• Demo in March 2010• Award-Winning

Playing the Game• Explore, Puzzle, Combat• 5 “Sessions” • Side A & Side B

• Moon Matters• Joy of an Adventure• Cost of a Quest

Full Disclosure• Played the Game 2+ times on iPad• Played some on iPhone• Several Hours of Play• Not really any Spoilers

Play• Quick Example• Play through Introduction

Sword & Sworcery• Harmonious• Synesthetic• AudioVisual• Communication• Less Talk, More Rock

Why?• Games, Learning and Society• Video Games, Value and Meaning• Analysis & Criticism• Literacy & Mastery• Well Read & Well Made

Value & Meaning• What it Means to Play a Game• Why it’s Important• Deconstruct & Discuss• The Experience of Play

Analysis & Criticism• Close Reading• “Textual” Analysis• Like Film and Literary Criticism• Various Methods

Literacy & Mastery• Flow• Procedural• Articulation• Interactive• Learning is Playing

Well Read & Well Made• Playing Games• Making Games• Value & Meaning• Good, Bad• Better

GLS 7.0• Well Played Sessions

Minecraft - Sean Duncan

• Today, 2:00-3:00

Little Big Planet 2 - Caro Williams

• Today, 3:30-4:30

Chrono Trigger - Francisco Souki

• Thursday, 10:30-12:00

Afterland - Konstantin Mitgutsch, Matthew Weise• Thursday, 2:00-3:00

Street Fighter - Andrew Ford, Sean Duncan

• Thursday, 3:30-4:30

Left 4 Dead 2 - Matt Haselton, David Haselton

• Friday, 10:30-12:00

More Well Played Live• Indiecade – 2011• GLS 8.0 – 2012• Future Events

Well Played v.1 . . .

• Starting Now!• Reviewed Journal–Editorial Advisory Board

• Open Submissions• Regular Publication• etc.cmu.edu/etcpress/wellplayed/

Well Played

• Video Games Are a Complex Medium that Merits Careful Interpretation and Insightful Analysis

• Thanks to the Support and Participation of Everyone Involved

GLS 7.0 - Well Played Sessions Play Circle Theatre

• Minecraft – Duncan– Today, 2:00-3:00

• Little Big Planet 2 – Williams– Today, 3:30-4:30

• Chrono Trigger – Souki– Thursday, 10:30-12:00

• Afterland – Mitgutsch, Weise– Thursday, 2:00-3:00

• Street Fighter – Ford, Duncan– Thursday, 3:30-4:30

• Left 4 Dead 2 – Haselton, Haselton– Friday, 10:30-12:00