I question the value of using Portal as an example. Playing games can be integrated into learning (Isn't that what game theory is about?) but I think using portal is a bit of a stretch.
College Professor Requires Students to Study Portal
- Thread starter Tom Goldman
- Start date
*Rolls on the ground laughing*
The awesomeness has me laughing so much that I can't write a proper comment. Now if you would excuse me.
*Continues aforementioned action*
The awesomeness has me laughing so much that I can't write a proper comment. Now if you would excuse me.
*Continues aforementioned action*
"...And to top it all off, the cake was a lie! Yes, I'm original and hilarious, I know.
Anyway, we will return to Portal with it's sequel's co-op campaign next spring. Until then, we'll be playing Mass Effect 1 & 2.
...For the study of human behavior, or... The rapid advancement of technology. Or something. GO PLAY THE FUCKING GAMES, CLASS."
That class would be cool.
Anyway, we will return to Portal with it's sequel's co-op campaign next spring. Until then, we'll be playing Mass Effect 1 & 2.
...For the study of human behavior, or... The rapid advancement of technology. Or something. GO PLAY THE FUCKING GAMES, CLASS."
That class would be cool.
I wasn't really arguing against you, I was just suggesting solutions if this somehow becomes popular. It'd be akin to studying movies, which isn't exactly a new concept.LordCuthberton said:
Games have a long way to go before they prompt any meaningful analysis though.
And since you asked, considering it'd be a question of far less material to look through I'd say they're about the same.
Certainly a cool idea, and it fits the theme. My concern though is just how in-depth the study of this can really go. As something you might mention incidentally in a lecture it would work fine, because you could explain the basics of it to the students, and give them enough of your own interpretation to get them thinking. As something that they're all required to play, however, it presents numerous issues.
First up, that means every student has to get hold of an Xbox or a PC or something to run it on, unless the school provides computers just for this purpose. Second, unlike watching a film or reading a novel, where you can just sit down and plough through it to finish in time for class, Portal is a puzzle game that requires you to pass each challenge. Granted, the game is only a few hours long so its unlikely, but if someone were to consistently get stuck on one puzzle, they wouldn't be able to appreciate the text in its entirety.
Third, how do you discuss something like this in class, or in an essay? Portal isn't designed to be easily referenced (aside from the damn cake), it's designed to be a seamless videogame experience. My guess is that they'd have to sequentially number each puzzle challenge for the sake of easy referencing. And on that subject, with a novel you can bring it to class to reference what's being discussed, or they can show you the film and skip forward to the chapter. If a student or a professor raises a point about Portal in class, in order for them to look at said moment in game they will need to have a copy of the game in class with saved games at every puzzle. Logistical problems only, I know, but I hope they've thought this through.
Finally, I just hope this professor qualifies to his students how they can address video game techniques in a written response. Because if all they're going to do is quote the computer, they're not really doing justice to the medium. Portal is a rare example of a narrative that works best as a video game, and no one has really yet come to terms academically with the critical language to describe how it works. Expecting undergrads to make that leap is too much, really. What I hope happens is that this Prof puts out a paper on Portal and introduces some of these techniques, I'll be excited to read it...
First up, that means every student has to get hold of an Xbox or a PC or something to run it on, unless the school provides computers just for this purpose. Second, unlike watching a film or reading a novel, where you can just sit down and plough through it to finish in time for class, Portal is a puzzle game that requires you to pass each challenge. Granted, the game is only a few hours long so its unlikely, but if someone were to consistently get stuck on one puzzle, they wouldn't be able to appreciate the text in its entirety.
Third, how do you discuss something like this in class, or in an essay? Portal isn't designed to be easily referenced (aside from the damn cake), it's designed to be a seamless videogame experience. My guess is that they'd have to sequentially number each puzzle challenge for the sake of easy referencing. And on that subject, with a novel you can bring it to class to reference what's being discussed, or they can show you the film and skip forward to the chapter. If a student or a professor raises a point about Portal in class, in order for them to look at said moment in game they will need to have a copy of the game in class with saved games at every puzzle. Logistical problems only, I know, but I hope they've thought this through.
Finally, I just hope this professor qualifies to his students how they can address video game techniques in a written response. Because if all they're going to do is quote the computer, they're not really doing justice to the medium. Portal is a rare example of a narrative that works best as a video game, and no one has really yet come to terms academically with the critical language to describe how it works. Expecting undergrads to make that leap is too much, really. What I hope happens is that this Prof puts out a paper on Portal and introduces some of these techniques, I'll be excited to read it...
The meme is a lie.The_root_of_all_evil said:
(sorry couldn't resist)
In all seriousness. He should just require a playthrough for class discussion. Writing a report on this would be quite hellish. So discussion via Socratic method and comparison of like works would do for class.
I think this is awesome but non-gamers who can't navigate 3D space from a first person perspective are going to HATE this assignment.
Aww, I wish I had had such books to study back when I was in school.StriderShinryu said:
Computer-based classes were out of the question (last year of high school, they had just "upgraded to Win3.1" .. in 1999...) and only few other people were reading scifi at all (which was a good thing however: more books just for me
)