Teaching with videogames: exploring game mechanics in VCE Media Narrative
Be a wanderer in a videogame with no overt rules and explore how this format changes your experience of a game’s narrative.
Note: this lesson follows on from Teaching with videogames: VCE Media narrative genre and style.
Year level: 10–11
Subject areas: VCE Media Unit 2 Outcome narrative genre and style
Suggested duration: 2 lessons
Technology required:
- the game Dear Esther ($12) or excerpts on YouTube
Download the full lesson plan
The lesson plan includes links to the Victorian Curriculum, indications of lesson timing, and ideas for differentiation and assessment.
In this lesson, students will
| 1. | Explore game rules in developing a game narrative. What happens when a game has no overt rules? How do we know if we're playing right or wrong? |
| 2. | Explore the way game mechanics reinforce some behaviours and suggest against other behaviours |
| 3. | Introduce game mechanics into a previously developed game storyboard |
By the end of this lesson, students should
| how game mechanics and interactivity build narrative |
| identify features of game design in leading narrative choice |
| incorporate game mechanics into a game narrative of their own |
| build on their understanding of gaming codes and conventions |