Final thoughts on the semester

We've looked at a lot of technology and a lot of theory over the course of this semester. Bogost's theories on procedural rhetoric and the issues of videogames as art are the main strands to understand in this course, as well as the questions of how to produce interesting and engaging media for teaching and rhetorical purposes. It's important to understand these theories as the world seems to be approaching interactive media and serious games as solutions to real world problems. I've long since understood how games are produced, and how to use the overt messages most educational games simply place over traditional game interfaces. Math Blaster seems to be one of the more interesting educational games, in that it is more than just tic tac toe with math symbols. Still, an engaging game interface that forces the player to think the way a developer want the player it think is much more of an interesting concept. The McGame comes to mind as an effective, if not overwhelming, piece of procedural rhetoric.

I've begun applying Bogost's theories to the theories of Prensky and Laurel, especially since I and my team almost unknowingly combined those theories in our latest rich media website. We combined rich media content with a carefully crafted system of main pages. The main pages use a subtle procedure to ensure that users know where to go to access the information they require, while placing ownership of the experience in the user's hands. Early tests have explained that this kind of interface is effective, and that our users not only can complete their tasks quickly and easily, but that they are also convinced of some of the more intangible aspects of our graduate program. The information available on the official webpage is one thing, but the user-based page gives visitors a better idea of what is happening in our program, and what it feels like to be a student in the program. I helped to influence the rhetorical decisions we made during our meetings by incorporating Bogost's theories of procedural rhetoric into our design and explaining how it works. The testing proves that these theories, when carefully applied, help our design and help our message.

There is also a lot to take away from this class with regards to my own research. My primary area of focus is in game studies, so understanding the prinicples of procedural rhetoric is absolutely critical. It's important when attempting to understand how a discourse community works that a researcher understands the basics of the community's rhetoric. Procedural rhetoric, while arguably a new concept, pervades the gaming culture. Even gamers who don't know or understand procedural rhetoric itself still recognize the key points when I talk with them about my research. By putting a name on a phenomenon gamers already understand, Bogost helps to legitimize their discourse community. This is absolutely critical when examining on form of discourse this community uses. I will be examining this concept throughout the course of my research, not only for my thesis but also for the new Gaming-across-the-curriculum project I've been assigned to develop.

Essentially, this class has been critical to my development as a game theorist. It's been an exciting ride, and I can't wait to see what comes next in the field.