#12 Online Gaming

What’s Online Gaming?

If 23 Things is about learning through playful experimentation, then you will have even more fun in this section. You get to play games online!

Now, when some people hear the words “online gaming” they think casinos and offshore gambling. That’s not what this is about. Neither are we looking at tabletop games played face-to-face in real life. Many libraries have video games, boardgames or role-playing games in their programs for teens and adults, but you need the equipment and the space to play these.

For this assignment we’re going to concentrate on the equipment you have in front of you this minute: a computer and a little time.

Online games come in many flavors:

• They can be simple games typically played alone, like solitaire or jigsaw puzzles.
• They can be competitive games, with all ranges of complexity, but with a beginning and an end. These could be Scrabble, chess, or a game of Hearts.
• They can be interactive activities with no embedded goals or endgame, but which has content that builds and grows. Many Facebook applications fit this description.
• They can be highly complex persistent virtual worlds with an essential social component, which may or may not have embedded goals or any real “end.” You’ve seen patrons play Runescape, and you’ve probably heard news reports about World of Warcraft and Second Life.

Discovery Exercise 

1. Play at least two (2) of the varieties of games described above: simple games, competitive games, interactive activities or virtual worlds. The games often start with tutorials to teach you the basics. Don’t be afraid to play around and experiment — the consequences of not being perfect the first time are negligible, and you learn by making mistakes. That’s what being game-savvy is all about.
2. You don’t have to use these particular links — they are just here to give you a place to start if you’re unfamiliar with online games.
3. To complete this exercise, blog about the 2 games you played and share your favorite game. It may be one listed here or one you discovered on your own. Tell us about your experience playing games online in a short paragraph.

Simple games
Solitaire — there are many varieties offered here.
Jigsaw puzzles — the pieces are oriented correctly but you have to position them.
Bejeweled — there are lots of other games available on this site, too. Try out Bookworm Adventures!

(Download required. Play trial games for free.)

Try the AllGirlArcade – no boys allowed! Gamergrrlz are more numerous than you might think.
Library Arcade — This would be a busman’s holiday: you probably play this every day in real life.

Competitive games
Chess — teams, clubs, tournaments, and a forum to talk about the games!
Lexulous – not officially Scrabble.

Want official Scrabble? Use your MySpace account to play!

Hearts — The site also offers Spades, Backgammon, and an updated version of the ever-popular Minesweeper.

Interactive activities
Use your Facebook account to play … Challenge your friends and co-workers!

In Facebook, try one of these applications: MindJolt Games, H20pia, Vampires, or Visual Bookshelf

Free Rice — improve your vocabulary and donate rice to the hungry. What’s the downside?

Virtual worlds
Runescape — one of the most popular browser-based games out there. You’ve seen kids, teens, and adults playing it on your computers, haven’t you? Find out for yourself why it’s so popular.
Toontown Runescape is not as popular as it once was, and Disney’s Toontown may be taking over, especially among the young tweens.
Nation States — think you know how to run a nation? See how you fare on the world stage.
GaiaOnline — popular among the manga and anime teens. Playing games together lets them chat with their online friends!
Puzzle Pirates — sail, fight, and explore by playing puzzle games. Join a pirate crew with other players.

Why should you know about games and gaming?

 

• Games enhance literacy, learning, practical and cognitive processing skills.
  • Games teach these skills “under the radar” — you may learn math and statistics, scientific methodology, logical deduction, and complex economics while playing games but not even realize it. (The academic researchers know!)
• Games self-motivate a person (of any age) to learn the “21st Century skills” that are highly desirable in today’s — and tomorrow’s — workplace and schools.

• Games help a library build community.
  • All ages and all ethnic groups play games, online and off.
  • Games are highly social — you must have opponents and fellow aficionados to play most games, and good challengers are always in short supply.
• Games today outsell movies, TV, and music as the preferred mode of entertainment nationwide. Nintendo alone took in $16.85 billion-with-a-B in 2007. World of Warcraft has over 10 million players.

• Games bring people into the library who otherwise believe we have nothing relevant to offer them.

• Geek cred vs street cred:
  • One hundred percent (100%!) of MIT freshman played videogames (2006).
  • First-time entrants into the penal system often are not videogame players.
• Games fit the library mission: they fulfill the recreational needs of our customers in the same way that reading a casual novel does. Only the medium has changed.
  • Libraries that embrace this principle make gaming a core service just as Storytimes are a core service to children.
• Verizon Foundation just funded a $1M grant to ALA in support of gaming in libraries.

• The Pew Internet & American Life Project, funded by the MacArthur Foundation, just released a major new study shattering stereotypes about teens and video games.

Possible Uses in the Library

• You’ll have great answers to “What games can I play on the computer?” Think of it as a special kind of reader’s advisory!
• Make a display of game-related novels, graphic novels, strategy guides, cheat code books (you know you have them!), and maybe the World of Warcraft Atlas. Try a display of “If you like this game, try this book.”
• Some libraries have begun adding videogames to their circulating collection, to great success.
• Start a Runescape guild in the library. Encourage that group of role-playing gamers to use your meeting room every week. Consider GaiaOnline for your manga/anime club members.
• Start a seniors bowling league to compete against other branches in your system, or other libraries! Get out the Wii and practice, practice, practice.
• Unique programming idea: bring game designers, developers, artists, game-music composers, and other creative thinkers from the professional game industry to talk about what they do and how they do it. Offer workshops in game design.

 

More information for the curious

 

• The average age of gamers is 35 and rising.
• More women over 40 play games online than boys under 18. In fact, slightly more females play Web-based games, today, than males of any age.
• In 2006, 77% of libraries nationwide supported gaming activities of some kind, so maybe your library is one of those. If not, think about raising the subject for reconsideration. Click here for ideas.
• Want a more direct connection between games and literature? Try this on for size.
• Attend the ALA Techsource Gaming, Learning, and Libraries Symposium this November.
• NYT Article – The Future of Reading: Using Video Games as Bait to Hook Readers
• Christian Science Monitory Article – Video games start to shape classroom curriculum

Books to Read

 

• Gamers…. in the Library?! Eli Neiburger
• Grand Theft Childhood: the Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games Kutner and Olson
• Gaming and Libraries: Intersection of Services Jenny Levine
• Gaming and Libraries Update: Broadening the Intersections Jenny Levine
• Got Game: How the Gamer Generation is Reshaping Business Forever Beck and Wade
• Fans, Bloggers, and Gamers: Media Consumers in a Digital Age Henry Jenkins
• Everything Bad is Good for You Steven Johnson
• What Videogames Have to Teach Us About Literacy and Learning James Paul Gee
• Killing Monsters: Why Children Need Fantasy, Super Heroes, and Make-believe Violence Gerard Jones
• Don’t Bother Me, Mom, I’m Learning Marc Prensky
• A Whole New Mind Daniel Pink