All games contain conflict, and all good games have uncertain outcomes. Whether conflict over resources, knowledge, or territory, to name a few types, games challenge players to overcome obstacles in interesting and fun ways. Pokémon Go challenges players to find and capture Pokémon, which requires time, patience, skill, and the freedom to access the game map (i.e., spaces in the real world) to its fullest extent. When players are denied full access, either through a technical glitch in the game—like when a server crashes or when networks become unavailable—or through real or imagined threats of violence or harassment, the game becomes inherently unfair. How might we make sense of issues of accessibility, privilege, and race raised by the game? When players say “I might die if I keep playing” (Akil, 2016), what might we learn about the limits of mobility and the ways in which pervasive play comes to be embedded in society?

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Understanding games as systems, with complex interactions of game elements and rules. Gaming the System demonstrates the nature of games as systems, how game designers need to think in terms of complex interactions of game elements and rules, and how to identify systems concepts in the design process. The activities use Gamestar Mechanic, an online game design environment with a systems thinking focus.

Tools and methods for creating electronic puppets. Short Circuits offers students opportunities to undertake physical computing projects, providing tools and methods for creating electronic puppets. Students learn how to incorporate microprocessors into everyday materials and use them to enhance their language and writing skills with shadow puppet shows featuring their own DIY flashlights.