Games from board to video and mobile ones are a popular and much-enjoyed hobby among people of different ages. But what if we told you that they were no longer used purely as stress busters? Video games have become a mean of learning new skills and even picking career paths. Coding, 3D design, narrative design, and sound engineering are just some of the areas gaming can open to you. If you are a student interested in games and game design, keep on reading, maybe you’ll even find your own calling here!
The Impact of the Game Industry on Education
Video game industry saw remarkable growth. According to PwC, the total revenue is projected to rise to $312 billion by 2027. This boom is largely due to the industry’s broad appeal, especially among young adults. Recognizing this trend, educational institutions and startups are increasingly implementing gamification—the use of game design techniques—in their products. For example, universities are adapting their curricula to engage students more effectively. Studies by Mordor Intelligence and Pesquisa Games Brasil (PGB) show that 70% of Brazilians play video games, with nearly half playing for over 20 hours a week. It’s no surprise, then, that Brazil is at the forefront of embracing gamification in education, striving to enhance learning experiences while also driving economic growth. Young people are flocking to work in game creation because they see so much room for imagination and originality in the growing industry.
However, according to a Brazilian specialist from game design field, Tiago, there are also some challenges to overcome: “Num contexto acadêmico, muitos estudantes enfrentam o desafio de gerir suas responsabilidades escolares e continuar a explorar interesses criativos. Alguns alunos enfrentam dificuldades com a criatividade nos trabalhos acadêmicos. Para superar esses desafios, recomendo que você procure ajuda profissional ou explore algum exemplo de artigo científico pronto para comprar, o que pode fornecer dicas valiosas para fazer e formatar o seu próprio trabalho e agregar valor ao seu projeto. Além disso, a importância científica de um trabalho de conclusão de curso é uma consideração crucial, incluindo na área de design”
Translation: In the academic context, students from design majors often struggle to balance school responsibilities with creative projects and show creativity in their academic works, making it crucial to seek professional help or use good ready-made examples for guidance, especially given the scientific importance of final projects.
Gamification: Practical Applications in Education
When games and education join forces, gamification of the process is the powerful output. But how has it garnered the interest of both universities and businesses? Here are some of the benefits and reasons behind it:
- Higher engagement: Students are more engaged in the learning process thanks to games, the use of leaderboards and other incentives, which tap into their competitive spirit..
- Personalized learning: The learning process is very subjective. Gamified apps adapt to the needs, pace, and motivational incentives of students. Building a custom platform allows them to learn better.
- Increased retention: With increased engagement and a personalized learning strategy, students have shown superior retention.
- Improved academic performance: When students voluntarily set out to study, the obvious byproduct of their time and effort is improved academic performance.
- Real-world application: Students have long been frustrated by the gap between classroom materials and practical experience. Now there are apps that simulate real-life scenarios, making it easier to apply what they’ve learned in familiar circumstances.
- Data-driven insights: Data can tell you everything you need to know if you know where to look. Using student performance data, the apps have formed strategies to boost the learning experience, and the results are here for us to see.
So how is gamification done? The most common ways are through:
- Game challenges and rewards: Tasks with incentives encourage progress and achievement.
- Storyboards: Guide students through a narrative, making learning or tasks more immersive.
- Competitions and leaderboards: Foster a sense of competition and community, motivating participants to improve their performance.
- Interactive puzzles: Stimulate critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Collecting virtual currency: Rewards students, often unlocking new content or features.
- Training simulations: Offers realistic scenarios for skill development, allowing users to practice in a risk-free environment.
Gamified applications have a lot of features that push students to learn. One game, one chapter, one problem at a time.
Storytelling & Creative Writing
Most games are not made with a story in mind. The narrative design has traditionally played second fiddle to mechanics. However, recent games are bucking the trend. Some games, like Tetris or Pac-Man, don’t have stories, while there are other more ambitious projects with the whole storyline and game world, like Red Dead Redemption, Alan Wake, The Last of Us, Bioshock, and Assassin’s Creed II.
The stories for these games follow similar structures to novels and films. Characters are developed through gameplay as the plot progresses. By facing adversity, characters grow stronger. Their choices, in turn, affect the game world. It’s a classic tale of action and reaction in a loop. This is the oldest storytelling device, and it works well.
Games that have branching plots are the best of the genre. Here, there can be multiple endings. The consequences depend heavily on the player’s actions, like in Choose-Your-Own-Adventure books.
For large projects, teamwork is the key to quality storytelling. Game narratives aren’t created by one person. Many writers collaborate on these projects. The ideas change multiple times throughout the game’s life cycle. Skills like organization, cooperation and adaptability are things every writer will benefit from.
By simply playing different games students can start noting structures and plot development devices which in turn can help them learn how to develop a storyline.
Students’ Technical Skills Development
Lots of technical skills go into game design. First and foremost is coding and programming. By learning these skills, students will be able to create their own games. However, there’s more. Coding skills can be used in multiple places. From data analysis to web development, coding is everywhere. It is an important skill for students interested in more than design.
Another key skill is animation. 3D and 2.5D animation is very popular in games. Game animators can make cartoons and 3D models. These skills are used in real estate, architecture, filmmaking, and augmented reality systems. Spatial awareness and imagination are a must for these fields.
Then there is sound design. Music can make a game feel alive. A sweeping background score, level-specific music, and even voice work fall into this category. Sound engineers can transfer their skills to plenty of other places. Podcasting, streaming, and audiobooks – all these require sound design.
Conclusion
Some still consider gaming a bad hobby, but we saw examples of how it can be laughably false. Games stimulate creativity. They push students to become better problem solvers. The way games handle achievements and rewards helps players stay motivated. The education and professional development sector is starting to learn from that.
Games can be more than just a pastime. Students interested in game design have the chance to build valuable skills and explore diverse career opportunities in the industry. Successful time and workload management are essential for making the most of these opportunities. As the game design field evolves, it offers significant professional prospects for those who can adapt and manage their responsibilities.
References
- Harbinger Group, 2024, “6 Best Ways to Use Gamification in Education in 2024”
- Marios Giakalaras, 2016, “Gamification and Storytelling”
- School of Scholars, 2024, “The Role of Gamification in Education and Learning at School”
- Gamification in Education startups in Brazil. (2024, July 8). Tracxn. https://tracxn.com/d/explore/gamification-in-education-startups-in-brazil/__lTVROuGkUMiCcQ1QERkUPp1Ok6GHloRe6IgTXoRvNCw/companies
- PwC, 2024, “Top 5 Developments Driving Growth for Video Games” https://www.pwc.com/us/en/tech-effect/emerging-tech/emerging-technology-trends-in-the-gaming-industry.html
- Allcorrect, 2023, “The Gaming Market in Brazil” https://allcorrectgames.com/insights/the-gaming-market-in-brazil/