Story Elements and Decision Types Discussion

I played Spent and Domovoi. In typical Susan form, I completely missed the detail that I was to only analyze one...and did both! 🤪 Learned a ton, though, which is all that matters!!

SPENT

What emotional gameplay! As I played, I found myself transported back to when I was a young widow with two little boys, having lost my husband to cancer. Empathy bubbled up for my younger self, having to make trade-off decisions requiring both integrity and always prioritizing my children first. The decisions within the game were much more dire than the ones I faced, which prompted me to reflect on the more significant issues of hunger, poverty, and homelessness. 

In SPENT, the plot centers around the player taking on the role of a single parent with limited financial means. The goal of the game is to survive on $1000 a month. To achieve that goal, the player faces challenging financial choices and has to make decisions, many of which are blind, Hobson's Choice, and trade-offs. Insert wide-eyed emoji here! The plot reminded me of a story I read years ago about how Gwyneth Paltrow attempted the food stamp challenge and quit after four days. 

The main character is the player, stepping into the role of a single parent on a limited income. Non-developed characters, such as the child and friends, play an important role in the main player's decisions. Some external undeveloped characters, such as bill collectors and landlords, play a role in the player's challenges. The game runs in the second person point of view, presenting the challenges to the player with "you…" The primary conflict is between the player's sparse financial resources and the overwhelming financial obligations. Every choice seemed to present the weighted challenge of surviving in the short term or sacrificing for the long term. By stepping into the role of the person in need, the player may more deeply empathize with those impacted by poverty. I also think that, with the point of view of being in second person, the player steps into the role of the single parent, which increases the emotional weight of the choices.

The theme of this game revolves around the harsh realities of poverty and the trade-offs/decisions one must make when living in poverty. I like how the player is immediately immersed in the decision-making process with a job choice. None of the choices offered a great deal of possible thriving but rather a choice of surviving. As a side note, I liked how the game provided educational facts about poverty and homelessness as I played it. Playing this game could be a powerful learning experience for students studying the problems of hunger, homelessness, and even financial literacy. 

SPENT has several decision types present in the game. The game is filled with trade-off decisions, as the player constantly weighs the benefits and drawbacks of each choice. For example, when shopping for food for a few weeks, I processed through how much everything cost and compared it against the nutritional value it offered and how long the food would last. Or the ice cream truck. Do I say yes to a treat for my child or say no to putting money towards lunch? Several choices in the game were blind decisions, such as paying for car repair at the moment or waiting until later. Because I was operating from choices presented at the moment vs. looking/planning for the future, the decision to do or not do was blind without more information. This game contained several Hobson's choices as well. For example, deciding between paying for hitting the parked car ($550!) or committing a hit and run (arrested!) leaves the player with no desirable outcome. I played the game several times. Only once did I make it to the end of the month; however, I only had 40$ left, and rent was due the next day. 

Domovoi

Domovoi is a beautiful blend of storytelling and folklore. Its stunning visuals and ambient sound effects drew me into the story, enhancing my playing experience. Additionally, I liked the collaborative nature of this game. Rooted in Slavic folklore and oral storytelling, the player is both a listener and an active participant in the storytelling process.

The plot of this game revolves around an unseen storyteller who invites the player to influence the story flow by helping the Domovoi, a protective house spirit from Slavic mythology, make choices as it faces various challenges to protect his master's household. The household, however, is nothing more than a broken hut as it has been abandoned for quite some time. The Domovoi is the central character of the story. Additionally, the storyteller is an essential character in the story as they play the role of framing the narrative, offering choice to the player, and responding to the player's decisions. The central conflict in this game is the Domovoi's responsibility to protect the household from various threats, both human and supernatural. The player helps guide the Domovoi in making decisions on handling these threats. The conflict includes Domovoi's navigation of moral and practical dilemmas when responding to threats, such as sparing the spider, who is a mother to 300 babies. Themes of protection and loyalty are threaded throughout the game. My heart sank when the Domovoi found out his master was dead, as, by this point in the game, the Domovoi felt like a loyal pet. The narrative is written from the second-person point of view, directly addressing the player as an active participant in the storytelling process. 

The first time I played through the game, I struggled with what type of decisions I was making as I was unfamiliar with the folklore. I focused heavily on understanding the story, making sense of the folklore, and how it played into the game. Subsequent times I played, I could better analyze the types of decisions I was making and how they impacted the narrative.

Several types of decisions come into play with this game. The player faces the choice of how to deal with the spider as a risk/reward decision. The decision revolves around engaging or dismissing the spider, with both options carrying potential risks. Engaging and listening to the spider might neutralize the threat, but grabbing the broom to dismiss it might allow it to act in harmful ways later. When the soldier enters, the Domovoi immediately responds by becoming the hut. In a trade-off decision, the player must choose to protect the samovar or the towel. One is left vulnerable to the soldier while the other is protected. I played the game several times and engaged with different decisions each time. This game felt a bit like a branching scenario---like a choose-your-own-adventure book -- as some decisions looped me back to the same conclusion. 

Having experienced Arch McGee's game and Domovoi, I look forward to learning Twine. Though more rudimentary, Google Slides, Keynote, or even Canva could provide platform options for branching narratives.

Arch McGee's Bonus Question: Are there decision types that are better or worse for player agency or learner agency? Why or why not?

Risk/Reward decisions can encourage learner agency by creating a sense of challenge. This is a strategy often used in classrooms. Learners make decisions based on pros and cons, which can make the decision-making process engaging. As a result, students have opportunity to navigate ambiguity and uncertainty, which can foster the practice of critical thinking and creative thinking, two timeless skills learners must develop. 

Trade-off decisions can be a great choice for learner agency. It requires students to consider multiple variables and make informed decisions. This decision-making process allows learners to analyze and weigh all variables and make the best choice for them as a learner. 

Throughout the readings this week, I keep circling back to every decision should have purpose. Therefore I would say meaningless decisions are not productive for learner agency.