Gameplay Journal 8

I really enjoyed this weeks assignment. The game I chose to play and analyze was the popular mobile game, Dumb Ways to Die. This is a safety game that has the player take part in a series of tasks to complete. The tasks are very simple such as running from danger or keeping off of the road. The games mechanics as well, are very basic and easy to understand and digest. The rule set of the game is also quite simple, which is do not let any harm come to the characters on the screen. This is of course a play back to the games title and purpose. It truly is a very exciting and fun way to both enjoy and learn about safety and its importance.

Acoording to Nissenbaum and Flanagan, the way we place our values in technology is ideally to promote, “functionally efficiency, safety, reliability, and ease of use” (Embodying Values in Technology). This falls in line with the premier purpose of the game and its message. This is ultimately a game to promote public safety and being aware of potential danger as well as looking out for others. This is accomplished by the games mechanics and play having you as the player act to save the in game characters from harms way while simultaneously learning and teaching the youth of this generation about the rules of awareness and safety.

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJNR2EpS0jw

Reference: M. Flanagan, and H. Nissenbaum. “Embodting Values in Technology.”