Core Skills Analysis
Digital Literacy and Game Design
- Developed an understanding of interactive digital environments by navigating and manipulating the Disney Infinity game world.
- Explored basic game mechanics such as character control, building elements, and problem-solving within a virtual setting.
- Cultivated creativity through designing and constructing personalized game worlds and scenarios.
- Enhanced strategic thinking by experimenting with different characters and power-ups to achieve game objectives.
Storytelling and Narrative Skills
- Engaged with story elements by interacting with familiar Disney characters and narratives within the game context.
- Practised sequencing skills by creating and experiencing custom story arcs in the sandbox mode.
- Improved understanding of cause-and-effect relationships as actions in the game influenced outcomes and progression.
- Strengthened communication skills through imaginative play and potentially explaining game decisions or stories to peers.
Tips
To deepen the learning experience from playing Disney Infinity, encourage the student to document their created game worlds and stories, perhaps through writing or drawing storyboards. Facilitating discussions about game design principles or character development can foster critical thinking about narrative structures and player engagement. Integrating a basic introduction to coding concepts or digital world-building software could extend digital literacy skills further. Finally, collaborative play or sharing their creations with friends and family can build social skills and confidence in expressing ideas.
Book Recommendations
- Game On! Video Game History from Pong and Pac-Man to Mario, Minecraft, and More by Jon Chad: A lively exploration of video game history that gives insights into how games like Disney Infinity fit into the broader context of digital entertainment.
- Interactive Storytelling for Video Games: A Player-Centered Approach to Creating Memorable Characters and Stories by Josiah Lebowitz and Chris Klug: This book explains narrative design in games, perfect for young learners interested in how stories are crafted within interactive worlds.
- The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses by Jesse Schell: Offers a comprehensive introduction to the principles of game design, encouraging creative and critical thinking about how games work.
Learning Standards
- ACTDIP028 – Plan, create and communicate ideas and information independently and with others, applying agreed ethical and social protocols (Digital Technologies)
- ACELY1743 – Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that raise issues and analyze information, and integrate and cite source material (English)
- ACELY1745 – Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts demonstrating increasing control over text structures and language features (English)
Try This Next
- Create a worksheet for the student to map out their game world, including characters, storylines, and objectives.
- Develop a quiz that tests knowledge of Disney Infinity characters, game mechanics, and narrative elements.