Prof. Ricardo Miranda Zúñiga will be presenting “Socially Engaged Games” at the Game Educators Conference at Long Island University.
April 6th | 1:45 – 2:10PM
“Over the past 20 years, I have been creating small, generally 2D games that reflect critically on current issues. Topics that I have explored through research to be realized as video games include immigration and cultural loss, gentrification and environmental protection. As my teaching is informed by my practice, I include critical readings in game production courses. I have assigned readings from Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals, Rise of the Videogame Zinesters, Values at Play in Digital Games and Critical Play. The challenge that I put forth to my students is to create games that are at once entertaining and critically provocative. How can you create game play in which the player can at once get lost in the game play, but still reflect on the content that is being presented? A key element that I underscore is audio. While the player may feel fully emerged in the game environment and play, the audio presents another stimulus that may provoke a separate layer of thought and reflection. For example, research material such as interviews with primary sources may inject new meaning to the game environment. The final product may be at once didactic and fun.”
– Prof. Ricardo Miranda Zúñiga