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World Event Quests
World Event Quests are not like regular quests. They have a limited timeframe, and usually involve going somewhere or doing something in the real world. They are not affiliated with other questlines.
Because of this, they are often worth more, and they grant NAPS beyond the normal budget of 7500 NAPS for the course!
Everyone At The Table (World Event Quest | World 1 | 30 NAPS)
Take a Short Rest (World Event Quest | World 2 | 25 NAPS)
The Paths of Intrigue
Progressing through the Paths of Intrigue will require you to consider the context, ethical implications, and social worlds that games occupy- focusing on analysis, creative context, history, and critical thinking. Click a quest to start exploring!
The Path of Chains (Representation and Games)
The Path of Chains questline will prompt you to dive into considerations of the world of gaming and representation—with consideration to feminist, critical, and intersectional theory, and of gender, race, and sexuality. It examines the history and critical context of games and how we can bring intersectionality to game spaces.
Available Quests:
- 0. The Long Road (Foundations) (World 1 | 50 NAPS | Theory Badge, Presentation Badge)
- Read the work of contemporary scholars on the history of gaming and inclusion.
- 1. Gals and Gaming (World 1 | Variant Quest | 25 NAPS | Theory Badge)
- Face down with the ugly (albeit fascinating) history of misogyny in gaming so that we can understand where we came from and where we’re headed.
- 2. Working Theory (World 3 | 75 NAPS | Repeatable | Theory Badge)
- Explore some of the hard theoreticals behind emotional interaction design.
- 3. Ludic Revolutions (World 4 | 75 NAPS | Collaboration Badge)
- Advocate for an activist or moral purpose in your game project.
The Path of Song (Culture and Games)
The Path of Song questline will prompt you to explore the interdependent relationship between gaming and culture– and the social role of games in society. It will invite you to explore social media campaigns, game media, film adaptations, YouTube and Twitch, marketing, and even some social game theory!
Available Quests:
- 0. Hiding in Plain Sight (Foundations) (World 1 | 50 NAPS)
- Be a discreet observer of gamers in their natural habitat, and record their behaviors.
- 1. The Corrupted Blood Incident (World 1 | 50 NAPS | Presentation Badge)
- Pick apart a social media scandal and learn about what draws ire in the world of games.
- 2. But First Let’s Talk About Parallel Universes (World 3 | 50 NAPS | Presentation Badge)
- Explore how gaming communities influence the world of video games
- 3. Share and Share Alike (World 4 | 25 NAPS | Easily Repeatable)
- Earn points for sharing a resource or happy distraction with your peers!
The Path of Pearls (Brains and Games)
The Path of Pearls questline will invite you to explore how human psychology and emotions shape and are shaped by video games. Examining the role of games and mental health, emotional design, violence and games, ‘addictive’ design, accessibility, and gamification will give us a nuanced perspective on how to design interactions for players.
Available Quests:
- 0. …I’M STILL PLAYING?! (Foundations) (World 1 | 25 NAPS)
- Pick a ‘stupid game’ and see if you can unpack its mindless pull.
- 1. Playing People (World 1 | 25 NAPS | Presentation Badge)
- See Nicky Case’s take on game theory and put ideas of design up to the people test.
- 3. Kill the DJ (World 3 | 30 NAPS | Collaboration Badge)
- Team up to build a game-related playlist for your crew.
- 4. “The test is over now. You win.” (World 4 | 75 NAPS)
- Document someone playtesting your D.I.E. and see what you learn.
The Elemental Paths
Progressing through the Elemental Paths will require you to analyze, draw connections between, and compose in new mediums. These questlines focus on multimodal design and analysis, and will push your creativity!
The Path of Silver (Aesthetic Design Elements)
The Path of Silver questline will invite you to explore visual and audio design: images, art, sound design, video, and how they play a role in games. This questline will also invite you to consider how we compose in visual and audio mediums, drawing from places we’re already using them (such as social media).
Available Quests:
- 1. Seeing is Believing (World 2 | 50 NAPS | Collaboration Badge)
- Earn NAPS by creating art for yours and your crew’s games!
- 2. The Mercer Effect (World 2 | 50 NAPS | Presentation Badge)
- Learn aesthetic presentation by watching let’s plays and podcasts.
- 3. Not Another Podcast (World 3 | 100 NAPS | Collaboration Badge)
- Create a behind-the-scenes podcast for your development teeam!
- 4. Puddlegate all Over Again (World 4 | 75 NAPS | Collaboration Badge)
- Incorporate media elements into your D.I.E. project!
The Path of Flame (Media Design Elements)
The Path of Flame questline will invite you to explore composition of media that surrounds games: things like Let’s Plays, podcasts, box art, promotion, fan art and fiction, remix, and more. At higher levels, you will be invited to compose your own work in these same genres that you have explored.
Available Quests:
- 1. Meet the Cast (World 2 | 50 NAPS | Collaboration Badge)
- Create a crew ‘hype reel’ to introduce yourselves as a production team.
- 2. Don’t Skip the Tutorial (World 2 | 75 NAPS | Collaboration Badge)
- Create a video tutorial to b e used with your Analog game Experiment.
- 3. Frame By Frame (World 3 | 100 NAPS | Collaboration Badge)
- Create a development vlog to show your behind-the-scenes production!
- 4. Social Games (World 3 | 75 NAPS | Collaboration Badge)
- Create a social media presence for your development team!
- Bonus: Surrender the Cookies (World 4 | 50 NAPS | Presentation Badge)
- Reflect on following game designers on social media.
The Path of Thread (Interaction Design Elements)
The Path of Thread questline will invite you to explore interaction design, and games anticipate player involvement. It will require looking at how game developers build for and around player interaction, with considerations to things like rules, balance, fairness, fun, and sensory experience.
Available Quests:
- 0. Master of Ceremonies (Foundations) (All Worlds | 50 NAPS | Presentation Badge)
- Earn NAPS by running a new tabletop roleplaying system for your friends.
- 1. House Rules (World 2 | 50 NAPS | Presentation Badge)
- See what happens when you remix a board game!
- 2. Stuck in the Loop (World 3 | 50 NAPS | Presentation Badge)
- Explore the ways other video games approach a key element.
- 3. Unraveled (World 4 | 75 NAPS | Collaboration Badge)
- Reverse-outline the narrative for your D.I.E.!