Rhetorical Peaks

While I would not generally criticize graphics in this sort of game, the combination of a realistic background and a cartoonish foreground almost create a comical effect. Also shown in this image is the fact that the game is incredibly dialogue heavy. The one allowance made to the students’ concerns is the inclusion of a short diary at the end of the game, which comes across as no so much a solution as a way to work around the primary criticism. In any case, the interaction is limited to minimal button clicks (used to select a question to ask or to turn the diary page). Furthermore, in this build, there are neither branching dialogue paths nor any built in time limit (as discussed in the initial design). In other words, each player has the exact same experience, though a slightly different order is possible. Rhetorical Peaks doesn't fully capture several of Gee’s Leaning Principles of Games: it isn’t pleasantly frustrating, it doesn’t allow customization and it doesn’t help the student become a producer (except as through the ancillary analysis of the game). Ultimately, there is little about Rhetorical Peaks that could not be presented through traditional printed means (other than the audio reading of the scripts, but this could also be achieved in a classroom)--ultimately the game acts as a veneer over a written case study.

I know this sounds very harsh, and I’d like to soften the criticism by saying that this work provides some excellent paths forward. The initial concept of the game has much to offer, but the flash design needs to vastly increase interactivity to even begin to tap the pedagogical possibilities the design.

***Revision***

It recently came to my attention that a newer version of the game created with the Unity engine is also available online. While this version increases the interactivity by allowing the player to physically move around the space, and by creating branching dialogue paths, the above criticisms still apply. Exploration is limited to a small area and does not reward the player, and all of the dialogue paths are open to the player simply by speaking to the NPC again.