Title:

  Mission US:  A Revolutionary Way to Learn History

·        http://www.mission-us.org/

General Information: 

Mission US is a role-playing game set in pre-revolution Boston.  Player takes on the role of Nat Wheeler, a 14-yearold, who leaves his family farm to become an apprentice printer.  As the apprentice, he is asked to complete tasks for the apprentice (Who is a Patriot) and his wife.  Some of the characters are fictional and some are based on real people in history.  Nat interacts with these characters in order to complete the missions is asked to complete.

Analysis Based on Flow Theory:

Before beginning my analysis, I watched the following 18-minute video :  http://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flow.html

If you are interesting in learning more about flow theory, Csikszentmihalyi is a great storyteller and made the concept of flow much clearer for me.

MISSION US

·        Task that the learners can complete-Mission US is a task that EVEN I could complete.  The game is divided into separate manageable missions that can be completed by the player.  For example, the first mission requires Nat to sell 3 advertisements for the Gazette.  He must go find people in need of this service and only sell to people who are Patriots along the way.  There are obstacles along the way conversations Nat has with the characters provides him with the needed information to complete the mission.  This game also allows you to save what you have completed and return to it at a later time.

·        Ability to concentrate on task-Player is able to stay focused without being overwhelmed by the information.  The map of the house and the map of the city are simplified so that the player isn’t distracted by details that aren’t critical in the missions.  It is easy to concentrate because you only have to scenes to consider:  the home and the city.  There is also a map of the farm he left but that isn’t as important in the mission. 

·        Task has clear goals:  At the beginning of each mission, the printer or his wife, for example, explain the mission.  Icons are then put at the top of the screen to remind you of the items you need to collect.  Warnings are given to you that can help you avoid situations that won’t help you complete the task.  Each mission also begins with some background information concerning the context in which Nat’s mission is set.

·        Task provides immediate feedback:  When Nat encounters a character, the character asks Nat a question.  Nat is given a choice of ways to respond to that character.  Once the response is given, the character responds based on Nat’s answer.  Nat is however, allowed to make mistakes that he learns about at a later time.  For example, I had Nat sell an advertisement to someone he shouldn’t have (A supporter of the King).  I didn’t really learn that I made Nat make a mistake until I took them back to my/his boss.  In this case, though, I think it’s quite appropriate that the response not be immediate.  I had to go back and tell her I couldn’t sell to her and learned something that I easily remembered.

·        Deep but effortless involvement:  Mission US provided deep but effortless involvement.  I become so involved in solving the mission (FLOW).  So many of the other games we have played in this class were more complicated for my game-playing ability.  I didn’t have time to complete all of the missions at once because of my schedule, but found myself making time for the game. (Something I just don’t do). 

·        Exercising a sense of control over their action-I was able to use my background knowledge and reading skills to control Nat’s actions in the game.  (I thought this game was really exceptional for helping kids know how they should respond to questions.  This was easy for me but could be a useful way for students to critically look at replies).  Another way to exercising control is that you could always go back and get more information before making a decision.  I never felt pressured to make a decision I wasn’t ready to make.

·        Concern for self disappears during flow-Guilty as charged.  I noticed that in my response I have gone from saying “the player” to “Nat” to “I.”  As an English paper I should go back and change this.  But I think it is indicative that I really did disappear into the game.  I began to think as Nat would have being a 14-year-old apprentice in Boston.  I totally would have been a Patriot while getting a better sense as to why not everyone shared those same views. 

·        Sense of duration of time is altered-I am such a strange person.  Once I knew I really enjoyed this game, I set the timer on the stove and only let myself play for 15 minutes at a time.  I would go do a task around the house and then set the timer for another 15 minutes.  So, I am only speculating that my sense of time would have been altered since I set time limits for myself.