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An Environment to support
Collaborative Learning by Modding
Sébastien George1
Élise Lavoué2
Baptiste Monterrat2
EC-TEL 2013
Paphos, Cyprus
1 LIUM, Université du Maine 2 LIRIS, Université de Lyon

Modding
 Modding = modifying video games,
to create "mods“
 The growing potential of modding
→ settings → levels → mechanics
B. Monterrat - Université de Lyon 2

Modding
 Modding = modifying video games,
to create "mods“
 The growing potential of modding
→ settings → levels → mechanics
 User generated contents imply dedicated tools
Game Development Kits are
distributed with their game
Other GDK are
generic editors
B. Monterrat - Université de Lyon 3

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Educational potential of modding
Social Learning
[El-Nasr and Smith 2006] [Loh and Byun 2009]
B. Monterrat - Université de Lyon

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Educational potential of modding
Social Learning
[El-Nasr and Smith 2006] [Loh and Byun 2009]
To learn programming
[Cignoni 2001] [Scacchi 2011]
B. Monterrat - Université de Lyon

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Educational potential of modding
Social Learning
[El-Nasr and Smith 2006] [Loh and Byun 2009]
Modding could be a way to
learn the content of a game?
To learn programming
[Cignoni 2001] [Scacchi 2011]
B. Monterrat - Université de Lyon

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The “Learning Game 2.0”
GameModding
B. Monterrat - Université de Lyon
Media
2.0

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Learning
GameMedia
2.0 Modding
Learning
Game
Learning
2.0
*
B. Monterrat - Université de Lyon
The “Learning Game 2.0”

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 What are the
characteristics of a modding
activity for an educational purpose?
 Which structure / architecture / framework is required
to support collaborative learning by modding?
Research questions
Learning
GameMedia
2.0 Modding
Learning
Game
Learning
2.0
?

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The game as a collective construction
Greater involvement
Player Modder Designer
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The game as a collective construction
Greater involvement
To create a learning game is a kind of teaching,
and teaching implies to
strengthen our knowledge
Player Modder Designer
B. Monterrat - Université de Lyon

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The game as a collective construction
Greater involvement
To create a learning game is a kind of teaching,
and teaching implies to
strengthen our knowledge
Collaborative work => Collaborative learning
- Ideas sharing,
- Knowledge sharing,
- Game elements sharing
Player Modder Designer
B. Monterrat - Université de Lyon

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The structure needs to be...
...simple and expressive
Visual programming
[Stencyl et Flip]
Triggers
[Warcraft III Editor]
<Conditions> <Actions> rules
[Kodu and Game Develop]
B. Monterrat - Université de Lyon

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The structure needs to be...
...simple and expressive
Visual programming
[Stencyl et Flip]
Triggers
[Warcraft III Editor]
<Conditions> <Actions> rules
[Kodu and Game Develop]
Game engine GDK
B. Monterrat - Université de Lyon

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Knowledge map
Game elements
Contextual discussions
The structure needs to support...
...learning and collaboration

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Game elements
Contextual discussions
“Does it
lays eggs?“
platypus
“Yes, but it‘s
not a reptile!“
Knowledge map
An example
Platypus
behavior
mamals

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A proposition for
an “all in one” user interface
Discussions
List of the available
game elements
Versions manager
Preview, Edit and Play
the game

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Architecture
Knowledge
ontology
Discussions
GDK
SVN
Game engine
read
send
commit
update
Client
Server
Interface utilisateur
G-K K-D
D-G
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First Prototype
Game and GDK: Game Develop
Discussions:
An online forum
(html/php)
Files sharing and
versions updating:
Tortoise SVN
No knowledge map yet

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Study
Within an Esperanto course
2 teams of 4 students in the test group Game, GDK,
SVN, forum
2 teams of 4 students in the control group Game, GDK
B. Monterrat - Université de Lyon

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Study
Within an Esperanto course
A 4 hours activity
 An Esperanto lesson (1h)
 Playing the existing game (15 mins)
 Discuver the UI (45 mins)
 Modding (1h30 recommended)
 Playing with the evolved games (15 mins)
2 teams of 4 students in the test group Game, GDK,
SVN, forum
} Remotely
} In class
2 teams of 4 students in the control group Game, GDK
B. Monterrat - Université de Lyon

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Results
Learning while…
Playing the existing game (87%)
Looking for new contents (87%)
Modifying the game (87%)
Playing with the creations of other teams (80%)
Discuss within the team (20%)
Original creations
B. Monterrat - Université de Lyon

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Results
Learning while…
Playing the existing game (87%)
Looking for new contents (87%)
Modifying the game (87%)
Playing with the creations of other teams (80%)
Discuss within the team (20%)
A fun activity:
87% reported having fun
An easy User Interface,
with strong participation
of non-programmers
Collaborative tools
supported team work
Original creations
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New knowledge
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Conclusion
 We proposed
- an educational activity based on collaborative modding,
- an architecture and a user interface.
 We conducted a first experimentation validating the
idea that modding can be used to learn the game contents.
B. Monterrat - Université de Lyon

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Conclusion
 We proposed
- an educational activity based on collaborative modding,
- an architecture and a user interface.
 We conducted a first experimentation validating the
idea that modding can be used to learn the game contents.
 Implementation of the whole user interface
to enhance participation in discussions.
 Implementation of the
knowledge ontology.
 How much time consuming is it ?
Despite the current limitations, we hope to open
a path to educational activities more personalized and engaging.
B. Monterrat - Université de Lyon

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Thanks for your attention
baptiste.monterrat@universite-lyon.fr
Learning
Game2.0
Media
Modding
Learning
Game
Learning
2.0
*

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Examples of creations
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Types of learning
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