The Reform Journey Framework: Outlining Collaboration in Gameplay - A Conceptual Framework for Collaboration in Games, and a Collection of Properties in Collaborative Games

Abstract

This thesis proposes a conceptual framework to aid game designers in designing collaborative gameplay. Derived from an iterative process based on accumulated insights from papers in game research, game designer conference talks, and studies of collaboration in computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW) and computersupported collaborative learning (CSCL), a compendium of 40 properties of collaborative games was created, and their affordances were put in relation to a central model of collaborative interaction between group members. The framework is a first step in creating a coherent mental model which gathers the various and divergent insights of the fields, and could serve both as a framework for a designer to work from as well as identifying new design dimensions for further research.