Problem Based Game Design: Engaging Students by Innovation

Aalborg University's Medialogy department employs a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) methodology to cultivate innovative game design, preparing students to address real-world challenges through interactive entertainment. The core thesis is that by compelling students to deeply analyze and solve specific problems, rather than merely creating games, they develop truly novel solutions and push design boundaries. This approach emphasizes critical thinking and in-depth analysis to move beyond superficial design choices, fostering innovation in areas such as social interaction and genre hybridization.

The effectiveness of this PBL approach is illustrated through several case studies. "Petri3" exemplifies innovation in social interaction, developing a holographic game station that facilitates eye contact and personal information display to enhance player connection. "Oculusia" focused on collaborative play, creating an affordable multi-touch tabletop game designed with strong social affordances. A particularly challenging case, "Rise of the Resistance," tackled the complex problem of balancing First-Person Shooter (FPS) and Real-Time Strategy (RTS) genres within a single competitive game.

The iterative design and extensive testing applied to "Rise of the Resistance" ultimately demonstrated that a successful balance between these disparate genres was achievable. Players remained highly engaged over extended play sessions, validating the design choices. This success is directly attributed to the PBL framework, which required students to confront and resolve fundamental design problems rather than circumventing them. The overall conclusion is that PBL is a powerful pedagogical tool for fostering innovative game development, equipping students with the skills to create games that not only entertain but also solve complex problems and advance the field of interactive design.