Assignment Instructions: This assignment entails playing a game solo and taking notes, then watching someone online play the same game via Twitch or YouTube, taking notes as well. As this is a bit more elaborate assignment, please see instructions below. Your job is to act as a researcher, taking notes and figuring out what you are noticing while you play, why that is significant, watch another play the same game, and also figuring out what is significant. Once you have done the 3 field note pieces (NO WORD LIMIT), the final “bridge” is to put all that together in an analytical and summative “case study” of the game that should be no more than 1000 words (that makes 4 pieces in total!). Make sure you make careful and direct connections to the readings where possible. (NOTE: There is a form for this, but if you are finding editing difficult, just copy and paste it into whatever text editing document you use to clean it up for submission). Instructions and PDF form for the field notes are here. Due date for this assignment is Sunday, March 15th . No late assignments will be accepted unless you have negotiated a later submission date with the instructors. You can post your field notes to your website and/or send via Slack to instructors (if you are having trouble uploading it to your own website).
Session 1: Before Playing | 15-30 minutes
Each of these questions aims to get at a general notion, “what expectations (about this game) am I coming in with?” The goal in this reflection is not to test the accuracy of your predictions; rather, the goal is to identify and reflect upon the assumptions and biases you, as an observer, are bringing into the experience, as catalyzed by the games’ promotional material, introductory screen, any other descriptive or suggestive information.
Answer the Questions
Note: I did not read any information about “Sky: Children of the Light” beforehand, nor did I watch any trailers or reviews. As a result, I started playing with no preconceived expectations about what the game would be like, other than knowing I had previously played “Journey”, a game made by the same developer. I am a very amateur and casual gamer so I don’t have a lot of experience with games other than Mario games and Animal Crossing.
What will I like / dislike about it?
What I think I will like…
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- It’s a “cozy” social MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) adventure game.
- The art style – colours are beautiful, inviting, playful, child-like.
- That it can be single player or multi player.
- It’s an open-world adventure game – I love exploring and going on side-quests and solving puzzles.
- I like that it is free to play and that I can play it on my iPad, as I prefer a mobile experience to console experiences.
- The description says that it “celebrates kindness” which I resonate with; I don’t like violent shooter games.
- It looks like it can be a very “zen” experience – the colours, the movement, the characters, and the music seem all relaxing.
- The game still has updates from the developer and has new events, like floral fête.
What I think I will dislike…
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- Fighting any of the bosses in the game/conflict/danger (I assume there is some type of conflict I need to conquer?).
- The gaming being too open-world and me getting lost or not knowing what to do.
What will I find interesting about it/boring or tedious about it?
- I find the characters interesting as it looks like some appear to be agender/genderless characters.
- I appreciate that the game encourages the player to express themselves to be whoever they are.
- I may find it boring as I don’t know how long the game takes to finish (if there is an “end state” at all?).
- I may find it tedious as it looks like it could take awhile to get from place to place.
What will I need to do in it?
- I will need to create a character and explore the world.
- I will encounter other characters and make new friends.
- I will interact with the world and discover the objective of the game.
- It appears that I will have to solve puzzles and complete quests to restore lost light.
What will I need to learn within it?
- I will need to re-learn all the game play mechanics of how Journey worked plus what is unique to Sky.
- How does the character move? How do the flight mechanics work (taking off, gliding, landing)? Does wind change the flight mechanics? Do I run out of health?
- How to talk to other characters and make friends? Can you chat with characters? How do you work as a team with other players?
- How do I complete quests?
- Are there points or any kind of monetization? Is there in-game currency? Is there anything to be unlocked in the game?
- What indicates progression in the game?
What will it be like / similar to (other games I have played)?
- I played Journey by the same game developers (thatgamecompany). I found the game so beautiful and captivating, I am hoping for a similar experience with “Sky: Children of the Light”.
Session Fieldnotes
At the end of your fieldnotes for session one, craft one or two sentences (no more) that, for you, summarize your expectations prior to playing, and what these expectations are based on. Include one image that catalyzed and/or supported your expectations.
I expect to enjoy “Sky: Children of the Light” because of its beautiful, calming art style, open-world exploration, and emphasis on kindness and cooperative play, which reminds me of my positive experience with the game “Journey” (also developed by Thatgamecompany). However, I also anticipate possible frustrations if there are any boss encounters or since I am not an experienced gamer, I find I get lost and frustrated in open world, exploration-based games if I miss the instructions or if the instructions are not clear.
Session 2: Solo Playthrough | 45 to 60 minutes
Play the game on your own: familiarize yourself with the controls, mechanics and interface; get an initial understanding of the game’s narrative and its aesthetic. Your goal is to “get a feel” for what it is asking from you, in terms of: inputs, emotion, and attention. Note: If you use outside help at any point, make a note of that. The effort here is not to do anything “correctly”, but to diligently record whatever you do as you try to get a ‘handle’ on the game.
a) Descriptive Notes
Just write as you play — write anything descriptive, records of objectives, hints, fragments of ideas, anything. You may elect to write as you play (i.e. pausing the game) or right after you have completed a play session. Try to get at least 60 minutes of play time.
My notes:
Downloaded game on ipad from the Apple Store The audio started before the first screen loaded. The music is moody - with calm ocean sounds, faint thunder and lightening I log in to game centre; agree to terms of service Did not consent to ad tracking Welcome screen: “Are you new to Sky?” (y/n) - I choose Yes Welcome theme music Text on screen: “Sound is more than half of the experience” Presented with load screen - clouds; blue sky; following a person with a trail of light; thunder and lightening sounds; follow through the clouds (top blue; bottom stormy) - f See a volcano; following flying character through the air; passing by wishing wells? Flying bird creature, lens flair/rainbow Stunning art Hundreds of birds appear, flying along side me Thunder and lightening intensify Focuses in on what I assume to be my character Music get more intense; light trail turns from yellow to blue; flying through deep dark stormy clouds Quiet sound, Character lands on a platform Text on screen: “Fear not, child. You will defeat the darkness” Character “wakes up”, laying down; goes to standing. My character is glowing orange. I dot appears by my feat; then looks like a gear Tutorial begins with teaching how to drag the screen to look around; use 2 fingers to look around and drag screen Text on screen: “Drag from the corner of the screen to run” Sound confirms I completed the task I drag; character runs, slides down hill; there is a rock or statue ahead that is glowing - I assume this is where I’m supposed to go so I go to it Next tutorial: “Touch the hand icon to inspect the candle beside the figure” I touch the hand icon; animation transition Text on screen: “A mightfly flame burns within you” Church bells; character holds candle and looks around; jumps/startle The hand icon reappears so I touch it. Candle explodes, there are fire embers that surround me Camera transitions to looking at the statue Quote: “Ours vanished long ago” Instructions: “Touch the flame icon to bring out your light” - Camera is looking at character and the statue that is glowing. I touch the flame icon. Statue crumbles, glows bright white/blue; A character appears and comes towards me. They look friendly, has a blue glow that contrasts with my orange glow, only eyes as facial features. They look around, gestures for me to follow them, and the character runs away. Instructions: “When lost, tap on yourself to call. Your Light will reveal the path” I touch my character, a honking noise sounds, the character I am supposed to follow is now in the far distance and has a beacon of light to indicate that I follow them. I swipe so my character runs down the sandy path; there is grass on either side of the path and we look to be in a valley of mountains. The lighting is dark; wind sounds in the background. I run to the character. An icon with 2 hands appears over the other character’s head. I tap the icon. We hold hands and the character leads me to a big blue wall that looks like it’s made of stone and has a door with a crack/opening. A flame icon appears by my character. My character walks to the door that has a glowing circle, the door opens; the other character runs down the path; there are more fields and paths and mountains; the volcano is in the background. Piano music begins. I run down the path to meet the other character. The camera focus on the volcano Text on screen: “A hidden refuge, lost to time” An icon with stars appears over the other character. I tap it. Text appears: “Hopeful steward”. A side bar with lines and stars appears, I click on the exclamation point. Our characters hold hands and look at the volcano. We continue to run forward towards the mountain/volcano. We encounter another statue. I tap the flame icon. The statue is coerced in black flecks, and appears to be crumbling. The statue crumbles and another taller character appears, he shakes hands with my friend and bows to me. We continue into a building that is built into the mountainside. Text on screen: “Uncover our darkest kingdom. Restore it with your flame” We’re now inside. The taller character shows us some creatures that crumble as we use our flame against it. The taller character looks like he crafted a chair. They gesture for me to sit in it. Hairstyle icons appear. I am able to change my hair style. Text on screen: “Hearts are given as gifts. If you offer hearts to the spirits, they'll share their memories with you. Spirits can teach you music, outfits, and more. Would you like to learn more?” (x or check) I click the check mark. Outfit tips appear as a side scrolling window. “Free the spirits” - Once you’ve returned a spirit’s light to the sky, that spirit will visit you and share their memories. “Offer them hearts” - Offer hearts to the spirits, and they'll teach you new looks from their unique outfit. “Dress up at the Outfit Shrine” - To change up your look, visit the Outfit Shrine to try on what the spirits have shared with you. “Be adventurous” - Spirits with unusual outfits are trapped in the most dangerous areas in the Kingdom of Sky. “Check back regularly” - Limited-time events and Seasons bring opportunities to discover new items. “Perform together” - Some spirits will share instruments or teach you songs that you can share with your friends. A high five icon appears over my friend’s head. We high five. I follow my friend back outside. I completed a branch on the candle map. Text on screen: “Others like you await, child. The journey is yours to share.” My friend and I hold hands. We walk to a shrine-like place. My friend gestures and whistles to me to follow them and get a candle. I pick up a candle, it appears at the shrine, I light my candle and walk with it lit. We light 3 candles. Church bells ring, and the camera pans up to a very tall building/steep/e? Birds fly, the music is uplifting. My character and I look up to the sky. Text on screen: “Complete” “Aviary Village: A hidden refuge.” - A new level is unlocked. A new character comes over and offers us a candle The camera pans to the volcano again, it’s looking gloomy and stormy Text: “Spirits across the kingdom cry for your help. You are needed” My friend and I hold hands and run towards the church bells. I feel a sense of urgency to get to the church bells. My friend runs over to other characters, I follow. We run to a rock/shrine with 4 candles. A new friend comes with a candle. I tap their candle that has a heart glow. A prompt appears “Accept a candle - become friends with this player?” (y/n). I accept. I kneel at the shrine. The camera pans up to some hieroglyphics type drawings; dark background, glowing yellow “The stars were once united and our light was infinite. The first of us descended to build a kingdom in the clouds But we took our light for granted…and in the shadow, we withered away. A long time has passed. Now, you bring us hope. Go forth child, return out light to our fallen stars.” A map appears, indicating I need to follow the path to the volcano/mountain/shrine. It is getting dark. We run towards a rock arch. We’re at the “Isle of Dawn” - I enter through the Text on screen: “Be brave, child. The realm beyond the gate is but the first.” Soothing music with harmony / vocals are heard Instructions: “Find and free the spirits still trapped in this place” I am unsure what to do so I click my character and a glowing light appears ahead. I follow it. I am in a tunnel and I find sacred candles. I can tap the corners of the ipad screen to get the camera, candles, map, etc). Topping the top of the screen shows me the icons I’ve encountered so far. I sit on the bench and realize that I can talk to other players by typing them messages. But there is no one on the bench with me so I continue. I used “Flick” gesture to jump in the direction I want to go. I jumped down from a ledge. The camera pans into the distance. I give a candle to a character, I flick down from the ledge and soar a bit and land below. I find more players to become friends with and give them a candle. Press and hold on myself to release a call. I kneel at a shrine, it opens the map and keeps leading me on the path. Text on screen: “The Isle of Dawn: Free lost spirits and follow the bell to the temple.” I run for a while in the direction I’m supposed to be headed, I encounter 2 tall stones that when standing on the base, look towards the tall shrine/mountain. Text on screen reads 0/1 and has a constellation like graphic. I’m not sure what this indicates? I tap the fire icon “Spirit gates like this one once connected … Beyond this gate is a temp, where elders… But the elders fell long ago. …” Instructions: “Free this spirit. The Spirit Gate has lost its power. Free more trapped spirits to restore it“ I run to the spirit that is glowing. I tap the fire icon. It gets up and runs into the cave. Instructions: “Follow the Pointing Candlemaker to relive their moments” I follow it. Animations appear with the Pointing Candlemaker. I follow it and relive the memories. I find another spirit to free and relive memories with that character. The figures are greyed. They point in the direction of the temple. Instructions: “Top the red dot to claim a new ability.” (pointing?) I give a candle to a spirit. I've restored power to the Spirit Gate and can now pass. I make new friends Text on screen now says 1 / 1. I continue towards the temple on a rock path/stairs. 1 Next level 1 = “tap the red dot to level up your wing” - now I'm level 2 Instruction: Press and hold anywhere to spend energy and flap your wing” I begin to fly! The visuals and music is triumphant and calming. I entered a stone temple. I collect sacred light from the candles. The music is quiet and I hear other character’s footsteps. There is a large door, I touch both doors with my candles. It opens. I enter and run on a cement bridge. I run forward and kneel at the altar. Text on screen: “Restore the alters light to reveal the elder” An animation starts with an elder looking down at me. He has a staff with fire. “Isle of Dawn Spirits 1/3" Another door opens to reveal clouds and birds are flying. “Journey on to the next realm. The remaining elders are waiting for you to wake them up.” I interact with the Pointing Candlemaker spirit - they can help me perform the pointing expression at level 2 if I purchase for 1 candle, so I do. They also shared their look with me that I can try on at the outfit shrine. I can unlock a blessing / spell and can unblock one candle. I now have the Glow Spell. I tap the red dot to level up my wing. I continue flying through the clouds with birds surrounding me. I finally get to the title screen! (one hour in) - I think I'm sort of getting the hang of the game finally :) I realize that I've learned the controls, how to make friends, and simple mechanics of the game. There is still a lot to discover! I land and make my way through a crack in the mountains. Text on screen: “Darkness has fallen on the hidden first. Across the 7 realms, other elders wait to be awakened Restore them all, Child, and fulfill your destiny” I explore around, get a new outfit and hairstyle. Hand out candles. Found a “Design your Shared Space” area. I fly down to the area and meet the Butterfly Charmer to relive their memories. I run to each memory, following the blue stars as I go. I’m lead to the Butterfly Charmer. Instructions: “Shepherd this sporty to safety at the Elder’s Temple. 36 others in the Kingdom of "Sky" remain trapped.” Daylight Reparrier: Ring the bell towers. I requested a guide to help me when flying. I land and catch some butterflies. I collect something that I am not sure what it was but need one more to level up. I fly through some stormy looking clouds. I wasn’t able to progress but there was no indication of what was wrong. I think I’m lost! I’ve returned to land twice without knowing what I was supposed to be doing. I follow the Waving Bellmaker. He climbs to the top of a golden spinning shrine. I wave to him. A boat floats by. 35 others left to free! I’m unsure what to do next and overwhelmed by finding 35 others. This seems like a logical spot to stop for now.
b) Analytic Notes
After playing, consider your experience more holistically — What problems did it present me with?
Problems the game presented me with:
- Navigating the world using iPad / touch screen gestures
- Finding spirits
- Figuring out what the quests were
- Collecting candles
- Interacting with other players
- Navigating the map
- Figuring out hairstyles
- How to fly
- Were there any dangers in the environment?
- How to open doors
- What to do with the spirits
- These challenges were all enjoyable.
What options did it give me (to address those problems)?
- I explored different paths
- I experimented with screen UI
- I got curious and clicked on anything in the environment that looked “clickable”
- The game had useful tutorials that progressed logistically to help me figure out the game
- The game repeated instructions (in some places) if I need
- The game encouraged exploration in the open-world; trail and error
What about learning?
- I learned how the controls work
- How to fly and move
- How to interact with other characters
- Learning the objective of the game
- I didn’t do any tutorials or external help during my first play through
Does anything stand out as a ‘defining’ or ‘unique’ feature of the game?
- The game uses peaceful game play, art style, music
- There is emotional storytelling
- The game uses social cooperation to reach objectives
- Illuminated carvings on the walls
- Looks like a relatively simple game actually has a complex lore
- Love the hope of fulfilling your ultimate destiny & spiritual quest
When and how does the game invoke gender, class, race, violence in ways that might be problematic?
Sky promotes cooperation, kindness, and inclusivity so issues of gender, race, class, and violence are minimized.
Gender: The characters in “Sky” are ambiguous and intentionally designed without an obvious gender. The game wants the player to express themselves however they choose. Some of the hairstyles and clothing design could be interpreted as masculine or feminine which could perpetuate stereotypes. The hair and clothing options are limited at the beginning hours of the game, which restricts players’ ability to express themselves. However, these options may expand as players progress further in the game. Even when a game aims to be gender-neutral, however, players may still project real-world gender expectations onto the avatars, so maybe the game cannot truly escape gender norms.
Race: The characters in “Sky” are intentionally designed to not indicate a race. All characters have similar blank faces (just eyes), similar bodies, and different hairstyles. Having characters look similar hopefully reduces bias. There are potential issues including having a “colour-blind” design and potentially erasing cultural identity and not allowing for representation of diverse cultures and detaching them from their cultures.
Class: The game is free to play, but also has paid upgrades for players to unlock items so it could separate players who are able to spend more money on the game. The cosmetic economy and seasonal system subtly encourage spending, especially for players who want to fully participate in the social and expressive aspects of the game. There could be high pressure to spend money so that players can keep up with their friends or events. In a game where appearance and cosmetics matter, differences in what players can afford may create visible signs of class or economic inequality.
Violence: The game does not have direct combat, but there are moments with danger and scary looking creatures. The loss of light by some players could be distressing.
Note: Because players can chat with each other in the game, there is the potential for racial, sexist, violent, or other derogatory comments to occur.
Since the game tries to avoid problematic or stereotypical representations with gender-neutral characters and abstract elements. Real-world social dynamics (gender norms, economic status, culture, and play behaviour) can still be present within the game.
In summary, “Sky: Children of the Light” tries to create an inclusive, peaceful multiplayer world. The developers use gender-neural, culturally-agnostic, cooperative gameplay. This can still invoke issues of gender expression, inequality, racial invisibility, and symbolic forms of violence within the narrative and game mechanics.
c) Affective Notes
Playing and analyzing games are subjective activities — as you played, you were likely: engaged, irritated, startled, sympathetic, angry, bored, etc. Identify the affective responses you had while playing, and do your best to account for the in-game circumstances that gave rise to them (i.e. where, when, intensity, etc.) Don’t worry about being exhaustive, just mention what you think matters.
At the beginning of my gameplay, I had a mix of emotional responses. I felt in awe of this game. I was curious to continue to explore and figure out what the goal of the game was, while also enjoying exploring along the way. I felt a sense of calm, mystery, and wonder when I started the game and while exploring the environments. The soft music, bright colours, beautiful clouds and blue skies, and inviting landscapes created a positive, optimistic, and relaxing atmosphere while I was playing. I was curious and excited to play and discover new areas and learn the game. I did, however, sometimes feel confused or frustrated when the game didn’t clearly explain what I was supposed to do, or maybe it did and I just didn’t quite understand what it meant. I felt feelings of connection when I met other players and shared experiences of opening doors or holding hands and exploring the landscapes. The game created peaceful and curious feelings as I continued to explore. When I experienced moments of uncertainty, I became frustrated and was ready to stop playing. I took a break for a bit then returned to the game and played for another 2 hours. I felt more connected to the game when I learned it better. “Sky” took the beautiful elements of “Journey” and elevated it; the gameplay and the controls looked familiar but also more refined. I felt connected to the world as I became an active participant in the characters’ journeys as I relived their memories with them. I like that you can opt into the spirit of togetherness (holding hands, hugging, chatting on the benches) by playing with other characters, or you can choose to play alone. All of these affective responses were created through visuals, sound, and on-screen text, no spoken words.
Session Fieldnotes
At the end of your fieldnotes for session two, craft one or two sentences (no more) that, for you, summarize your experiences of learning this new game, and what specific elements/skills/etc., based on your experience of solo play, to be the most important in getting a ‘handle’ on the game. Include at least one image that demonstrated this/these crucial game elements/skills/characteristics.
The most important skill for understanding “Sky: Children of the Light” is learning how to navigate (walk and fly) through the environment as that is the main game mechanic for exploring new areas, finding spirits, and interacting with other players and characters. Specifically, pressing on your character in order to know which direction one needs to move to was most helpful to me as I navigated through the open-world.
Session 3: Video observation | 45 to 60 minutes
Watch an online video of your game, either via live-streaming (Twitch.tv) or conventional video (YouTube). Get a sense of how an expert plays that game: see how they understand and react to the game and how that differs from YOUR playthrough; see what it is like to watch the game not just as a viewer, but as a mass media spectator. Again, organize your account into three kinds of notes.
a) Descriptive Notes
Document what the player is doing, paying attention to, ignoring, prioritizing, but also what they are talking about (i.e. what they verbally frame as important during the playthrough). Make notes of what the player is paying attention to, prioritizing, and/or ignoring and if and how that is different from your play.
MadMorph - Game playing Sky: Children of the Light - Full Playthrough https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siaWtyP5Tlc&t=31s Starts from when your character wakes up on the platform (doesn’t show intro screens); wonders if it’s his character. Reads instructions aloud. Announces it feels “Journey-like” already within seconds of starting. Spins the character around, exclaims “woah” with a sense of wonder, “I’m in a new world!” he exclaims. Comments on the storm. Finds other portals and runs past. The character runs around a bit, explores what happens if he doesn’t go into the archway, runs through water, eventually goes through the archway and continues the game. When music starts playing, the streamer wonders if the game will have an amazing soundtrack like Journey. He wonders if he's in the tutorial area and if he’ll meet other characters soon. Wanders around, looks at gravesites/tombstones. Gets sidetracked about talking about the shows he’s watching. Slides on the sound - explains it’s his favourite thing from “Journey” Finds candles Reads on screen text: “The spirits of this realm have long awaited your arrival…” he comments, “as they should”. “...and your light” Says he's been waiting a year for the game to come to the Switch. Says “hmm, what’s this” as he lights a candle and explain, “Fire!” Reads on screen text: “With the star united, our light was infinite…and together, we lived in harmony” Continues running, lights candles, jokes, “Is it anyone’s birthday? Make a wish!” Reads on screen text (a tone of sarcasm): “As spirits, we soon became many..creating our home here in the clouds” “Heavenly!” Continues. Looks at emotes he doesn’t have yet Knees, does a little prairie, lights the candle, comments he likes the heart shaped. “Darkness came, and the stars fell, and with their light we faded away” Comments: “Lore being scrolled on the wall gives me Abzu-vibes” Plays with the controls - creates music, lights more candles “A long time has passed, now we call to you. Go forth, child, return our sprits to the stars” Continues following path, looks out on landscape “Draw near, so we may start you on your journey” (Repeats “Jouney” and comments that it looks like Jouney”), slides down the sand, skips, runs towards a character. Says, “Hello”, clicks on character and receives winged light that lets you fly higher. Press X to level up your wing. Comments he has a “poncho”, reads “At last, child, you are ready. Begin by answering the temple’s call”. Tries to add humour, “Yes father!” Plays around with wings and flying, continues on path. Figures out the stamina for flying. Looks around, continues, calls his light to see where he is supposed to go, runs over to candles to light them. Talks to people in his chat. Finds the "Sky" boats. Comments that this is his first time playing through. Denies request for the guide to find spirits. Reads on screen text about spirits. Reads: “Awaken their spirits to proceed”. States it reminds him of Static Nightmares 2”. Uses humor and says a character crouched on the ground has a stomach ache. Reads: “Follow the spirit and relive its memories”. Relives memories with a character. Finds another character. “Be free!” Relived memories with a character in a boat. Camera focus on Elder’s temple, pathway opens. Claims new ability - communicating with other players (hand signal, pointing) Comments - “No words, only movements” Learns how to consume energy and rise/fly. Encounters another character, levels up wings. Comments how gorgeous and stunning the temple is. Begins to fly, music intensifies. “You’re doing it, Peter! I’m off to Neverland” making reference to Peter Pan while flying. Wonders if he’s found other players, or just spirits. Says it’s “Half MMO”. Other character opens the door. Wonders if it’s the same musical composer as "Journey". Finds other characters to sit with, finds the elder. Jokes it’s an “old rock man”. Adds a personal story about how he was fascinated by canes when he was younger. Restore the alter’s light. Jokes he’s an alarm clock because he has to awaken the ancestor’s elders. Gives other character a candle. Becomes friends with other player, wonders what he unlocks. Says he doesn't want to be friends but wonders what it unlocks. “Am I meant to be doing this?” as he figures out how the friendship works. “O I don't have to be friends" “What did that mean?” “How do I do these things?” He flies away. Comments how characters can hold hands and how wholesome that is. Tries to fly, but wing icon is blinking. Gets to title screen. When wing energy is depleted, fly near clouds or creatures. Comments the game is free which he thought was “cool”. Wonders if there are paid cosmetics. Learns to toggle flight mode controls. Continues to fly around. “What’s this other mode” Talks about cosmetics being paid. Comments he doesn’t mind free to play as long as you can play for free, or buy stuff if you want to. Comments he likes his “goober” face. Continues to explore around. Talks to his chat. “Other elders wait in distant temples to be awakened” Arrives at new area with children. Comments how enjoys the view. Jokes how he’s “THE child of the light…the chosen one”. Talks to an adult-looking character. Expression is now Level 1. Finds the Outfit Shrine. States he will sink money into the game and buy all the clothes. Goes to each of the outfit stations, explores and tries to figure out how it works. Continues on to collect lights and candles. Character approaches him and he states that once you light someone's candle, you can now “see them as they are” since they go from ghostly/grey to coloured once you light their candle. Once you light them, you can see their cape, how many stars they have on their capes, and their outfits. Chases another character to “be my friend!”. Flies around, continues down cloud tunnel. “Magical”, “I LOVE how these clouds look, don’t they look amazing?! So fluffy!” Meets another character, lights their candle, called the characters a bunch of “pyromaniac children, a bunch of pyros aren't we?!” Realizes if he keeps friending people, he gets unlocks. Comments that they are in-game friends, not Switch console friends. Continues running. Wonders what the flashing cog up is. Changes his refresh rate. Plays with the controls / settings. Continues running. “Gorgeous!” Talks about his flying dreams he’s had. Becomes friends with more characters, wings leveled up to 3. Daylight Prairies: Ring the bell towers and reveal your path” Comments he likes games that “don’t hold your hand”; comments that he likes fighting out what to do. Talks to his viewers who donated to his stream. Talks to other character. Plays with gestures. Figures out how to close his screen. Characters are around him, jokingly calls them “show offs” as they demonstrate their emotes. Realizes game leads you to players who need help, or you can help others. Finds Plant a message for other players to read. Types a message “hi i hope you are happy”. Reads other peoples’ messages, unlocks a new friendship ability. Most messages are written in Japanese. Wonders if his message is translated as well. Finds skyrays (like sting rays flying through the clouds). Comments how it’s “un-Nintendo” to write any message you want within the game. A viewer commented that there is a built-in translate is being built in game. Comments that it’s cool there are messages but he can’t read the languages they are written in. Back to the "Sky" creature … he flies through the air to the next area. Wonders if he missed some spirits. Finds a character and levels up wings to 5. Continues to explore and collect light. Finds a shine, lights candles, instructions say to find 5 more to level up wings. “I don’t really know what’s happening but I’m enthralled either way”. Finds a spirit and relives memories. Lights candles of more characters, makes more friends. Figures out he can give friends a nickname. Names his friend “jim”. Unlocks a high five emote. “Am I unlocking this for them or for me?” Unlocks a hug. He’s excited about the new emotes. Hugs a character with a cool mask. Comments that it’s “Very cute”. Onwards. Comments how he’s still in Peter Pan mode. Talks to chat in the comments. Continues to figure out friendship emotes. Finds 2 friends to explore with. Holding hands, calls himself a bunch of “noobs” making their way in the world. Forge a light tribute. “So Wholesome”Comments how he's glad he waited to play on Switch vs mobile. Wonders if the game is cross platform or just Switch players. Plays with the controls, yawns. Wonders where his new friend went? Finds more candles. Runs with their friend, flies. Levels up their wings. Lands in new area. Renames friend as “Beaky”. Reads instructions: “You may chat with another player who sits with you until the candle runs out. Jokes, “Is this a speed date?!” Reads through friendship tips. Talks to comments in his chat. Figures out how to spend his points, and that he can buy some things. Continues running with his friend “Beaky” into the temple. Unsure if he’s run out of the temple, realizes he's in a new area. Talks to comments in chat again. Looks at beautiful view, and continues. Realizes he’s in the same place and he’s gone in and out. Wonders where the characters went. Talks to comments again, states he appreciates the support. Continues exploring. Gets back to the temple. Meets new friends who are smaller than what he’s encountered before. Comments they look like “Elvis” and “Las Vegas” in their funky capes. “So I think I’m giving them some light to help them but it also helps me”. Figures out what character is offering. Accepts hug. Jokingly renames one “Lil Elvis” and one “Friend of Elvis”. They all hold hands and adventure off together. They find a spirit. Lil Elvis and Friend of Elvis are directing the flight. Go into the temple together. Talks to people in chat. Calls it “Friendship, the game”. Explores into a dark cave. Lights candles. Lil Elvis plays their keyboard. Comments it feels like he’s brought his little sister around. They go to the shrine. They awaken an massive elder. A butterfly flies from its palm. He is holding a large jug. The butterfly enters. The camera pans to the "Sky" and a constellation appears. Daylight Prairie - 2 sprits of 8 have been found. Game play instructions appear on screen “Game play tips”. Found “Slumbering Shipwright” who taught him how to yawn. And found a the “Laughing Light Catcher” who taught them how to laugh. “I love this so far!” MadMorph humorously thanks Lil Elvis. Reads: “Unlock all rewards and receive the ultimate gift” Realizes that there's some customization and wonders if it can make you shorter. “Is it the mask that makes you shorter?” Character has entered a new place. Different music is heard. He realizes he's back at the Outfit Shrine. Ask if everyone starts with the same mask. “Something new in here”, he continues to explore around, make new friends, gives new candles. Likens it to trick or treating. Flies around with Lil Elvis again and continues.
b) Analytic Notes
Review your descriptive notes and consider the problems the player encountered and the strategies/solutions that they enacted. Furthermore, consider how the player navigated/commented on issues/structures of race, gender, class, and violence. What did you notice about the game when you watched, as opposed to when you played? Hold off on making any big conclusions for now.
The challenges the streamer MadMorph encountered were very similar to those I experienced while playing “Sky”. MadMorph spent time learning the controls, figuring out what they were supposed to do next, exploring the environment, and understanding the purpose of candles, how to make friends, and where to go next. There were no comments about violence, in fact, the opposite was emphasized. The streamer described “Sky” as a wholesome game because players can make friends, hold hands, hug, and high-five other characters, as well as leave uplifting notes, chat on benches with other players, or help struggling players. MadMorph often asked rhetorical questions such as, “Am I meant to be doing this?”, or “What does that mean?” The most relatable thing he said was, “I don’t really know what’s happening but I’m enthralled either way.” This is how I felt working through the gameplay for the first time so it was helpful to know I wasn’t the only one who felt this way. He often asked rhetorical questions and moved on to the next exploration task without finding the answer to his questions which also made me feel less alone not figuring everything out on the first playthrough.
MadMorph referred to other characters using gender-neutral pronouns and lightheartedly renamed friends “jim,” “Beaky,” “Lil Elvis,” and “Friend of Elvis.” Race and class were not discussed directly. However, class was indirectly referenced when the streamer talked about the game’s free-to-play model while also mentioning that he would likely spend money on cosmetic items. He was playing on a Nintendo Switch, which must be purchased in order to access the version of the game that he was playing. Race was not explicitly mentioned, but he did note that he could not read some notes left by other players because they were written in languages other than English.
c) Affective Notes
What affective responses did you observe the player having while playing?
MadMorph showed a range of emotional responses when playing the game, including curiosity, excitement, and amusement. At the beginning of his stream, he expressed wonder and excitement as he explored the world and learned the game. He spun his character around and exclaimed he was, “in a new world,” while also commenting on the beauty of the environment and music. As he experimented with controls and mechanics, he showed curiosity and mild confusion, asking questions about how features such as candles, flying, and friendships worked. He frequently used humour and playful comments, such as joking about being “the chosen one” or calling his group of players as “noobs,” which suggested he was enjoying the experience. MadMorph’s tone of voice was light and calm. Overall, his reactions became increasingly positive as he progressed, often describing the game as “gorgeous”, “magical”, and “wholesome,” especially when interacting with other players and unlocking new abilities.
What evidence did you have of their affective response/s?
Evidence of MadMorph’s affective responses came from his verbal reactions, humour, and the way he interacted with the game world. For example, he expressed excitement and wonder by exclaiming “woah” and “I’m in a new world!” while spinning his character around and later describing the environments as “gorgeous,” “magical,” and “so fluffy.” His curiosity and confusion were evident when he repeatedly asked questions about the game mechanics, such as how friendship systems worked, what candles were for, and whether he was interacting with real players or spirits. He also used humour and playful commentary as he was joking about being “the chosen one,” calling players “pyromaniac children,” and renaming other players “jim,” “Beaky,” “Lil Elvis,” and “Friend of Elvis.” These comments, along with his enthusiasm when unlocking emotes like hugs and high-fives, demonstrate that he was engaged, amused, and increasingly enthusiastic as he progressed through the game.
What did they choose to focus on?
MadMorph chose to focus primarily on exploration, the game’s mechanics, and social interactions with other players. Much of his attention was spent exploring the environment, experimenting with the controls, and figuring out how features such as flying, candles, and spirits worked. He also focused heavily on the game’s friendship system, spending time lighting other players’ candles, forming in-game friendships, giving them nicknames, and interacting through gestures like hugs, high-fives, and holding hands. The player appeared particularly interested in how friendship unlocked new abilities and social features, often asking questions about what each interaction would unlock. Overall, his focus centred on discovering how the world worked and building friendly connections with other players within the game.
How were they different from responses and focus/foci you had?
My responses and focus were somewhat different than MadMorph’s. He focused on social interactions and building friendships with other players, while I spent a lot of time trying to understand the game, paying attention to the environment, narrative elements, learning basic mechanics, and figuring out what the goal of the game was. MadMorph actively sought out other players, lighting their candles, giving them nicknames, and experimenting with friendship emotes like high-fives and hugs. He even jokingly renamed “Sky” as “Friendship, The Game.”
Pay specific attention to instances where you were surprised by something the player said or did. And if possible, reflect on how affective responses impacted the ‘learning’ or ‘engagement’ you think can be recognized and documented from this observed play session.
I think MadMorph was a lot more playful and exploratory than I was. If I were to play the game again, I would approach it with the same playfulness that he did in hope that I wouldn’t find myself frustrated when I encountered gameplay I didn’t know how to get through.
Session Fieldnotes
At the end of your fieldnotes for session three, craft one or two sentences (no more) that, for you, summarize your observations of a more skilled player playing this game. Include one image that supports your conclusions.
It was interesting and reassuring to watch a more skilled player confidently navigate the game mechanics while focusing heavily on social interaction, forming friendships, and using candles and emotes to communicate with other players. MadMorph’s humour, enthusiasm, and curiosity seemed to foster a deeper engagement with the game world, in contrast to my own experience where I was more focused on figuring out the objectives, moving quickly from one task to the next, and doing the “right thing”.
The Bridge / Case Study for “Sky: Children of the Light”
The final “bridge” is to put all that together in an analytical and summative “case study” of the game that should be no more than 1000 words. Make sure you make careful and direct connections to the course readings where possible and relevant.
The game “Sky: Children of the Light” is a social massively multiplayer online (MMO) adventure game developed by Thatgamecompany. It was released in 2019, initially on iOS, then subsequently released on Android, then Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, and Microsoft Windows (Sky: Children of the Light, 2026). “Sky” can be analyzed as a game system that teaches players how to participate in its open-world through exploration, social interaction, and the learning of its game mechanics. Game designer Sid Meier famously described that games can be understood as “a series of interesting choices” (Egenfeldt-Nielsen, Smith, & Tosca, 2020), and “Sky” is a great example of this analysis. Players are presented with choices in the game that shape their unique experience within the game world. While the overarching progression of the game follows a similar path toward the ending of the game, players have significant choices in how they navigate their own journey. For instance, players may choose to progress through the game focused on completion, or can engage more deeply with its social and exploratory elements. These options include exploring different areas, forming friendships with other players, completing quests, collaborating to build “shared spaces”, teleporting between areas, customizing their character’s appearance, undertaking spirit quests, or participating in limited-time seasonal events. Through these choices, “Sky” encourages players to construct their own unique gameplay experiences while learning the systems, rules, and social norms that structure the game world.
Across my solo gaming session on my iPad and my observation of another player named MadMorph (2021) on YouTube, it became clear that the game relies on a cycle in which the game presents information, the player interprets it, and then acts within the environment. As Gee & Gee (2017) describes it, the game world “talks back” as I interact with the game, the game responds, and in turn I learn what to do (or not to do). This iterative process aligns with Jesper Juul’s (Egenfeldt-Nielsen, Smith, & Tosca, 2020) classic game model, that describes games as rule-based systems in which players engage with challenges and receive feedback through the game’s outcomes. In “Sky”, players learn how to move, fly, collect candles, free spirits, and interact with other players through experimentation and feedback. For example, both my playthrough and MadMorph’s (2021) stream involved trial and error when learning mechanics such as flight stamina, lighting candles, or forming friendships with other characters. These moments illustrate how the game provides structured systems while allowing players freedom in how they approach them.
The experience of playing “Sky” can be understood through Johan Huizinga’s concept of “the magic circle” (Egenfeldt-Nielsen, Smith, & Tosca, 2020). Huizinga describes games as spaces separate from everyday life where players temporarily enter a world governed by its own rules and meanings. “Sky” establishes this kind of space through its aesthetic design and narrative framing. The game’s soft music, dreamy landscapes, and symbolic storytelling invite players to enter a peaceful world centred on cooperation and restoring light in the world. Within this “magic circle”, typical competitive or violent mechanics are absent. Instead players interact through gestures such as holding hands, hugging, high-fiving, or offering candles. These mechanics reinforce the game’s emphasis on kindness and shared exploration, creating a social environment that encourages cooperation rather than competition. My own experience, as well as the observed play session, demonstrated how quickly players begin to adopt the norms and expectations of the game once they enter its world. In many ways, the experience felt like entering Huizinga’s “magic circle,” as I became deeply immersed in the game’s sense of wonder and exploration. However, like many other scholars such as Mia Consalvo and Edward Castronova believe that games can never be completely separate from the real world (Egenfeldt-Nielsen, Smith, & Tosca, 2020). Even while immersed in play, I remained aware that my everyday responsibilities continued to exist outside the game and would resume once the play session ended.
James Paul Gee’s (2008) work on learning in games also helps explain how “Sky” engages players. Gee (2008) argues that good games function as learning systems by encouraging players to experiment, take risks, and gradually build competence through participation. Rather than explaining everything explicitly, “Sky” allows players to discover mechanics through exploration and interaction with the environment. During my play session, I learned to navigate the world, free spirits, and interact with other players primarily through experimentation and subtle in-game cues. Similarly, MadMorph frequently asked questions, tested mechanics, and discovered new abilities while playing. His curiosity and playful experimentation demonstrated what Gee (2008) describes as “learning engines” and learning through active problem solving, where players develop understanding by trying actions and observing the results. The affective responses observed in both my play session and MadMorph’s session, including curiosity, wonder, and enjoyment, appeared to support this learning process. Positive emotions encouraged continued exploration even when the objectives were unclear. MadMorph’s (2021) humour and enthusiasm, for example, kept him engaged even when he admitted he did not fully understand what was happening. In this way, “Sky” illustrates how emotional engagement and social interaction can reinforce learning within a game system. Instructions for the game are not obvious at times so I also had to explore with a sense of wonder and playfulness while being absorbed to figure out the game, reiterating Gee’s (2008, p. 229) argument that video games are “highly engaging problem-solving spaces” that encourage learning and mastery through play.
Taken together, “Sky” operates as a case study of how games create meaningful experiences through a combination of structured rules, immersive worlds, and experiential learning. Through Huizinga’s “magic circle”, the rule-based structure described by Juul, and the learning principles identified by Gee, the game invites players to gradually learn its systems while participating in a cooperative and emotionally engaging virtual world (Egenfeldt-Nielsen, Smith, & Tosca, 2020; Gee, 2008). In conclusion, “Sky: Children of the Light” demonstrates how video games can function as entertainment, play, and systems of learning with social interactions. By combining player choice, experiential learning, and immersive gameplay, “Sky” illustrates how players come to understand and participate in complex game systems through exploration, feedback, and collaborative play.
It’s hard to describe just how magical, beautiful, and engaging Sky is so I included the first 15 min of my game play to illustrate its beauty. It was captured via screen recording on my iPad.
Extra screenshots from my game play session
References
Gee, E., & Gee, J. P. (2017). Games as distributed teaching and learning systems. Teachers College Record, 119(11). https://doi.org/10.1177/016146811711901202
Gee, J. P. (2008). Cats and portals: Video games, learning, and play. American Journal of Play, 1(2), 229. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1068967
Egenfeldt-Nielsen, S., Smith, J. H., & Tosca, S. P. (2020). What is a game? In Understanding video games: The essential introduction. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429431791
MadMorph. (July 6, 2021). First time playing Sky: Children of the Light – Full Playthrough (best free game ever) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siaWtyP5Tlc&t=31s
OpenAI. (2026). ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com
Sky: Children of the Light. (March 4, 2020). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky:_Children_of_the_Light
AI Disclaimer: ChatGPT was used for the bridge portion of this project. I used it to assist with text refinement, grammar, reducing word count, and increasing overall clarity. All ideas, analysis, conclusions, and final edits are my own.