Critical Review of Dreamscapes

⮚ Summary of game design

Dreamscape is an adventure-strategy game targeting children currently learning English
Language Arts (ELA) for Grades 2-8 (VanderBorght, 2020). According to its creators, this game
is a “game-based reading program” that uses the concept of "real-time strategy" (RTS), a
subgenre of strategy games, as its main backdrop (About Dreamscape | The Game-Based
Reading Program, n.d.; VanderBorght, 2020). In this game, Dream Seekers (players) are tasked
to build their dwells (base), train their reveries (defenders), protect their dwells from the
plundering reveries (for single player mode), battle against other people's dwells (for multiplayer
mode), and collect as many shards (player level currency) as they can to reach the top of the
leaderboards (Kyle, 2020). But in order to do all of this, they must constantly answer questions
testing their reading comprehension skills to "move time" and reach the next level. By the end of
the game, the player should be able to:

● Recognize the sound of the words used in the selection;

● Identify and summarize the general story of each level;
● Use familiar, grade-level words in answering a question or completing a sentence;
● Develop the range of their vocabulary.

⮚ Criticism of Theoretical Perspective

From a theoretical perspective, it is evident that Dreamscape utilizes the principles of
behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism in order to facilitate learning. The game rewards
correct answers with harvests and upgrades (positive reinforcement) (Kyle, 2020). The
questions given, even on its easiest level, were made under the assumption that the target
players are already capable of being logical and understanding abstract concepts (stage of
theory of development) (Cherry, 2022). The game also offers a wide range of freedom, allowing
players to pursue or ignore game elements depending on their personal goals so long as they
answer questions along the way (discovery learning) (Mirzoyan, 2021). These procedures were
done to ensure that players achieve the learning objectives.

But there is one striking weakness in this game design—the reading comprehension questions,
the only bridge connecting Dreamscape from its learning objectives, is simply just a means to
an end, and even though it was designed to be as important as the outcome, its lack of
aesthetic appeal in contrast to the game world really stands out during play testing. Its risks of
being less prioritized by players in the long run in pursuit of other game elements, like
multiplayer battles, is highly likely (VanderBorght, 2020). Its dependency on the principle of
positive reinforcement to guarantee that players will keep answering questions is too
conservative, especially because criticisms on behaviorism is centered on its inability to
consider types of learning that require no reinforcement and understand that learners have
agency (Cherry, 2022).
⮚ Implications for Target Audience Learning
Overall, Dreamscape is a game that relies on the level of interest that players have in order to
facilitate learning. Players that play RTS games before playing Dreamscape adjust to its game
design immediately, but players new to it usually have a harder time (VanderBorght, 2020).
However, such familiarity is just a sign of a good start, and still doesn't guarantee that players
learn. Everything that concerns learning boils down to the game design of the questions, which
for the most part, is aligned with the LOs.

Figure 1. Screenshot of questions at Dreamscape

But ironically, the drawback of the game design is reflective of the theory it utilized, and that is
its inability to consider the players' agency. For instance, making the "read aloud" mode a mere
option in the game can encourage players to ignore it completely, and in turn fail to achieve the
first LO. On the other hand, if players only see these questions as means to earn money and
level up their dwells and reveries for battle, fulfilling the last LO would be harder in the long run.
None of these risks would be so daunting if the questions weren't the only section responsible
for accomplishing the LOs, but alas, in a row of intricately designed baskets, all the eggs are
placed in the plainest of them all.

⮚ Suggestions for Improvement

In lieu of these drawbacks, the rationale of my suggestions is simple—divide the weight of the
responsibility brought by the learning objectives throughout the rest of the game design. Keep
the "read aloud" mode an option for all questions, but provide unskippable audio clips for the
storyline-centered questions in the single player challenges. This is because the age range of
the target audience is at a phase where reading while listening effectively enhances their
reading fluency (Friedland et al., 2017). Lastly, create optional mini games centered on reading
comprehension and interchange it with in-game currency when it comes to training reveries or
improving dwells. This is inspired by the principle of discovery learning that Dreamscape is
already using, and operates under the assumption that players, whether it's required or not, will
learn so long as the opportunities for learning are adequately dispersed and ready to be probed
by the players at any point in time (Mirzoyan, 2021).
 References

About Dreamscape | The Game-Based Reading Program. (n.d.). Dreamscape.

https://www.playdreamscape.com/about-the-game/
Cherry, K. (2022, November 2). Jean Piaget: Life and Theory of Cognitive Development.
Verywell Mind.
https://www.verywellmind.com/jean-piaget-biography-1896-1980-2795549#toc-piagets-c
areer-and-theories
Cherry, K. (2022, November 7). Behaviorism: Definition, History, Concepts, and Impact. Verywell
Mind.
https://www.verywellmind.com/behavioral-psychology-4157183#toc-criticisms-of-behavio
rism
Friedland, A., Gilman, M., Jonson, M., & Demeke, A. (2017). Does Reading-While-Listening
Enhance Students' Reading Fluency? Preliminary Results from School Experiments in
Rural Uganda. Journal of Education and Practice, 8(7), 82-95.
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1137555.pdf
Kyle. (2020, June 15). What is Dreamscape? Dreamscape.
https://www.playdreamscape.com/what-is-dreamscape-2/
Mirzoyan, V. (2021). Discovery-based learning: Definition, principles, and techniques. UTeach.
https://uteach.io/articles/discovery-based-learning-definition-principles-and-techniques
VanderBorght, M. (2020, April). SP: Dreamscape Review for Teachers | Common Sense
Education. Common Sense Media.
https://www.commonsense.org/education/reviews/sp-dreamscape