Analysis of Strategy Games and Role Playing Games

Title: Bow Street Runner

General Information
The setting of Bow Street Runner is in London’s Covent Garden in the 1750s, depicting life on the streets of Covent Garden before there were organized police forces. The Bow Street Runners were created by local magistrates to conduct law and order in an area of high crime. Game players simulate the lives led by the inhabitants of London at this time and are exposed to many scenes that may not be suitable for certain age groups.

Game play begins with background knowledge of how the Bow Street Runners were established. Then, there is the first murder. Players are given on scene information and information prior to the murder, but the players are expected to snoop around to find evidence that will help present a case to the magistrate for judgement.

As players advance through the game, they are collecting evidence to keep in a journal, solving puzzles, and conducting interviews all to help prove who committed the crimes. As players solve and collect evidence, their esteem level increases which raise their ranking as a runner. When all evidence has been collected, runners report to the magistrate for some tough questions about the crimes. Players interactively present evidence. Chances are given to reconsider evidence if the wrong source is provided. If the evidence is correct, further questions will be asked of the runner. If all questions are answered correctly, a warrant will be issued for the arrest of the murder.

Analysis Based on Flow Theory

• Task that the learners can complete- The task is to collect evidence that will provide answers to who conducted the crime. During each scene, players explore the crime area. Players explore as they would in real life to find clues to help solve the mystery. After they collect enough evidence, a folder appears to show the players they are ready to move on to the next task moving the player closer to solving the murder mystery.

• Ability to concentrate on task- The simulation of this game is very interesting; it almost makes you feel as though you are actually there. The people are life-like and the conversations that are had by the virtual characters are based on what questions you ask or evidence you present. The game is conducted in a way that makes you feel as though you are a part of it. Players continue to want to concentrate on the task, as there are game changing elements in each scene. Players are conducting the investigation and it is exciting to locate key parts of the evidence.

• Task has clear goals- The game task is very clear throughout game play. Runners are to collect and provide evidence to the magistrate to convict the killer. Challenges arise that runners have to face changing the course of game play, but ultimately directing the runner toward the same goal of solving the crimes.

• Task provides immediate feedback- During each scene players communicate through interaction with the characters by choosing preselected questions. Players explore the scenes at their own pace, by clicking on the evidence providing players with immediate information about the object or clue found. The scene doesn’t end until all major clues have been found and the “move on” folder appears. There are no hints, so players must explore every inch of the screen with the mouse.

Some scenes provide interactive tasks to be completed, but there are no directions just visuals of a dot following a line indicating to players to move the mouse in that direction. In one scene, there was a wooden board with nails; a hand appeared that allowed a player to pull the nails up, but not out of the board. In this scene there were no directions, I just kept pulling the nails, but nothing was happening. I became a little frustrated and could never figure out what pattern the computer wanted me to take. Eventually I completed the task after continuous pulling of the nails, but still the process was never explained.

• Deep but effortless involvement- Movement through the game is for the most part effortless, as players explore by moving the mouse around the screen looking for a magnifying glass, communication bubble, or information symbol to help them find clues. The comprehension of knowledge that the player gains by understanding and remembering important facts helps the game to develop deeper. The game advances as an interactive story, and keeps a journal of each point of importance for the player to refer back to. Scenarios are not far from real world experiences that detectives or forensic scientists would experience

• Exercising a sense of control over their actions- Players are able to move through scenes at their own pace looking for evidence and choosing clues as they find them. The game does not advance unless all the clues are found. The players can click on a set of predetermined questions in any order as they interview characters. Finding clues and interviewing characters sets the tone for the path of play, but mostly is determined when players meet the magistrate. He decides whether or not a player will continue on in the game, based on the evidence that the player provides to solve the crime.

During a couple of different scenes, there are ways to help endangered witnesses. In one scenario, players help a woman needing stitches during timed play. In the second scenario, players are listening to conversations through a door. Players are provided opportunities to break down a door saving a man from a dangerous struggle.

In both scenarios, directions are not clear, but the feeling of needing to complete the task is crucial. As a player, I worked quickly to save the woman, but did not succeed. In the case of the struggling man, I listened to the conversation, but could never figure out how to bust down the door. I felt in control of my actions because the sense of panic was high.

• Concern for self disappears during flow-This game does not provide direct action contact with other characters, only in the sense of conversations, or “after the fact” scenarios. The flow of the game is constant as the players look for evidence. I never felt in fear that I would be harmed in the game world. I only became concerned when I had to see the magistrate. I was almost like the feeling of going to the principal’s office. I wanted to make sure that I had my facts in order.

• Sense of duration of time is altered- The sense of time, to me was a feeling of elapsed time. The storyline advances the runners to areas of crime or areas with possible clues very quickly using a map and providing more background information as the players move from one scene to another. Moving from scene to scene is like the narration of a play. Players could definitely play for hours, pausing game play as needed. The excitement of finding clues and advancing to the next level allows players to get lost in the game and lose track of time.