Time Slicing is a concept used in computer programming to describe how a computer processes large amounts of information. Computers are incapable of true “multitasking,” doing two processes at once. Instead, computers divide their attention to different tasks in small, compartmentalized portions. I like to use this phrase to describe gamer thinking process over multitasking because playing a game requires to make rapid decisions in a prioritized order.
Often gamers are described as having poor attention spans, with observers claiming that they are unable to do one thing at a time. In order to understand the type and speed of information a gamer deals with, I suggest you watch this clip below from “Mass Effect 2.”
Fair warning: there is some science fiction, goreless violence. This is an Action-RPG, which uses both First Person Shooter aspects as well as traditional RPG aspects, combined into story.
Pay attention to clip from 0:34 to 0:54.
Now that you've seen the clip, these are the decisions the player is making from the beginning of that segment to the end:
Initial Readout: The player is always aware of several indicators. The lower left shows which weapon the player is using and how much ammo it has left. The center bar indicates the player's own health (which is divided into base health and shields) and the condition of the two allied characters that fight along side him. The player is aware that a larger robot enemy is coming and that he will have to make adjustments to his play style in order to defeat it quickly.
Power Wheel: After the player takes the decision to take cover, a wheel is brought up. This is the individual ability wheel that the player and his two ally characters can utilize in combat. Gameplay freezes while this choice is being made. The player knows that the robot enemy has a certain set of weaknesses and strengths based on the fact it is a robot, and selects the abilities that will maximize damage when he begins his attack.
Two White Triangles: The player then places to, white pyramid-triangles on the screen. That is him ordering the two ally characters to take flanking positions where he indicated.
Combat: The player then engages the robot. There is now a meter at the top of the screen that shows the robot's condition. Heavy armor robots like this have three layers of health: shields, armor, then base health. The player has to monitor the condition of himself and the two allied characters while he's in the open and attacking the robot, making sure they're dealing damage faster than they're taking it.
Cover: The player takes cover as his ammunition runs out. The player will still be monitoring the health and condition of the allied characters and the enemy, because reloading is an automated process and requires no concentration.
Combat: The player waits for the robot to start attacking his ally, then rises from cover to finish the robot off.
Broken down into their base components, the list of variables is:
Weapon Type, Ammo, Health, Shields, Ally 1 Health, Ally 1 Shields, Ally 2 Health, Ally 2 Shields, Robot, Cover, 11 power selections (there are 11 options total), Robot strength/weakness, Ally position 1, Ally position 2, Robot health/armor/shields, the act of aiming and firing, monitoring conditions, cover, reload, monitoring, waiting for Robot to attack, re-engaging, aiming and firing.
That's 33 variables and decisions in 20 seconds or 1.65 decisions/variables a second.
I've played this game, and to be honest, that's not even a hard battle.
There are background thought processes that occur while these immediate decisions are being made. The player will check for additional enemies (did you notice that there were other baddies coming along with the robot, just behind it and to the sides?) and worried about the condition of the objectives (in this case, protecting a particular individual.) The player also has to make choices on which weapon to use and how to conserve ammunition, and whether or not they should be using certain abilities/powers. Those have a rechage rate, and it would be foolish to use them on enemies that didn't require them and then not have them when a more dangerous enemy appeared. Decisions have to be made with future possibilities and priorities in mind.
When gamer attention span is discussed, I usually hear non-gamers complain that gamers cannot “focus on one task.” But in my opinion, nothing we do in life is one task. When we read, we are not simply decoding the words. We are comparing meaning, making predictions, studying spelling and structure, making parallels and connections to our own thoughts or other works we've read or seen. We make the same number of decisions, if not more. Gamers should be among the best readers, if we push them to use the their full capacity.
Of course, each of the above variables and decisions were scaffolded in throughout the gameplay. One concept at a time was introduced to the player, then set them into a battle setting where that skill had to be practiced. Once the skill was used enough times, a new one was introduced and situations using both skills were then given to the player to use and master.
Sounds a lot like teaching, doesn't it?
