Experience Points

Dave Eng, EdD

Welcome to Experience Points by University XP hosted by Dr. Dave Eng. On Experience Points we explore different ways we can learn from games. Find out more at www.universityxp.com I hope you find this show useful. If you’d like to learn more about games-based learning then a great place to start is my blog at universityxp.com/blog. University XP is also on Twitter @University_XP and on Facebook as University XP. Feel free to email me anytime at dave@universityxp.com Game on!

  1. -1 j

    Sebastian Bae on Littoral Commander

    Sebastian Bae on Littoral Commander This episode of Experience Points features Sebastian Bae, a senior game designer at the Center for Naval Analyses and designer of Littoral Commander: Indo-Pacific, an educational wargame exploring future tactical conflict in the Indo-Pacific. Sebastian shares his meandering path from the Marine Corps infantry to professional wargame design, and how his enlisted background shaped his drive to push games down to the lowest tactical level. He explains the core tension of educational game design: keeping a game accurate and realistic enough that players trust the model, while still making it approachable, teachable, and usable. Sebastian describes how a scalable card-driven system and terrain research conducted in ArcGIS made a complex subject playable, why the game deliberately avoids prescribing “right answers,” and how commands and classrooms have adapted the game for their own needs. He closes with two lessons for educators using games to teach serious topics: have a clear, defined vision of what you are teaching and to whom and build the back-end infrastructure - especially the discussion after the game - where learning synthesizes and crystallizes for players. If you liked this episode please consider commenting, sharing, and subscribing. Subscribing is absolutely free and ensures that you’ll get the next episode of Experience Points delivered directly to you. I’d also love it if you took some time to rate the show! I live to lift others with learning.  So, if you found this episode useful, consider sharing it with someone who could benefit. Also make sure to visit University XP online at www.universityxp.com University XP is also on Twitter @University_XP and on Facebook and LinkedIn as University XP Also, feel free to email me anytime at dave@universityxp.com Game on! Get the full transcript and references for this episode here: https://www.universityxp.com/podcast/172 Support the show

  2. 9 août

    AP Table Talk: Variable Setup

    AP Table Talk: Variable Setup In this episode of AP Table Talk, Brian and Dave dig into the variable setup mechanic, where the starting game state changes from play to play through randomized boards, player setups, resources, and objectives. From foundational classics like Risk, Catan, and Dominion to favorites like Istanbul, Hey, That's My Fish!, Waddle, Inis, and Sagrada, they debate where the boundary of the mechanic really lies - whether shuffled markets, randomized roles, and end game bonuses truly count - and explore how variable setup supports replayability, fresh puzzles, and balance between new and experienced players. Along the way, they cover the challenges of teaching highly variable games, front-loaded cognitive load in opening turns, variance that can feel empty in games like Wingspan, and bonus stories about Maatatahay, The Quest for El Dorado, Sungka, and Chess960. If you liked this episode please consider commenting, sharing, and subscribing. Subscribing is absolutely free and ensures that you’ll get the next episode delivered directly to you. We’d also love it if you took some time to rate the show! We live to lift others with learning.  So, if you found this episode useful, consider sharing it with someone who could benefit. Also make sure to visit University XP online at www.universityxp.comUniversity XP is also on Twitter @University_XP and on Facebook and LinkedIn as University XP. Get the full transcript and references for this episode here: https://www.universityxp.com/podcast/170 Support the show

    AP Table Talk: Variable Setup
  3. 12 juil.

    Gijs van Bilsen on Live Action Learning and LARPs

    Gijs van Bilsen on Live Action Learning and LARPs This episode of Experience Points features Gijs van Bilsen, founder of the Live Action Learning Institute, who shares how live-action role-playing (LARP) can transform imagination into a powerful tool for personal and professional growth. Gijs explains how stepping into fictional but recognizable scenarios allows people to safely practice skills like leadership, spontaneity, and confidence. Drawing on examples from corporate trainings and his own life, he introduces the Think, Shape, Feel, Do framework; a method for summoning the version of yourself you most want to embody. Gijs also unpacks the concept of "bleed," where qualities from a played character spill into everyday behavior, offering lasting change. Through practical demonstration and storytelling, he invites listeners to see imagination not as a gift, but as a skill that sparks curiosity, deepens empathy, and drives real-world transformation. If you liked this episode please consider commenting, sharing, and subscribing. Subscribing is absolutely free and ensures that you’ll get the next episode of Experience Points delivered directly to you. I’d also love it if you took some time to rate the show! I live to lift others with learning.  So, if you found this episode useful, consider sharing it with someone who could benefit. Also make sure to visit University XP online at www.universityxp.com University XP is also on Twitter @University_XP and on Facebook and LinkedIn as University XP Also, feel free to email me anytime at dave@universityxp.com Game on! Get the full transcript and references for this episode here: https://www.universityxp.com/podcast/168 Support the show

  4. 28 juin

    AP Table Talk: Tug of War

    AP Table Talk: Tug of War In this episode of AP Table Talk, Brian and Dave dig into the tug-of-war mechanic, where a shared marker moves back and forth along a track toward opposing ends, creating a zero-sum struggle in which one player's gain is the other's loss. From minimalist gems like Hanamikoji to heavyweight political thrillers like Twilight Struggle and Watergate, to modern two-player favorites like 7 Wonders Duel, King of Tokyo: Duel, Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game, Blitzkrieg!: World War Two in 20 Minutes, and Zenith, they unpack how the mechanic delivers immediate clarity of game state, mounting tension, and built-in take-that dynamics. Along the way, they explore tug-of-war's thematic strength in conflict and rivalry, its struggles with multiplayer scalability, the risk of zero-sum fatigue, and why it works best as a clean base that needs additional mechanics layered on top to truly shine. If you liked this episode please consider commenting, sharing, and subscribing. Subscribing is absolutely free and ensures that you’ll get the next episode delivered directly to you. We’d also love it if you took some time to rate the show! We live to lift others with learning.  So, if you found this episode useful, consider sharing it with someone who could benefit. Also make sure to visit University XP online at www.universityxp.comUniversity XP is also on Twitter @University_XP and on Facebook and LinkedIn as University XP. Get the full transcript and references for this episode here: https://www.universityxp.com/podcast/167 Support the show

    AP Table Talk: Tug of War

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À propos

Welcome to Experience Points by University XP hosted by Dr. Dave Eng. On Experience Points we explore different ways we can learn from games. Find out more at www.universityxp.com I hope you find this show useful. If you’d like to learn more about games-based learning then a great place to start is my blog at universityxp.com/blog. University XP is also on Twitter @University_XP and on Facebook as University XP. Feel free to email me anytime at dave@universityxp.com Game on!