The Last Bastion PDF

A Seniors Creative Project Submitted by JOSE MIGUEL B.
MARBELLA BFA Information Design Batch 2013 Ateneo de Manila University
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S I. IN TRODUC T ION . . . . II. PROBLEM . . . . . . . . . III. AU DI ENCE . . . . . . . IV . S OLU T ION . . . . . . . . V . PHI L O S OPH Y . . . . . . V I. A E S T H ET ICS . . . . . . V II. METHODOLOGY . . . V III . DE S IGN PRO CE S S & OU TPU TS . . . . . . . . . IX. COMPA RAT I VE S TU DY . . . . . . . . . . . . X. S C OPE & LI MITAT IONS XI. EVA LUATION & F U TU R E PLANS . . . . XII. BI BLIO GRAPH Y
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I.
The Last Bastion is a game prototype where students will find for themselves missing historical facts necessary to change their current knowledge and interpretation of the Japanese invasion of the Philippines during World War II.
INTRO DUCTION
I . I N T RO D U C T I O N
Every time people hear the word history, boredom comes to mind. Students dread every history lecture because they know it will be the same set-up where they will listen to the teacher for minutes. In turn, the teachers lecture is usually based on the book they are using. In making history interesting, emotional highlights are usually emphasized. So much so that clarity and objective understanding of the particular historical event gets lost in the midst of oversentimentality and unnecessary rage. Past events, as a result, are only best understood in an emotional lens. But reality hits when the teacher demands the student to memorize the dates, the people, the places, the events and everything in between. When these students get out of school, they have a messed up understanding of our countrys history.
Nowadays, students get to know more about Philippine History in their high school years. With so many other issues to deal with, an average first year high school student couldnt care if he really understood the lessons. Whats more, conventional methods of teaching and learning do little to inspire students a little bit. If Philippine History would be appreciated, you just have to amplify the emotional and affective dimension of every historical event and in those aspects will only understand the past. An important element of learning and teaching history, critical thinking, is ignored in studying past events. A widespread result is the miseducation of high school students about every historical event in our country. For critical thinkers, there are still so many unanswered questions, several wide gaps to fill in. 7
In particular, the general interpretation of Japanese invasion of the Philippines is replete with misconceptions. Conventional teaching methods and learning process foster discourages students to explore and clarify these misconceptions. Aside from a general apathy and indifference, currently standing historical monuments (e.g. MacArthur monument in Leyte) and the media (TV shows revering USAFFE troops as heroes every Araw ng Kagitingan) propagate these misconceptions as the unchanging truth of the historical event. However, the central core of the problem lies in the unmentioned historical facts in the students current textbooks.
The Last Bastion will not be the grand solution to this bigger problem but intends to start solving a part of the problem: the misinterpretation and misunderstanding of students about the Japanese invasion of the Philippines. The Last Bastion will be a game, an innovative learning platform that aims to expose students the crucial historical facts that are rarely mentioned in their textbooks, and to provide a learning tool to integrate these historical facts with what they know and further understand the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in an objective sense.
As a game, how will The Last Bastion intend to solve the problem for first year high school students? First, The Last Bastion is composed of two distinct parts: a series hex war stages and an interluding sequence stage. The goal for every hex war stage is to obtain historical relics, containing the missing historical facts. After a hex level is cleared, the student will proceed to an interluding sequence game, where the missing historical relics will be placed in an incomplete timeline. After placing a particular historical relic in its proper 8
place, the student will get to read the historical fact it contains. And this goes on until the timeline is completed. The hex war stages will immerse students what really happened during the invasion and get new information, while the interluding sequence stage helps the student make sense of these new information with what they know from their textbooks. Thus, The Last Bastion is a solid straight solution to the students misinterpretation about the Japanese invasion of the Philippines. On a bigger perspective, The Last Bastion will be the first learning platform to confront students in thinking critically and objectively while learning past events in the country.
PR OJE C T O B JE CT I V E S
The Last Bastion is a game prototype where students will find for themselves missing historical facts necessary to change their current knowledge and interpretation of the Japanese invasion of the Philippines during World War II.
Specifically an Adobe Flash game, the Last Bastion has two parts with distinct mechanics. The first part is a hex war game comprised of eight succeeding levels, and the second part is a mini-game interluding after every war game stage is cleared.
However, the project did not make it at the end of the school year and, after a month, was continued until completion. By now, due to time constraints and complexity needed to realize the project, the final prototype will only consist of front-end design outputs put together forming a simulation. The projects current desired output will be a flash animation will simulate how the game will be played, demonstrating the interactions of various interface design elements. The final prototype was only shown to a group of panels. 9
Nevertheless, the final prototypes metrics of success will be measured whether the intended simulation displays the following:
a. Functionality: Whether or not the supposed game interfaces and the gameplay make itself easy to understand and operate by the projects target market. The purpose of each component clearly contributes to the gameplays intended educational purpose. The buttons should clearly show what the target audience can do when a particular situation arises, or the game clearly differentiates clickable and non-clickable objects to avoid confusion and frustration.
b. Ease and Challenge: Whether or not the game offers challenging tasks neither too difficult and complicated, nor too easy and uninspiring. The game should be easy enough to enjoy and difficult enough to challenge the target audience.
c. Relevance to the Topic: Since the game is based on a particular educational purpose, its visual design and mechanics should, more or less, subtly convey the underlying educational context related to the topic it intends to teach. In particular, The Last Bastion should, as much as possible, manifest and represent crucial knowledge related to the Japanese invasion of the Philippines.
d. Attractiveness: As a game, its visual design should cater to the general taste and preferences of the target markets specific demographic. The projects attractiveness is what lures the target market to play it and therefore achieve its intended purpose of teaching history, specifically about the Japanese invasion of the Philippines.
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II.
This project aims to address high school students misinterpretation about the Japanese invasion of the Philippines.
THE PROBLEM
I I . P RO B L E M
M ISSI N G H I S T O R I CA L FA CT S
This project aims to address high school students misinterpretation about the Japanese invasion of the Philippines. Students have lots of misconceptions from missing historical facts and understating the historical narrative of their material.
The Japanese invasion was only narrated as an external event that affected the historical development of the Philippines as an independent nation. General textbooks do not discuss the underlying factors what made the Japanese invasion successful, how and why did the USAFFE soldiers lose the war. General knowledge does not mention how authority figures influenced the outcomes, and how soldiers suffered all throughout the event.
The Japanese invasion isnt just another obstacle against the Philippines path to nationhood, but an outcome aided by various preventable factors. History is not merely a coincidence but a resulting outcome. This misinterpretation is a result of missing historical facts from Philippine History textbooks. These facts will fill the loopholes of misunderstanding. These important facts are omitted because they are deemed insignificant. These are crucial in offering a more authentic perspective of the Japanese invasion.
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I I . P RO B L E M
M ISC ON C E P T I O N S
One of the most obvious misconceptions is MacArthurs reputation as a celebrated American general. There are several controversies against MacArthurs otherwise revered image. MacArthurs procrastination to bomb Japanese airbases in Taiwan within a space of nine hours after the Pearl Harbor incident (Costello: Days of Infamy 24) is the historical fact that would explain the immediate and successful Japanese bombing of Philippine air bases. However, it is unfair to solely place the blame on MacArthur.
Military treaties were instrumental in shaping the course of events, including the Philippines security from external threats. History textbooks deem the United States as confident and prepared enough to protect the Philippines. Further research proves otherwise. The United States knew early on that defending the Philippines would be impossible.
Another misconception is the Japaneses superior military ability guaranteeing them victory. Whats interesting is it took the Japanese at least 5 months to defeat the USAFFE, even after successfully occupying Manila. USAFFE soldiers in Bataan and Corregidor were instrumental in delaying the Japanese timetable to fully occupy Southeast Asia within an ideal period of time. The USAFFE, and later USFIP, played an important role in preventing the Japanese from rapidly and easily progressing to Australia and India (Morton: Strategy and Command 87). Tragic side of the story is the USAFFEs slowly deteriorating condition for 5 months, until succumbing to newly 14
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reinforced Japanese army. Mismanagement of, and inadequate food and medicine supply did not guarantee the USAFFE victory and relief.
Last but not the least, all the sacrifices and sufferings of USAFFE soldiers, especially Filipino war veterans, are collectively portrayed as an act of heroism for the country. It is crucial to differentiate between the general aspirations of soldiers, and underlying strategic motivations of military and political authorities. Filipino war veterans merely fulfilled the military and political interests of concerned authorities, thus they were not the primary agents of the story.
So far, these are the major misinterpretations that the thesis will be tackling. The basis of these misinterpretations is summarized based on reading the works of two Filipino historians: Gregorio Zaide and Teodoro Agoncillo.
IN ADE Q U AT E H I S T OR I OG R A P HY
Current historiography determines which facts should be published and which should be omitted, in narrating Philippine history to students. Historiography deals with the writing of history. It is important to consider a textbooks historiography, which provided the students general understanding of the chapter. To show how currently favored historiographies excluded these important facts, I will use two popular perspectives about Philippine history: Gregorio Zaide and Teodoro Agoncillo.
According to Salazar, there are three types of historiography: pansilang pananaw (for-them perspective), pangkaming pananaw (for-us perspective) and pantayong pananaw (from-us-for-us perspective) (qtd in. Reyes: Fighting over a nation 244). The second type, pangkaming pananaw, is the predominant perspective for most history 15
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textbooks in the Philippines. The pangkaming pananaw is where the narrator objectifies or defends him/ herself through concepts and normativities related to American/European worldviews (245). The for-us perspective narrates historical events glorifying the Filipino within the context of a political paradigm favorable to American and European audience. This manifests differently in Zaides History of the Philippines and Agoncillos History of the Filipino People.
In Gregorio Zaides pro-American History of the Philippines, the Japanese invasion was a major event about the Philippines unwavering support for the United States and her ideals of democracy. Like fellow historians in his generation, Zaide emphasized the Americans as primary agents during this period. Historiographically, they continued Fernandezs treatment of Americans as major agents of local social change; History revolved around their ideas, resources and personalities - often incomprehensible to its intended readers (Reyes: Fighting over a nation 246).
Zaide saw the war as a distant European drama that almost accidentally disrupted the lives of idyllic Filipinos, who were then preparing for independence as promised by their American colonizers (Reyes: The nations interrupted path). The Philippines eagerly joined World War II for her loyalty and solidarity with the United States, due to her benevolent rule over the country. To dignify Filipino war veterans, Zaides narrative is replete with particular heroic acts. Zaide never failed to cite examples of military prowess. The following is a clear example. One of them was the story of a Filipino army cook, Moss[?] Sergeant Jose Calugas of the Philippine Scouts, who courageously manned an abandoned cannon and delayed the advancing Japanese invaders (Zaide and Zaide 331). Facts debunking the United States benevolent 16
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concern for the Philippines, and proving the real patronizing attitude were not mentioned. Zaide did not mention cues about MacArthurs frailty, a major factor in their loss to the Japanese.
Although History of the Filipino People explained more about the wars background, Agoncillos pro-mass perspective primarily presents the Japanese invasion as the start of hardship for Filipinos under the Japanese. Agoncillo belongs to a group of nationalist historians influenced by anti-colonial movements around the world and the revival of Marxist-oriented historiography in the US and UK (Reyes: Fighting over a nation 246-247). In contrast to Zaide, Agoncillos historiography gives more importance to the experience of the Filipino masses in the development of our nationhood and identity. Using another European ideology socialist framework, Agoncillos approach still falls under the pangkaming pananaw category not unlike Zaides.
Agoncillo objectively narrated events as they come and as they go. The following excerpt from History of the Filipino People is an example. Clark Field was bombed in the morning of December 8, 1941 and American planes on the ground were destroyed (Agoncillo 448). He also indicated that the Philippine defenses were poor and only a few planes were on and to battle the enemy (449). Agoncillo did not show the impact of top-level military decisions to the soldiers during the war. Diarrhea, malaria, and avitaminosis or lack of vitamins in the body led to a casualty bigger than that inflicted by enemy bullets (449). Albeit soldiers regressing condition from scarce rations was indicated, Agoncillo did not explain why food and medicine supplies became scarce. Unlike Zaide, Agoncillo focused more on the plight of the common people. Having experienced the war as a boy, he well understood the daily lives of those toughing out 17
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the occupation, and thus strove to bring forth the nuances of local culture in a war-time context (Reyes: The nations interrupted path)
Although the pangkaming pananaw do help foster a sense of nationalism and identity among students, it does not give justice to all chapters of Philippine History. In particular, depictions of the Japanese invasion had left out important evidence exposing the controversies of World War II to the Philippines. History lessons should not only familiarize students their sense of identity within the context of nationhood, but also forewarn past examples to steer clear dire future events. From learning more about the Japanese invasion, students will come to know about the Philippines prospects of security and strength in case another war happens. The Japanese invasion will show how global wars operate on a geopolitical level, which the Philippines wouldnt inevitably avoid and should have to deal.
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III.
The projects target audience is high school students. Primarily, this project is limited to freshmen high school students studying in private schools.
THE AUDIENCE
I I I . AU DI EN C E
OVERVI E W
The projects target audience is high school students. Primarily, this project is limited to freshmen high school students studying in private schools. Philippine History is part of the high school curriculum for freshmen (Wikipedia wiki/Education_in_the_Philippines.html). Philippine History is only taught in first levels of high school. Freshmen learn about the Japanese invasion of the Philippines from their textbooks.
High school freshmen in private schools are the projects primary targets because private schools have sufficient funds for technological materials. This project makes use of this aspect, thus the students access to these resources is considered. Considering that most public schools lack funds for more advanced technology, the project will primarily target freshmen in private high schools. The project would get more exposure, thus the projects purpose will slowly manifest in society.
EARLY AD O LE S C E NCE A ND MOT I VAT I ON

The general age of high school students, thus pointing out to developmental changes in psychological makeup, is an important factor to their general academic motivation. The average age of first year high school students range from 12 to 14 years old, which fall under a broad early adolescent stage according to Eccles in The Development of Children Ages 6 to 14 (Eccles 31).
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Early adolescence is characterized by an increasing ability of children to think abstractly, consider the hypothetical as well as the real, consider multiple dimensions of a problem at the same time, and reflect on themselves and on complicated problems (Eccles 38). Increasing sense of autonomy is a crucial issue confronting high school freshmen students (40). As students desire more autonomy from authority figures, especially their family, focus on fellow peers increases (39), such focus involves more priority to peer activities and peer acceptance from academic obligations and other organized activities. From the perspective of development psychology, the students have increased capacity for abstract thinking, desire for autonomy, orientation towards peers, and self-consciousness (41).
TEC H N O LO GY AN D DAY T O DAY L I F E

Speaking of peer activities, it is essential to consider the overwhelming influence and reception of technology into students daily lives. Citing a study made by global youth research organization TRU (Teens Research Unlimited) entitled The TRU Study: 2011 Philippines Teen Edition, a GMA News article stated that Filipino students surveyed admitted to fully embracing technology, ranking as the hottest trends today social networking sites (81 percent), multi-player online games (78 percent), online photo sharing (75 percent), PC games (76 percent) and Smartphones (67 percent) (GMA News Online). Outside of school environment, technology is influential in the lives of students because it affords them interaction and engagement, as evidenced by activities mentioned above.
This overwhelming acceptance of technology is attributed to students generation. Our newest generation currently in K-12 is demonstrating for us the impact of having developed under the digital wave. These youth have been completely 22
normalized by digital technologiesit is a fully integrated aspect of their lives (Green & Hannon, 2007). Many students in this group are using new media and technologies to create new things in new ways, learn new things in new ways, and communicate in new ways with new people behaviors that have become hardwired in their ways of thinking and operating in the world (qtd. in Groff et al. 1-2).
WH Y S T U D E N T S A R E BOR E D WI T H HI ST ORY
First year high school students rapid psychological development lessens their motivation and interest in academic subjects, including Philippine History. Early adolescents experience changes in various aspects of their lives as they face the biological transformations of puberty, the educational transition from elementary to secondary school, and the psychological shifts that accompany the emergence of sexuality (Eccles 36-37). Because of these changes, negative response to academic responsibilities increase as students become more susceptible to self-consciousness, helplessness and academic anxiety (37). Eccles also mentioned the failure of schools to provide a friendly and flexible learning environment as another factor to students increased negative attitude towards academic subjects. Thus adding an incompetent and unfriendly academic environment into the picture greatly lessens the positive emotions to motivate learning.
Quality of teaching style also affects students academic motivation to learn history (as well as other academic subjects). Dangcalans news article identified the following teaching habits that demotivate students interest on the subject (SunStar). Most teachers in the Philippines are either unqualified or qualified without effective skills to teach a particular discipline. Without giving examples and analogies relevant to 23
students prior experiences, most teachers fail to clearly explain a particular subject matter. Quirays Philippine Daily Inquirer article reasons out Because they do not really like what they do, history mentors are as bored as their students when talking about things that happened long ago (Inquirer). Most teachers do not have effective presentation skills, failing to filter out irrelevant details, instead copying a reference materials entire content into lecture presentations (SunStar). Such teachers, according to Dangcalan, also fail to inspire students out of mediocrity and employ discipline through physical or verbal means. With such an approach, teachers do not create a friendly and engaging learning environment or platform.
Particular to Philippine History, high school students are not trained to think analytically and critically in learning. Theyd rather take note and memorize the dates, places and people, only to disgorge the knowledge during quizzes and examinations. As a result, they come to expect that Philippine history is nothing more than a never-ending list of names of heroes and villains (which one is which, is up for interpretation) as well as historical places and dates only meant to be memorized and then, regurgitated during quizzes and exams (Justiniano). With so many data to memorize without seeing the bigger picture, students are bored with Philippine History. Such traditional learning approach does not foster students abstract thinking, and denies their desire for autonomy.
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IV .
A game will be a more intuitive approach in learning more about the Japanese invasion. The game will not only simulate the Japanese invasion, but also provide the missing historical relics and help integrate these with commonly known facts.
THE SOLUTION
I V. S O L U T I O N
OVERVI E W
A game will be a more intuitive approach in learning more about the Japanese invasion. The game will not only simulate the Japanese invasion, but also provide the missing historical relics and help integrate these with commonly known facts. The flash game will be comprised of two distinct parts: a series of hex war games and an interluding sequence game.
The hex war game will show and enact the student how the Japanese invasion happened. The games historical context will only cover the battles of Bataan Peninsula and Corregidor. Mechanics for this game will be predominantly based on the historical events covered. First, the student will play as Japanese invaders, against the AI controlled USAFFE defenders. In playing the hex war game, students obtain new historical relics containing the missing historical facts. Before discovering the missing historical facts, the student will have to proceed to the interluding sequence game.
Hex war game levels come in two different modes: the ground warfare mode and the bombardment mode. The ground warfare mode simulates the land based military campaigns in the Bataan Peninsula and post-landing Corregidor. This is a classic turn-based strategy game where the player is given a maximum amount of three moves before the enemys turn. Health bars, comprising of supply points and morale points will be a crucial element of the game. The underlying historical context reveals that the USAFFE lost primarily because of inadequate medicine and food supply. The 27
bombardment mode, however, is a new genre altogether. The player has two mother bases, with different attributes, to alternately attack all enemy tokens effectively. The bombardment mode emulates the simultaneous aerial and artillery bombardment of Corregidor. The player only has one move per each subsequent turn. The primary goal is to attack all enemy tokens in the map.
The interluding sequence game will help students integrate the missing historical facts with the facts written in their textbooks. The stage will not only show students the other lesser-known events, but how military and political authorities influenced these events, and how the USAFFE soldiers suffered as a result. In the game, the incomplete timeline represents the current yet flawed interpretation of their currently used textbooks. By correctly placing the historical relics using its date and classification, students are simply putting new facts within a framework comprised of familiar facts from their history textbooks. A deeper and immersive analytical thinking is needed to properly arrange the historical relics within the timeline. While completing the timeline, students will read about each historical fact, and how they are connected to each other.
The historical relics, in the game, will be classified into three kinds: (1) Decision-type relics containing facts how political and military treaties, and decisions of political and military leaders affected the Philippines prospect of being invaded, (2) Event-type relics representing the main events before and throughout the Japanese invasion, and (3) Outcome-type relics showing evidence how the USAFFE soldiers suffered from the decisions of political and military leaders, as well as the deciding results of the entire campaign. The next page will show the missing historical facts with the mentioned historical facts, to specify the content this project will be solving. 28
K N O W N D E C I S I O N FA C T S A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 A9
M I S S I N G D E C I S I O N FA C T S
USA: Possible War With Japan Five Power Naval Treaty: No Further Fortification MacArthur as Military Adviser to the Philippines Plan Orange: No Reinforcements for the Philippines Secret ABC-1 Conference: Europe First, Japan Later War Plan Orange No. 3: False Sense of Security Japanese Invasion Plans The MacArthur Plan: A Disastrous Plan MacArthur Procrastinates: Preemptive Aerial Strike Withheld WPO-3 is in Effect: Discarded Plan Recycled
A11
Corregidor First: USAFFE Headquarters Moved MacArthur Declares Manila Open City
A13 A14 A15 A16 A17 A18 A19 A20
Food Supplies Rationed to 1/2 Japanese Coax USAFFE Surrender Japanese Withdrawal: Timetables Up Half Food Ration Further Reduced MacArthur Ordered to Leave the Philippines Food Rations Further Reduced to 3/8 USFIP Replaces USAFFE: Wainwright Assumes Command Japanese Coax USAFFE Surrender: Refused Again Hommas Troops Reinforced: Bataans Doomed
A22
Water Rations in Corregidor Reduced
K N O W N E V E N T FA C T S B1
M I S S I N G E V E N T FA C T S
Japanese Intelligentsia and Collaborators MacArthur Commands Unprepared USAFFE
B3 B4
MacArthur Implemented War Plan Orange No.3 Soldiers and Supplies Dispatched Pearl Harbor Bombed: Japan Declares War Clark Airbase Bombed: Aerial Support Lost Cavite Navy Yard Bombed: Naval Support Lost The Main Japanese Landings: Supplies Squandered
B9
Withdrawal Into Bataan Roosevelts Promise to the Philippines Japanese Entrance to Manila Japanese Military Administration: The Philippines Now Under Japan The Siege of Bataan Officially Begins
B14 B15
The Morong-Abucay Line: Japanese Difficulties Battle of the Points and the Pockets: Temporary Victory Philippine Executive Commission: Philippines is Hopeless
B17
Roosevelt Rejects Quezons Plea for Independence Quezon Left for Washington Dug-out Doug Left for Australia I Shall Return
B21 B22 B23
The Orion-Bagac Line: Final Blow Final Bombardment of Corregidor Japanese Landings of Corregidor The Final Surrender to Japan
K N O W N O U T C O M E FA C T S C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9
C10
M I S S I N G O U T C O M E FA C T S
Fatigue Manifesting Among Bataan Troops Quezon: This War Is Not Our Making Malnutrition and Avitaminosis Worsening Malaria Grows: More Medicine Needed Bataan Troops 50% Weaker Increasing Malaria Cases in Bataan New Protein Sources: Lack of Food Scarce Medicinal Supplies For Malaria Wainwright: Food Stocks Til April 15 Bataan Troops: Sick, Starved and Fatigued The Fall of Bataan Death March: The Final Tribulation
C13
Overcrowded Corregidor: Going Downhill The Fall of Corregidor
GAME ELEMENTS: HEX WAR GAME
This is how the hex war games will generally look like. Most important is the map on the center, where the tokens (in cicle) will interact with other tokens. To show the various interactions, the hexes will show different colors and hues. Not shown but occassionally appears will be the health bar of each hex on the map.The red areas will be the player hexes while the blue ones represent the enemy hexes. At the top of the map will be the command buttons. Below the map is the inventory bar, the slots on its right portion where the stages historical relics will be placed. The menu buttons on top will always give the player an to quit, mute or learn more about the game. To further understand the game, the following pages will further demonstrate the mechanics and rules of play.
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GAME ELEMENTS: SEQUENCE GAME
Now this is how the sequence game will look like. At the center of the screen with the blue and yellow lines, and placed historical relics, represented by small picture icons, comprise the games timeline. Important aspect of the timeline are the timeline labels on its far left side and the timeline tabs right below it. Recall that the inventory bar is where the historical relics will be placed, and on its right portion is a text field called the date bar, where a chosen historical relics assigned date will appear. At the top of the timeline is the title bar, where the historical relics assigned title will be shown. Right below the title bar are the inquiry buttons, responsible for showing how every historical relic in the timeline is connected. As usual, command buttons will also appear on the top of the screen. In clicking a particular historical relic placed in the timeline, a modal window will appear showing the historical fact it contains. To place the acquired historical relics within the timeline, the next pages will show how. 47
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V .
PHILO SOPHY
V. P H I L O S O P H Y
IMPO RTAN C E O F NA R R AT I V E
In learning history, memorization is a problematic approach common to most students. Although history is composed of facts, one of the projects primary concerns, understanding the narrative is more important. In Immerwahrs article, he raises the difference between facts and narrative. Immerwahr argues that a narrative is the spine of every historical work the recipe that directs the combination of the ingredients, the blueprint that regulates the placement of bricks. It is what tells us which facts ought to be included, which excluded, and how they ought to be related to one another (Immerwahr 199- 200). Paying attention to the narrative help students see the loopholes of their material and be open-minded to alternative interpretations of the story.
Emphasis on memorizing facts without understanding its narrative reinforces students what theyre currently reading is set in stone. Immerwahr do not disparage memorization as learning technique (204), but memorization without understanding only reinforces a misinterpretation. The projects educational goal is for students to see and change the current narrative by integrating the missing historical facts with the existing ones. To start, they should look how each fact relates with the others, getting an idea about its intended narrative. A deeper level of analytical thinking is needed.
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EN GAG E D LE ARN I N G
However, students must be enticed first before starting, doing and achieving the projects educational goal. Students must be engaged to learn. The so-called Flow Theory explains two important components to engage students. Quoting from Csikszentmihalyi, Flow is a deep state of absorption in an activity that is intrinsically enjoyable, as when artists or athletes are focused on their play or performance (qtd in. Shernoff et al. 160). Students experience flow when their skills exactly match the given challenge, when students are well equipped to tackle a particular task. Because flow gives intrinsic rewards, students are motivated to tackle more complicated challenges to match their newly improved skills (161). For this flow to occur, students must also concomitantly experience concentration, interest and enjoyment from that activity. Concentration fosters favorable learning atmosphere. Interest ensures continuing motivation, and provides opportunities to learn with others and gain feedback to satisfy curiosity. Enjoyment provides a sense of accomplishment from such activity.
According to Grannis and Stodolsky, students are more engaged on studentcentered rather than teacher-centered activities (qtd in. Shernoff et al. 160). Perceived relevance and autonomy over the learning activity engages the student (159). From their findings, Shernoff et al. indicated a strong correlation between a students level concentration and interest with perceived challenge and relevance to a subject matter, coined as academic intensity (172). There is also an association discovered between a students sense of competency and autonomy with increased moods, enjoyment and intrinsic motivation, also known as positive enjoyment. In conclusion, 56
Shernoff et al. suggest learning environments that provide students both (1) academic intensity and (2) positive enjoyment. An engaging platform that offers positive enjoyment should be balanced by academic intensity to create a learning context that is (1) challenging and meaningful, and (2) provides autonomy and competency. Now the questions are what is this platform, and how would this platform provide a balance of positive enjoyment and academic intensity?
Videogames, or virtual games in general, will fill in these crucial criteria. Annettas article, entitled Video Games in Education: Why They Should Be Used and How They Are Being Used, elucidated how videogames can be used as a learning platform. Videogames provide a positive enjoyment through what Annetta defines as play. Play systematically confronts the child with a learning situation that could only be located within his or her area of close development (232), thus students are given opportunity to be competent through this platform. In playing, students learn that things are not as they seem but within the context of a controlled and negotiated action between players, therefore videogames also provide a sense of autonomy to understand the context.
Videogames also balance this positive enjoyment with academic intensity. Citing from Gee, Annettas statements support the argument that videogames also provide: (1) challenge, as learners engage in critical and recursive game play whereby they generate hypotheses about the game, develop plans and strategies, observe their results, and readjust their hypotheses (qtd. in Annetta 233), and (2) meaning as students play while learning how to negotiate the context of play, the terms andpractices of a games players, and the design choices of its developers. 57
In particular, The Last Bastions mechanics should give students a sense of autonomy and challenge while learning the relevant historical information it conveys. Crucial aspects of The Last Bastion should not only be relevant and truthful to the historical information it teaches but also motivates the students through its challenging gameplay. As a conclusion, the Last Bastion, as a learning activity, should be challenging and relevant to the subject matter while giving the students a sense of autonomy and competency.
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EN GAGE M E N T S TR AT E G I E S
But engagement is tempered by a games genre, mechanics and context. Dickeys article Engaging by Design pointed out three design strategies of engagement: (1) player positioning or POV, (2) narrative arc, and (3) interactive choices (Dickey 71). These design strategies lay out particular aspects to further define and specify aspects of The Last Bastion as an effective solution to the problem.
Player positioning or POV not only reveals the level of immersion within the game environment but intended theoretical perspective. A parallel between player positioning in gamespace and learner positioning within differing theoretical perspectives can illuminate and inform instructional design on how to design engaging learning environments (Dickey 71-72). As a summary, there are three main player perspectives: (1) orthographic, (2) isometric and (3) first person POV (Dickey 71).
The games narrative is also another device. The narrative is a story with elements of immersion, agency, and participation (Dickey 74). There are two types of narrative: (1) plot-based (where the players actions support and advance the plot), and (2) character-based narrative (the player takes on a role and transforms throughout the gameplay) (73). Narrative is infused into the gameplay when: (1) player choice branch out the narrative, or (2) player accesses certain parts of the narrative. Narrative manifests itself throughout the gameplay either as a: (1) backstory which, according Crawford, is a way to provide a dramatic context for action and interaction in the game (qtd. in Dickey 73), or (2) cut scenes, interspersed throughout the entire 59
gameplay, according to Hancock, as a reward in completing stages of the game (qtd. in Dickey 73-74).
Interactivity is also important. The games design provides interaction through its: (1) game settings various dimensions, (2) roles and characters, and (3) hooks which provide players action and feedback (Dickey 75). Rollings and Adams explained a game settings various dimensions: (1) physical (where player moves around and is defined by scales and boundaries), (2) temporal (the amount of time given for player to complete an action), (3) environmental (games historical context, geographical location, and overall mood and tone), (4) emotional (supports the narrative and invoke emotions from player), and (5) ethical (unspoken rules and conventions within the game) (qtd. in Dickey 75).
Citing from Gard, Schell, and Freeman respectively, bond between the player and game character/s is formed through: (1) linking the game character with its immediate environment, (2) giving player interactive choices, and (3) creating emotional connection with symbols, dialogue, and NPC interaction (qtd. in Dickey 76).
Howland classified the hooks into four types: (1) action hooks, (2) resource hooks, (3) tactical and strategic hooks, and (4) time hooks (qtd. in Dickey 77). Action hooks are all the choices a player can do within the gameplay. However, resource hooks, usually a players current health, resource or mental state, indirectly influence certain actions thus limiting these choices. Tactical and strategic hooks help maximize a players current resource to achieve desired goal. Lastly, time hooks impose time limitations on actions player decides to fulfill.
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61
C ON VE Y I N G I N FO R MAT I ON
A games design elements or interface will also help establish an engaging learning environment for students. Design interfaces do not only convey but also support the game mechanics in creating an engaging atmosphere for students to learn the Japanese invasion of the Philippines. The games mechanics are formed as such to create a challenging activity that is still based in the historical context it aims to teach.
Different design strategies will be employed on various elements of the game to fulfill these engagement strategies. The following strategies will be: (1) Data Representation, to accurately represent a game element with its gameplay purpose and historical context, (2) Data Distinction, to distinguish closely-related game elements for further clarification, (3) Data Evaluation, to inform the player an important aspect of the games rule system before making choices, (4) Data Prioritization, to show each game elements relevance in varying gameplay circumstances, and (5) Data Arrangement, to properly and coherently arrange data to show the bigger picture. Through these five vital design strategies, the gameplay will not only be historically relevant. They will also assist the student/player, giving them a sense of autonomy and competency.
Recall that giving importance to the narrative will help students make sense of the old facts and the missing facts together. Students will be able to do so using visual language. Coined as Thinking Maps, these provide students tools to represent 62
cognitive patterns related to their own experience and knowledge, and construct encountered abstract concepts (Hyerle 151-2). To learn the interconnection of historical facts, Thinking Maps explicitly defines and animates such skills for students that traditional classroom context fails to give. Thinking Maps offer students a platform to (1) effectively think about the narrative of historical facts and (2) change it by integrating new historical facts. Learning & Leading with Habits of Mind defined four groups of learning habits or approaches: reflecting, attending, generating and projecting (157).
Attending habits require persistence and managing impulsivity to foster a deeper analytical thinking necessary (Hyerle 167). Thinking Maps appropriate to deeply analyze the narrative and interrelationship of various historical facts, are the flow map and the multiflow map. Flow maps answer the question How do I see this sequence of events while Multiflow maps is relevant to the query How did these causes lead to this event and what are the effects? (163). With these specific visual tools, students will achieve the projects goal in solving the problem.
Edward Tuftes Envisioning Information also gives clues how to utilize these design strategies. The books chapter Separation and Layering argues that visual clutter and conclusion are failures of design, not information (Tufte, 53). As an interactive learning platform, the game elements should coherently inform the player the gameplay mechanics, as well as its historical and educational context. Game elements should reliably show its sub-components without generating visual disharmony, therefore each game element will be treated as an information layer. What matters inevitably, unrelentingly is the proper relationship among information layers. These visual relationships must be in relevant proportion and in harmony to the 63
substance of ideas, evidence, and data conveyed (Tufte 54). Separation and layering of game elements is done through differentiation and distinction of visual attributes: shape, size, value, texture and color.
Tufte emphasized the role of color in his chapter Color and Information. Colors fundamental uses in conveying information is: (1) labeling, (2) measuring, (3) representing or imitating reality, and (4) enlivening or decorating beauty (Tufte 81).
As a label, color not only helps the viewer distinguish related visual elements based on their attributes, but also associate two different visual elements. Using Byrnes 1897 edition of Euclids Geometry as an example, Tufte proved colors amazing ability to serve as information effectively conveying an underlying knowledge (qtd. in Tufte 84). Geometry aims to teach the basics of geometry such as Pythagoras Theorem without using too much letter coding. In a proof, each element names itself by consistent shape, color and orientation; instead of talking about angle DEF, the angle is shown appropriately enough for geometry.
Tufte also stated colors measuring quality, as a natural quantifier, with a perceptually continuous (in value and saturation) span of incredible fineness of distinction, at a precision comparable to most measurement (Tufte 91). However, colors quantifying ability, through varying scales of hue, saturation and value, is sensitive to interactive contextual effects (92). To more accurately interpret data, Tufte stated that viewers look for other visual cues such as edge, contour and labels.
In using color, color clutter should be avoided. Tufte used Eduard Imhofs 64
Cartographic Relief Presentation to emphasize his point. Imhof stated the first two rules of using color to downplay damage: (1) pure, bright and strong colors should be economically used between dull-colored background colors, and (2) light colors and white should not be used next to each other in large proportions (qtd. in Tufte 82). Tufte also mentioned Imhofs last two rules to locally emphasize a data: (1) background colors should be dull enough to make smaller areas stand out visually, and (2) visual unity is achieved if predominant colors are repeatedly intermingled with one another (qtd. in Tufte 90).
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VI.
Modeling and improving the visual aesthetics of the game from historical materials from the 20th century, particularly during and after World War II, will achieve the games aim as a credible, alternative historical resource.
AESTHE TICS
V I . A E S T H ET IC S
AEST H E T I C VI S I O N: R E VA MP E D OL D BOO K
The games image would be an old, well-documented historical source that contains relatively new information for younger audience who grew up in contemporary times. The game is basically an old book revamped into a game to garner present-day interest.
The games visual package should give the impression of a historical source. Playing the game is like reading a historical source that is republished to gain newer audiences. The games analogy to a historical source will be the basis of its visual packages aesthetic direction. This historical source was published in a few years after the war but was rarely used by students as a reference material.
This historical resources content will be redesigned into something that looks new, in order to capture the curiosity and enthusiasm of high school students who grew up in another century. Revamp of this historical resource is modernizing some its aesthetic characteristics while retaining the visual aspects that would help identify the time this historical resource was made. This historical resource is ideally an old book.
Modeling and improving the visual aesthetics of the game from historical materials from the 20th century, particularly during and after World War II, will achieve the games aim as a credible, alternative historical resource.
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IN SPIR AT I O N : W W I I MAT E R I A L S
The use of older materials as a visual inspiration would enhance the credibility of presenting these missing facts, because the contents of such historical materials were researched and published by directly using primary sources of the war: diaries, personal interviews and audio recordings of people who directly experienced and were involved in the war. This project aims to give the impression it got its credence from primary historical sources. To be particular, historical books published in the mid-20th century, the post-World War II years, as well as pictures taken during the war will be used as a chief visual inspiration for the project. These are some examples:
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71
C OL OR T H E O RY
The Last Bastion, as a game with various design elements, uses a variety of colors to define each game element and effectively convey an interactive platform in learning history. However, the project used more dull-looking colors to avoid visual damage and noise, and give off the old impression, as much as to make the game interesting. Even the primary colors have a subtle and brownish shade, minimizing the loud and predominating tendencies these will bring into the overall design of game elements.
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F ON TS
Various fonts are used in The Last Bastion. Each font has a particular use, some used in designing game elements while others were used in particular game elements. In consistent to the design aesthetics stated, The Last Bastion predominantly uses serif fonts. The following fonts will be elaborated:
I mp e rat o r
Imperator was used for the logo because of its war feel. Imperator was also used for game interfaces that aim to show crucial information and garner immediate feedback.
Alte Haas Grotesk

Alte Haas Grotesk is the only sans-serif font used both because of its old feel and legibility. This font will be used for closer reading and browsing purposes.
Baramond
Baramond was predominantly used for background texts, information that dont garner immediate attention but nevertheless forms an integral part of important game elements.
Baskerville O l d F ac e
Baskerville Old Face was used for text requiring secondary attention, which only appears to garner attention if player is wants to find the information.
Te le t y pe Adl e r
Teletype and Adler are only used for decorative purposes. In particular, Adlers eery feel is used to invoke intended emotions from the player. 73
V I I . M ET HOD OL O GY
T E XT UR E
This texture is used in crucial game elements to subtly give the impression that the game is an old book. 74
VII.
METHOD OL O GY
OVERVI E W O F M E T HODOL OG Y
Because of time constraints, the final prototype will only be a simulation, a Flash animation, to show how the game will played. There are five Phases in realizing the project: (1) Background Research, (2) Topic Research, (3) Game Mechanics Formulation, (4) Interface Design, and (5) Prototype Building. Therefore, there are two aspects of the project: the front-end design interfaces and the animated simulation putting together these interfaces.
The first phase was gathering of sufficient proof to support the validity and significance of the problem the project aims to solve. The only method of gathering source is researching previous studies and articles that had documented the problem. Of course, as a former high school student who took Philippine History, my personal experiences and observations were also considered in further expounding the problem.
Since this project deals with the integration of new and well-known historical facts, the second phase focused on specifying these well-known historical facts as well as clarifying what new historical facts are sufficient to debunk the miseducation of students about the Japanese invasion of the Philippines. This phase also focused on generating a backbone where the timelines design is based.
The third phase is spent on reflecting and continually revising the games mechanics. Three crucial questions were considered: (1) whether the mechanics be reasonable enough for students to easily understand and enjoy the game, (2) the entire 77
mechanics would subtly convey the underlying educational context the game wishes to teach, and (3) if the mechanics would be understandable and manageable to program into the actual game itself. At the end of the third phase, the necessary game elements are finalized. Activities for this phase is finalizing the level design for each hex strategy stage.
The game elements are designed in the fourth phase. The following will comprise the game: (1) maps, (2) hex reactions, (3) tokens, (4) historical relics, (5) inventory bar, (6) command buttons, (7) timeline and constituent parts, (9) title bar, (10) inquiry buttons, (11) tray bars, (12) menu buttons, and (13) pop-up windows. Furthermore, each historical relic has three forms: (a) icon, (b) button, and (3) modal window. The modal window form is where the students get to read about the historical facts and related pictures.
The last phase consist of bringing all these interfaces together and show their supposed interactions to simulate observers how the game will be played. Two distinct animations are generated. The first animation showed how the hex strategy levels will be played, and the second one simulated how the student will play the interluding sequence stage where the timeline is located.
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OVERVI E W O F RE S OUR CE S
Research was done about the general condition of education in the Philippines, as well as the needs, wants and psychological condition of the projects target market. Annettas Engaging by Design gave clues to make the game an engaging learning platform, while Tuftes Envisioning Information became the guiding principle in designing the game elements, as well as devising the visual interaction between them. More important to know, these the following sources used for the games educational content will be shown in the next page.
Adobe programs were used in designing the game elements. Adobe Illustrator was used to generate wireframes. From these wireframes, the necessary dimensions of each game element were conceived. For the maps, tokens and timeline in particular, the skeletal foundations were devised using Adobe Illustrator. Adobe Photoshop was used to color and refine the outline of each game elements. Photoshop was also used to crop downloaded pictures to develop the historical relics. Finally, Adobe InDesign was used to layout certain game elements, particularly the modal window for each historical relic, pop-up windows, and the instruction window. Adobe Flash was used to put together all the game elements and show how The Last Bastion will be played. From Adobe Flash the projects final output, two flash animations simulating the game were produced. To actualize the game, Adobe Flash programming is also needed.
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T I M E TA B L E
June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011 January 2012 February 2012 March 2012 April - May 2012 June - July 2012 Aug. - Nov. 2012 Preliminary Topic and Background Research . 1st Sem 1st Defense . Further Topic and Background Study. 2nd Sem 2nd Defense. Gathering of missing historical facts. Gathering of missing historical facts. Preliminary Documentation Further research and expansion of historical facts. Development of Game Mechanics. Level design. Clarification of facts and sources. Wireframes. Map Drafts. Timeline Backbone. Research of pictures for relics. Finishing of maps, tokens and timeline. ...Hiatus (to be continued) Remedial. Historical relic icons and layouts. HUD design. Game simulation: flash animation. Final Defense. Clarification of all sources. Typing. Layout. Final Documentation
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SOURCES USED
Agoncillo, Teodoro. History of the Filipino People. 8th ed. Quezon: R.P. GarciaPublishing, 1990. Print. Anders, Steven. Quartermaster Supply in the Pacific During World War II. Quartermaster Foundation, 1999. Web. 11 March 2012 <http://www.qmfound.com/qmcpacific.htm>. Atienza, Rigoberto. A Time For War: 105 Days in Bataan. Atienza, Eugenia S. vda. de, 1985. Print. Boncan, Celestina, Rosario Cortes and Ricardo Jose. The Filipino Saga: History as Social Change. Quezon: New Day Publishers, 2000. Print. Connaughton, Richard. MacArthur and Defeat in the Philippines. New York: The Overlook Press, 2001. Print. Costello, John. Days of Infamy: MacArthur, Roosevelt, Churchill, the shocking truth revealed: how their secret deals and strategic blunders caused disasters at Pearl Harbor and the Philippines. New York: Pocket Books, 1994. Print. Costello, John. The Pacific War. New York: Rawson, Wade, 1981. Print. Connaughton, Richard. MacArthur and Defeat in the Philippines. New York: The Overlook Press, 2001. Print. Condon-Rall, Mary Ellen. U.S. Army Medical Preparations and the Outbreak of War: The Philippines, 1941-6 May 1942. The Journal of Medical History (1992): 35-56. JSTOR. Web. 09 Jan. 2012. Constantino, Renato and Leticia Constantino. The Philippines : the continuing past. Quezon City: The Foundation for Nationalist Studies, 1978. Print. Daniels, Robert. MacArthurs Failures in the Philippines. Military History Online. 22 April 2007. Web. 31 August 2011 <http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/articles/macarthursfailures. aspx>. Ellingson, Lahia Marie. The Bastards of Bataan: General Douglas MacArthurs Role in the Fall of the Philippines during World War II. Thesis. Senior Seminar: History 499. Western Oregon University, 2007. Web. 30 Dec. 2011. <http://www.wou.edu/las/socsci/history/Senior%20Seminar%20 Thesis%20Papers%20HST%20499/2007/thesis07/Lahia%20Ellingson.pdf> Houlahan, J. Michael. The Philippine Scouts in Bataan: Their Finest Hour. The Philippine Defenders, 2011. Web. 11 October 2011 <http://philippine-defenders.lib.wv.us/html/philippine_ scouts_bataan_article.html>. 81
James, D. Clayton. The Years of MacArthur. Vol. II. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, n.d. 3 vols. Print. McGovern, Terrance C. and Mark A. Berhow. American defenses of Corregidor & Manila Bay, 1898-1945. Oxford: Osprey Publications, 2003. Print. Miller, J. Michael. From Shanghai to Corregidor: Marines in the defense of the Philippines. Washington D.C.: History and Museums Division, Marine Corps. Historical Center, 1997. Print. Morris, Eric. Corregidor: The American Alamo of World War II. New York: Cooper Square Press, 2000. Print. Morton, Louis. Bataan Diary of Major Achille C. Tisdelle. Military Affairs (1947): 130-148. JSTOR. Web. 09 Jan. 2012. Morton, Louis. The War in the Pacific: Strategy and Command. Washington: Department of the Army, 1962. Print. Morton, Louis. The War in the Pacific: Strategy and Command. Washington: Department of the Army, 1962. Print. The Japanese finds General MacArthur Unprepared. Pacific War. Pacific War Society Organization, 2011. Web. 11 October 2011 <http://www.pacificwar.org.au/Philippines/Japanattacks.html>. . The United States Equip Philippines From Japanese Attack. Pacific War Society Organization, 2011. Web. 11 October 2011 <http://www.pacificwar.org.au/Philippines/USpreps.html>. Battle of Bataan. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 21 Dec. 2011. Web. 30 Dec. 2011 <http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bataan>. Zaide, Gregorio F. and Sonia M. Zaide. History of the Philippines. Mandaluyong: Cacho Hermanos, Inc., 1987. Print.
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VIII.
DESIGN PROCESS OUTPUTS
DESIGN STUDIES
V I I I . D E S I G N P RO C E S S
This game is called Hex Empire by MiniJuegos.com. The general layout is the basis and inspiration of The Last Bastions hex strategy stages. Similarities to be found are the use of colors to indicate the territory of each emerging empire, namely the kingdoms of Redosia, Violetnam, Bluegaria and Greenland. The use of circular symbols to indicate important parts of the map, such as a city or a port was also used in The Last Bastion. At the top right portion of the screen are the games command buttons End Turn, Give a Speech, Sign a Pact and Capitulate, each representing a players decision throughout the gameplay. However, differences are also found. At the center top of the map are the insignias of the four kingdoms, to indicate a players turn in the game. Since The Last Bastion only involve two armies, appearance of available command buttons are enough to show ones turn. Also, at the top left corner the Hex Empire aims to show the number of moves and turns left for the player. In contrast, a particular command button will signify the end of a players turn in The Last Bastion. 85
WIREFRAMES
This is the wireframe for the hex strategy stages. At the center, as always, will be the map for the stage. At its left side is a retrievable tab to reveal a tray bar where the players mother bases are initially located, before choosing a suitable place in the map. Below is the inventory bar and on top are the corresponding command buttons, to give the student choices in coursing through the gameplay. The tray bars location to the right is suitable for the student in finding the mother base in order to start the game without being confused or frustrated. The inventory bars location below the map ergonomically helps students to drag the rewards, historical relics, out of the map into place. The command buttons are placed on top-central portion to make it more accessible to the players. 86
WIREFRAMES
This will be the layout of the sequence game. At the center will be the timeline. Because the resulting timelines length exceeds the limit of the platform (Adobe Flash) which is 2880 pixels, the author decided to divide the timeline into three parts and made three clickable tabs for each part. Together with the timeline labels on the right,the timeline tabs will also be markers to guide the player in placing a particular historical relic to its correct position within the timeline. To clearly show the title of the chosen historical relic, the title bar is placed on top of the timeline. Just below the title bar are the inquiry buttons, which only appears when needed. Its close proximity to the title bar allows the student to clearly view the clicked inquiry button, which is a question about the chosen historical relic (with its title on top), and the directed historical relics in the timeline after clicking, which answers the question the button represents. 87
DESIGN STUDIES
Coverage-wise, the hex strategy games will only emulate the battles of Bataan and Corregidor so the maps will be based on the mentioned places. For Stages 1, 2 and 3, the map of Bataan, particularly this picture, was used as a basis and wireframe in its conception. Here, the map clearly shows the geographical position of the USAFFE forces before going battling the Japanese, which helped in defining the level design for each hex strategy stage. Also, map features important to the game such as roads, mountain elevations and rivers are clearly shown. Important map features for the particular hex stages are the following: mountain elevations, rivers, jungles, fields, roads and lands. Color and texture was used to clearly the define these. On the next page, the resulting design will be shown. 88
DESIGN STUDIES
Shade was used to distinguish the elevation levels of mountains, which are brown. Use of blue to represent the sea also helps define the negative space within the peachcolored land, as the rivers. Using Google Maps, where to put the jungles and the fields of Bataan was clarified. The green and dandelion textures represent the jungles and fields respectively. Strong, dark grey color helps to make the roads stand out. 89
MAP DRAFTS
90
M A P S : S TA G E S 1 & 2
V I I I . DE S IGN OU T PU TS
91
MAP DRAFTS
92
M A P S : S TA G E 3 ( c o n t i g u o u s p a r t s ) V I I I . DE S IGN O U T PU TS
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DESIGN STUDIES
Two maps are used for different purposes in designing the remaining hex stages of The Last Bastion. On top is the general map of Corregidor island, showing the elevation levels, the roads and its important landmarks. Below is another map of the island, showing the position of its seacoast artilleries and anti-aircraft guns used to defend the island from Japanese bombardment.
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DESIGN STUDIES
This is the resulting design of the map of Corregidor. Again, shade was used to define the varying elevations of the maps mountain features. The same strong, dark grey color was used to make the roads stand out visibly.
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MAP DRAFTS
96
M A P S : S TA G E S 4 & 5
97
MAP DRAFTS
98
M A P S : S TA G E S 6 & 7
99
MAP DRAFTS
100
M A P S : S TA G E 8 ( c o n t i g u o u s p a r t s ) V I I I . DE S IGN O U T PU TS
101
V I I I . D E S I G N P RO C E S S & O U T P U T S
TOKENS
Insignias, military uniforms and military equipments used during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines were the basis of the games varying tokens, player or enemy.
Mother Base
Imperial Japanese Army Flag
Aerial Base
Aerial Units
G3M planes (Betty Bombers)
Artillery Base 102
Type 96 15 cm. howitzer
TOKENS
For progression of player and enemy units in ground warfare stages, infantry unit to anti-tank artillery to tank was used.
Player Unit Level 1
IJA soldier WWII
Player Unit Level 2
Type 1 47 mm anti-tank gun
Player Unit Level 3 103
Type 95 Ha-Go tank
TOKENS
Enemy Base
USA Flag
Anti-aircraft Gun Units
3-inch anti-aircraft gun
Seacoast Artillery Units 104
12-inch Mor M1912
TOKENS
Enemy Unit Level 1
US Army soldier WWII
Enemy Unit Level 2
37 mm Gun M3
Enemy Unit Level 3 105
M3 Stuart tank
TOKENS
In some tokens, Japanese map symbols are used. Since the player is Japanese, it is historically relevant to represent neutral places and landmarks through a symbol. One symbol was used for town. Since villages are smaller towns, a smaller circumference differentiates the village.
Town
Village
Japanese Map Symbol: Town
Picture of Philippine Scouts are used to represent Enemy Flanks because most USAFFE soldiers in the frontline were Filipinos. Also some enemy flanks reward a historical relic when successfully attacked. Therefore, a darker shade makes these flanks more important to attack.
Historical Relic
+20 supply points
Philippine Scouts
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LOGO
The figure of the Philippine Scout was also used for the logo. The games title, The Last Bastion, reflects an important historical fact about the Japanese invasion: the Philippines was one of the last Allied forces bastions in Asia at the time before Axis regional supremacy (Japan) took over. It is important to note that the USAFFE forces of Bataan and Corregidor withstood for 180 days, while the Japanese took over Manila and many key Allied territories in Asia like Hong Kong and Singapore. USAFFE forces, especially Filipino troops, survived hunger, fatigue, thirst and sickness as a result of inadequate food and medicine stocks supplied. This game will show how the entire campaign was a waste for it costed the lives of our USAFFE troops, especially the Philippine Scouts as represented in the logo. This fact is not shown in most of the students history textbooks because of missing historical facts. Shown below is another version/variation of the logo.
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DESIGN STUDIES
Japanese map symbols are also used for the structure bases found in bombardment stages, representing crucial landmarks in Corregidor.
Japanese Map Symbol: Power Plant
Japanese Map Symbol: Factory
Japanese Map Symbol: Hospital 108
Japanese Map Symbol: Electric Wave Tower
TOKENS
109
H E A LT H B A R
The image on the right is the basis for the health bars morale points, which is Japanese Imperial Army military insignia.
The symbol for the supply points is the image of a sack shown at right.
110
HISTORICAL RELICS: ICONS
A1
This historical relic reveals the historical fact that the U.S. prioritized the fortification of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii over Corregidor in the Philippines, later affecting our countrys external security from possible invasions in the future.
A14
This historical relic reveals the historical fact that the USAFFE refused to surrender even after being persuaded of immediate surrender by the Japanese. The poster is a counter for boosting the USAFFE soldiers morale against the Japanese.
A22
This historical relic reveals the historical fact that the remaining USFIP (successor to USAFFE) soldiers in Corregidor suffered from inadequate water supply, while battling the Japanese, due to continuous and successful Japanese bombardment. 111
B4
This historical relic shows MacArthurs impetuous decision to switch plans from immediate withdrawal to Bataan into hurried dispatch of USAFFE troops to the beaches of Luzon to battle the Japanese, which only led to failure and the loss of many food and medicine supplies.
B17
This historical relic shows US President Roosevelt refusing Quezons plea for immediate independence of the Philippines to achieve neutrality in the war. Shown in the picture areUSAFFE soldiers listening to The Voice of Freedom where his response was heard.
B21
This historical relic shows how new reinforcement allowed the Japanese to destroy the final USAFFE defensive barrier in Bataan. Shown right is a map showing the successful Japanese penetration. 112
C1
This historical relic shows the USAFFE soldiers resulting experience of fatigue due to half food rations. Shown right is a USAFFE front line soldier having a catnap.
C6 This historical relic shows the increasing cases of malaria due to lacking medicine supplies. Shown right are USAFFE soldiers waiting in agony to be cured using a preventive medicine called quinine.
C13
This historical relic shows the overcrowding of Corregidor, especially within Malinta Tunnel. Shown right are group of hiding soldiers inside the Malinta Tunnel. 113
DESIGN STUDIES
A6
B3
B4
A19
A20
B22
A7
A8
A1
A2
A4
A5
A9
A11
B1
B9
A3
A13
A14
A15
B14
C1
C3
C4
A18
B15
B17
C2
C5
C6
C7
C10
A16
A17
C8
C9
A22
B21
B23
C13
Above are the authors blueprints on the particular historical relics to be acquired per hex war game stage. Shown are labelling codes for different historical relics. For more information, see pages 29-31.
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INVENTORY BARS
Above are the varying inventory bars. At the far right side is a text field called the date bar. To effectively show the chosen historical relics date, 18 pt Baskerville Old Face was used as a font.
115
T I M E L I N E F E AT U R E S
Shown above is the title bar, where the title of the historical relic will be shown. To be more visible, the title will be shown in big, Baskerville Old Face fonts. Below are the inquiry buttons. These will show the different connections of each historical relic.
The What button directs the student to other historical facts that further explain and clarify the chosen historical fact.
The How button directs the student to other historical facts that explain how the chosen historical fact happened.
The Why button directs the student to other historical facts that explain why the chosen historical fact happened.
The What Now button directs the student to other historical facts that explain the significance and contribution of the chosen historical fact to the general course of events.
116
T I M E L I N E F E AT U R E S
Recall that the timeline was divided into three parts.To make the division more meaningful, the sequence of historical facts were also divided into three phases: Pre-war events, Battle of Bataan Peninsula, and Battle of Corregidor. In reality, the actual battle between the Japanese Imperial forces and the USAFFE started in the Bataan Peninsula. The three timeline tabs, bearing the particular dates as markers, represent the three phases. Baskerville Old Face was used as a font.
These are the timeline labels, placed to guide the student in specifying where to place the historical relic into the timeline. Teletype was used as a font. 117
DESIGN STUDIES
DATE 1908, January 1922, February 1934 1935, September 18 1938, February 1941, January 29 - March 27 1941, April 1941, July 26 1941, October 1941, November 13-15 1941, November 21 1941, December 3-6 1941, December 8 (2:30 AM) 1941, December 8 (5:30-11:30 AM) 1941, December 8 (12:20-12:30 AM) 1941, December 10 1941, December 22-24 1941, December 23 1941, December 24 1941, December 25 1941, December 26 1941, December 29 1942, January 2 1942, January 3
FACTS US: Possible War With Japan Five-Power Naval Treaty: No Further Fortification Japanese Intelligentsia and Collaborators MacArthur as Military Adviser to the Philippines Plan Orange: No Reinforcements for the Philippines Secret ABC-1 Conference: Europe First, Japan Later War Plan Orange No.3: False Sense of Security MacArthur Commands Unprepared USAFFE MacArthur Implemented War Plan Orange No.3 Japanese Invasion Plans The "MacArthur Plan": A Disastrous Plan Soldiers and Supplies Dispatched Pearl Harbor Bombed: Japan Declares War MacArthur Procrastinates: Preemptive Aerial Strike Withheld Clark Airbase Bombed: Aerial Support Lost Cavite Navy Yard Bombed: Naval Support Lost The Main Japanese Landings: Supplies Squandered "WPO-3 is in Effect": Discarded Plan Recycled Corregidor First: USAFFE Headquarters Moved Withdrawal Into Bataan MacArthur Declares Manila "Open City" Roosevelt's "Promise" to the Philippines Japanese Entrance to Manila Japanese Military Administration: The Philippines Now Under Japan
The facts listed above are what happened before the actual battle begun. These facts are still important to the development of the events, nevertheless. Highlighted facts are the missing facts. The worksheet was used to conceive the timeline. The actual design of the timeline reflects the application of the Thinking Maps (see pages 62-3), particularly the use of combining flow and multiflow maps to effectively arrange the historical facts in a way for students to easily see the narrative. To make the timeline more visually relevant, related pictures were also used in the background. Shown next will be the timeline backbone, the background and the actual timeline. Note: only a portion of the timeline will be shown.
118
TIMELINE 1
119
DESIGN STUDIES
DATES 1942, January 6 1942, January 7 1942, January 9 1942, January 10 1942, January 10 1942, January 22 - February 17 1942, January 22 1942, January 23 1942, January 31 1942, February 3 1942, February 8 1942, February 9 1942, February 17 1942, February 18 1942, February 20 1942, February 22 1942, March 1 1942, March 2 1942, March 11 1942, March 15 1942, March 17 1942, March 20 1942, March 21 1942, March 23 1942, March 28 1942, April 1
FACTS Food Supplies Rationed to 1/2 The Siege of Bataan Officially Begins The Morong-Abucay Line: Japanese Difficulties Japanese Coax USAFFE Surrender Fatigue Manifesting Among Bataan Troops Battle of the Points and the Pockets: Temporary Victory Quezon: "This War Is Not Our Making" Philippine Executive Commission: Philippines is Hopeless Malnutrition and Avitaminosis Worsening Malaria Grows: More Medicine Needed Japanese Withdrawal: Timetable's Up Roosevelt Rejects Quezon's Plea for Independence Half Food Ration Further Reduced Bataan Troops 50% Weaker Quezon Left for Washington MacArthur Ordered to Leave the Philippines Increasing Malaria Cases in Bataan Food Rations Further Reduced to 3/8 "Dug-out Doug" Left for Australia New Protein Sources: Lack of Food "I Shall Return" USFIP Replaces USAFFE: Wainwright Assumes Command Japanese Coax USAFFE Surrender: Refused Again Scarce Medical Supplies For Malaria Wainwright: Food Stocks 'Til April 15 Bataan Troops: Sick, Starved and Fatigued
The facts listed above are events during the Battle of Bataan Peninsula. Shown next will be the corresponding timeline backbone, the background and the actual timeline. Note: only a portion of the timeline will be shown.
120
TIMELINE 2
121
DESIGN STUDIES
DATES 1942, April 3 1942, April 3-6 1942, April 9 1942, April 10-15 1942, April 11 1942, April 12 - May 5 1942, April 28 1942, May 5-6 1942, May 6 1942, May 7
FACTS Homma's Troops Reinforced: Bataan's Doomed The Orion-Bagac Line: Final Blow The Fall of Bataan Death March: The Final Tribulation Overcrowded Corregidor: Going Downhill Final Bombardment of Corregidor Water Rations in Corregidor Reduced Japanese Landings of Corregidor The Fall of Corregidor The Final Surrender to Japan
The facts listed above are events during the Battle of Corregidor. Shown next will be the corresponding timeline backbone, the background and the actual timeline. Note: only a portion of the timeline will be shown.
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TIMELINE 3
123
WIREFRAMES
This will be the general wireframe for the historical relic modal windows. This contains the actual educational information about the historical relic clicked within the timeline. The overall arrangement is slightly based on newspapers. On the top is the date of the historical relic. Below the date, is the historical relics title, acting as a primary statement representing the particular historical relic. Below the title are the pictures, and main reasons or arguments of the title. Below the main argument are the supporting argument details, based on research. Below the picture is the supporting caption. Font type and size not only distinguish and prioritize the different types of information, but also helps in its overall coherence and legibility. Except for the picture captions, the contents are in Alte Haas Grotesk. The caption is in italized Baramond. The next pages will show some example of historical relic modal windows. 124
HISTORICAL RELICS: DECISIONS
125
HISTORICAL RELICS: EVENTS
126
HISTORICAL RELICS: OUTCOMES
127
COMMAND BUTTONS
Imperator is the font used to make the command buttons understandable. They help students prioritize their choices through situational importance and priority.
Dispatch a unit from the mother base or aerial base.
Dispatch another unit from an existing unit.
Show hexes wherein to move a unit or the artillery base.
Confirm new location for the artillery base.
Adjust the artillery bases firing angle and highlights accessible targets within its range.
Pinpoint and choose a particular target to fire away. 128
COMMAND BUTTONS
Font color is used to show more important and urgent command buttons. Command buttons in white will elicit more urgent responses than light brown ones.
End ones turn in the ground warfare stages.
Skip into the next attack mode in the bombardment stages.
Save changes made and added into the timeline.
Proceed to the next hex war stage or to the sequence stage.
Buttons that appear in two-question pop-up windows.
Button that appears in confirmation or noticial windows. 129
WIREFRAMES
This is the wireframe for confirmation/noticial pop-up windows. Imperator is also used as a font for the message to be shown. Shown in the next page are some examples.
This is the wireframe for two-choice pop-up windows. Shown in the next page are some examples.
130
POP-UP WINDOWS
131
FINAL OUTPUT
The final output of this project are two flash animations simulating the gameplay of hex war stages and the interluding sequence game. Because of time constraints, only one stage was used as an example, therefore the gameplay of hex war games are made and shown such as the snapshots above (to recall the parts of the screen, go to page 32). Shown on the right is the mother base being retrieved through the tray bar. On the other hand, some hex tiles on the map are colored to show suitable choices for the student to place his mother base on the map. Snapshots to be shown in the next pages will convey how color, shade and opacity will play a role in setting the interactive nature of the hex tiles for a more informative and engaging gameplay. 132
FINAL OUTPUT
Shown to the right, a transparent overlay appears over the mother base when it is hovered by the arrow to help the student identify it.
After choosing a place among the colored hexes, the chosen hexs color darkens to signify the player he is putting his base on this hex.
133
FINAL OUTPUT
Because the mother base is already placed on the map, the tray bar on the right wont be visible anymore. More important to mention, adjacent hexes colored in red and blue are used to indicate the player how far he has gone to achieve the stages victory: attacking the enemy base at the right side. Purple hexes represent crucial areas where the player should carefully consider whether to place his units or not. Also, the game should not confuse the player to click a particular token that had been used. Initially, each player token will have a white border surrounding it. As the player performed an action over a particular token, the tokens white border disappears to show the remaining tokens to be acted upon before reaching maximum moves of three. The next snapshots will further convey the role of color and its attributes (shade and opacity) to make the hex war stages interactive and engaging to the student, as well as the situational appearance of particular command buttons. 134
FINAL OUTPUT
This particular example shows how the mother base dispatches a player unit across the map. After hovering the mother base, corresponding command buttons appears and its surrounding hex color lightens to highlight proximal hexes wherein to send the players player unit. After choosing a particular hex, adjacent hexes will also be colored to show the resulting territorial extent of its decision.
This one will show how the healthbars will help the player settle his decision before making his move. Shown is when the player decides to attack an enemy unit. After hovering the nearby player unit, surrounding hexes will highlight as well as its healthbar and the healthbar of the enemy token. After choosing the location of the enemy, the calculations will be shown as well as the resulting loss of the unit through a colorless, transparent hex of what used to be its territorial extent.
135
FINAL OUTPUT
This time, the sequence game will be explained. Important to mention is the use of color as a label. Recall the rule that historical relics are divided into three types and its type will determine in what row in the timeline it will be placed. By exactly using the same border colors of the historical relic icons to the timeline labels to the right and the different rows of the timeline, the student will immediately narrow down choices where to put in the timeline the particular relic.
136
FINAL OUTPUT
Also, like the command buttons, not all of the inquiry buttons on top of the timeline will appear. Certain buttons will only appear if necessary, depending on the historical relic chosen. In hovering or clicking the historical relic within the timeline, a small highlighted border is enough to clearly show the student what he is clicking on. There is also visual difference between placed historical relics, and those still in the inventory bar. Recall that the student can only read the historical relics contained historical fact when he properly placed it in the timeline. By adding contour, the placed icons will look clickable for the student to discover and read its historical fact. The student will realize this important rule. 137
FINAL OUTPUT
After clicking the chosen historical relic, its corresponding historical fact will appear in its own modal window, complete with researched information and pictures.
138
FINAL OUTPUT
Going back to the inquiry buttons, recall that particular inquiry buttons will only appear below the title bar, depending on the chosen historical relic which is highlighted in the timeline below.
139
FINAL OUTPUT
In clicking a particular inquiry button, it will direct the student to other historical relics within the timeline and highlight them as well, while still retaining the chosen historical relics title in the title bar, and its date in the date bar below. This is for the student to remember the chosen historical relic, which represents the particular historical fact, the important question regarding the historical fact, and the other historical relics, which again representing other historical facts, that answer the question the clicked inquiry button represents. Its all a manner of representation.
140
IX.
Testimonials from his students revealed they enjoyed the challenge and alternative perspectives the game, as a learning platform, gives while learning about the coursework (McMichael par. 34).
COM P ARA TIVE STUDY
I X . C OM PA R AT I V E S T U D Y
McMichael, in his work PC Games and the Teaching of History stated that using PC Games could (1) make history more engaging and relevant to students learning, (2) show PC Games are more than just using history to sell profit, and (3) show how societys use of history affects their understanding of past events (McMichael par. 2) .
Teaching a history course about Western Civilization, McMichael decided to use a combination of two games as a tool to explain the rise and fall of Western Civilization, Civilization III and Europa Universalis II (McMichael par. 16). To make playing games adhere to the course objectives, McMichael used class discussions and essays to evaluate students learning progress of the course material while playing the assigned games (par. 18).
However, issues were encountered in assigning games as course assignment. One such issue is the students discontent with the extracurricular nature of playing the PC game as a course assignment. McMichael testified that many of my students complained about having to play PC games as coursework in much the same way that they had complained about regular reading assignments (McMichael par. 31). McMichael also stated how the amount of time required to get used to the games mechanics, affects the students completion of required essays in his class (par. 32). Gender of students was also a concern in assigning games in his class. Although McMichael validated that females, as much as males, become equally competent in playing games 143
I X . C OM PA R AT I V E S T U D Y
through repeated exposure, he did not repudiate the fact males are primary consumers of video games (par. 33).
Despite issues encountered, McMichael was still optimistic in the future possibilities of teaching through games. Testimonials from his students revealed they enjoyed the challenge and alternative perspectives the game, as a learning platform, gives while learning about the coursework (McMichael par. 34). Using PC games allows a teacher to introduce a novel element into the classroom increasing cognitive skills by bringing together an increased variety of dissimilar sources for arguments that draw on elements common to each pieceVideo games add another dimension to the learning experience, one that connects with elements of the outside-the-classroom-world that students experience on a regular basis.
144
X.
This project only aims to become one of the alternative sources for students to learn cues about the war.
SCOPE and LIMITS
X . S C O P E A N D L I M I TAT I O N S
PR OJE C T LI M I TAT I ONS

This project does not aim to present the complete truth about the war. This project only aims to become one of the alternative sources for students to learn cues about the war. This project will chiefly offer the missing facts of the war on a military perspective. Not all details would be incorporated in order to provide a complete interpretation of the war.
This project will also not include all the details about the war in a military perspective. Knowing the necessary details for students to make sense of the historical narrative is enough. This project will not employ a specialized approach to students in teaching the correct interpretation of the war.
Regarding with the projects purpose of making this as the students stepping stone to learn more about the war, it was clearly stated above that some students will only be interested in doing so. This project doesnt aim to initiate all students to learn on their own. Its a students free choice to research more about the Japanese invasion of the Philippines.
Lastly, this project will not guarantee the all teachers approval in using it as a learning material for their students. Unfortunately, many teachers in the Philippines, even in private schools, still have conventional beliefs in effectively teaching their subject matter, particularly Philippine History, to their students. However, this project will guarantee a deliberate exposure to all its target audience. 147
EXPEC TAT I O N S
This project will introduce a radical approach to teaching history in the Philippine context. This project brings a new platform for students to realize the crucial gaps to be addressed in the current education of Philippine history.
The Last Bastion, as a game, will generate interest not only about its new, engaging platform but also the possibility of learning history with a twist. The games equally challenging and relevant learning context will boost students enthusiasm about the Japanese invasion of the Philippines.
In playing The Last Bastion, students will not only discover new info about the lesson but also learn an alternative way of looking at the historical event. The game mechanics will engage the students with a new and even better alternative learning process that traditional classroom context fails to deliver. After exposure to new facts and ways of looking at past events, students will begin to question their current learning materials and past ways of learning history. This is where concern will fuel their curiosity to find out for themselves whether the new information is well documented or not.
Lastly, The Last Bastion will generate responsive action from certain students and even discuss their current materials with their respective teachers. Hopefully, some passionate teachers will be willing to challenge conventional materials and methods of teaching history, and start doing so by using The Last Bastion as another teaching platform to understand the chapter. If it works, teachers will begin to consider games as another possible platform to teach their respective disciplines to students. In the long run, the DepEd will also consider the possibility of incorporating educational games to teaching history and other school subjects as well. 148
IMPLI C AT I O N S
There are two implications if ever the project will be successful. Two issues should be pointed out first, before explaining the positive ramifications this project will possibly cause.
First, common knowledge had always praised our Filipino veterans as heroes. From historical landmarks, national events and the media, Filipino veterans are continually honored as heroes because of their sacrifices and sufferings during the Japanese invasion. There is nothing wrong with acknowledging our Filipino veterans contribution to the defense of the Philippines. However, focusing on their hardships and struggles to defend our sovereignty from another foreign invader detracts the real issue: Filipino veterans, as well as their American counterparts, were used by the United States to fulfill their geopolitical strategies.
The project will be a reminder that the Philippines geographical position will always be vulnerable to emerging regional superpowers, and the United States will never help the Philippines out of altruism. With the recent dispute of the Spratlys Islands with China, the Philippines hopes to successfully reclaim its islands with the United States help. This project will bring to mind that the United Sates will never help nor even protect the Philippines out of good will, therefore Filipinos must take heed the Philippines must be able stand on its own when the need arises.
149
XI.
One of the panel recommended to further diversify the tasks and challenges each strategy stage should offer to the student.
EV ALUA TIONS and FUTURE PLANS
X I . E VA L UAT I O N S A N D F U T U R E P L A N S
PR OJE C T E VALU AT I ON
When the projects final prototype was shown to a panel last July 25, 2012, criticism was made on some of the games mechanics and the general aesthetic orientation. a. Functionality Criticism was made on the crucial task of putting the historical relics into the inventory bar, before a button, to proceed the user to the next stage, appears. b. Ease and Challenge Doubts were casted whether the game provides a reasonable time to complete it. In particular, the hex strategy stages were considered too difficult to tackle in order to reach the interluding sequence stage, where the actual learning of the missing facts will take place. The game didnt seem to clarify that game over means the student will continually repeat the stage he failed until he finally wins. c. Relevance to the Topic Again, the mechanics for the hex strategy stages were evaluated with this criterion. Since each stage enacts a particular battle during invasion, the mechanics should completely represent what really happened. In reality, the Japanese lost some battles and the game only instruct the student, as Japanese, to win every stage against the USAFFE. Some aspects of the game mechanics do not accurately represent what happened during the war. d. Attractiveness Again, comments were made against the general aesthetic orientation of the game interfaces. Although design clutter was never a problem, many of the visuals in particular the maps were deemed boring to look at. The panel further remarked the games visuals were not designed based on the target audiences general tastes and preferences.
153
F U RTHE R RE C O M M E NDAT I ONS

The only recommendation on the project is based on the lack of relevance in the part of hex strategy stages. One of the panel recommended to further diversify the tasks and challenges each strategy stage should offer to the student. Furthermore, the validity of the different task and challenge should accurately represent what really happened during each battle of the Japanese invasion. In particular, the tasks and challenges, particular to each stage, should accurately state that the Japanese won in some battles and lost in others.
Because of the authors starter interest and understanding of military history, he merely ignored the necessary details of each battle to conceive the mechanics of each particular strategy stage. Furthermore, the author aimed for generic mechanics to make it easy not only for the games intended target audience but also for future programmers.
154
F U TURE P LAN S F OR T HE P R OJ E CT
If time and opportunities allow, The Last Bastion will be developed into an actual game in the future. However, there are ideal steps to undertake before it reaches its full potential.
First, a working prototype of The Last Bastion must be developed first. The working prototype will consist of one particular hex strategy and one appearance of the interluding sequence stage. More importantly, the prototype will be shown to two particular high schools, one using Zaide and another using Agoncillo history books. This is to gather more accurate evaluations of the games visual design and mechanics. To start the prototype, confident and self-assured game programmers with superb Adobe Flash skills will be needed. In the meantime, the author will also do further research on the Japanese invasion, taking note of the crucial details to make each hex strategy stage historically accurate.
After the necessary revisions are applied to the games current content, mechanics and design, development of The Last Bastion will resume until it becomes an actual game. However, the author is still open for further revisions to make The Last Bastion more attractive, more challenging, more accurate and more educational. This project only aims to address the miseducation of students about their history lessons, and will hopefully make some impetus in the future to challenge the current educational system as a whole.
155
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Anders, Steven. Quartermaster Supply in the Pacific During World War II. Quartermaster Foundation, 1999. Web. 11 March 2012 <http://www.qmfound.com/qmcpacific. htm>. Annetta, Leonard. Video Games in Education: Why They Should Be Used and How
They Are Being Used. Theory Into Practice 3.47 (2008): 229-239. Routledge. Web. 08 Aug. 2011. Agoncillo, Teodoro. History of the Filipino People. 8th ed. Quezon: R.P . Garcia Pub-
lishing, 1990. Print. Atienza, Rigoberto. A Time For War: 105 Days in Bataan. Atienza, Eugenia S. vda. de,
1985. Print. Boncan, Celestina, Rosario Cortes and Ricardo Jose. The Filipino Saga: History as
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War: The Philippines, 1941-6 May 1942. The Journal of Medical History (1992): 35-56. JSTOR. Web. 09 Jan. 2012. Dangcalan, Carlo M. Ineffective teachers: the other big problem in education. Sun
Star. 25 June 2011. Web. 12 Oct. 2011 <http://www.sunstar.com.ph/weekend-davao/ineffective-teachers-other-big-problem-education>. 157
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Daniels, Robert. MacArthurs Failures in the Philippines. Military History Online. 22 April 2007. Web. 31 August 2011 <http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/articles/ macarthursfailures.aspx>. Dickey, Michele D. Engaging by Design: How Engagement Strategies in Popular
Computer and Video Games Can Inform Instructional Design. Educational Technology Research and Development 53.2 (2005): 67-83. JSTOR. Web. 08 Aug. 2011. Eccles, Jacquelynne S. When School Is Out. The Future of Children 9.2 (1999): 30-
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40.2 (2007): n. pag. Web. 24 Aug. 2011. <http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/ ht/40.2/mcmichael.html> McGovern, Terrance C. and Mark A. Berhow. American defenses of Corregidor &
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A Seniors Creative Project Submitted by JOSE MIGUEL B.

MARBELLA BFA Information Design Batch 2013 Ateneo de Manila University

5 11 21 27 53 67 75 83 141 145 151 156

EARLY AD O LE S C E NCE A ND MOT I VAT I ON

TEC H N O LO GY AN D DAY T O DAY L I F E

A13 A14 A15 A16 A17 A18 A19 A20

Water Rations in Corregidor Reduced

Japanese Intelligentsia and Collaborators MacArthur Commands Unprepared USAFFE

B21 B22 B23

Overcrowded Corregidor: Going Downhill The Fall of Corregidor

GAME ELEMENTS: HEX WAR GAME

HEX WAR GAME:

HEX WAR GAME:

HEX WAR GAME:

HEX WAR GAME:

HEX WAR GAME:

HEX WAR GAME:

HEX WAR GAME:

HEX WAR GAME:

HEX WAR GAME:

HEX WAR GAME:

HEX WAR GAME:

HEX WAR GAME:

HEX WAR GAME:

HEX WAR GAME:

GAME ELEMENTS: SEQUENCE GAME

Alte Haas Grotesk

Imperial Japanese Army Flag

G3M planes (Betty Bombers)

Artillery Base 102

Type 96 15 cm. howitzer

Player Unit Level 1

IJA soldier WWII

Player Unit Level 2

Type 1 47 mm anti-tank gun

Player Unit Level 3 103

Type 95 Ha-Go tank

Anti-aircraft Gun Units

3-inch anti-aircraft gun

Seacoast Artillery Units 104

12-inch Mor M1912

Enemy Unit Level 1

US Army soldier WWII

Enemy Unit Level 2

Enemy Unit Level 3 105

Japanese Map Symbol: Town

+20 supply points

Japanese Map Symbol: Power Plant

Japanese Map Symbol: Factory

Japanese Map Symbol: Hospital 108

Japanese Map Symbol: Electric Wave Tower

HISTORICAL RELICS: ICONS

HISTORICAL RELICS: ICONS

HISTORICAL RELICS: ICONS

HISTORICAL RELICS: DECISIONS

HISTORICAL RELICS: EVENTS

HISTORICAL RELICS: OUTCOMES

Dispatch a unit from the mother base or aerial base.

Dispatch another unit from an existing unit.

Show hexes wherein to move a unit or the artillery base.

Confirm new location for the artillery base.

Pinpoint and choose a particular target to fire away. 128

End ones turn in the ground warfare stages.