Combining Instructional Design and Game Design
The desired outcome of instructional game design is to combine the powerful attraction of games and the proven effectiveness of instructional system design (ISD). This combination would have the capacity to focus player concentration on game play and learning the planned content in order to successfully complete the game. Conjoining game design elements (e.g., rules, goals and objectives, outcomes and feedback, conflict and challenge, interaction, representation or story) with ISD elements (e.g., analysis, design, development, implementation, evaluation) may be the means of reaching the desired outcome. Applying recent findings (e.g., working memory capacity, mental models, memory consolidation) from cognitive psychology may provide further assistance.