The Implementation of 16-Bit Video Games Gameplay in Gamebook Fiction Writing

Within the spectrums of Digital Game-based learning and literature, there have been a plethora of interesting literary elements that can be exploited from most video games for pedagogical purposes. In this study, the researcher utilizes twelve 2D side-scrolling action video games—specifically, with speculative fiction theme from the 16-bits Sega Mega Drive system. The researcher proposed on the potential effectiveness of these retro video games’ literary elements of characters, settings and plot reference from gameplay for the creative writing process, specifically in constructing gamebook fiction. There are 22 participants who are EFL students interested in creative writing. Through systematic exposure of the video games’ gameplay and the implementation of gamebook fiction theory within four sessions, each participant is expected to create an output of a gamebook fiction. A questionnaire is also given to measure the perceived effectiveness of the gameplay experience for the creative writing process from the participants. As a result, albeit the implementation are more on the visually literary elements of the video games, this study found out that is it very much indeed effective to integrate these digital games as one of the learning material for creative writing subject specifically, gamebook fiction writing.