Using the Stanley Parable lesson as a general guide, I spent a portion of my day yesterday streaming The Stanley Parable for my 9th grade students. I offered it more as a supplemental lesson, building upon concepts that we had tackled earlier in the year. YouTube was the platform of choice for my session, allowing students to chat via text with each other.
Throughout, I posed questions to them regarding omniscient narration, perspective, and choices, particularly how the game uses these concepts in ways that would be difficult to convey in a written text. I also had students make choices in the game and reflected on how the narrator felt about their individual choices. My student audience mostly decided to disobey the narrator (not too surprising), and most of them assumed the narrator was the antagonist right off the bat. That might say more about my students than the game!
This was my first time live streaming, and it was quite a unique experience. For example, the first "ending" that our run ended up on was a sequence during which you are forced to repeatedly jump off a ledge, harming yourself. I pulled an audible and manually restarted the game.
My hope is that my students learned a bit about the terms that I selected, but more importantly I know I was able to provide some entertainment and interaction with them during this tough time. A reissue of The Stanley Parable is coming out this year, so if you haven't checked it out before, I highly recommend it. Also, if your hardware allows, live streaming a game is a great way to connect with your students during this truly weird time. Thanks again, Zack, for the lesson plan!
Live streaming The Stanley Parable is an exhilarating experience, allowing viewers to immerse themselves in the quirky narrative and unpredictable choices of Stanley. Whether you're a seasoned player or new to the game, witnessing others navigate its branching paths offers fresh perspectives and entertainment. If you're on the fence about playing, why not try these out through a live stream first? Watching others explore the game's complexities can help you decide if it's worth diving into yourself. Plus, you might discover hidden secrets or alternative endings that you wouldn't have found otherwise. So, look these up on your favorite streaming platform and embark on an adventure through Stanley's surreal world.