© Springer International Publishing AG 2016. A serious game needs to combine a number of different aspects to help the end user in reaching the desired effects. This requires incorporating a broad range of different aspects in the design, stemming from a broad range of different fields of expertise. For designers, developers, researchers, and other stakeholders it is not straightforward how to organize the design and development process, to make sure that these aspects are properly addressed. In this chapter we will discuss a number of ways of organizing the design and development process and various models that support specific design decisions during this process, concluding with a discussion of design patterns for serious games.
In deze rede wil ik ingaan op de paradox van serious games. Over het spel en de knikkers. Het lijkt tegenstrijdig dat je met een spel naast plezier ook serieuze verandering of kennisoverdracht wilt bewerkstelligen. De paradox gaat echter nog een stap verder, want voor wie is het spel eigenlijk en van wie zijn dan de knikkers. In ons vakgebied is de partij die het spel ontwikkelt veelal een andere dan de partij die het spel speelt en zelfs binnen de partij van potentiële spelers wordt er gewezen naar medespelers: “het zou toch zo goed zijn voor de buurman"
In this chapter, we propose an ethical framework for serious game design, which we term the Ecosystem for Designing Games Ethically (EDGE).EDGE expands on Zagal’s categorization of ethical areas in game design by incorporating the different contexts of design and their use. In addition, we leverage these contexts to suggest four guidelines that support Ethical Stewardship in serious game design. We conclude by discussing a number of specific areas inwhich ethics plays a role in serious game design. These include games in (a) amilitary context, (b) the consideration of privacy issues, and (c) the evaluation ofgame design choices.
Physical rehabilitation programs revolve around the repetitive execution of exercises since it has been proven to lead to better rehabilitation results. Although beginning the motor (re)learning process early is paramount to obtain good recovery outcomes, patients do not normally see/experience any short-term improvement, which has a toll on their motivation. Therefore, patients find it difficult to stay engaged in seemingly mundane exercises, not only in terms of adhering to the rehabilitation program, but also in terms of proper execution of the movements. One way in which this motivation problem has been tackled is to employ games in the rehabilitation process. These games are designed to reward patients for performing the exercises correctly or regularly. The rewards can take many forms, for instance providing an experience that is engaging (fun), one that is aesthetically pleasing (appealing visual and aural feedback), or one that employs gamification elements such as points, badges, or achievements. However, even though some of these serious game systems are designed together with physiotherapists and with the patients’ needs in mind, many of them end up not being used consistently during physical rehabilitation past the first few sessions (i.e. novelty effect). Thus, in this project, we aim to 1) Identify, by means of literature reviews, focus groups, and interviews with the involved stakeholders, why this is happening, 2) Develop a set of guidelines for the successful deployment of serious games for rehabilitation, and 3) Develop an initial implementation process and ideas for potential serious games. In a follow-up application, we intend to build on this knowledge and apply it in the design of a (set of) serious game for rehabilitation to be deployed at one of the partners centers and conduct a longitudinal evaluation to measure the success of the application of the deployment guidelines.
Inzet van serious games als scholingsinstrument voor zorgprofessionals of als patiëntinterventie neemt sterk toe. Serious games kunnen kosten besparen en zorgkwaliteit verbeteren. (Potentiële) afnemers vragen, in lijn met het medische onderzoeksparadigma, vaak naar de klinische effectiviteit (internal validity) van deze games. Het gros van de Nederlandse game-ontwikkelaars bestaat echter uit kleine ondernemingen die het aan middelen en expertise ontbreekt om de hiervoor benodigde longitudinale onderzoekstrajecten uit te voeren. Tegelijkertijd tonen mkb’ers, meestal zonder ervan bewust te zijn, tijdens het game-ontwikkelproces al verschillende validiteitsvormen aan volgens het design-onderzoeksparadigma (face validity, construct validity, e.d.). Door dit niet bij hun afnemers kenbaar te maken, komt een constructieve dialoog over validiteit moeilijk op gang en lopen mkb’ers opdrachten mis. Het ontbreekt hen aan een begrippenkader en praktische handvatten. Bestaande raamwerken zijn nog te theorie-gedreven. Om mkb’ers te helpen de 'clash' te overbruggen tussen het medische en het design-onderzoeksparadigma, ontwikkelen lectoraten ICT-innovaties in de Zorg (Hogeschool Windesheim, penvoerder) en Serious Gaming (NHL Stenden Hogeschool) samen met elf mkb’ers, afnemers, studenten en experts in een learning community drie hulpmiddelen: •Checklist: praktische mkb-richtlijnen voor het vaststellen van validiteit; •Beslisboom: op basis waarvan mkb’ers onderbouwd de juiste validatiemethode kunnenselecteren; •Serious game: om samen met (potentiële) afnemers te spelen, zodat verschillende soortenvaliditeit expliciet benoemd worden. De hulpmiddelen worden inhoudelijk gevoed door casestudies waarin mkb’ers gevolgd worden in hoe validiteit momenteel wordt vastgesteld en geëxpliciteerd in het ontwikkelproces. Vervolgens brengen we de ontworpen hulpmiddelen in de mkb-praktijk voor evaluatie. Opgeleverde hulpmiddelen stellen mkb’ers in staat werkbare validatiemethoden toe te passen gedurende het game-ontwikkelproces om acceptabele bewijslast op te leveren voor potentiële afnemers, waardoor hun marktpositie versterkt. Ook draagt het project bij aan operationalisering van bestaande raamwerken en kunnen de hulpmiddelen in game design-curricula worden geïncorporeerd.
The growing use of digital media has led to a society with plenty of new opportunities for knowledge exchange, communication and entertainment, but also less desirable effects like fake news or cybercrime. Several studies, however, have shown that children are less digital literate than expected. Digital literacy has consequently become a key part within the new national educational policy plans titled Curriculum.nu and the Dutch research and policy agendas. This research project is focused on the role the game sector can play in the development of digital literacy skills of children. In concrete, we want to understand the value of the use of digital literacy related educational games in the context of primary education. Taking into consideration that the childhood process of learning takes place through playing, several studies claim that the introduction of the use of technology at a young age should be done through play. Digital games seem a good fit but are themselves also part of digital media we want young people to be literate about. Furthermore, it needs to be taken into account that digital literacy of teachers can be limited as well. The interactive, structured nature of digital games offers potential here as they are less dependent on the support and guidance of an adult, but at the same time this puts even more emphasis on sensible game design to ensure the desired outcome. The question is, then, if and how digital games are best designed to foster the development of digital literacy skills. By harnessing the potential of educational games, a consortium of knowledge and practice partners aim to show how creating theoretical and practical insights about digital literacy and game design can aid the serious games industry to contribute to the societal challenges concerning contemporary literacy demands.
