Serious Gaming - learning through games and play PhD, Cand. Psych. Simon Egenfeldt-Nielsen Assistant Professor IT-University Copenhagen CEO Serious Games Interactive 2. March 2010 E-Learning – The Volvo Way

My background MA Psychology PhD Games & learning Jumping between industry & research Research projects Commercial video games for learning Educational potential of video games: GC: Palestine Research project: Serious Games on a Global Market place PlayMancer – Serious Games for Rehabilitation Developing Computer games Global Conflicts-Series Playing History-Series +20 games for clients

Our background Who are we... Using games for more than entertainment 18 employees located in Copenhagen Worked for Danida, Amnesty, Lego, Nykredit; Kaplan & UNICEF Won several awards for our productions

References

Our background HR Learning & informationMarketing Recruiting Developing Training Retaining Learning ressources Displays & installations Information services Up-selling Cross-selling Virtual worlds Branding Serious Games Interactive Education Global Conflicts Playing History

Our organization CEO ($) Producer (Time) Game director (Quality) Programming (All programming) Graphics/animation (All graphics) Content (Story, script, dialogue) Board Commercial director (Sales. & Marketing)

Our team CEO Commercial director Key Account manager Producer Game Director Writer Game designer Lead Programmer Programmer Web & database programer Lead 3D animator 3D artist environment & props 3D character artist Internal testers

Why consider games? Games are becoming mainstream – avg. gamer is 35 years old in US and UK. Today games have become an universal language for playing, learning & communicating. Today games are out-growing other popular media in importance. Games are already forecasting the future of learning…

Agenda Overview Serious Games Game-based learning What is good game-based learning Real examples Developing serious games Efficiency of game-based learning

Problems… Most of what goes under the name "edutainment" reminds me of George Bernard Shaw's response to a famous beauty who speculated on the marvelous child they could have together: "With your brains and my looks..." He retorted, "But what if the child had my looks and your brains?" (Papert, 1998: 88)

History of games & learning  1960s: Big interest for role-playing games, board games & simulations.  1970s: Early experiments with learning & games  1980s: Edutainment industry comes and go  1990s: Well-established big brands but little innovation.  2000s: Serious Games movement starts the new century.

Read… Listen… View… New ways to engage… Active choices Interactive stories High replayability Multi-user Passive reception Linear stories Low repeatability Single-player Experiencing!!! The interactive experience…

Computer gamers are everybody… New ways to engage… Beyond entertainment… Education & training News Politics Museums Military Schools Healthcare Corporate training Satirical ? ? Serious Games

The players.. M.I.T. Carnegie Mellon The MOVES Institute University of Southern California Penn State University LearningLab NOKIA Microsoft Intel Breakaway games Muzzy Lane Pixelearning PlayGen TrueSim CrisWare Immersive Education Caspian Learning Tabu Digital (thx to Kevin Corti) Serious Games Interactive MingoVille

Agenda Overview Serious Games Game-based learning What is good game-based learning Real examples Developing serious games Efficiency of game-based learning

Why consider games…? ”Educational games are [can be] fundamentally different than the prevalent instructional paradigm. They are based on challenge, reward, learning through doing and guided discovery, in contrast to ”tell and test” methods of traditional instruction.” - Report of the Federation of American Scientists, ”Educational Games 2006”

Why consider games…? Perspectives: Train people to view problems from different perspectives. Retention: Do not learn more but remember what they learn. Get closer: Learning is not chopped into abstract bits and pieces. Active use of knowledge: You have to apply your knowledge. Consequences: The game re-acts to your choices and decisions.

What is game-based learning? Games are the future language for training & Education… Provide immersive, realistic & meaningful environments… …..in which learners actually use information to develop knowledge, attitudes and skills.

Problem-centered learning… …When solving problems = satisfaction Games are problem spaces… …Where your choices have consequences GBL problems are authentic & relevant… …integrating game & learning experience What is game-based learning?

Group work Reflective observation Active experimentation Game Lecture Abstract concepts Concrete experiences Kolb’s cycle covered with different teaching forms in the course.

Agenda Overview Serious Games Game-based learning What is good game-based learning Real examples Developing serious games Efficiency of game-based learning

Simcity 4 Civilization 4 Spore Are these learning games? Bully Are these good learning games?

Are these good (learning) games? All have elements of learning. When learning focus increase, motivation tends to decrease. Substantives (ship/cannon) Verbs (sail/shoot) Integration Motivation Focus + Motivation Integration Focus + + Motivation -Integration - Focus + Motivation + Integration - Focus

Why computer games work.. Audiovisual Story Problem space Choices/decisions Consequence Feedback Balance Reward Substantivs Verbs Quality & abstraction Right substantives Right verbs Integration Motivation Focus Learning gameComputer game

Agenda Overview Serious Games Game-based learning What is good game-based learning Real examples Developing serious games Efficiency of game-based learning

Our work: Interactive World Map (2009) Platform: Single player, web-enabled, touch-screen Technology: 3D Unity game engine Playtime: N/A Timeline: 3 months Budget: EUR Application: Touch-screen interactive world map that can display existing content. Target group: Visitors to Amnesty interactive education (teachers & students) Zoom function Categorization through icons & themes) Choose platform (text, movies, images, games) Web version with ”mouse-functionality” Administration module Only available on location

Our work: Bring Your Ideas (2010) Platform: Multiplayer, web-enabled, Technology: Php, html & MySql Playtime: N/A Timeline: 3 months Budget: EUR Application: Forum for discussing the solution for different business cases. Target group: Students for management students. Game reward system w. ranking Advanced forum w. integrated rating Administration module Only available on location

Our work: Nykredit Game (2008) “Spillet gav god faglig indsigt i Nykredit og kerneværdier” “God og sjov måde at lære noget om Nykredit” - Intern brugertest Nykredit Platform: Multiplayer, web-based Timeline: 2 months (+4 months) Technology: Web 2.0 & flash/html Playtime: minutes Budget: EUR Game: Aim to reach employees before job start when they are highly motivated. Presents company as innovative & interesting while delivering facts & information in a compelling context. Target group: New (potential & existing employees) ( find forum post where you input password (tænknyt) to get started [video]

Our work: Global Conflicts: Sweat shops (2009) Platform: Mac/PC, single player, browser, CD-Rom Technology: 3D Unity game engine Playtime: 1 hour Timeline: 3 months Budget: EUR Game: The issues surrounding child labour in Bangladesh and other countries. Target group: Older students + mature people Advantages Strong, visual, immersive universe Feels & plays very close to a real game Unique gameplay Disadvantages More expensive with 3D Long development time Harder to test & change gameplay

Our work: Bionicle Glatorian Arena (2009) Platform: Single player, web-based Technology: 3D Unity game engine Playtime 2 hours Timeline: 6 months (+2 months) Budget: > EUR Game: Play one of the new Bioncle Glatorians for fight and glory. Classic fight game that promotes the Lego characters. Target group: 8-10 years boys Advantages Good game feel that appeals to tough target group. Engaging & unique gameplay Disadvantages Plug-in needs to be installed Requires more band-width Try out game…

Our work: Playing History: The Plague (2009) Platform: Mac/PC, single player, browser-based, CD-Rom Technology: 3D game engine Unity Playtime: 3 hours Timeline: 6 months Budget: EUR Game: In the game you play a boy in 14 th century Florence during the Black Death. You must try to save your mother from the disease and get your family out of the city. Target group: Students & kids (9-13 years old) Advantages Strong, visual, immersive universe Feels & plays very close to a real game Unique gameplay Disadvantages More expensive with 3D Long development time Harder to test & change gameplay Release Winther 2009

Agenda Overview Serious Games Game-based learning What is good game-based learning Real examples Developing serious games Efficiency of game-based learning

New devices.. New devices are becoming cheaper, more accessible & stable. Instead of being linear & constant – they can be used interactively through game technology. Mobile: Moving around with the screen. Augmented: Combining the screen & real-life. Pervasive: Tabs (wearable) > pads (handheld) > Boards (display) 3D Cameras: Real motion capture transferred to virtual world real time. IDOME: Increasing immersion & experience through visuals. DOME: Increasing immersion & experience through visuals

Purposes & solutions Games Elements Interactive spaces Interactive boards Mobile solutions Simulations Augmented reality Encyclopedia Online resources Visualization Interactive map Interactive time line

Design limitations.. Technology Unity 3D, Flash, web 2.0, html. Platforms Pc, web, mobiles Different complexity level  Single user >>Multi user  2D graphics >>3D graphics  Small universe >> Large universe  Linear >>Branching  Low fidelity>>High fidelity  Low interactivity>>High Interactivity  15 minutes >>50 hours playtime

Our work process Plan Implement Concept Prototype Production Testing 1 month2 months 1 month 0,5 month Important with fast feedback Depend on iterations of concept & prototype Below timeline influenced by budget & scope

User testing.. Increased focused in many funding bodies. Cuts across all communication solutions (digital & analogy) User experience = User relevance + User friendliness Different goal for user testing  Generate ideas  Learn about context of use  Validate concept w. end-users  Improve navigation, understanding & structure Increase user experience

Agenda Overview Serious Games Game-based learning What is good game-based learning Real examples Developing serious games Efficiency of game-based learning

Game’s efficiency  More motivated & engaged  Activity perceived as more challenging  Rention is often better Most research say you learn from games - at least the same as other teaching methods. Below overview of studies that support learning from games (until 2008). YesMaybeNo 2012

Competence development with games Some areas for using games Introductory course Simulating repair praxis Customer service scenarios Organisation change

Game’s efficiency Game excel in making trivial interesting > key mechanics evolve around repetition. Key is finding the right genre with the right success criteria for the right learning goals. Strategy game Success > System understanding Learning > Understand the system Action game Success > Skill mastery Learning > The specific core skill Role-playing game Success > Understanding the narrative & puzzles Learning > Key concept & narratives

Volvo areas Strategy games 1. Game about Volvo Trucks that makes you understand overall process, dependencies & critical tasks. Success > System understanding Learning > How does Volvo work around me.  Organizational change  Introductory course

Volvo areas Role-playing games 1. Game about mastering different aspects of repair Volvo driven by a narratives with small focused simulation games. Success > Understanding the narrative & solving puzzles Learning > Identity of Volvo & specific task simulations 2. Game about typical customers and problem, where you have to complete different scenarios and solve tasks/dilemmas/questions. Success > Understanding types, actor & key principles Learning > Different customers & needs.  Simulated repairs  Customer service

Contact info Company details Serious Games Interactive Griffenfeldsgade 7A, 4. floor DK Copenhagen N My details: Simon Egenfeldt-Nielsen | © Serious Games Interactive