OVERVIEW OF SERIOUS GAMES

(PART 2)

Health

Managing Illness2 SNE games 1995

Asthma Bronkie the

Bronchiasaurus 45% reduction in

crises

Diabetes Packy and Marlon

70% reduction in crises

Pain Management

Free Dive

SnowWorld

Rehabilitation: PTSD

Tailor environments to traumatic experience

Relive as much as can tolerate

Significant results

Full Spectrum Warrior

Physical Therapy

Injury Surgery Stroke Alzheimer Parkinson’s Burns More fun = more

time

New Healthier Behaviors

DDR Treatment for

obesity in West Virginia

Workout mode tracks calories burned

Phys Ed classes in universities (Brandeis, Mt Holyoke, Caltech) and high school (NY)

More recently: iDance2

Exergaming

Started with Wii Wii Fit EA Active

Now on Kinect (Microsoft,

Nike) Playstation Move

And smartphones Zombies Run!

Better than videos? Are these games? Does it matter?

Games With A Purpose

Jane McGonigal

Gaming can make a better

worldTED talk

The Big Idea There are things that

people can do better than machines

There are lots of people with a bit of time

The more people, the more diversity, the more different approaches

Crowdsourcing!

Two Examples

FOLDIT GWAP

Folding Proteins Goal: to fold a

protein according to constraints at the lowest energy level

Recent: Misfolding and Alzheimer’s

EteRNA: for RNA

Knowledge Gathering Various Games Human association Image tagging

Social Impact Games

Social Change: Opinions

Letters to the editor Articles Books Television shows Documentaries Movies Web Sites

Blogs Radio shows Music Paintings Sculptures Photographs Signs

Social Change

PeaceMaker

Garbage Glut

3rd World Farmer

Darfur is Dying

Waco Resurrection

Transform Awareness Commentary

Art Games

Art Games

Artists, sculptors, writers, musicians, photographers

… and game developers What if the purpose of the game is to

delight? make you think?

Example: Winterbells

Business

Advergames

Casual games Viral advertising Draw to

get people to web sites Increase brand recognition

Facebook Games

Why? Earn money Market research Promote other games

EA significant presence Madden Spore Island Pet Society (acquired Playfish in November)

Resources

Some Interesting Web Sites

The Educational Game Database

Games for Change

Marc Prensky