Heinrich Soebke

The term Serious Game includes a wide, heterogeneous field of digital games with varying purposes and objectives and for a multitude of different application areas. All in common is the underlying software. This chapter gives an overview on the technical aspects of serious games including their software architectures and engines. As the general topic is manifold and the technical aspects of serious game software are quite comprehensive, this chapter covers the basic principles of and requirements for serious game software. It depicts selected software architectures and provides examples for game engines including a description of selected components.

Water infrastructure systems (WIS) are an essential and costly component of urban infrastructure. Under increasingly instable general conditions it becomes necessary to adapt WIS accordingly. This can be accomplished by innovative WIS. However in the field long diffusion times of innovative WIS are observed. Based on Rogers’ well-known theory of Diffusion of Innovation we have identified limited triability of those systems as a reason which hinders their spread. Furthermore we have concluded from an analysis of the decision making process, that city councils and honorary boards are relevant decision makers in the field of WIS. This constellation results in non-experts (laypersons) making suboptimal decisions with a huge and long-lasting impact mainly in terms of the available financial and ecological resources. One the other hand video games are known as motivating learning machines: Players voluntarily deal with complex systems and solve hard problems. Therefore we suggest a video game which includes WIS in its simulation model as an aid for non-expert decision makers. Such a video game will improve the triability of those systems tremendously. In this paper we analyze requirements for a simulation game used by usually non-gaming persons as virtual prototype of WIS. Finally we propose a concept for such software.

In general the development of educational video games is costly. Reuse of existing games is an approach which may lower development efforts in some cases. In this paper we present such a case: The original game is a mobile app which supports memorizing basic knowledge of the law domain. Starting with a description of the software architecture and the game mechanics of the mobile app we outline the necessary steps and methods to extend the software to an own, new app with content from an engineering discipline. The provided clone of the original educational game is a fully usable mobile educational game. We compare the efforts needed for the development of the original and the new app. Finally we discuss the limitations and requirements of this approach as there are legal issues, limitations to the knowledge which is transferred by the game, the systematic use of the game, change of the context and an appropriate game structure. Nevertheless our result is a generic procedure to extend that game to arbitrary further technical domains – at a considerably smaller fraction of the original effort.

* Contribution to the Games Competition at th 7th European Conference on Games Bsed Learning

* Finalist at the Games Competition


* JuraShooter StGB (“Jagd nach dem Katzenkönig”) is an iOS based game for graduate law education. It uses drill & exercise game mechanics. Supported by appropriate sound and graphics it fosters engagement among players. Currently holding only content related to the field of German criminal law the game is designed to host additional content. Also the game can be extended to support further knowledge domains. This would require exchanging sound, graphics and the narrative. The game stems from an extra-university context: its production was financed by venture capital, currently it is sold on the iTunes App Store. The game’s efficacy can be derived from observed high scores which indicate mastered content and informal and formal feedback. This game’s unique pedagogical contribution is the support of mobile and casual game play in the field of graduate law education - including the possibility to extend it to other domains.

Successful development of educational video games has to overcome plenty of challenges. In addition to the requirements of a successful software development project, an attractive game experience has to be designed and implemented. However a failure in one of the most ambitious tasks of developing an educational game is known as "chocolate-dipped broccoli". This term was used by Bruckman (1999) to describe the unsuccessful integration of game mechanics and learning content. An alternative approach to avoid these problems is not new but still seems to be underrepresented in the field of Digital Game Based Learning: the use of existing, popular video games. Recent research has acknowledged several video games as educational media for the training of professional skills. Besides that video games can be used to spread domain knowledge. Such video games either already contain specific domain knowledge or they can be extended easily to embed domain knowledge. This paper presents case studies of four commercial video games, which are potentially eligible for educational extension. Each game represents a distinct category: Fliplife stands for simple, community enhancing Social Network Game (SNG) Triviador as a SNG is the synthesis of two well known board games (Risk and Trivial Pursuit). JuraShooter StGB - already designed as an educational game - exemplifies mobile device games. Lastly SimCity 5 is a representative of a classic strategy and simulation game with focus on systems. Each game is shortly introduced, our relevant gameplay experiences and the potential learning content is described. Finally we identify potential extensions regarding additional learning content for each game. Having these examples in mind we suggest a more systematic approach to use commercial video games as learning tools: if a game has been proven as a viable source for transfer of domain knowledge, we suggest categorizing it due to two characteristics: complexity of learning content and mainly attracted player types. Based on such a categorization a directory of games can be compiled. This directory then can be used in a concrete educational scenario to identify appropriate games. As a categorization for learning content we suggest Bloom’s revised taxonomy. A well known categorization for player types was proposed by Bartle. Although by far not every commercial video game can be enriched with educational content, the effort to customize existing games seems to be much smaller than the effort to create educational games from scratch. This paper argues for a systematic approach to facilitate commercial video games in educational settings as an additional option apart from individual implementations of educational games.

Video games are a comprehensive, interactive media. Online games foster communication and extend the range of communication types considerably. We examine prevailing types of communication in video games using the browser-based advergame Fliplife. This game provides all a clear, delimited structure, an unpretentious user interface and the characteristics of a multiplayer online game. Thus Fliplife is an excellent frame to demonstrate the wide range of communication initiated in a video game. Among contained types of communication are verbal and non-verbal communications using graphics and actions/non-actions. Found communication typically serves controlling and coordination of the game play, however private discussions and social banter exist also besides demonstration of player status and community identification. In our work we draw on the basic definition of communication as conveying information from a sender to a recipient. We categorize the found types of communication according to an abstract model of communication derived from common definitions. The compiled enumeration of communication elements and possible manifestations represents a draft of categorization for communication in video games in general. Although it still needs extended validation, this enumeration demonstrates that video games provide frameworks which host and initiate a wide variety of communication. As a significant difference compared to other media, video games and their notion of interactivity allow players to communicate through action and to change roles of sender and receiver.

The Facts Started playing FarmVille in February 2010 daily – just interrupted by vacations when there was no access to the internet. Using no money. Taking notes on progress, game mechanics and playing experiences from the start. Main target: levelling up as fast as possible. Right now (January, 29th 2014) level 1446 reached, daily income more than 40 million Farm Coins (1). Still alive – no long-term damages noticeable yet. Many experiences.

Enabled by the rise of smartphones, quiz apps have become a very popular form of casual and collective game play. The majority of quiz apps shares a common system structure. Quiz apps and their supporting infrastructure are open to content of most technical domains. There is evidence that playing quizzes induces learning results. This leads us to proposing a common infrastructure for quiz apps with an educational purpose. We present a concept incorporating a system architecture, a definition of the roles of involved parties and organizational framings for development and operation of such a system. The system architecture's extensible and customizable approach facilitates the use of this infrastructure in many educational settings. Further we discuss building blocks of the common infrastructure, as there are quality assurance of content, player adaptivity, question design, game design and monitoring. We conclude that the proposed infrastructure can be implemented and successively and incrementally refined. It would lower the effort to provide educational quizzes considerably. However, we consider the engagement of a non-profit organization as operator as an important prerequisite for the successful implementation of this infrastructure.

Aims: The introduction of New Alternative Sanitation Systems (NASS) in existing structures requires often severe system changes. On the other side, water infrastructure systems (WIS) are known for their cost-intensiveness and durability. We consider phenomena as path de-pendency and lock-in costs as one major barrier for the successful spread of NASS, which increase the efficiency of WIS. For these reasons we develop a framework to overcome these obstacles by means of transfer of the underlying technical systems. Methodology: We develop the concept of transition paths. A transition path transfers a WIS from the current status over a probably long period of time into a future-oriented, adaptable WIS using system-enhancing technology and adhering to edge conditions as uninterrupted functionality and affordability. We propose a pattern language as a framework for the devel-opment of such transition paths and identify design principles (“patterns”) for the by and by introduction of NASS-oriented water infrastructure. A case study of a village in a rural German area is used to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed principles. Results: Results of our work are the idea of a transition path and the description of a pattern language. The applicability of both concepts is demonstrated in a case study. Conclusion: Transition paths are an instrument to overcome path dependency. Their design can be supported by patterns. Therefore the provided pattern language provides a documen-tation tool, which could support the diffusion of knowledge about successful implementation of NASS into the field.

Social network games (SNG) constitute a game genre with both easy accessibility and low development costs. However, their educational usage is impacted by their reputation as effortless, click-and-reward games. In this case study we apply a taxonomy of learning outcomes in serious games to an elementary SNG (Fliplife). The work is based on long-term gameplay experiences and two online surveys. Each taxonomy component can be mapped successfully to examples from Fliplife. Therefore we argue that SNGs in general, notwithstanding their limited game appeal, can have educational potential. They can be a cost-efficient tool in the context of game-based learning.

Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) are essential components especially in distance learning. However they show shortcomings in terms of community building. Because (community induced-) social interactions are considered as a fundamental part of learning, there is still a need for strategies to mitigate this weakness. On the other hand video games have proven to be community-enabling catalysts. Combining both facts leads to the idea to use a video game as community-builder. Therefore we present the case of a simple Social Network Game (SNG). We evaluate this SNG (Fliplife) as a virtual Third Place. Also we match an accepted set of rules for building virtual communities to characteristics of Fliplife. In sum we found evidence that it facilitates social interactions. As consequence we propose integration of a Fliplife-like game into a VLE for fostering community-building and thus to improve learning success.

A simulation model is an essential component of a simulation game. The development of such a model - including elements, their relations and calcu- lation rules - is a demanding, costly and fault-prone task. This task becomes even more complex if close-to-reality models are required, as it is mostly the case for serious games. An alternative approach in this context is the integration of proven simulation software into the serious game; in such a case the serious game works as a user-friendly and motivating user interface for the simulation program that takes the role of a processing unit. Accordingly, we describe in this article the case of a serious game with the purpose of water infrastructure planning, which outsources necessary calculations to a commercial simulation software. Starting with a discussion of the motivation to combine a simulation game and simulation software in this special case of water infrastructure planning, we focus on the characteristics of the software architecture and the development process. Further- more, relevant issues of an implementation as data availability and data aggrega- tion are discussed. Summarizing, this case study of a serious game employing a service-oriented architecture (SOA) reveals assets and challenges of such an ap- proach as they appear in the field. Keywords:

Means of the fantastic are considered as one basic component to build moti-vation of video game players. They contribute to an immersive gaming expe-rience and the engagement in a video game. Serious Games (SG) can be defined as video games employed with addi-tional purposes besides entertainment. Among these further purposes are named in literature (i) attention and awareness raising, (ii) motivation gain, (iii) knowledge or skill acquisition, (iv) process support, (v) increasing joy and playfulness and (vi) attractive presentation of information. Examples for categories of SGs are learning games (facilitating cognitive, affective and/or psychomotor learning goals, e.g. Darfur is Dying), games for health (encour-aging health-supporting habits, e.g. SuperBetter in a broader sense), exer-games (leading to physical exercises, e.g. Wii Sports), advergames (providing promotional messages, e.g. Fliplife) and human-based computation games (supporting citizen science, e.g. FoldIt). Altogether, SGs are a medium, which utilizes and comprises fantastic components and shows an increasing real world impact. Based on these statements, this presentation outlines the role of the fan-tastic in SGs. Thus we argue for and give an example for a close intercon-nection of fantastic components and real world implications. Methodologi-cally we do this in a two staged approach: first, we present the results of a literature review regarding the role of the fantastic as motivational element in video games. In the second stage, we use a formal game model to identify its components and assess them for their suitability to incorporate fantastic ele-ments. Among the parts of a game which are prone to support fantastic, are the narrative and the simulation model. Our assumptions are underlined by short case studies, using the (serious) games World of Warcraft, Cities: Sky-lines, Fliplife and KanalrattenShooter. Furthermore, we discuss boundary aspects of the fantastic in SGs. Included are practical reasons to integrate fantastic elements into SGs, e.g. the simplification of simulation models. An-other relevant question is if there are limitations for - or optima of - the fan-tastic fraction in order to foster (and not to endanger) its “serious” goals.

Mobile quiz apps have received a huge popularity in recent two years. They have brought the well-known game mechanic of a quiz to mobile apps as a new kind of media. Quizzes and underlying Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) are an established assessment and learning aid. Therefore, quiz apps can be considered as a potential educational tool. However, there has not been a commercially successful quiz application so far, which allows the integration of self-created content. This situation has changed in September 2015, when QuizUp, one of the main competitors in the quiz app market, was opened for individual content. We employed QuizUp in two higher education courses of environmental engineering (nM=21 resp. nB=13) in two functions: first, the quiz app has been used as an accompanying learning aid in order to ensure a constant topic-relevant activity during the course. Secondly, the app has been utilized as a media in selected lectures. Our main research questions are (a) if a quiz app is received as a motivating learning aid and (b) in how far gamification elements (e.g. duels between players, ranking lists, badges and time pressure) contribute to gaming experiences. After the final lecture we conducted an online survey, which has been designed based on the results of guided interviews with 4 students. Furthermore, selected items of the Game Experience Questionnaire (GEQ) have been added. Additionally, we measured students' activities with statistical data exposed by the app. Among our findings, which draw an ambiguous picture, are: the usage in lectures as a medium is very accepted and led to both, high engagement and high immersion of students. The app was able to motivate only a small fraction of students to use it self-directed continuously. Although, the GEQ results indicate the perception of QuizUp in an educational setting as a game, educational topics are by far less attractive than provided entertainment topics.

Decision making processes in engineering disciplines can be enhanced by computer based tools, so called Decision Support Systems (DSS). Development and usage of such tools requires in general a lot of resources by means of time, money and knowledge. Spreadsheet software is established as a less resource demanding flexible foundation for DSS. For this reason spreadsheet software is the preferred choice in a lot of decisional settings. On the other hand such solutions are error prone, mainly due to lack of professional development processes. In our work we examine how the quality of spreadsheet solutions can be increased. First we identify in this context relevant and critical aspects of software quality as defined in the appropriate international standard (ISO/IEC 9126). Thereafter we evaluate the outcome of a literature study regarding the found aspects of quality. As a result quality enhancing approaches are discussed. These approaches can be divided into constructive and analytical methodologies. As a non formal development process is typical for implementation and usage of spreadsheet-based decisions support systems we suggest automated and integrated tools as product improving approaches as the most promising.

In this chapter, we derive a framework for discussing various ethical considerations in serious game design, based on a Zagal's categorization of ethical areas in game design, and regarding the different contexts of their design and use. Focusing on the context of design and the context of use, we propose five suggestions to support ethical stewardship in serious game design. We conclude by discussing a number of specific areas in which ethics tie into serious game design, such as when working with games in a military context, when considering privacy issues, or when pinning down particular game design choices.

Commercial quiz apps show characteristics, which could contribute to a promising game-based learning tool. Among these characteristics are huge popularity, easy accessibility and adaptivity to any content domain. We used the commercial quiz app QuizUp in an explorative study to clarify acceptance and requirements for the usage of these apps for educational purposes. We developed a topic-specific question corpus. Over a period of 12 days four topic affine students used QuizUp regularly and focused on learning. We observed them in three common gaming sessions. Furthermore, three interviews and a questionnaire were conducted. A main observation has been a self-reported decrease of motivation after a phase of curiosity. In general, we conclude that successful usage of such a quiz app requires a purposeful integration in an educational setting to ensure its continuous use. Additionally, we point to a set of further relevant research topics.

Based on the emerging popularity of social network services like Facebook Online Social Networks (OSNs) have found an increasing playership in the last years. Their proliferation is supported by an easy accessibility which enables even non gamers to entry in these games. A main characteristic of these games is the utilization on already existing networks of social ties. At least in theory these foster communities of interest, which are considered a vivid source of learning. Summarizing these facts and considering the comparably low e orts for development of such games makes Social Network Games (SNGs) to be a remarkable instrument for serious games, especially educational games. For this reason we describe in this chapter their unique characteristics. Underlying theoretical assumptions are presented. Example cases illustrate potential usages. The bridge to pedagogical and didactic use is illustrated by connecting theories from both worlds and naming best practice examples. Furthermore, speci c aspects in the design and development of SNGs are discussed. Examples here are application of Social Network Analysis (SNA) and critical issues as monetarization strategies of developers or toxic behavior of players