Week 2 Refleciton

Week 2 Reflection

I was struggling to come up with a list of what things are needed in a serious game. There are so many things that make a serious game good, but what is needed most?  To me, a game can be serious without many criteria being met, but there are some things that are definitely needed to even be considered a serious game.  It’s hard to limit it to those things.  In my blog and in our Wiki group, I discussed the very definition of a serious game- a game that has a purpose other than pure fun.  (It doesn’t mean it cannot be fun as well.)  I think that whatever that purpose is, will dictate what other criteria is needed. 

Reading others’ blogs has been very helpful in clarifying things for me.  I commented on the blogs that really helped me with some ideas.  Our Wiki group has been discussing this as well.  We have had good discussions about what to include and what not to include.   

I thought the Twitter session this week was beneficial as well in this discussion.  It was great to hear lots of different ideas as well as the arguments to back those ideas up. 

Criteria to be a Serious Game

Week 2 Blog

“A serious game or applied game is a game designed for a primary purpose other than pure entertainment.”  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serious_game

I think this is a "have to" criteria for a serious game. But, could the definition of a game change depending on skill level?  For example, if I were to engage in the card game of War, it would be purely for fun.  I am not learning or practicing any skill needed.  However, if a 4 or 5 year old were playing, they could be reinforcing numbers and their value.  Therefore, for a young child, would War be considered a serious game?  I guess this is where other criteria come in.  Can a game that is for practicing skills be considered a serious game?  Or not? 

A similar definition from The Financial Times Lexicon at http://lexicon.ft.com/Term?term=serious-games is

“Serious games are games designed for a purpose beyond pure entertainment.” 

Also from The Ludus Project, at http://www.ludus-project.eu/seriousgaming.html

“ Serious Gaming is, thus, games that engage users in their pursuit and contribute to the achievement of a defined purpose other than pure entertainment.”

Seems like there is pattern here.  My thoughts on other criteria that I come across are “Could a game without this be called a serious game?”  If the answer is yes then it can’t be a criterion. So I am having difficulty with deciding on other criteria. 

Here at least two that I believe serious games should have:

  

Use higher order thinking skills

Challenging yet doable

Week 1 Reflection

I enjoyed looking over others’ blogs and seeing the different games they found to play. Looking through their recommendations is so much easier than when looking through so many of them online on your own.  I found lots online that were very specific to topics found in college level or higher classes.  I wanted to find some that would be a little higher than basic fact practice, but not quite that high of  level. I found a couple on my own and was pleased to find more through others’ suggestions. I was very thankful and told several people through blog comments.

            I shared a few games that I found promising.  I also shared on my blog some blogs that I found about serious games.  These were very helpful to me in fining serious games that I was interested in.  I hope it was helpful for others as well.

            This week a couple classmates and I have been texting about various things in the class.  We have decided to lead a Twitter session together this week.  Texting will be our main communication on deciding how to proceed with that. Tomas found a site for us that gives suggestions on hosing a Twitter chat! 

            I actually am amazed at the amount and variability of different serious games.  I am actually excited to continue playing Superbetter.  I am also going to try a couple that were suggested by others on their blogs.  I like playing quick puzzle games, maybe I can find start expanding my horizons to more serious ones. 

Serious Gaming

            Starting the game of Superbetter, I came to my first roadblock- deciding which item I want to get better from.  Most seem to be all related, and I can relate to all but a few.   Depression/anxiety?  Well most on the list, if improved would make either one better. Sleeping better would definitely help (I have a pretty big problem with this.) Less stress definitely would improve many issues.  Having more energy-working out- these are proven to help in all the above issues.  Eating better and losing weight would also be beneficial for all the issues.  Too bad indecisiveness isn’t on the list.  That would fit me to a “T”.  So, which of the above issues would be considered a main one causing the others?  They are so intertwined.  How about a just be happier quest?  Argh!

            I read a book recently that was on just this topic (being happier). 

(So, I just got back from finding the book to reference it.  I went into kitchen for something and had to stop myself from making the chocolate pudding I was going to make earlier.  Oh look, SQUIRREL!)  ADD maybe?  Anyway, back to the topic at hand.  The book is called The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.  Of course, I didn’t finish it, but I made it halfway through so far.  Even so, I highly recommend it.  http://www.amazon.com/The-Happiness-Project-Aristotle-Generally/dp/006158326X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389941566&sr=8-1&keywords=happiness+project The author was not clinically depressed.  She just wanted to make her perfectly content life better.  She made some decisions based on things she had learned from literature and scientific research on what kinds of things would make her happier. She divided up sections monthly and decided to work hard each month on a new area.  This game, Superbetter, seems somewhat similar to this.  I guess if I wanted it to be the closest, depression may be the one to choose.  The good thing is, you can change it whenever you want.  The bad thing, I might be changing often if I don’t like the challenges.  

            While searching online for serious games, I did not find a suitable site that I felt did a good job of giving a list of or examples of serious games.  I did find a blog site, http://blog.seriosity.com/, that is a blog talking about gaming and how it can be useful in work and business.  Although it looked to be a couple years old, it had some interesting information. 

            Upon looking further I found a great blog, http://seriousgamesmarket.blogspot.com/ that blogs about different serious games.  It includes games made for interrogations, learning the water cycle, educational games and much more.  There is a list down the right side of categories that you can browse blog articles from.  One that I am going to try is Algeburst, a game to improve mental math skills. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/algeburst-lite/id567739842?mt=8 - See more at: http://seriousgamesmarket.blogspot.com/#sthash.f4W3N2Mj.dpuf

I am interested in brain games or games that increase mental abilities.