Virtual Reality Games for Motor Rehabilitation

This paper presents a fuzzy logic based method to track user satisfaction without the need for devices to monitor users physiological conditions. User satisfaction is the key to any product’s acceptance; computer applications and video games provide a unique opportunity to provide a tailored environment for each user to better suit their needs. We have implemented a non-adaptive fuzzy logic model of emotion, based on the emotional component of the Fuzzy Logic Adaptive Model of Emotion (FLAME) proposed by El-Nasr, to estimate player emotion in UnrealTournament 2004. In this paper we describe the implementation of this system and present the results of one of several play tests. Our research contradicts the current literature that suggests physiological measurements are needed. We show that it is possible to use a software only method to estimate user emotion

Developing serious games for cultural heritage: a state-of-the-art review

Although the widespread use of gaming for leisure purposes has been well documented, the use of games to support cultural heritage purposes, such as historical teaching and learning, or for enhancing museum visits, has been less well considered. The state-of-the-art in serious game technology is identical to that of the state-of-the-art in entertainment games technology. As a result, the field of serious heritage games concerns itself with recent advances in computer games, real-time computer graphics, virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence. On the other hand, the main strengths of serious gaming applications may be generalised as being in the areas of communication, visual expression of information, collaboration mechanisms, interactivity and entertainment. In this report, we will focus on the state-of-the-art with respect to the theories, methods and technologies used in serious heritage games. We provide an overview of existing literature of relevance to the domain, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the described methods and point out unsolved problems and challenges. In addition, several case studies illustrating the application of methods and technologies used in cultural heritage are presented

The Industry and Policy Context for Digital Games for Empowerment and Inclusion:Market Analysis, Future Prospects and Key Challenges in Videogames, Serious Games and Gamification

The effective use of digital games for empowerment and social inclusion (DGEI) of people and communities at risk of exclusion will be shaped by, and may influence the development of a range of sectors that supply products, services, technology and research. The principal industries that would appear to be implicated are the 'videogames' industry, and an emerging 'serious games' industry. The videogames industry is an ecosystem of developers, publishers and other service providers drawn from the interactive media, software and broader ICT industry that services the mainstream leisure market in games, The 'serious games' industry is a rather fragmented and growing network of firms, users, research and policy makers from a variety of sectors. This emerging industry is are trying to develop knowledge, products, services and a market for the use of digital games, and products inspired by digital games, for a range of non-leisure applications. This report provides a summary of the state of play of these industries, their trajectories and the challenges they face. It also analyses the contribution they could make to exploiting digital games for empowerment and social inclusion. Finally, it explores existing policy towards activities in these industries and markets, and draws conclusions as to the future policy relevance of engaging with them to support innovation and uptake of effective digital game-based approaches to empowerment and social inclusion.JRC.J.3-Information Societ

Serious Games in Cultural Heritage

Although the widespread use of gaming for leisure purposes has been well documented, the use of games to support cultural heritage purposes, such as historical teaching and learning, or for enhancing museum visits, has been less well considered. The state-of-the-art in serious game technology is identical to that of the state-of-the-art in entertainment games technology. As a result the field of serious heritage games concerns itself with recent advances in computer games, real-time computer graphics, virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence. On the other hand, the main strengths of serious gaming applications may be generalised as being in the areas of communication, visual expression of information, collaboration mechanisms, interactivity and entertainment. In this report, we will focus on the state-of-the-art with respect to the theories, methods and technologies used in serious heritage games. We provide an overview of existing literature of relevance to the domain, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the described methods and point out unsolved problems and challenges. In addition, several case studies illustrating the application of methods and technologies used in cultural heritage are presented

A survey of haptics in serious gaming

Serious gaming often requires high level of realism for training and learning purposes. Haptic technology has been proved to be useful in many applications with an additional perception modality complementary to the audio and the vision. It provides novel user experience to enhance the immersion of virtual reality with a physical control-layer. This survey focuses on the haptic technology and its applications in serious gaming. Several categories of related applications are listed and discussed in details, primarily on haptics acts as cognitive aux and main component in serious games design. We categorize haptic devices into tactile, force feedback and hybrid ones to suit different haptic interfaces, followed by description of common haptic gadgets in gaming. Haptic modeling methods, in particular, available SDKs or libraries either for commercial or academic usage, are summarized. We also analyze the existing research difficulties and technology bottleneck with haptics and foresee the future research directions

Gender-based Engagement Model for Serious Games

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has an important impact on the economy globally and in many regions. However, there is a lack of female involvement in ICT fields in many countries, thus motivating female students to take up ICT studies should be made a priority. ICT also improves learning quality and increases outcomes while allowing for easier control of learning systems. Serious Games can be used effectively for learning, and to encourage females to study Computer Science. However, engagement and motivation to play certain types of digital games are affected by gender preference factors, but few studies have looked into digital game design for females. Furthermore, most serious games with Computer Science content do not interest young adult females and the effect of social and cultural content in relation to female players’ gaming experience has not been fully explained. Hence this study identified effective serious game elements - motivational elements that influence a player to engage with digital games, effective educational game elements, female preference elements and elements that influence players to engage with the game. The result is a conceptual model for female engagement with serious games. The proposed model will be implemented in a game prototype design to increase the engagement of undergraduate females studying Computer Science

Learning Models in Educational Game Interactions: A Review

Educational games have now been used as innovative media and teaching strategies to achieve more effective learning and have an impact that tends to be very good in the learning process. However, it is important to know and systematically prove that the application of the learning model in the interaction of educational games is indeed feasible to be adopted and has an effect. This paper aims to present empirical evidence of the current situation regarding the application of learning models in the flow of educational game interactions. The method used is a systematic literature review by adopting three main stages, namely: 1) Planning; 2) Implementation; 3) Reporting. Then recommend the ten steps in the systematic literature review process along with the selection process through the test-retest approach. The initial search obtained 1,405,310 papers, then go through the selection stage. The selection process took place at stage B1 with the number of papers that successfully passed 198, at the B2 selection stage there were 102 papers, and we focus 75 papers that have passed a fairly rigorous screening and selection process on the quality assessment process for primary studies, used to answer research objectives and questions. We can confirm and conclude that 75 papers have applied the learning model in educational game interactions. The dominating domain is Education, the type of game that dominates is Educational Game, for the most dominating subjects are Programming, Student Learning Motivation as the most dominating impact, Experimental Design as a trial technique, the most widely used evaluation instruments are Questionnaires and Tests, a population that dominates between 79-2,645 people, and 8 papers to support learning in vocational education