What is a Serious Game?
A serious game or applied game is a game designed for a primary purpose other than pure entertainment

How will the module be delivered?
Over 10 weeks, supplemented with online content plus a couple of game related events

What are the Learning Outcomes?

• Understand and comment on the main concepts of game culture and theory
• Analyse game taxonomies and identify the specific characteristics of each game type
• Carry out analyses and user tests to understand users’ demands, needs and motivations and convert them into serious game requisites (including learning objectives for game-based learning)
• Understand and apply serious game methodologies
• Understand the concepts related to game play, game flow, interactive narratives, storytelling and apply them in practice to develop a game for learning
• Understand the main tools available and steps required to develop games and to identify the best one for a specific purpose
• Idealise, design, develop, test and deliver a serious game
  
  

Is there any pre-reading requirement that would help me prepare for this module?
There are a number of good publications in game design; The Art of Game Design by Jessie Schell, and Rules of Play by Katie Salen and Eric Zimmerman would provide a good grounding in the subject.

Will I be making a game?
Yes, the idea will be that you will design, prototype and create a finished serious game.

What sort of game should I create?
Something to do with your area of study. This could be a card game, a board game, or something more conceptual. Optionally, you might also create an app or online/Moodle based element to support the physical game - in a similar way that games such as Mansions of Madness has an app that takes care of the rules, or Chronicles of Crime uses VR to simulate the examination of crime scenes

Will I have to pay the production costs of making the game myself?
Hopefully not, as long as the costs are reasonable
 

Can I create a video game or an app?
There must be a physical element to the game, though computer based elements may be incorporated if they enhance the experience

The assessment requires a game review; can this be in the form of a video review?
This option is currently being considered

Will we play Games in class?
Of course