Disclaimer
The opinions expressed herein are personal opinions of the authors and do not represent anyone else's view in any way, including those of the Academy of Digital Entertainment, Breda, NL. © Copyright 2009/2010
The opinions expressed herein are personal opinions of the authors and do not represent anyone else's view in any way, including those of the Academy of Digital Entertainment, Breda, NL. © Copyright 2009/2010
Introduction
There are 3 methods to extinguish fire.
This game will teach you which method is best in a certain situation.
Not picking the right extinguish method results in fire damage.
Play game
[embed .swf file here] : Fire Extinguisher
[source files + .swf file here]
Instructions
After playing the game you have learned
Credits
Fabian Schouw
Stijn Klessens
Bart Knuiman
Spa Management
Manage your own Spa and try to get as much money as possible!
Instructions
Press Start Game to start the game, or press instructions for more detailed instructions!
Credits
Vincent van der Pol
Jerry van den Heuvel
Jeroen Matser
Pim Kartner
Our game is about recycling plastic.
Separate the plastic parts from the non-plastic parts.
Drag the plastic parts into the plastic bin.
This game learns children what is supposed to go into the plastic bin and what not, also that recycling is a good thing to do.
Team members:
Freek Hoekstra
Roel Ezendam
Rick de Bruijne
Rainbow Run
Learning objectives
- Teach children in a really simple way to learn how rainbows come to be.
- What colours rainbows are made up of.
Play the Game
http://www.marvinroelofs.com/rainbowrun.html
Instructions
- Click on START to begin.
- Make a rainbow with the waterhose.
- Run over the rainbow by clicking on the safe colour on the rainbow. The safe colour can be found left of the screen in the top brown square.
After playing this game you will know:
How the make a rainbow, and the 7 colours of the rainbow.
Credits:
Programmer: Marvin Roelofs
Artist: Marvin Roelofs
Designers: Richard Burgess, Dwight Cornel and Koen van der Somme
WetSnow
Your a cloud that is focused on making snow for your friends the skiers. by playing you quickly learn that temperature of the cloud and the water are the factors that make the diffrence between snow and rain.
Play the Game
http://users.codewolf.nl/~codewolf/WetSnow
Instructions
* click on START to begin
* Follow the instructions
* use the arrows and spacebar to cover the ground in snow
After playing this game you will know:
* that tempature is a key factor in making snow .
Credits
Programmers: Mike van Mourik, Matthijs van der Meide
Artist: Karim baz
Magnetized
What materials can be picked up by a magnet? This game will give you the general idea about what can and what can not be picked up by a magnet.
Play the Game
http://www.gemblog.nl/Flash/Maarten/
Instructions
* click on START to begin
* click on the buttons with the mouse or use the keyboard to control the magnet arm
* collect the magnetic items
After playing this game you will know:
* what objects are attracted by magnets and which are not
Credits
Programmers: Arie Hofland, Maarten Tops
Artist: Ruard Veerman, Tristan Seelen
The Ideal Meal
Why do I need to eat vegetables?
Every person needs food, but not every person has the same requirements. Everybody has their own personal eating habits and needs. Sporters for example need a lot of carbohydrate, bodybuilders require a lot of protein and children varied, healthy food and require all nutrients.
Everyone has one thing in common though, each individual needs vitamins and therefore vegetables and fruit are essential.
Play the game
http://games.aliveed.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/The_Ideal_Meal.swf
Instructions
• Click on the “About” button to find out how to game has to be played
• In this section you will find the “Overview” button that shows the table with information of food and the valuable nutrients.
• On the page you will also find the button “Recommended daily dose” and here you will find the recommended daily dose per age.
• Click on the” menu” button to go back to the main screen
• Click on one of the pictures of the persons to prepare the ideal meal for that person
• You can choose 5 meal out of the list and when you have done that you can click “submit”
• Here you will find the ideal meal of that person with additional information
• To prepare the meal for another person you simply click on the “menu” button
• Happy cooking!
After playing this game you will know:
• Why you need to eat vegetables
• What the ideal meal is of a specific person (cyclist, model, bodybuilder, average adult and 2 year old child)
• Learned the valuable information of various kinds of food and the recommended daily doses
Credits:
Artists: Dirk Stoel, Huib van Leeuwen
Breathe is a serious game where the player learns in a simple and appealing way how the respiratory systems of humans and fish work.
Here is the link to our game, Arie Hofland kindly helped us to host this file on his website:
(the game takes a while to load so pleae be patient..)
(right click and press play to start the game if the screen stays white..)
http://www.gemblog.nl/Flash/Adolfo/
Use the arrows left and right to move the character left and right, the character will jump when the up arrow is pressed.
Pick up magical seaweed (5 pieces) to grow gills and be able to go underwater to search for your brother.
Remember to pick up oxygen bubbles to keep breathing underwater.
The Player learns how the respiratory system works, this is a very simplyfied version.
Mark Knoop – Flash Programmer, Artist, Voice Actor
Adolfo Roman – Team Lead, Artist
Jasper Verbon – Artist, Game Design
Esther Zuidgeest – Artist, Animator
I am going to review two Serious Games that are about the army
both these games the player is on the American side, but their focus and purpose is very different.
While America’s army was created to attract soldiers to the army
Full spectrum warrior was originally designed to train soldiers.
I would like to see the differences between the two.
And find out which one gives the best view on how war is like.
America’s army
America’s Army, or really America’s Army 3 is a first person shooter in which the player plays a soldier working (how could it be else) for the American army, the player gets a drill and has to shoot specific targets, after learning the basics of war the player gets to fight online against other players.
Gameplay
The game calls itself realistic, it is more realistic then most games, but I would not call it very realistic. I have played commercial games that are already more realistic, (operation flashpoint, ghost recon, and rogue spear for example) the player can take relatively much damage also players respawn… which is not very realistic, and all non American weapons were fictional… There is no need to take cover, fast strafing will do.
but thankfully there is no bunny-hopping. Jumping has been cut from the game, which is very good choice. this was not the case in the original AA and bunnyhopping was a real pest.
Another thing I did like is that there is actual medical training in the game, that is required if the player want to be a medic in the game, (you do not have to do this but if you want to be a medic you do have to do it)
The game is all about honor (you can display this) and gaining it takes time.
this honor is actually very effective, I have found several players actively trying to gain more. However it seems sort of questionable in a game that features no moral questions whatsoever.
The player just kills any enemies, and that is it. Maybe that is true in war, but in Iraq soldiers constantly have to decide, whether that bump is a baby in his arms, or a bomb. No such hard decisions are in AA. This I personally find a pity.
The success of America’s army,
I think it is sort of split. There are 3 iterations of the game now,
so I must at least be somewhat of a success and looking at the amount of players it has.
However, as a representation of real warfare, it is not. Players respawning, inaccurate weapon damage, lack of morality, inaccurate bullet penetration
(bullets going through walls, but not through a wooden plank …. ) etc etc.
However its purpose is to get players to join the army.
video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekMQFXdORM0&feature=related
Evaluation
Download :America’s army http://www.americasarmy.com/
Complete, Correct and Well-Rounded Content: Most content seems propaganda like. Not objective 2
Focused on the Topic: the game is all about war 3
Encourages Active Player Participation: Yes players play it a lot . 3
Problem Solving: there are no real puzzles challenges are the enemies. 2
User Interface: especially for FPS connoisseurs 3
Genre first person shooter: so very much like a soldier 3
Integration of game play and content: the challenges focus on your skills in shooting, not any of the other peacekeeping tasks of a soldier 1
Assessment: it is a multiplayer game 3
Scalable: it is a multiplaer game which is popular 3
Interoperable: It works together with Xfire, (similar to game-spy) 2
Editable: Not editable by players, (tweaks are possible but minor) 1
Reusable: a lot of assets can be resued for a new iteration / map 3
28 Out of 36
Full spectrum warrior
Full Spectrum Warrior is a real-time strategy game in which the player commands two squads. The tow squads Alpha and Bravo have 4 units, he leader, the Grenadier, the rifleman and the automatic rifleman (to lay down suppressive fire). Two versions have been developed, one as a part of the training for the military and later a commercial one (I played the latter).
Gameplay
The player has access to a map, and sees his goals laid out on there, the game itself is 3d and uses a sort of 3rd person perspective, (sort of, see the video for clarity). The game as said is very strategic, and the player has to be strategic about his positioning. The players uses the mouse/circle and uses it as his tool to command the troops, the player does not directly control the soldiers, this makes the game unique and enforces the realistic gameplay. A big part is actually gathering information, and getting soldiers to a safe position while doing that. Soldiers automatically take cover near the location you told them to go to. But if you placed them at the wrong side of a wall, they will also die realistically fast. this makes for cautious very tactical gameplay, and makes it a lot of fun to play. You have to do things right.
To add to the realism, and punish players for rash actions, shot players must be carried out. Adding to the problems and making even harder to finish the missions. Not only do you lose a valuable asset but you have to escort them out as well. Very realistic.
actual tactics
As I said actual tactics are used, using one squad to lay down suppressive fire. Another can advance, this is not done automatically the player must signify a zone to put ire on, this also applies
repetitive
There is one problem, if one does a mission twice, the mission will be nearly the same, this is detrimental to the realism as I started to know what I could expect.
Interesting fact I found on Wikipedia while researching this game:
“The original military version of the game can also be unlocked within the retail Xbox version, by inputting the code HA2P1PY9TUR5TLE on the code input screen.”
I could not test this as I tested the pc version but it shows the real roots of this game.
multiplayer
Full Spectrum Warrior has a cooperative gameplay, both players get control over 1 squad, however I could not test it. I had no-one to test it with.
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvqERSD7ZAI
Evaluation
download Full spectrum warrior: http://www.filefront.com/11928826/Full-Spectrum-Warrior/
Complete, Correct and Well-Rounded Content:real tactics, very realistic. Not fire first questions later based 3
Focused on the Topic: the game is all tactics 3
Encourages Active Player Participation: players have to perform very well to survive. . 3
Problem Solving: the area’s to take over are well guarded, the player has to make good plans to succeed 3
User Interface: hard to pick up, but I used very comfortable 3
Genre: sort of strategy you command troops. But do not control them directly 3
Integration of game play: and content The content is about teaching soldiers tactics and I does it very well. 2
Assessment: perform well or get shot 3
Scalable it is: mostly a singleplayer 3
Interoperable: It works together with Xfire, (similar to gamespy) 2
Editable: Not editable by players, 1
Reusable: The game is nearly all multiplayer. 3
TOTAL 32 Out of 36
Comparision
These game although about the same topic are so clearly different.
One is tactical while one is more of a stereotypical shooter designed to be popular. Also full spectrum warrior puts the player a much more realistic situations and really requires the player to think tactically, while run and gun won’t work in America’s Army, in FSW you won’t even attempt it as life feels valuable.
Conclusion
Full spectrum warrior is a very realistic game that was actually used to train soldiers, although succesfull in it’s own way America’s army does not communicate warfare as well. Also life and other moral issues seem more trivial. I did not learn as much about warfare tactics and the feel was more casual. Therefore I choose Full spectrum warrior as the winner of this shoot-out.
Serious games
-Review and comparison-
Food force versus against all odds
Food Force
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuRTldf-zeM (includes gameplay although with Chinese voices)
Download: http://www.food-force.com/index.php/game/downloads/
System requirements are low
The game food force is about the process of arranging food transport to countries where people need it. For example, a country in a state of war.
The game consists of 6 mini-games. The mini-games are not hard to complete but they are fun enough to keep you playing. The game also generates a high score, so you could replay the game to perfection your performance during the mini-games.
The country you are going to supply is Sechlan. There is a situation in Sechlan, drought has stricken the country due to climate changes. In the first mini-game you can see a dried up river which is one of the causes for the lack of food.
The game gives clear background information about the situation you are going to face. You can project yourself in the situation at hand.
Before the mission a 3d character explains what is going to happen next. They integrate this well in the story.
During the first mini-game you have to fly over a landscape with a helicopter to check the situation of the people. You have to hover over groups of people and when you have scouted enough people you complete the mission.
After a mission you are shown several videos of real life footage. For example, there is a mini-game where you have to drop food packages from a plane. After the mini-game you get some additional information about dropping food and some real life footage of a plane dropping food packages.
The other mini-games are about finding the nourishment mix of the food, dropping food packages, finding countries that want to donate food, trucking food to the country, building up a village by investing food in the right department.
My opinion:
This game is well done. It provides you with a lot of information about the world food program. As a player you take part in the action. For example; you drop food, transport food and rebuild a village. This really makes it clear to the player what actions are involved in getting food to the people of a country. Most of the information is shown in the video’s in between the mini-games. As a player you can skip this information, however you still get a good idea of the process of dispersing food.
Food Force Evaluation Rubric
|
Category |
Exemplary |
Proficient |
Partially Proficient |
Incomplete |
Points |
|
Complete, Correct and Well-Rounded Content |
3 points |
2 points |
1 point |
0 points |
|
| Presents the player with a complete and balanced set of correct knowledge from the subject area. | Presents the player with an almost complete, correct and balanced set of knowledge. | Presents the player with some correct knowledge. | Provides no knowledge or what is provided is incomplete, incorrect or biased. | 3 | |
|
Focused on the Topic |
Consistently
stays focused on the relevant educational topic and associated processes. |
Focuses on the
topic and processes most of the time. Includes some superfluous content. |
Focuses on the topic and processes some of the time. Includes a lot of superfluous content. | Content and game play are disconnected from one another. | 2 |
|
Encourages Active Player Participation |
Player must
contribute a lot of effort to progress through the game, and the game encourages and supports the efforts of the player. |
Player must contribute some effort to progressing through the game and the game encourages these efforts. | Player must contribute very little effort to progress through the game and the game provides no encouragement to continue playing. | Player can progress through the game without any effort (like watching a movie). | 2 |
|
Problem Solving |
The player must actively solve problems to progress through the game using knowledge and information gathered from previous game play tasks. | The player must refine solutions to problems from suggestions given in the game. | The player must select a solution to a problem from a set of choices given by the game. | The player does not need to solve problems to progress. | 2 |
| User Interface | Very easy to use with little tutorial or explanation. | Easy to use after a tutorial. | Usable after sometime playing the game. | Very difficult and frustrating to use. | 3 |
|
Genre |
Genre is appropriate for the player to get the most value from the game. | Genre is not the best that could be used but still provides suitable value. | Genre has not been chosen appropriately however the game has some value. | Inappropriate and inhibits the value of the game. | 3 |
|
Integration of game play and content |
Game play is built around the knowledge and/or processes of the domain and hence highly connected. | Some of the game play is linked to domain knowledge. | None of the game play is linked to domain knowledge however the player gets a sense of how it could. | The game play has nothing to do with the domain knowledge. | 3 |
|
Assessment |
Evaluating the player’s domain knowledge level is directly connected with challenges in the game. | Most of the challenges in the game test the players knowledge of the domain. | Some of the challenges in the game test the players knowledge of the domain. | None of the challenges in the game test the players knowledge of the domain. | 0 |
|
Scalable |
Game is easily used by hundreds of players as it is by one. | Game can be implemented for many players but would experience a limit | The number of game players is marginally flexible. | The game experience for a single person would not be the same if hundreds were involved. | 2 |
|
Interoperable |
Game includes an interface to existing CMS or LMS (i.e. is SCORM or IMS compliant) | Has an interface to import and export data but only in proprietary format. | It is possible to get player results exported from the game. | Cannot import or export any data. | 1 |
|
Editable |
Game is fully configurable and content and game flow can be changed. | Game has a limited capability for customizing content. | Game has configuration options built in which provide different sets of game play. | Game cannot be changed. | 0 |
|
Reusable |
Players can play the game more than once and get a unique playing experience each time. | The game allows for random challenges each time it is played. | The game has a limited number of scenarios providing some replay possibility. | Game play is exactly the same each time it is played. | 0 |
|
TOTAL |
Out of 36 |
21 |
Against all odds
Play: http://www.playagainstallodds.com/ (download is not needed)
System requirements: low/internet
The game Against all odds lets you experience how it is to be a refugee. The game is made in flash and guides you through different levels and aspects of fleeing to a new country and establishing a life. In this game is one part where you have to sneak through a city and not get detected, the other parts are about making decisions and reading opinions about refugees. You learn you have to make tough decisions and what strong opinions people can have about refugees.
For example, you want to flee the country by truck. However the truck is too full, six persons have to stay behind. Then you get the question who should be left behind. Six relatives, friends or neighbors?
Then you continue your journey. One of your friend then notices he didn’t bring his ID papers. You have to choose if you are going to leave him behind or not. If you leave him behind you pass the border, if you keep him with you all persons in the truck get caught.
In this game you have to make hard decisions. If you choose the wrong answer you are game over.
My Opinion
What I don’t think is done well is the character you play with. You don’t know why you are fleeing your country. You can’t place yourself into the character. There is no emotional attachment.
The game is quite long and doesn’t have much entertainment value. The ending screen has some information about a organization. This organization is never mentioned in the game. It would be better for the organization to connect their name to the game.
Against all odds Evaluation Rubric
|
Category |
Exemplary |
Proficient |
Partially Proficient |
Incomplete |
Points |
|
Complete, Correct and Well-Rounded Content |
3 points |
2 points |
1 point |
0 points |
|
| Presents the player with a complete and balanced set of correct knowledge from the subject area. | Presents the player with an almost complete, correct and balanced set of knowledge. | Presents the player with some correct knowledge. | Provides no knowledge or what is provided is incomplete, incorrect or biased. | 3 | |
|
Focused on the Topic |
Consistently
stays focused on the relevant educational topic and associated processes. |
Focuses on the
topic and processes most of the time. Includes some superfluous content. |
Focuses on the topic and processes some of the time. Includes a lot of superfluous content. | Content and game play are disconnected from one another. | 2 |
|
Encourages Active Player Participation |
Player must
contribute a lot of effort to progress through the game, and the game encourages and supports the efforts of the player. |
Player must contribute some effort to progressing through the game and the game encourages these efforts. | Player must contribute very little effort to progress through the game and the game provides no encouragement to continue playing. | Player can progress through the game without any effort (like watching a movie). | 2 |
|
Problem Solving |
The player must actively solve problems to progress through the game using knowledge and information gathered from previous game play tasks. | The player must refine solutions to problems from suggestions given in the game. | The player must select a solution to a problem from a set of choices given by the game. | The player does not need to solve problems to progress. | 1 |
| User Interface | Very easy to use with little tutorial or explanation. | Easy to use after a tutorial. | Usable after sometime playing the game. | Very difficult and frustrating to use. | 3 |
|
Genre |
Genre is appropriate for the player to get the most value from the game. | Genre is not the best that could be used but still provides suitable value. | Genre has not been chosen appropriately however the game has some value. | Inappropriate and inhibits the value of the game. | 2 |
|
Integration of game play and content |
Game play is built around the knowledge and/or processes of the domain and hence highly connected. | Some of the game play is linked to domain knowledge. | None of the game play is linked to domain knowledge however the player gets a sense of how it could. | The game play has nothing to do with the domain knowledge. | 2 |
|
Assessment |
Evaluating the player’s domain knowledge level is directly connected with challenges in the game. | Most of the challenges in the game test the players knowledge of the domain. | Some of the challenges in the game test the players knowledge of the domain. | None of the challenges in the game test the players knowledge of the domain. | 1 |
|
Scalable |
Game is easily used by hundreds of players as it is by one. | Game can be implemented for many players but would experience a limit | The number of game players is marginally flexible. | The game experience for a single person would not be the same if hundreds were involved. | 1 |
|
Interoperable |
Game includes an interface to existing CMS or LMS (i.e. is SCORM or IMS compliant) | Has an interface to import and export data but only in proprietary format. | It is possible to get player results exported from the game. | Cannot import or export any data. | 1 |
|
Editable |
Game is fully configurable and content and game flow can be changed. | Game has a limited capability for customizing content. | Game has configuration options built in which provide different sets of game play. | Game cannot be changed. | 0 |
|
Reusable |
Players can play the game more than once and get a unique playing experience each time. | The game allows for random challenges each time it is played. | The game has a limited number of scenarios providing some replay possibility. | Game play is exactly the same each time it is played. | 1 |
|
TOTAL |
Out of 36 |
19 |
Comparison between food force and against all odds
Perspective
The main difference between the two games is the perspective. In food force you play the guys that help the people in need. In against all odds you play the person that needs help.
Topic
The topic also differs. Food force is about distributing food and against all odds is about refugees. Still, these games share the same genre: social issues.
Gameplay
Food force’s gameplay differs greatly. Each mini-game is different.
Against all odds doesn’t have much difference in gameplay. The gameplay is not entertaining. Most of the time you just have to click on people to hear their opinion or you have to choose a certain option.
Graphics
Food force has a really good look. Although it’s not state of the art, it is good enough and well communicated to the player. The graphics of against all odds are mostly stills made in flash. There is hardly any animation. The advantage though is that you can play against all odds in your internet browser.
Length
Food force is a short game and feels like you’re having fun. Against all odds tends to get a bit boring. Not because of the subject, but because of the length of the game and the little variation in gameplay.
Propaganda
Food force propagates the WFP (World food program) but against all odds does not clearly propagate an organization. Food force gives you a good idea of what WFP does. Against all odds just give you an idea how it is to be a refugee, but they don’t make you feel emotionally attached to the character. So it fails on that part. Furthermore, what is the use of feeling compassionate towards refugees if you don’t know how to help them? They don’t propagate the UNHCR enough.
Conclusion
I would describe Food force as: Short, fun, informative, hits the spot.
I would describe Against all odds as: Long, negative atmosphere in game, oppression, learn harsh fact.
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