Viktor Wendel

Serious games for health: personalized exergames

In this paper, we describe a set of personalized exergames which combine methods and concepts of serious games, adaptation and personalization, authoring and sensor technologies. Compared to existing systems, the set of games does not only keep track of the users vital state, but also directly integrates vital parameters into the gameplay and supports the training and motivation for sustainable physical activity in a playful manner.

Personalized, adaptive digital educational games using narrative game-based learning objects

Based on previous work of the authors, this paper describes the concept and use of Narrative Game-based Learning Objects (NGLOB) for the personalization and adaptation of Story-based Digital Educational Games (DEG). In the first part of the paper, we characterize the potential of personalized, adaptive DEG and provide a brief overview of related work. Then, in section 3 and 4 we describe our concept of NGLOBs combining learner modeling, player modeling and storytelling and a prototypical realization of the concept implemented in the context of the Bat Cave scenario within the EU funded project 80Days. Finally, the main results are summarized and further research activities such as additional evaluation studies are outlined.

Designing collaborative multiplayer serious games

The idea of Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) is being investigated for more than twenty years. Since a few years, game-based approaches like video games for learning (Serious Games) offer new fields of application. The combination of game-based learning concepts and collaborative learning may enable new, game-based application areas of CSCL, like collaborative multiplayer Serious Games. Designing such games, however, is very challenging as it requires to take into account traditional single player game design concepts, concepts for multiplayer game design, and concepts for Serious Game design simultaneously. Only very few examples of such games exist today. In this paper we describe an approach for the design of game-based collaborative learning scenarios using multiplayer Serious Games. Our approach aims at combining design concepts from the fields of collaborative learning and (multiplayer) game design. Our approach takes into account the requirements of traditional single player games (fun, narration, immersion, graphics, sound), challenges of multiplayer games (concurrent gaming, interaction) and Serious Game design (seamless inclusion of learning content, adaptation and personalization). Furthermore, requirements of collaborative learning are considered, like group goals, positive interdependence, and individual accountability. Our design concept was used to create a collaborative 3D multiplayer game fostering collaborative behavior as a foundation for game-based collaborative learning in small teams. We performed a user study with eight gaming sessions and a total of 23 participants. Results showed that the game enables a collaborative gameplay and fosters collaborative behavior. This may allow us to use a game-based CSCL approach to combine the advantages of game-based learning with those of collaborative learning in future.

Woodment: web-based collaborative multiplayer serious game

Recently, a lot of research has been investigated in the field of Collaborative Learning. On the other hand, Massively Multiplayer Online Games and browser games are a popular and commercially successful game genre. However, Browser Games commonly do not use the latest 3D web technology. Our simple idea is to combine learning concepts from the field of Serious Games with promising game technology for the development of browser-based Multi-User Learning Environments. Based on a brief introduction and state of the art analysis summarizing the latest trends in Collaborative Learning and Multiplayer (Online) Games in Chapter 1 and 2, in Chapter 3 we introduce methods and concepts of Woodment as a browser-based Serious Multiplayer Game to teach and explore a customizable learning content in a game-based and playful manner. Chapter 4 provides technical aspects and features of a first prototypical implementation of Woodment. Finally, in Chapter 5 the main achievements and first evaluation studies are summarized and further Research and Technology Development steps are pointed out.

Genetic algorithms for wireless mesh network planning

The complex multi-hop structure of WMNs requires a careful network planning. In this paper, we investigate the usability of Genetic Algorithms (GAs) for such a planning approach. The simplicity of GAs allow us to examine a large number of network configurations in order to optimize the network throughput and to fairly distribute the resources. This is achieved with a max-min fair share throughput distribution and by evaluating node positions, routing configurations, and channel assignments. We adapt standard genetic operators and evaluate the influence of the operators on the performance. The results show that GAs are well-suited for planning WMNs.

Collaborative Learning by Means of Multiplayer Serious Games

The field of collaborative learning has been researched for many years with a focus on evaluation of the circumstances under which collaborative learning provides better learning effectiveness compared to individual learning. Traditional collaborative learning has been taking place as group work or discussions in a class. Recently, Serious Games for learning and Digital Educational Games (DEGs) have been established as a promising alternative to the traditional one-to-many teaching as it is still standard in today’s classrooms and with the uprising technology of Multiplayer Online Games (MOGs), new ways of collaborative learning are possible. In this paper we examine various chances and challenges for collaborative learning which arise by the use of Multiplayer Serious Games. Section[1] motivates this work, followed by a description of some important aspects of MOGs and collaboration in Section[2]. In Section[3] the concept of collaborative learning is explained and important concepts and methods for a collaborative game design are analyzed and discussed in Section[4], using some examples of collaborative Serious Games. Finally, we briefly introduce our own approach of a collaborative Serious MOG in Section[5]. In Section[6] the results are summarized and further work is pointed out.

Multiplayer Serious Games

This chapter covers the topic of multiplayer serious games. Multiplayer games are discussed in terms of game types and forms, genres and techniques, as well as their impact on the use of multiplayer games. Based on that, this chapter will show how different types of multiplayer genres and techniques can be used for various serious game purposes. This chapter further provides an introduction to the topic of collaborative learning and collaborative multiplayer games—and their use for game-based collaborative learning. We discuss how collaborative learning concepts are inherently used by some massive multiplayer online games, and how those concepts can be used more thoroughly by using the multiplayer paradigm for game-based collaborative learning. Further, it is shown how various multiplayer design aspects like number of players, persistency, matchmaking, interaction, or social aspects need to be considered in the design phase of a multiplayer game.

Towards puzzle templates for multiplayer adventures

Serious Games combine motivating game elements with serious applications like learning, with the genre of Adventure Games being particular suited for this kind of application. Multiplayer Games are also promising for this domain since they allow collaborative learning. This leads to the idea of combining these two elements into Multiplayer Adventures. However, there are hardly any examples of this kind of game, mainly because of the difficulty in designing appropriate puzzles. We therefore developed some ideas on how established puzzle types can be adapted for multiple players, serving as a template for designers who are only familiar with traditional Adventure Games.

Personalization and Adaptation

Computing machinery allows the creation of intelligent, personalized, adaptive systems and programs that consider the characteristics, interests, and needs of individual users and user groups. In the field of serious games, storytelling and gaming approaches are used as motivational instruments for suspenseful, engaging learning, or personalized training and healthcare. This chapter describes models and mechanisms for the development of personalized, adaptive serious games with a focus on digital educational games (DEG). First, the term adaptation is defined—both in general and in the context of games—and basic mechanisms such as the concept of flow are described. Then, player and learner models are analyzed for classification of player characteristics. For the control of serious games, adaptive storytelling and sequencing mechanisms are described. In particular, the concept of Narrative Game-based Learning Objects (NGLOBs) is presented, which considers the symbiosis of gaming, learning, and storytelling in the context of an adaptive DEG. Finally, the presented theoretical concepts, models, and mechanisms are discussed in the course of the 80Days project as a DEG best-practice example—which considers authoring, control, and evaluation aspects, and its practical implementation in 80Days using the authoring framework StoryTec.

Erstellung, Steuerung und Evaluation von Serious Games

ZusammenfassungSerious Games sind hochkomplex. Sie verbinden Game-Technologien und spielerische Konzepte mit weiteren Technologien und relevanten Konzepten für die verschiedenen Einsatzgebiete von Serious Games. Im Beitrag werden wissenschaftlich-technische Methoden, Konzepte und Software-Lösungen zur Erstellung, Steuerung und Evaluation von Serious Games vorgestellt, die in der Gruppe Serious Games am Fachgebiet Multimedia Kommunikation der TU Darmstadt entwickelt wurden. Praxisbeispiele umfassen die Bereiche Bildung und Training sowie Sport und Gesundheit.