An Overview on the Use of Serious Games in the Military Industry and Health

Abstract

For bringing together the capacity to inform, educate, and train their users through the interaction with the player and simulation environments very close to reality (in which the acquisition of new skills is the primary goal and fun to play secondary), serious games became the ideal tool for health applications and training military personnel as well as for improving their techniques. In this chapter, a general point of view is presented regarding the use of serious games in the military industry and health. Moreover, it also discusses what serious games are and in which areas they can be applied, which steps a serious game development involves, as well as which platforms and technologies can be used in its development. A description on successful military serious games is also provided, as well as the results of an interview with the psychologists of the Association “ENCONTRA-SE” (Oporto, Portugal) about the use of health serious games as a therapy for patients with mental illnesses.