Abstract
This paper introduces a generalized structure for the optimal development of an adventure serious game. Present pandemic conditions induce transformations in educational methods, of which games are an attractive option. A serious game is an interdisciplinary team project for which our structure allows all members to interact irrespective of computer science proficiency. A method of interaction between unified blocks is proposed, consisting of five blocks that cover all the characteristics necessary to describe a serious game. The unified blocks are: rules, characters, scenarios, communication and score. The blocks are divided into sub-blocks that detail the characteristics of the game. The “luck” sub-block allows the real-life non-predictability dimension to be included in the game. During the interaction of the sub-blocks the different contexts of the game are created. Each context has a specific educational content goal that the player must go through. The interactions between sub-blocks are described in an XML file, common working environment for all the interdisciplinary members of the design team involves graphic designers, programmers, game designers and experts in the content to be transmitted. The principle of unified blocks is applied to the fifteen contexts of an existing game, JUSEGU, for which five new contexts are included and implemented in this paper to increase its educational content.
Highlights
A game is defined as an artificial system governed by a set of tools and rules
The aim of our work is to introduce a novel reusable generic methodology, the Unified Block Method (UBM), to ease the development, maintenance, and evolution of serious games in interdisciplinary settings
MATERIALS AND METHODS Looking at the tools used in game design, we propose to include the concept of interaction between unified blocks
Summary
A game is defined as an artificial system governed by a set of tools and rules. The player, during his/her paths must overcome a specific challenge and is expected to achieve certain goals [1]. When a game is needed to educate students, it is better to design it from the beginning [1]. The design of serious games is usually complex as it requires the incorporation of entertaining topics with educational content. To connect all people involved in the game design it is necessary to work on documents that reflect all the characteristics of the game. This allows the exchange of information between those involved [7, 8]. Having specific and well-structured documentation allows a better game maintenance and future updates [2, 7]
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