Abstract
This paper describes work in progress to create a serious game integrated with an ecosystem of services towards overall project goals of ethically recording, analysing, and motivating adolescent behaviour towards healthier long-term lifestyle. The design outlines an approach that minimises textual and dialogic content in favour of experiential and abstract elements, reflecting existing evidence alongside the need to provide a motivation for users to engage with a wider suite of apps and technologies. Illustrating the use of “freemium” mechanics commonly used to incentivise in-app purchases as a motivator, this paper discusses their use as means towards instead incentivising the use of services to promote a healthier lifestyle. An additional mechanic sources and applies nutritional information from a large database to create a deck of food “cards”, with which the player is challenged to apply their understanding of nutrition to create in-game rewards. Preliminary findings from pre-pilot focus group evaluations with adolescents aged 14-16 (n~10) in Italy and Spain demonstrate enthusiasm for the approach taken to linking real-world behaviour with in-game rewards, as well as potential differences in reception to visual style options between sites and cultures.
Original language | English |
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Pages | 259 - 263 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 16 Dec 2015 |
Event | 2015 International Conference on Interactive Mobile Communication Technologies and Learning - Thessaloniki, Greece Duration: 19 Nov 2015 → 20 Nov 2015 |
Conference
Conference | 2015 International Conference on Interactive Mobile Communication Technologies and Learning |
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Abbreviated title | IMCL |
Country/Territory | Greece |
City | Thessaloniki |
Period | 19/11/15 → 20/11/15 |
Bibliographical note
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Keywords
- computer games
- mobile communication
- mobile learning
- healthier long-term lifestyle
- lifestyle change
- mobile serious game
- nutritional information
- nutritional knowledge
- adolescent lifestyle intervention
- game design
- mobile game-based learning
- serious games
- Context
- Ecosystems
- Entertainment industry
- Games
- Land mobile radio
- Wearable sensors
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Ian Dunwell
- EEC School of Computing, Mathematics and Data Sciences (CMDS) - Assistant Professor Research
Person: Teaching and Research