The document discusses gaming/simulation for development (GS4D). It presents examples of development issues that can be addressed through games, including frame games, global issues games, and specific issue games. Localization is key to building successful GS4D games, requiring adapting content for other cultures and languages. Building international teams is also important but challenging due to limitations of intercultural communication. GS4D has great potential when localization is properly handled, though internationalization of games is still a new concept.
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ISAGA - International Simulation and Gaming Association
42nd Annual Conference, 11-15 July 2011, Jachranka, Poland
Pieter van der Hijden MSc
Sofos Consultancy
GS4D - GAMING/SIMULATION FOR DEVELOPMENT
BUILDING AND APPLYING GAMES FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
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1. INTRODUCTION – ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pieter van der Hijden MSc
Sofos Consultancy
Ict for development, government
and learning
A.o. Gaming/simulation,
Cyberdam, Fab Labs, Moodle.
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1. INTRODUCTION - DEVELOPMENT
Suriname, as example
Location: North coast of
South America
Area: 5 times NL
Population: 0.5 million
<15 year: 25%
Settlements:
70% Paramaribo+
20% rest of coastal strip
10% hinterland (jungle)
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1. INTRODUCTION - DEVELOPMENT
25% children
40% primary school or
less
50% dropouts in
hinterland
education and
training for all
no money
limited technology
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2. DEVELOPMENT ISSUES
Categories:
Frame games that can be loaded with
development specific content
Games on global issues and international
cooperation
Generic games on development issues
Specific games on development issues
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2. DEVELOPMENT ISSUES – FRAME GAMES
Example: Dharadam, a
week in the slums of
Dharavi, Mumbai.
Goal: sensitize social work
students before they go
for practice in the slums.
Type: online role playing
game based in Cyberdam.
Author: Pieter van der
Hijden & students for
ISAGA Summerschool.
http://www.cyberdam.nl
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2. DEVELOPMENT ISSUES – GLOBAL ISSUES
Example: Evoke, a 10-
week “crash course in
saving the world.”
Goal: to help empower
people all over the
world to come up with
creative solutions to
our most urgent social
problems.
Type: social network
game.
Author: Natron Baxter
Applied Gaming
http://www.urgentevok
e.com/
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2. DEVELOPMENT ISSUES – GENERIC GAMES
Example: HEX, run
Hexland during five
years.
Goal: tool for learning
to allocate resources
for developing
governments.
Type: board game on
three levels.
Author: Richard Duke
& students for
UNESCO.
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2. DEVELOPMENT ISSUES – SPECIFIC GAMES
Example: Inside Haiti
Earthquake.
Goal: experience the
earthquake from
perspective of survivor,
journalist and aid worker.
Type: web-based
interactive simulation,
part of multimedia
campaign.
Author: PTV productions
http://www.insidethehait
iearthquake.com/
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2. DEVELOPMENT ISSUES – CONCLUSION
The examples show:
A variety of development issues can be
addressed via a variety of gaming technologies
Game producers need expertise in both
domains, so there is a field like GS4D.
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3. DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT - VISION
Vision –
games can
make learning
more
appealing,
effective and
efficient; both
for children
and adults
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3. DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT - TECHNOLOGY
Technology– limited, but
improving
“The day the big
antenna was switched
on, was the most
important day in my life”
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3. DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT - CONCLUSION
Conclusion:
Great potential
Avoid high-tech and
broadband (for the
moment)
Go for localization
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4. BUILDING GS4D - LOCALIZATION
Learning goals
Example:
Elaboration of the language
Learning styles
layer:
Game patterns
Conventional wisdom
Actions Symbolic expressions
Objects Jargon
Visualisation & sound Slang
Idioms
Language
Text
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4. BUILDING GS4D – LOCALIZATION
Focus on individual Focus op collaboration
learner
Bron: ISAGA Dharadam game-sessie
Source: Jeroen van Merriënboer
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4. BUILDING GS4D - INTERNATIONALIZATION
Internationalization is
the process of designing
a game so that it can be
localized easily.
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4. BUILDING GS4D – INTERNATIONAL TEAMS
Multidisciplinary team required
Local knowledge required
international team required
Issues:
Little face-2-face contacts
Intercultural communication
Time zones
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4. BUILDING GS4D - CONCLUSION
Localization is key success factor
Localization is more than ICT
Internationalization and localization are rather
new for gaming
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SUMMARY
GS4D – Gaming/Simulation for Development
Development issues
Interesting and innovative category of games
Added value for developing countries not always evident
Development context
Great potential when localization is OK
Internationalization will be challenge
Building GS4D
Internationalization and localization are rather new for gaming
GS4D – Gaming/Simulation for Development
Not a new discipline, but a new specialism
Local knowledge indispensable
Internaionalizatiom amd localization become hot
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SOFOS CONSULTANCY
Thank you for your attention!
Pieter van der Hijden MSc
pvdh@sofos.nl
2011 – Sofos Consultancy / Pieter van der Hijden (pvdh@sofos.nl) - This work is
licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution- Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
License.
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