Responsive Game Design

Towards new paradigms of serious game design

 As access to information and digital tools expand globally, the current paradigms of learning and training are being disrupted. New mediums are radically changing the way we approach learning and could have a deep significance on education in the coming years. Amongst them, serious games are increasingly being used as learning tools for a wide range of situations, by embracing the playful attributes of games and applying them complex problems. These games offer immersive learning environments that promote exploration, experimentation and reflection. However, to fully be acknowledged as viable learning tools, serious games still have to address some legitimate questions regarding their proven effectiveness and usability. In collaboration with Tygron, a serious game development firm, these questions are explored and researched how to help new players reach effective learning experiences through a design concept: the responsive game design. The responsive game design describes a set of principles linking game design to cognitive and emotional requirements. The responsive game design aims to address the shortcomings of serious games by designing them around their core goals: learn and engage.

 Angus Moore

Van Heur, R.J.H.G. , Warmelink, H.J.G.

master thesis, November 2013