Serious Games Taxonomy 2008

Ben Sawyer: Digitalmill, Inc.
& Serious Games Initiative Peter Smith: University of Central Florida, RETRO Lab
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
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2008 Ben Sawyer & Peter Smith For more information please contact: [email protected]
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Serious Games Taxonomy
Games for Health 2008

Registration is now open!
www.gamesforhealth.org
May 8-9, 2008 Baltimore, MD
Pre-Conference Workshops : May 7

Virtual Worlds & Health Games Accessibility Day
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All Games are Serious
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Overview
Justication for Developing a Taxonomy Background Investigation & Related
Taxonomy Work
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Serious Games Taxonomy Details Putting the Taxonomy to Work Next Steps
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Why Develop a Taxonomy? & Background Investigations...
Why Do We Need A Taxonomy?
Organizing
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Find Where R & D is Lacking Create Foundation for Future Efforts &
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Get All Serious Games Parties on Same Page Erase Various Myths About Serious Games Provide Snapshot for Current State of
Serious Games Industry
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Serious Games = Games for Learning or Training
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Serious Games = Games for Learning or Training
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Other Names Being Used

Educational Games Simulation Virtual Reality Alternative Purpose Games Edutainment Digital Game-Based Learning
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Immersive Learning Simulations Social Impact Games Persuasive Games Games for Change Games for Good Synthetic Learning Environments Game-Based X
The Mistake...
Too Often Serious Games is Dened Only as That Which the Dener Does!
- Sawyer, 2007
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Most Labels Dene a Specic Output Ignoring The Larger Possibility Space For Serious Games. This Implies The Possibility Space for Serious Games Only Equals That Specic Label.
- Smith & Sawyer February 2008
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Pre-Cursors
Pre-cursor
Game-Based Simulation Game-Based Model Game-Based Visualization
Purpose & Comparative Advantage
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Example(s)
Virtual U Bridge Build, Sims Holt Forestry Doom Linux Seriousity CTVEE/DARPA Funware Electroplankton Machinima
1. Improve accessibility to simulation by merging in game approaches to visuals, interface, rules of play, and delity of model such that the impact of exposure to the simulation can be multiplied 1. Improve accessibility to model by merging in game approaches to visuals, interface, rules of play, and delity such that the impact of exposure to the model can be multiplied. 2. Draw upon techniques for modeling systems with little actual data that game developers excel at. 1. Use visual technologies and techniques from games to create new forms of visualization and more accessible versions of visualization 2. Allow for higher levels of interactive visualization where user actions might affect resulting visualization 1. Non standard but highly symbiotic interface design produced often for games applied to other applications. 2. Approach of making interaction with application fun using concepts from gaming (e.g. discovery, visual rewards, easter eggs, etc.) often associated with games 3. Re-skinning non-game software & software processes to established game interfaces/interface patterns 1. Any application which derives its output through gameplay 2. Applications which take on game-like interface/interaction qualities to accomplish tasks 1. Use of tools or game/game engines created for videogaming to output some other piece of media 2. The process of creating another tangible output as a result of gameplay or use of a videogame 1. Use of tools or game/game engines created for videogaming to output some other piece of media 2. The process of creating another tangible output as a result of gameplay or use of a videogame 1. Using games to transmit a message, advertise a product/service, market a product 2. Relating to people through association with videogames for purposes of marketing 1. Add gameplay to enhance motivation to train, or effectiveness of content transfer, behavior change, or specic goal of training 1. Using gameplay to enhance motivation to learn, engage education, or to enhance effectiveness of content transfer or other specic learning outcome
Game-Based Application Game-Based Authoring Game-Based Production
Game-Based Messaging | Advertising | Marketing Game-Based Training
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Game-Based Interface
Binary Game
Game-Based Education | Learning
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Pre-Cursors
Pre-Cursors
Game-Based Education Game-Based Production Game-Based Simulation Game-Based Messaging Game-Based Training Game-Based Application Game-Based Visualization Game-Based Interface Game-Based Model
Alternative Names
Game-Based Learning, Edutainment, Learning Games Game-Based Authoring, Machinima Game-Based Simulator, Simulation Game
Game-Based Trainer
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Game-Based Advertising, Game-Based Marketing, Advergaming
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Game Visualization Game Like Interface, Game-Based UI
*Popularity Based on Number of Google Hits.
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Popularity*
10,943,370 3,190,010 2,480,860 470,620 12,390 8,630 3,980 3,500 3,380
Ben Sawyer = 59,200 Peter Smith = 970,000
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Usage Models
Tool Appropriation Hardware Appropriation Engine Appropriation Game For X Embedded Messaging and/or Action Technology Appropriation Technique Appropriation Use of Game Production Tool for Production of Non-Game Content Use of Uniquely Game Hardware for Delivery of Other Service or Content Style Use of Game Engine for Production of Non-Game Application
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Usage Model
Explanation
Example(s)
Machinima
Folding@Home
Holt Forestry Visualization Americas Army
Game with Non-Entertainment Goals As Most Desired Outcome
Entertainment Games with Third-Party Embedded Non-Entertainment Messaging/Action Goals Derivative Hardware & Software Output Direct from Games User Interface or Design Technique Appropriated from Games for Non-Game Purpose Appropriation of Talent Due to Game Development Expertise for Non-game Application Need Use of game cultural and visual cues as a means of reaching a particular gamer-oriented audience for branding & messaging
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SimCity Societies Network 3D Game Engines Fun Ware : Applications with Game Like User Interface Properties Park Design by Keita Takahashi Volvo Commercial w/Rallisport Coca-Cola / World of Warcraft
Talent Appropriation
Cultural Appropriation
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Concepts & Forces at Work
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Games: 30+ Years of Evolutionary Design
30+ Billion Revenues
Serious Games
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Global Culture
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Major Multicore Platforms Darwinian Business Environment
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Games
Tens of Millions of Customers
Tens of Millions of GPUs
Alternative Inputs
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Serious Game Drivers

Theories of Learning / Cognition
Academia
Serious Games
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Web 2.0
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Social Networking/ Collaboration
E-learning & Training
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Traditional MS&V
Research
Game Studies
Audience
Commercial Gaming
Technology Graphics / CHI
Industry
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Market Segments
Enterprise Non-Entertainment Users
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Modeling & Simulation Commercial Serious Serious Stuff Gamers Do Commercial Gaming
Retail
E-Learning Instructors & Utilizers
Game Inuenced
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Game Marketing & Cultural Cues
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Education Software
Game Serious Games Serious COTS Developers
Entertainment & Gamers
Actual Game
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Serious Usage Segments

Gamers
Serious Stuff Gamers Do
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Third Party Developers
Instructor | Therapist | Mentor | Leader | Marketer Commercial | Indie | Serious Software & Hardware
Technologies
Middleware + Tool Vendors
(hardware & software)
Reset Purpose
Wii Exergaming
Curriculum Development
Teaching Guides & Support Forums NonEntertainment Modes of Play PowerGrid
Machinima
Serious COTS
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CounterStrike
Guitar Hero Sequencer Maps for WoW
Modify Software or Hardware
(Neverwinter Nights)
Revolution
PS3 Folding@Home
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Augment Virgin Development
Curriculum Development
SmartBrainGames
Linux on PS3
Serious Games
Use of XNA Creators Club | Specialized Indie Development Serious Games
Serious Game COTS Microsoft ESP & Specialized or Serious Game Breakaway MOSBE Development
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Games = Simulation + Media

card game, board game night, D&D club from Not local that role play thing you did at ofce last week 1980's or
Games today means: SOFTWARE but with media conventions... Today's games are about:
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Computation/Moore's Law & Networking/Metcalfes Law And Marshall McLuhan
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often a highly stylized following specic expected conventions of its user-base
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Simulation
Media Conventions
Virtual U
Sim City MS Flight Simulator
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Game
Simulation
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Half-Life 2
Packet Tracer
Federal Budget Game
Bridge Builder
Governance & Model Conventions
Game
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Every Day Shooter
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Important Related Taxonomies
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Misconceptions
Game Misconceptions

Multiplayer Breadth of Game Design Patterns
Broad Outputs vs. Specic Outputs Hardware as well as Software COTs Representation
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Applicability of More Obscure Design Patterns
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Serious Games Misconceptions
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Additional Design & Engineering Patterns

Google Maps Games Interactive Fiction Systems MUDs SimCountry Sensor Based Games PBEM Clients
ARGs
Simple Augmented Reality
DiceWars
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Runescape
Card Games
Augmented Advanced
ESP Game/Crowd Sourcing
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Mass Balance
Audio Only Games
Ajax-Based Games
Habbo Hotel
Whyville
Webkinz / Neopets
Flickr Games
Passively Multiplayer
Fantasy Sports
Dope Wars
Incident Commander
GeoLocation Games
Flickr Games
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Additional Design & Engineering Patterns
Action
Hunting Dance/Rhythm EyeToy Party Exergaming
Story
Dating Anime Adventures Interactive Fiction MUDs ARGs
Strategy
Puzzle Games 3 in a Row Brain Games
Serious Games Augmented Reality Ephemeral Games
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Lesson:
You cant have a serious Serious Games Taxonomy without developing a taxonomy of all games
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Multiplayer Taxonomy
Multiplayer Opponents No. of Players Server?
1-4
Via Provider or P2P
Making History
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Web MMP Turn Based Sim Country
Notes
In classroom group games use this approach
Name How Played Example
ARGs
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Message Boards, Etc. World Without Oil
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Multiplayer Tournament
Massive Multiplayer (Shareded)
Massive Multiplayer (Grid)
8-64
1000-10,000
Provider Only
Everyone
Provider Only
Player Hosted Third Party Hosted
Most FPS games t this approach Americas Army
Most MMPs use this approach Lunar Quest
Other MMPs use this approach Second Life
Play By Email
File Attached to Client
Social Networks Games Social Network API Compliant Application
Scrabble
SmartyPants EA | Blueprint
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Hardware Re-appropriation
Access to hardware Xbox 360
Controllers + XNA Creators Club Linux Installable Controllers Browser
Playstation 3
Wii
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Controllers & Web Browser Browser Video Audio
DS
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PSP
Third Party Tools Browser
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Robust API
XNA GCC OpenSource APIs None Unofcial Unofcial
Hardware Reuse
Controller Controller System Controller
Homebrew Development + Browser Homebrew Development + Browser + Media Playback + Skype
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Taxonomy
Taxonomy of Serious Games

Government & NGO Public Health Education & Mass Casualty Response Rehabilitation & Wellness Political Games Employee Training Recruitment & Propaganda Soldier/Support Training
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Inform Public Data Collection / Planning School House Education Wargames / planning Games for Patient Education and Disease Management Visualization & Epidemiology Product Information Opinion Research Machinima Learning Computer Science & Recruitment Continuing Education & Certication Advertising / visualization Workforce Education Process Optimization Simulation
Games for Health
Advergames
Games for Training
Games for Education
Games for Science and Research
Production
Games as Work
Strategic & Policy Public Diplomacy, Planning Opinion Research
Defense
War planning & weapons research
Command & Control
Healthcare
Cybertherapy / Exergaming
Public Health Policy & Social Awareness Campaigns Advertising, marketing with games, product placement Social Issue Games
Training Games for Health Professionals
Biotech manufacturing & design
Public Health Response Planning & Logistics
Marketing & Communications
Advertising Treatment
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Product Use Train teachers / Train workforce skills Employee Training Employee Training
Opinion Research
Education
Inform about diseases/risks
P2P Learning Constructivism Documentary?
Teaching Distance Learning
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Employee Health Information & Wellness Customer Education & Awareness
Corporate
Strategic Planning
Command & Control
Industry
Occupational Safety
Sales & Recruitment
Nano/Bio-tech Design
Command & Control
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Taxonomy of Serious Games

Government & NGO Public Health Education & Mass Casualty Response Combat Medicine, Rehabilitation & Wellness Cybertherapy / Exergaming Political Games Employee Training
Defense
Recruitment & Messaging Public Health Policy & Social Awareness Campaigns Advertising, marketing with games, product placement Social Issue Games
Soldier/Support Training
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Inform Public Data Collection / Planning / Visualization School House Education Wargames / planning Games for Patient Education and Disease Management Product Information Visualization & Epidemiology Opinion Research Machinima Learning Computer Science & Recruitment Continuing Education & Certication Advertising / visualization Workforce Education Process Optimization Simulation
Games for Health
Advergames
Games for Training
Games for Education
Production
Games as Work
Strategic & Policy Public Diplomacy, Planning Opinion Research
War planning & weapons research Biotech manufacturing & design (Folding@Home)
Command & Control Public Health Response Planning & Logistics
Healthcare
Training Games for Health Professionals
Advertising Treatment
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Product Use Train teachers / Train workforce skills Employee Training Employee Training
Marketing & Communication s
Opinion Research
Education
Inform about diseases/risks
P2P Learning Constructivism Documentary?
Teaching Distance Learning
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Employee Health Information & Wellness Customer Education & Awareness
Corporate
Strategic Planning
Command & Control
Industry
Occupational Safety
Sales & Recruitment
Nano/Bio-tech Design
Command & Control
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Games for Health Taxonomy

Personal
Exergaming Stress
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Patient Communication Data Collection Virtual Humans Measurement Inducement Skills / Training Recruitment EMR Visualization
Professional Practice
Research / Academia
Public Health
Public Health Messaging
Preventative
Therapeutic Assessment Educational Informatics
Rehabitainment Disease Management
Pain Distraction CyberPsychology Disease Management
First Responders
Self-Ranking
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Interface/Visualization
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PHR
First Aide Medical Information
Management Sims
Epidemiology
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Advergaming
Standalone Advergame In Game Placement Billboards Integrated Gameplay Playboy the Mansion
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Out of Game Placement Outside Field of View Games in Ads Interstitial Game Portals ie. Kongregate Doritos Unlock the Xbox Design Contest Free Rice Xbox Live Old Spice Achievement on Xbox Live Volvo w/ Rallisport Ping Time Labor Party Ad Teenage Mom Ad Military Recruitment Ads on Game Portals US Army Gamer Targeted TV Ad
Using Games
Game Association Marketing with Games Product Tie-In Slusho Clovereld Game Movie Licensed Games
Event Marketing
Branding
Coke Studios
FIFA Soccer
Coca Cola w/ EA Sports 500 Warcraft at Talladega
Product
Massive In Yaris Racing Game Product On Xbox Live Placement Darfur Is Dying
Axe Body Spray
MTV Gamers Ball
Issue
Political
Take Back Illinois
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Catch The Sperm Americas Army British Intelligence Agency in Quake Wars
PSA
Massive in Game Stay in School Ads
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Candidate Second Life Islands
Second Life Relay for Life
Penny Arcade ESRB
Recruitm ent
Army Game Experience
PS2 Americas Army
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Games for Training

Elementary Skills Occupational Safety Employee Health & Wellness
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Orientation Awareness Single Task Single Task Comprehensive Comprehensive Single Task Single Task Comprehensive Comprehensive
Communications
Skills
Single Task Informal Comprehensive
Single Task
Single Task
Single Task
Single Task
Comprehensive
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Comprehensive Single Task Comprehensive
Comprehensive
Comprehensive
Single Task Formal Comprehensive
Single Task
Single Task
Single Task
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Comprehensive
Comprehensive
Comprehensive
Adapted from Bureau of Labor Statistics : http://www.bls.gov/ept/home.htm#training
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Games for Training

Elementary Skills Occupational Safety Employee Health & Wellness
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Orientation Awareness
Persuasive Games
Communications
Skills
U. Wisconsin Malaria Safety Informal
Generation Fit
DDR in Ofces :
Cold Stone Creamery
Cisco Binary Game
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EtcEdutainment Alcoa SafeDock
Americas Army Coast Guard : Shield of Freedom
Rosser Surgery Skills w/Games
Persuasive Games
Dominos Pizza
DOJ Ethics Game
Cisco Subnetting
Formal
Virtual U
Virtual Heroes Hilton Hotels
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Games for Training: Skills
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Clerical & Administrative Sales & Customer Relations Single Task Single Task Comprehensive Comprehensive Single Task Single Task Comprehensive Comprehensive
Management
Professional & Technical Skills
Computer Training
Service Related Training
Production / Manufacturing / Construction
Single Task Informal Comprehensive
Single Task
Single Task
Single Task
Single Task
Comprehensive
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Comprehensive Single Task Comprehensive
Comprehensive
Comprehensive
Single Task Formal Comprehensive
Single Task
Single Task
Single Task
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Comprehensive
Comprehensive
Comprehensive
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Games for Training: Skills
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Clerical & Administrative Sales & Customer Releations Cold Stone Creamery Best Buy Verizon
Management
Professional & Technical Skills
Computer Training
Service Related Training
Production / Manufacturing / Construction
Cisco Binary Game Informal Team Training in Multiplayer Games Adaptive Thinking & Leadership Virtual Leader
ACLS Legacy Interactive
Formal
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Pulse!!
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Hilton Hotels
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Games for Education
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Serious Games as Re-envisioned Edutainment (non commercial)
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Traditional Edutainment
Repurposed COTs
Serious Games as Re-envisioned Edutainment (commercial)
(see COTs Boggle)
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Games for Education

General Adult University High School
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Middle School Elementary Pre-K Project Connect Zoo Tycoon PBS Kids MIT/PBS Labyrinth GameStar Mechanic
Serious Games as Re-envisioned Edutainment (non commercial) Serious Games as Re-envisioned Edutainment (commercial)
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Making History
Informal
Driver Simulators
Flight Simulator
Flight Simulator
Civ4
Repurposed COTs
Formal
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Cisco Binary Game
Traditional Edutainment
Virtual U
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Data Collection
Research
Player Tracking Statistics in Halo 3 Google Image Labeler
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Development
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Data Visualization GGNViz Forestry Game Landing Lights Park in Second Life
Data Processing
Folding @ Home on PS3 Warhawk PS3 Dedicated Server Farm
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Games for Production

Game Generation
Audio
Elektoplankton
Graphics
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The Movies
PGR Camera Mode
Video
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Media Mash-Ups
Remixed Audio
Unreal Art
Machinima
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Games as Work
Direct Earnings Competitiv Online Casinos/ Skills Gaming e Personal Reward Group Oriented
Funds/Donation Reward
NonEarnings Reward
Protest
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Opinion Work to Play
ARGs Predictions Markets Self Assessment User Created Content Guild/Clan Management Opinion Research ??? ???
Play to Work
Professional Gamers
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Public Diplomacy Activism
Exercise
Game Escorts Seriousity/ Google Image Labeling Command & Control
???
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Gold Farming / Quasi Character Occupation Leveling
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Games as Work II
Exercise Grind, Managemen Rewards, & t Commerce Level Up Team Up with Friends Join Guild
Casual Personally Invested Actively Engaged
Wii-Games
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Produce Income
DDR
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DDR Exercise Mode
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Purchase InGame Items Lead Guild
Protest & Activism
Sponsor or Support Virtual Event Participate in Virtual Event Organize Virtual Event
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Serious COTS I
Education
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Health Production
The Movies 8-Bit Music
Hardware
Civ4 Entertainment Revolution Repurposed (Neverwinter Nights)
DDR PopCap Games EyeToy
Wiimote Hacks
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Making History Non& Entertainment General @ Outset Edutainment
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Yourself Fitness BrainAge My Life Coach PowerGrid Fitness Wii Fit
Machinimation
Sony Folding@Home
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Serious COTS II
Straight Up Changed Orientation of Game DDR Nascar 98
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Modded Software Half-Life Architecture Civ4 Revolution (Neverwinter Nights)
Hardware Augmented
Individuals Initiated
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Third Party Prescribed
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Yourself Fitness BrainAge LifeCoach
PowerGrid Fitness
Making History
SmartBrainGames (Biofeedback)
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Commercial Serious
Teaching & Education Training & Skills Cognitive Health Exercise
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Production
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Psychology
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Sports Pre-Viz
Visualization
Architecture
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Serious Stuff Gamers Do

Play Work
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Teach & Assist Themselves Talk Aide Others Events, Competitions, Conventions & Cosplay Instruction Collecting Materials Comedy
Culture & Communicat ion
Production
Level 1
Freeplay
Exercise
Media & Art
Level 3
Mastery
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Management Protest & Activism
Level 2
House Rules
Grind, Rewards, & Commerce
Communities & Web Sites
Stuff
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Level 4
Competition
Mods & Software
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Putting The Taxonomy to Work
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Projected Taxonomy
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Number of Games by Industry
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Last Thoughts...
A Journey...

Serious Games = Game Based Simulation
Serious Games = Games for Government Forsight & Public Policy
Serious Games = A Description for a Broader Reapplication of Videogame Resources
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Serious Games = A Broad but Better Dened Reapplication of Videogames
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Serious Games = Broader Idea of What Games Can Be
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Next Steps
Next Steps
Use This Taxonomy as Starting Point To Taxonomy Will Be Available on a Wiki, Community Invited to Contribute to
Serious Games Taxonomy 2.0
Dene Serious Games Moving Forward
Continued Discussion and Building Within
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Linked to On seriousgames.org
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the Community (Join the Mailing List)
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Questions
Please Fill Out Your Comment Cards If You Liked the Presentation Please Give
Cards to People At the Door
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If You Did Not We Will Collect Those At

the Front
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Ben Sawyer: Digitalmill, Inc.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008