[game_edu] game_edu Digest, Vol 51, Issue 5

[Ian Schreiber]

"Serious games" is already a term in common use in the field. I think it was coined by Ben Sawyer, meant to describe the use of games in a context that is primarily productive in nature (as opposed to primarily for entertainment).
 
In this context, a sporting event is not a "serious game"... no matter how much it means to you personally ;-)
 
Is there a reason you find this particular term redundant or unnecessary, or am I just totally failing to understand your point?
 
- Ian

--- On Tue, 1/13/09, J. Klabbers <jklabbers at kmpc.nl> wrote:

From: J. Klabbers <jklabbers at kmpc.nl>
Subject: Re: [game_edu] game_edu Digest, Vol 51, Issue 5
To: game_edu at igda.org
Date: Tuesday, January 13, 2009, 5:32 AM



See Item 1: PhD position in Serious Gaming (S. Gold)


A matter of terminology in professional communication.


In the announcement below the following phrasing is curious: "The Department of Industrial Design at the Eindhoven University of Technology has an opportunity you can take to join a team for development of serious games for medical simulation, with a focus on birth delivery".


Suppose we would agree that the forthcoming match between Manchester United and Liverpool is a serious game. For the sake of clear professional communication, wouldn't be more suitable to rephrase the line, reading: "The Department of Industrial Design at the Eindhoven University of Technology has an opportunity you can take to join a team for development of medical simulation, with a focus on birth delivery".


That would make the term "serious game" as redundant as it is in this context, or am I missing something special? 


I am looking forward to the day that we may receive an advert for a PhD position in Non-Serious Gaming, whatever that would mean.



J. Klabbers
jklabbers at kmpc.nl


      
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