The Game of the Future
Mark Overmars
The First Computer Game
1958 Brookhave National Laboratory
Tennis for Two
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Anno 2008
Virtua Tennis 3 (PS3)
Tennis on Wii
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Spot the Differences
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Spot the Differences
Better graphics
Adaptive computer opponents
Storyline/setting
Internet play
Interface
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Ingredients of a Game
Storyline
• Gives global motivation
• Discovery, surprise, emotion
Game play
• Rules, challenges, rewards
• Leads to continued interest
Simulation
• Gives feedback on decisions and actions
• (Does not need to be realistic)
Social elements
• Collaborate and help each other
In a good games these elements are in balance
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Why use Games
Games give motivation
• Storyline, challenges,
rewards
Games can adapt to the
abilities of the players
• Reduces frustration and
boredom
• FLOW
Frustration
challenges
FLOW
Boring
abilities
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Why use Games
Games give direct feedback on decisions and actions
• Through simulation
• Better learning process
• Better insight in consequences
Games can be played always and everywhere
• Use of lost hours
• Use at home
• As a consequence more time is spend on the learning process
Players help each other
• Inside and outside the game
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Uses of Serious Games
To train the use of equipment
• Flight simulators
• Drive simulators
• Simendo (endoscopy)
To train procedures (in particular
the strategic level)
• Safety training, …
Learning facts and abilities
• Language and calculus
• Entrepreneurship
• ...
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Uses of Serious Games
To stimulate certain behavior
• Remission, GlucoBoy
• Political games
To get insight in processes
• Social, communication
• Inside companies
To distract people
• Pain reduction for burnings
• Snow World
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Uses of Serious Games
To keep people in contact
• Patients
• Elderly
Marketing
• America’s Army
• Operation Ibiza, Pool Paradise
Many other applications
• Rehabilitation
• Virtual tourism
• ...
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Current and Future Trends
Automatic Content Creation
• Virtual Worlds
• Characters and behavior
• Scenarios
Realism
• Graphics
• Animations
• Behavior
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Current and Future Trends
Adaptive game play
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Observe the player
Create a dynamic player model
Adapt the game play
More personalized experience
– “Pleasurable Frustration”
Physical and other interaction
• Dance Dance Revolution, Wii
• Brain-Machine interfaces
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Current and Future Trends
Location-based gaming
• Using devices with GPS
• Location plays an important role in the
game play
User generated content
• Levels, characters, worlds (Second Life)
• Challenges, scenarios
• Complete Games
– www.yoyogames.com
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Utrecht: AGS and GATE and …
Center for Advanced Gaming and Simulation
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Utrecht University, TNO, Utrecht School of the Arts
Virtual organization with a center in Utrecht
About 80 researchers
Multidisciplinary
GATE project
• 19 MEuro project
• Research, Knowledge transfer, Pilots
Muse
Dutch Game Garden
Festival of Games
Expertise Center
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Final Remarks
Games form an important element of our lives
• Influence and impact will increase further
Serious games will have a huge effect on
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How we learn
How we communicate
Healthcare
How we live
The future leads to new possibilities that are hard to imagine
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Control through body and brain
Mixed reality in which the real and virtual world blend
Student centered learning
The world in our hands
…
It is only the beginning …
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Thank You
Contact
Mark Overmars
[email protected]
[email protected]
http://www.yoyogames.com
http://gate.gameresearch.nl
http://www.cs.uu.nl