Whizkid Games Receives the Premier’s Recognition Award for Special Design
As reported by Jason Hill at Screenplay, a package of free online games for children with autism has received an accolade in the Victorian Government’s 2010 Premier’s Design Awards.
Whizkid Games was created by a group of final year multimedia design students from Swinburne’s Faculty of Design in collaboration with Swinburne’s National eTherapy Centre (NeTC) and Bulleen Heights Autism School. Whizkid Games aims to help autistic children learn life skills. Focusing on areas such as coping with change, recognising emotions and non-verbal communication, the 16 therapeutic games are themed around everyday activities such as getting dressed, going to school and following a schedule.
To read the article, click here
Serious Games for the Australian Industry
Over at itnews.com.au, Liz Tay reports that the Australian game development industry is getting ‘serious’ about software development for medical, military and educational purposes.
According to the iGEA commissioned 2009 Bond University report, 68 percent of Australians play computer games. This is a market Ben Kilsby, CEO of simulation company Holopoint Interactive, is keen to address. Kilsby defines ‘serious gaming’ as the application of video game methodology and technology for “purposes that are not entirely entertainment”.
Describing a generation of non-linear thinkers who are becoming decision makers in the workforce, Kilsby expects a new wave of serious games for training and education.
To read about some OS applications, click here
Screenplay reports on Games and the Knowledge Economy
Jason Hill at Screenplay writes that there is no doubt that games have a huge potential in terms of learning and education. Last week Dr Jeff Brand held a public lecture called ‘Video Games and The Future of the Knowledge Economy’. Dr Brand believes Australia can become a world leader in developing Serious Games for Teaching and Learning.
To see the article, click here
Melbourne High School uses gaming to get students running to class
A Melbourne High School has recently introduced Game Design, a Year 10 elective subject, where students create games using industry standard tools.
Director of information and communication technology (ICT) , Adrian Janson is the man behind the subject. He is embracing new technology and using the world of gaming to increase engagement amongst students, and is having a bit of fun at the same time.
Black or White: Making Moral Choices in Video Games
GameSpot AU has a feature that looks at the problems arising from morality systems in video games, and seeks to answer why morality is needed in games, why moral choice is so often just black and white, and what developers can do to change this. In Part One of the feature they speak to philosophers and game theorists.
To read Part One of Laura Parker’s feature, take the jump here.
To read Part Two of Laura Parker’s feature, take the jump here.
Alternator gets the green light as ABC TV and Screen Australia fund a Serious Game
ABC TV and Screen Australia have announced that the Serious Game, Alternator, – a full-throttle car race in wild and whacky green-powered vehicles – will receive $325,000 and go into full production immediately.
To read more of the blog from ABC TV blog click here.
The blind gaming the blind
Largely invisible to the mainstream, sightless gamers help each other tackle titles like Rock Band and Left 4 Dead, while others focus on games made for–and by–the blind.
Read the full article by Matthew Peters at GameSpot AU
Games and Education
Games are not always about recreation. Increasingly, they can be used as educational tools for both children and adults, and this is not limited to maths tutors and spelling games. More and more corporations and universities utilise games for employment and higher skills training. (more…)
Good Game: Games Piracy field story
Taken off the 26th May, 2008 episode of Good Game on ABC2.
This is a field story about Video Games Piracy.
Watch the Video on the Good Game website