community — News in Games-Based Learning

“Gamified” exercises revolutionising health and well-being for older people

Key points: Fitness and exercise gamification takes the principles of gaming and applies them to movement routines, transforming them into engaging challenges that help prevent falls and cognitive decline One in three people over the age of 65 living in the community will experience a fall every year Falls are a significant public health issue, contributing to mobility-related disability and loss of independence, and are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths worldwide Gone are the days of video games just being for young people.

exerciseDave EngJune 15, 2024exercise, community, balanceComment

From besting Tetris AI to epic speedruns – inside gaming’s most thrilling feats

The Oklahoma teen beat the game by defeating level after level until he reached the "Kill screen" - that is, the moment when the Tetris artificial intelligence taps out in exhaustion, stopping play because its designers never wrote the code to advance further.

gameDave EngJune 7, 2024game, community, MinecraftComment

The Reacting Consortium Annual Institute, June 6-9, 2024 in NYC

Immerse yourself in interactive pedagogy at the Reacting Consortium Annual Institute, June 6-9, 2024, held at Barnard College in NYC. Explore new games and methodologies designed to invigorate modern classrooms. Choose between workshops featuring full-length and short games, or opt for a newcomer session to gain confidence in implementing Reacting. Engage in dynamic debates, role-play historical scenarios, and strategize for victory. Dive deeper into topics like AI integration, primary source scaffolding, accessibility, and discussions on race. With comprehensive guides for transportation and COVID-19 safety, this event offers unparalleled opportunities for professional growth. Reserve your spot now to join educators worldwide in this unforgettable educational experience.

Reacting to the PastDave EngMarch 26, 2024pedagogy, interactive, role-play, workshop, integration, communityComment

Warhammer and wellbeing: Can tabletop games support our mental health?

Tom's Warhammer story begins aged six or seven, retreating to the attic with his dad to play historical tabletop war games. "Getting back into Warhammer 40k gave me the outlet I needed to process, opened up new friendships, and has provided so many opportunities since then. It's probably not an exaggeration to say Warhammer might have saved my life."

warhammerDave EngJanuary 6, 2024warhammer, tabletop games, mental health, communityComment

Texas A&M prof: Online games can be good for men (Opinion)

When we picture "Hanging out with friends," few people imagine a guy hunched over the keyboard of his souped-up computer, immersed in an online game. There's evidence that building relationships in online games is linked to depression, especially for men who are socially isolated in real life.

healthDave EngNovember 27, 2023health, games, communityComment

Gamification in Politics: Engaging Citizens Through Play

In recent years, it has also found its way into the realm of politics, with the aim of engaging citizens in the political process through play. In addition to engaging individual citizens, gamification can also be used to foster a sense of community and collective action.

gamificationDave EngOctober 15, 2023gamification, community, engagementComment

Why developers are designing video games for accessibility

Now mainstream developers are leveling up - increasingly considering accessibility when designing their games, whether to accommodate a visual impairment, a motor control issue or an anxiety disorder. "A lot more people want to play games and we want people to play games."

Community, Video games, AccessibilityDave EngSeptember 29, 2023community, games, developersComment

Leveraging Gamification to Bring Millions of Users Together

The global gamification market was worth $10.5 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach $96.8 billion by 2030, a CAGR of nearly 28%. At its core, gamification seeks to add gaming elements such as achievements, point scoring, competition and rewards to encourage user engagement and connectedness.

communityDave EngMay 25, 2023community, help, motivationalComment

Final Fantasy Online: How Game Design Influences Community

As Eorzea's busiest city, Limsa is a living showcase for the diverse, thriving community of Final Fantasy XIV. In one corner, a hulking Hrothgar dressed as a chicken, playing Metallica on the harp.

fantasyDave EngMay 24, 2023fantasy, community, cultureComment

Inspiring a new generation of justice-centered video game designers

Although many people criticize video games associated with violence, founder of the Games for Justice youth summer program Husain Rizvi '22 thinks that this is not where we should be focusing our attention.

social justiceDave EngMarch 1, 2023Video games, designers, racism, sexual harassment, justice, community, newsComment

How God of War Made Accessibility a Core Part of Its Game Design

The recent release of The Last of Us Part 1 Remake included every accessibility feature from Part II, as well as a brand-new option for AAA titles-audio descriptive cutscenes. This November, God of War Ragnarök, from Santa Monica Studio, will be the newest addition in a beloved franchise that demonstrates its own commitment to accessibility.

accessibilityDave EngFebruary 15, 2023Game design, accessibility, God of War, PC, play tests, community, development, newsComment

The Players are the Product: A Study of Player Communities, Community Managers, and Zombies

Importantly for this work, some form communities with other players and a subset of those communities then provide value to the firm and other players. Most of the research that justifies these statements comes from video game research given that study of the Live Action Roll Playing or Live Action game space that Humans vs Zombies occupies is even younger than the study of video games.

researchDave EngAugust 27, 2021Research, zombies, communityComment

How an alternate reality game helped build community during the pandemic

This spring, a team of scholars affiliated with the Weston Game Lab and the College developed and presented A Labyrinth, an alternate reality game that utilized the UChicago campus as the playspace for a series of interactive quests.

alternate reality, AR, communityDave EngAugust 15, 2020alternate reality, AR, communityComment

What College Esports Arenas Mean for Community in the Digital Age

Colleges across the country are transforming library rooms and dorm halls into esports arenas designed to gather gamers to play and watch together, in person.

esports, community, higher educationDave EngJanuary 13, 2020esports, colleges, communityComment