The Serious Games Landscape An overview of why

The “Serious Games” Landscape An overview of why we’re here…

All Games Are Serious! (applause) 2

Why we’re here? > We love games! > We know we’ve got a better solution > Killing time until Half-Life 2 > We need new markets for our skills > We scammed a free press pass > We have questions about this area > Woot! free day off from work! > Face it the PC games market sucks > We want to reach for bigger things 3

Call to Arms! > We can hit a tipping point We’re a fad until we aren’t > A rising tide can lift all boats We need a flood not an arc > This is studio-centric market Publishers not needed > Lots of roles to play 4

Searching for a Definition What are serious games?

Problems… > Solving problems is what humans do > Entertainment is a solved problem > There are other problems… Teaching People Figuring out the Right Policies Putting Robots on Mars, Venus and Mercury Overthrowing Dictators Responding to Threats > Problem solving is a big business! 6

Games are Solutions > Play has been used since dawn of mankind > Playing is problem solving > At times we’ve even been very deliberate in what and why we play Chess, Checkers, Go The Olympics War Games Roleplaying Simulations Game Theory > And now… computer games 7

So What are Serious Games? 1. Serious Games are Solutions to Problems 2. Serious Games = “Any computerized game whose chief mission is not entertainment – (K-12 + advertising games) + all entertainment games which can be reapplied to a different mission other then entertainment. ” Why “not” K-12? The market is a mess and K-12 is a partial stigma Why “not” Advertising? Derivative market and “placement” is not a game 8

Why is Computerized important? > We gain a lot of comparative advantage We can do things we couldn’t before Allows us to make complex single player experiences Distribution can happen via the Internet Modifications and customization Ability to do automated assessment How else to fit into e-learning revolution? Where the people are… 9

User Map Federal State Local Military Government Games for Health Higher Ed Hobbyist/Mods Serious Games Eduware Individuals Prep/K-12 Political Statements Corporate Foundations NGO Non Profits Trade Associations Advergaming Home School Analytics Training 10

Past & Present Perspective From games to serious games

We’re just getting started! 12

Then & Now: Oregon Trail 1985 2004 13

Then and Now: Flight Simulator 1987 Evans & Sutherland 2004 14

Then and Now: Half-Life 15

Created So Far? > Sim. Health > Close Combat: Marines > America’s Army > Battle Site Zero > Virtual U > Environmental Detectives > Hungry Red Planet > Catch the Sperm > Virtual Leader > Under Ash > > > Hidden Agenda Balance of Power Sim. City Other Sim Series Flight Simulator Rollercoaster Tycoon Capitalism Surgeon Civilization Railroad Tycoon President Elect Korsun Pocket 16

What has this gotten us? > Mostly one-off titles sponsored by enlightened third parties Foundations, Non-profits, Military, Higher-Ed > Majority developed in the last five years > A plethora of traditional games which can be repurposed by savvy teachers > The K-12 eduware ghetto > Few commercial pioneers past & present Most focused on traditional training markets > No sense of defined industry But some emergence we can build on this week 17

Current Position > A project history to build from > Incredible technology looming Graphics tech faster then Moore’s Law New consoles by 2006 Portable market hypergrowth > More academics & programs contributing > Increased industry cooperation > Invigorated press; highly interested > Bracing for the assessment explosion > Poor PC games market > An opportunity to accelerate growth 18

Broadbased Industry Support > IGDA > ESA > GDC > E 3 Expo > ELSPA > NASAGA > Di. GRA 19

A Closer Look Space by Space

Government > “A democratic society depends upon an informed and educated citizenry” - Jefferson Mass. Balance & Budget. Utah, Waterbusters > Fed, state and local Different degrees of funds and accessibility > International: More activist governments > The “CYA” factor and controversy Escape from Woomera > Could play a role of generalized industry support in some cases 21

Edutainment/K-12 > Established retail market Riverdeep, Infogrames, Leapfrog > Lots of online stuff PBS Kids, Scholastic > Is there an independent business model? > Crossover games used periodically > School districts are “broke” > Home schooling shouldn’t be discounted 1999: Home Schooling 850, 000 (experts 2 M) New York Times: Not just religious conservatives 22

Higher Education > Less constricted by standards > Able to take more risks > Better technology infrastructures > Better budgets Seen the price of textbooks lately? > Struggling with “E-instruction” > Academic Contributions & Research > Will build lots of stuff themselves > Great potential partners 23

Health Care > Games for Health: Documented Uses Game as Carrot Model Health Education & Media Patient Treatment • Asthma, ADD, Motor Skills, Psychological, measurement, Biofeedback Create/instill/measure conditions in research Administrative/Professional Training Technology Transfer > Medical issues w/games Clinical Trials and protocols Violence? Repetitive Stress Injuries, Eyes, Seizures, Obesity? > Market Possibilities 24

Corporate > Larger Pen & Paper contingent > Fractured vendor community Number of mom & pop shops is staggering > Uses Training (not just for workers) Analytics • Breakaway Advergaming • Ya. Ya Games > What will be the effect from LMSes and E-learning? > Big companies plan budgets far in advance > The “near mythical” ROI issue 25

Military I > > > Huge e-learning commitment Obvious crossover opportunities Training & advergaming Contracting process Examples: Close Combat Marines Full Spectrum Command Full Spectrum Warrior Spearhead II Army Game Project Dar. Wars 26

Military II > More Examples: Guard Force (National Guard) Joint Force Employment • Crossover into Real War commercial release SIMSar 2 • Coast Guard Search and Rescue 27

Non Government Organizations > Fundables and funders > Dollar Per Impact > Examples: Markle Foundation • Sim. Health • Hidden Agenda • Policy Slam • Virtual U • Building Homes of Our Own Leimondt Foundation Global Kids Sloan Foundation NAHB > Risk Takers! > Transition the funding axis 28

Other > Journalism > Artistic Trigger: Game Art > Editorial Newsgaming Fix Your Commute • Smashing Ideas > Propaganda & > Political statements Eyewitness 29

A Serious Games Network Who’s doing what and where?

> Timeline Started 2002 First meetings spring 2003 Listserv founded February 2003 Lounsbery Funding July 2003 Currently over 240 members Games For Health 2003 > Goals Help policymakers and administrators Organize greater serious games community Support other projects and independent efforts > Results Lots of press and growing network Useful resource for government agencies Contributing to legitimacy of space Serious Games Summit 2003! 31

Who’s Else is Out There? > > > Games to Teach Education Arcade ETC @ Carnegie Melon IC 2 @ Austin ICT @ USC Moves Institute Army Game Project DARPA Microsoft Research Academic Co-Lab Media. X (Stanford) Variety of Independent Evangelists Lots of new projects incubating 32

The Broader Marketplace This stuff doesn’t grow on trees

Lots of Potential Markets > U. S. Textbook Market > Corporate Learning > Government Training > IBM Training Budget > U. S. Army Training > E-Learning > Government Simulations > Leapfrog > Foundation payouts > Business Analytics > 1% of all of this? $3 Billion $66 Billion $40 Billion $700 Million $7 Billion+ $10 Billion+ $3 Billion $680 Million $20 Billion+ $5 Billion+ Priceless… 34

A competitive environment > Other major media Books Film TV Music > Other forms of teaching Lectures Textbook Multimedia E-Learning “Pen & Paper” Games Outward Bound 35

We have some hurdles to jump > Structural “game developer” isn’t in the yellow pages There is no sense of standard practices Emergent community means it’s fractured Education institutions are mixed bag > Antipathy Games are “kids stuff” Costs are “expensive” Timeframe is “too slow” > Inexperience Not everyone speaks “game” Production management is not the forte of most potential clients Many developers unable to stomach the bizdev 36

More hurdles… > Published reports and Perception Games didn’t help science test scores (2001) > We haven’t defended ourselves well This is just a military thing Let me see those games! What other influences were there? > Yet another fad… We are until we aren’t > We’re in the midst of a generational shift… 37

Average Age of a… > U. S. Representative > U. S. Senator > U. S. Governor > U. S. Teacher > School Principal > Corporate CEO > College Dean > Military Colonel > General/Admiral > Physician > Gamer 54 59 49 43 48 56 36 45+ 50+ 48 29 A Typical Colonel A Typical CEO 38

A Typical Gamer 39

Who else wants a piece of this? > Traditional simulation companies Evans & Sutherland, Booz Allen Hamilton • Anyone got a spare SGI 32 Processor System? > Major consultants Deloitte & Touche • Cannon fodder approach. > Military Industrial Complex Grumman, General Dynamics, Etc. • We’re in charge around here. > E-Learning Industry Apollo Group, Brainbench, Click 2 Learn • More text and Java Applets Anyone? 40

Why have previous efforts failed? > They went to the wrong people! EA and Activision are great GAME publishers Commercial market growing too fast – no incentive > Tech wasn’t mature enough Many times ideas often outpace the platform needed No way to do cool team and multiplayer > Market wasn’t ready You think the antipathy is bad today? !? ? > Sales strategy hard to work How to recoup expensive unfunded development? Money is in projects vs. products No Internet, no easy marketing system > Hard to raise capital for game companies 41

What’s our story now? > Things have matured > We have many things others don’t “You don’t ask a landscaper to build you a house” We have a unique audience share Cutting edge visuals and interface design Great AI and storytelling capabilities We make stuff ubiquitous Best a online communities A history of world building > Games are becoming mainstream Entertainment & culture Sheer numbers of devices staggers the uniformed 42

What about crossovers? > True Crossover Full Spectrum Warrior > Crossover for Distribution Help America’s Army > Sim. Health Sold about 35, 000 copies > Co-publish/Self Publish Virtual U sold about 1000 copies 43

Stories from the Front > “That’s what we spend on toilet paper!” > We can run a contest! > Lets make it massive-multiplayer! > This is Phil from the Mailroom > Put more programmers on it > My beta report: You spelled thas wrong… > How do I print? > What’s Direct. X? > Will this run on my Mac? > We don’t have sports in Australia > We’ll build this stuff with students 44

Building a Project From games to serious games

Typical Serious Game Project > Mission is to effect some change or insight > Combination of developer and subject matter experts > Often requires many disciplines to work together > Funded by client; third-party funds; or as a b 2 b sale. Not retail! > Commonly avoids SOTA target platforms > The market may not be in the software itself > Has unique engineering needs > Long (and arduous) run-up to go-decision 46

Typical Project Stages > > > “The Meeting”: Pre-sell process: Ramp up: The snag: Go ahead: First Playable: Alpha: Beta: Gold Master: Project Launch: Post Mortem: 2. 0? AKA the Braindump Fundamentals, Plan A Committees, Experts, Funding Jump through proverbial hoop Someone sent a check! Can they get it? Can they augment and test? TEST! Is everything else done? What’s everyone’s role? Can we show it worked? If we only had more time! 47

Everyone but the Developer > Education Experts Implementors (teachers, trainers, tutors, evangelists) Instructional designers > Content Assistance Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) Testers & Steering Committee > Internal Production & Management Steering Committee & Advisory Board The person who writes the check Marketing & PR > Others Third Party Consultants Co-marketing & Distribution 48

Different Deal > Most projects are work-for-hire > IP ownership is about continuation and product support not “sequelitus valuation” for publishers > Deals take much longer to incubate > Handholding client is critical – you manage them as much as they manage you > Budgets are (for now) much lower 49

Construction Issues > Design for the instructor > Adaptability & Modding > Distribution > Educational Standards All over the map! Commercial Game Federal & State Doesn’t 100% translate to curriculum Have to constantly keep referencing them Player Serious Game > Assessment tools & LCMS > Transparency > How important Cross Platform? Facilitator Player 50

Targeting the audience > We should look at consecutive levels of impact > Our ability to make complex situations accessible is key > Your best users may not come from your highest target > How you implement usage will determine success at each point University Presidents Faculty Chairs All Faculty All Students All stakeholders including general public 51

A Small Note on Platforms > Windows Dominates (duh!) Government especially Older PC architecture still a concern > Macintosh still prevalent in education A Typical Governor 16% marketshare in “education market” All 7 th & 8 th graders in Maine have Powerbooks Virginia's Henrico County (All Students) 30% of portable market in education Virtual PC for Mac does a great job (but for how long? ) > Accessibility & 508 Standards > Educators “under using” the technology > Portable market too fragmented Interesting work by MIT’s TEP with PDAs Companies not standardizing (yet) 52

Developer Recommendations > Don’t wait for the mountain to come to you Contact local elected officials Get out in your business community Learn these markets > Prepare for a long haul > Spend time helping with fundamentals > Work with outside experts 53

Customer Recommendations > Use professionals How to evaluate them… Learn how to augment and enhance them > How much game for your $$ Not how much $$ for your game > Protect your ability to maintain the product but be flexible on IP > Don’t forget about the meta-project 54

Building A Case Don’t take no for an answer

What to sell? > Sell the game last! 1. Sell the space • Comparative advantages 2. Sell the technology • Comparative advantages 3. Sell your skills • Exclusivity 4. Sell your approach • Comparative advantages > Then sell your solution > Leave room to maneuver if plans change. 56

Keep Hammering on Comparative Advantages > Dominant media form of a new generation > Can be played alone > Asynchronous multiplayer groups > Instantly transferable (i. e. digital distribution) > Potentially modifiable and adaptable > Best Visualization > Able to juggle more factors at one time > When was the last time you saw a boardgame for 1 person? > How often can people meet at the same location for extended period? > How often can roleplaying take into account 50 factors? > What does a textbook bring to life? 57

Managing Fisheries Fighting Fires Undefined Demographically Diverse Blowing up Aliens Content & subject critical Not captured in a bottle! Will it be Fun? Game players? I know it when I see it! Fun to whom? Subject fans? Learn 4 career Hierarchy of motivators More fun than X Interested in subject Assignment 58

Final Thoughts Are we there yet?

My 10 Commandments 1. Solve the problem 2. Focus on comparative advantages 3. Don’t sell transference. Sell skill, process, insight 4. K-12 is a third rail unless you can find a backdoor 5. Build networks, lay foundations, partner 3 6. Be as creative with your project as your product 7. Beware of other ways problem could be solved 8. Though shall not retail 9. We need to think big 10. This is not the game business as you know it 60

Futher recommendations > Build an industry face & Attract things collectively > Identify and root out preconceptions Create legitimacy through education Push back properly against detractors Promote professional development > Push for big projects and problems “We will not be successful with 50 $100 K projects” > Catalog things better Social Impact Games, Weblab, Teachers Arcade Games for Health > Think Global, Act Local Elected representatives, local companies, grassroots 61

Future Events > NGO Group Meeting NYC, April, time & place TBA > Education Arcade E 3 Expo, May 9 -10, Los Angeles > Games For Health University of Wisconsin, September 16 -17 > D. C. Serious Games Day II Fall 2004 > Serious Games Summit 2005 Spring 2005, Time & Place TBD 62

Next Efforts > IGDA SIG Possibility > More Serious Game Subgroups > Expanded Web site features > More frequent issues of SNAGGED > Serious Games Annual 2005 > Games for Health Literature Review > Drive down cost of ramp-up > Expand Serious Games. org 63

Resources > www. seriousgames. org Serious Games Mailing List S. N. A. G. G. E. D. > www. educationarcade. org > www. gamesforhealth. org Games for Health List > www. socialimpactgames. com > www. acm. org/pubs/cie. html > Books Gee, Aldrich, and Prensky 64

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My Preamble… > The are likely exceptions to everything I will say. > I do not pretend to know everything about this space. > I am not aware of every last project. > My ideas are only part of the answer we’re constructing. > I am trying to speak as much from experience as I can. > I did not start out here. I am new to this area. > Please laugh at my lame attempts at humor. > And finally… 66

Detour on SCORM® > What the heck is this!!? !@? ! Shareable Courseware Object Reference Model > The LMS or LCMS Learning Management System Learning Content Management System > It’s almost all Web based HTML, XML, Javascript, Java, Flash > How do games fit in? Can we retrofit high-end C++. exes with SCORM and LMS Systems? 67

Don’t Take ROI for an Answer > Fire Department My building burned down… > Jumbo Jets & Rocket Ships What’s this button do? > Can you really teach this with a book? Strategy? 68

Who’s Who and what’s their role? > Development Studios Find projects; educate client; make games > Learning & Instruction Experts Provide research; design help; content expertise; assessment tools > Publishers Provide tech/industry support; look for crossover possibilities > Facilitators Ensure learning experience is fulfilling; build with and on top of our creations > Capital Sources Fund us both philanthropically and commercially > Customers & Users “The problem”; support; funds; expertise; feedback; adaptations > Other Partners Co-marketing; expert consultants; etc. 69