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Health Games

Taxonomy Analysis and Multiplayer Design Suggestions
Conference paper
Part of the Lecture Notes in Computer Science book series (LNCS, volume 7528)

Abstract

This paper presents an exploratory research of health games in EU, focusing on the role of multiplayer in the health-games experience, utilizing the health-game taxonomy suggested by Sawyer and Smith [1], combined with a preliminary survey of fity existing European health games in order to point out existing trends and suggest currently untapped venues of exploration. First, a theoretical review is presented, utilizing framework from the humanities and cultural studies in order to address what seen as a design issue with contemporary serious health games. Then, the results of a quantitative study of existing health games are presented, and analyzed through an existing taxonomy. Last, based on the lacunas found in the taxonomy, a thorough theoretical analysis is undertaken on their possible reasons, and suggestions on design methodologies are introduced through a comparison with existing commercial multiplayer games.

Keywords

serious games health games game taxonomy multiplayer procedural rhetoric asynchronous multiplay 
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2012

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of Media and Culture StudiesUtrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
  2. 2.Games for Health Europe FoundationEindhovenNetherlands

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