1. Opinion 25
What’s the difference between
a game, an app and a website?
An app is just generally something
that you download specifically from a
site (such as iTunes or Google Play) for
your smart phone or tablet and has its
own button on your screen. Sometimes
an app is a game or an optimised
version of the website or service it
applies to.
the same computing power that NASA
had to launch a man into space, how are
we using this technology? The uptake
of smartphone technology outstrips the
number of babies born daily by about 5
to 1.
By harnessing the collective energy
of humans spatial reasoning and
Getting real about games
pattern matching abilities, as well
as problem solving schema and the
emotional engagement that teamwork
creates, games such as the www.fold.it
I
experimental research project have created
Computer gaming recently presented a demonstration of a solving real-world problems, starting with
breakthroughs using crowdsourced efforts
has moved on game called SuperBetter to my school their own.
of the players.
counselling colleagues. My boss was Welcome to the serious games
from self-absorbed In foldit, gamers use a range of tools to
genuinely surprised when she realised movement, where games (physical or
fold proteins, which are then analysed by
playthings to it did not involve shooting anything with mental contests) are tackling social,
researchers to seek real-world applications
powerful weapons, flinging birds into environmental, health issues and any
practical and objects or chasing medieval goblins in real-world problem, employing similar
for disease eradication and biological
innovation.
socially aware fantasy lands. thinking skills as those used in Tetris. The
Not quite ready to save the planet? How
SuperBetter is an alternate reality game difference is the emotional investment and
technology that designed by Jane McGonigal to assist her practical application of winning the game.
about giving teenagers and artists in cities
can help people. safer and more legal ways to display their
recovery from a concussion received when What is more real about these styles of
street art? TagDis is a virtual graffiti game
By Jocelyn she whacked her head into a cupboard games is that they avoid “gamification”
which uses street views and paint/draw
door in 2009. – the superficial application of gaming
Brewer Some people heal by slowing down principles to already existing platforms,
apps to “tag” and create pieces on urban
features. Players compare their pieces with
and following doctors orders, McGonigal usually for corporate gain.
one another and create virtual maps across
healed by applying her 10 years of game The games apply “gameful design”
the city to share their art.
design experience to building a game to (integration of more complex concepts of
As gaming becomes more mainstream
overcome the anxiety of living with a human motivation, agency and emotion)
and players are offered a wider range of
“vacuum pressurised brain” (and a range of to build games (goal getting tournaments
games, apps and experiences, the challenge
other health and wellbeing issues) and, you and adventures) in which you actually care
for developers is to entice the games/
guessed it, get super, better. about the outcome because they directly
technology consumers in a menu of more
Fast forward to this year when, in June, relate to your quality of life.
“healthy” choices.
SuperBetter is released as an iOS (Apple) There is also a rich science behind
Games that employ the most
app* on iTunes and shoots into the top five the development of “serious” games like
sophisticated design characteristics,
in the United State’s Health and Fitness SuperBetter –which is based on leading
integrate cutting-edge research while
category within weeks, in a market where empirical research centred around
providing pleasurable experiences and
about 3500 apps are released weekly. resilience, risk and protective factors,
engagement in pro-social, positive
McGonigal, and her avatar the coping strategies and positive psychology.
behaviours for purposeful action are those
whose potential to save the planet is not
Smart phones have about the same computing only very real, but suddenly much closer.
To play SuperBetter (no experience
power that NASA had to launch a man into space, required) see: www.superbetter.com. You
how are we using this technology? can play it via the website or download the
actual app from iTunes App Store. You
can join the author on her quest to become
“concussion slayer”, later gave a keynote While the only thing serious about superbetter at meditation by friending her
address at New York City’s Games for SuperBetter is its determination to provide in the game.
Change conference and another talk at the a platform for Epic Wins (goal attainment) Games for Change is coming to
exclusive TED Conference in Edinburgh. and overcoming Bad Guys (obstacles), Melbourne this November. Keep up
More and more, games are being there are a range of other games that seek to date with the program at www.
designed that move beyond the pointless to solve specific world problems – such as gamesforchange.org n
to the purposeful. Rather than collecting finding a cure for AIDS or a solution to
meaningless tokens and cartoon farm the future oil crisis. Jocelyn Brewer is a school counsellor and
animals in fake realms with little What is exciting is the technology to do provisional psychologist. She is a founding
emotional connection, people are some of these things is right in the palm member of Network for Internet Investigation
recognising the ability to have fun while of your hand. Smart phones have about and Research in Australia www.niira.org.au
www.educationreview.com.au August 2012 25