{"id":2769,"date":"2015-01-05T19:41:03","date_gmt":"2015-01-05T17:41:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.talentlms.com\/?p=2769"},"modified":"2026-04-29T12:16:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T09:16:09","slug":"how-to-build-a-serious-game-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.talentlms.com\/blog\/how-to-build-a-serious-game-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Build a Serious Game: Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

“A game is a series of interesting choices.”- Sid Meier (legendary game designer)<\/i><\/p>\n

How can a serious game be developed using instruction design and game design principles?<\/p>\n

Instruction Design principles, for example like the ADDIE model<\/strong> (analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation) provide valuable inputs to a serious game. Using the basic features of game design and combining them with the ADDIE model, a learning-goal based game can be developed.<\/p>\n

The basic design rule of all games has three main features (MDA):<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

\u2022 Mechanics:<\/strong> The rules and concepts that formally specify the game-as-system. Mechanics are the all possible actions designed in the system.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Dynamics:<\/strong> The run-time behavior of the game-as-system (Dynamics and Mechanics are different views of games.). Time Pressure is a dynamic. Dynamics are all the possible interactions the player has with the game.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Aesthetics:<\/strong> The desirable emotional responses evoked by the game dynamics. Serious games motivate learners through emotional involvement. A game to be motivating and rewarding has to have eight affective features:<\/p>\n

1. Sensation<\/strong>: as sense-pleasure.<\/p>\n

2. Fantasy<\/strong>: as make-believe<\/p>\n

3. Narrative<\/strong>: as drama<\/p>\n

4. Challenge<\/strong>: as obstacle course<\/p>\n

5. Fellowship<\/strong>: as social framework<\/p>\n

6. Discovery<\/strong>: as uncharted territory<\/p>\n

7. Expression<\/strong>: as self-discovery<\/p>\n

8. Submission<\/strong>: as pastime<\/p>\n

As opposed to traditional classroom environments, where the learning model is one of transmitting content, game-based pedagogies hold a situated view of learning where players enter with understandings, identities, and questions, and through interaction with the game system, develop along trajectories towards expert performance. (Juul, 2004)<\/i><\/p>\n

Did you know that instruction design principles can actually fulfill the gaps in game design principles, when developing a serious game?<\/strong> Research in game design (by Zimmerman, 2003) reveals that a game developed in iterations, traps ambiguity by defining its solution. When digital games are rolled out, there are things we can never be sure of:<\/p>\n

\u2022 When the game will be played?<\/p>\n

\u2022 How many times will it be played?<\/p>\n

\u2022 Who will play the game?<\/p>\n

\u2022 Where will it be played?<\/p>\n

\u2022 What if a decision is not supported?<\/p>\n

This is where we marry game design rules with instruction design tools: merge together ADDIE and MDA. In order to answer a few of these questions, instruction design principles, like \u201canalysis\u201d, will identify the \u201cwho\u201d will play the game. The \u201cdesign\u201d aspect takes care of \u201cwhere\u201d the game would be played. The \u201cevaluation\u201d part enables the serious game designer to catch all exceptions; the looming doubt of \u201cwhat if the decision is not supported\u201d.<\/p>\n

Serious games, if designed carefully, create performance-based courses.<\/strong> These courses are easier to assess because managers can measure performance before and after the course. Compare this with a regular, information based e-Learning course, where it is challenging to determine if learners are applying the information that is tied with\u00a0the performance.<\/p>\n

Effective Scenarios for Serious Games<\/b><\/h2>\n

Scenarios are the heart of serious games.<\/strong> This is where you mimic the real world or the performance context<\/i> of the learner. Scenarios help learners practice and apply your content. By creating an immersive learning environment, learners can explore and make decisions based on the available information.\u00a0This is where serious instructions become a game: decision making and problem solving.<\/p>\n

There are several ways to build a scenario that puts the course content into a context that is relevant to the learners.<\/strong> The goal is to encourage learners to utilize the information in a real world setting.<\/p>\n

Here are some of these ways:<\/p>\n