"MACHS, a
platform for the generation of serious games, i.e. courses in
3D environments for machine-tool training. The platform
consists of two applications: an easy-to-use authoring tool
for editing the courses and a 3D simulator for running them."
Abstract: "As a way to
support
developers
,
we
propose
the
creation of specialized tools to deal with accessibility.
The hypothesis defined was that it
is
possible to produce tools that
coul
d
reduce the
cost and effort
needed to adapt
games for people
with special needs
while
achi
eving a
sufficient
level of usability
and a pleasant player exper
ience
.
Because of the
ambitious
of the
approach
,
the goal of the project is to explore
if it is feasible
through preliminary research
.
T
hree experiments
were set up
to
cover and explore different alternatives
, given the diversity of
player characteristics and
game develop
ment
approaches
.
In these
experiments we targeted t
wo different platforms: a
desktop
game
authoring tool
oriented to educators
, and a
mobile
game
development
framework
oriented to programmers
.
In these
experiments we used
the to
ols developed
to produce several
games that were also tested by end users
.
While the project
focuses on disability,
the ideas proposed
can be generalized and
applied
to support optimizing game interfaces
for
a
wide and
diverse audience."
Abstract: "Serious Games are increasingly used as a training and educational tool. Fire keeps claiming a high number of victims. Some authors allege failures during the evacuation process as the main cause that contributes for that number. Fire drills are used to train buildings' occupants for emergency situations. However, fire drills' participants often have prior knowledge of their schedule and as result they are not as focused as they should. Moreover, fire drills require the mobilization of some resources, leading to financial costs. Performing a fire drill will always affect the normal functioning of the place where they take place; for this reason, sometimes they are not performed at all. In some special locations, like hospitals, fire drills are unsuitable. Emergency planning is crucial to prevent and minimize damage and victims. Albeit the improvement on safety measures, many occupants and employers in this type of buildings still lack adequate knowledge and training on how to behave in such hazardous situations. EVA is presented as a possible solution, which is based on the concept of Serious Game that can be used as a training tool for healthcare professionals. A preliminary prototype was developed. A sample of 20 subjects was selected to test it giving promising results. Results also showed that users who had training in fire prevention appear to perform better in the course. Moreover, participants who regularly play computer games overcame easily the game challenges. Further research and development are still to be explored, which are discussed in the concluding part of this paper."