Keynotes
The Craft of Creating Analog Serious Games for Preparedness and Planning
Abstract
There are fascinating analog, board, card, and many other games being developed and available in the market that push design boundaries to deliver engaging game experiences, some of which address realistic topics and situations. These are not serious games, but they can teach us essential design lessons. When we develop analog serious games, we must be aware of all the design innovations that new games propose, especially those that propose complex systems that try to mimic detailed and realistic themes. However, serious games' overall development differs considerably from commercial and entertainment, with other requirements and goals demanding other resources.
This presentation will focus on the research and practical experience of developing serious games, the resources, the tools, and the coordination between experts collaborating to deploy analog serious games. From personal and individual projects, some done directly to clients like municipalities, enterprises, and the Portuguese Government, and others applied to research projects developed at the University of Coimbra and University College Dublin; this communication will also present some of the projects developed as chief game designer at the Center for Advanced Preparedness and Threat Response Simulation (CAPTRS).
Curriculum Vitae
Micael Sousa has degrees in Civil Engineering and History. Masters in Energy and Environment and Heritage Studies. He has a PhD in Spatial Planning (University of Coimbra/Porto). He did his post-doctoral research at University College Dublin. CITTA, Hei-Lab and was a ciTechCare Research collaborator. He is also an ISAGA and SPCV member while being a serious games consultant/expert for participatory and collaborative planning: www.msseriousgames.com. he is also a guest lecturer and instructor at several institutions and universities. At present he is a chief game designer at the Center for Advanced Preparedness and Threat Response Simulation (CAPTRS). Furthermore he is a board game reviewer, designer, developer, and content creator.
