Screen Australia in concert with ABC TV are supporting a Serious Games Initiative and are looking for interested people to hook up to propose and develop a serious game. As someone with extensive interest and knowledge in the area, alongside practical experience in the game and entertainment industries, I’m looking for similarly interested and experienced individuals to partner up with. Feel free to contact me via the Contact page of my blog.

So come and join me… and lets develop a serious game together

You can find more about the initiative at http://www.abc.net.au/tv/seriousgames/default.html.

Jason Hill, journalist for Screen Play, published an article yesterday on the benefits of games as a valuable learning tools. The article was the result of a discussion paper written by authorities on children’s media, Patricia and Don Edgar, and was the precursor to a book on the subject.

In the article they outline how evidence is mounting about games being recognized as effective and valuable learning tools. The research is focused on digital/electronic games rather than other forms of games (e.g. physical social games, board games) or free play. The authors outline a list of skills and benefits from games including comprehension, decision making, multitasking, collaboration, leadership and communication, and explain how games can be valuable in both formal learning contexts such as school and informal learning contexts such as the home.

Links
Jason Hill’s Article http://www.smh.com.au/news/digital-life/games/articles/games-are-valuable-learning-tools/2009/04/08/1238869978049.html
Discussion Report http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/earlyyears/Edgar_Paper_20081223.pdf

The State Library of Victoria will be holding a free forum entitled “Get into video games” in Melbourne on Tuesday March 3. A collaboration between Dissecta and the Library, the panel will explore issues such as the appeal of games and how experiences from games can be harnessed and leveraged for other purposes. The event is part of the “Press Play” series, which highlights emerging trends in technology.

Time: Tues 3 March, 6–7.30pm
Venue: Experimedia
Bookings: (p) 03 8664 7099 | (e) bookings [Email address: bookings #AT# slv.vic.gov.au - replace #AT# with @ ]
Cost: Free

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the “NSW Police Force will spend about $2 million on a virtual reality shooting range as senior officers blame a lack of training for recruits being frightened of firearms”. And I’d hazard a guess that nervous rookie cops and a loaded pistol are less than optimal situation. The article goes on to say that the Goulburn police academy has “only six lanes” available for live fire, meaning the guys and gals in blue have tended to hoof it to the local range to supplement their training when needed.

Due to the combination of an increase in the number of recruits, the lack of available “live” fire ranges and the limited opportunity for training, the NSW Police Force is seeking tenders to build a virtual reality shooting range to supplement their live fire training. It’s anticipated that the virtual range will include “replica guns, complete with recoil, being “shot” at scenarios on a video screen, via wireless technology” according to the article. The force is expected to spend approximately $850K for the computer systems and a further $1M for the building.

The article also includes comments from the Opposition Police spokesman and the Police Association spokesman and Assistant Commissioner which, for me, highlighted the importance of game and simulation based training to be understood as a supplementing other forms of training, as well as some of the barriers (such as possible misconceptions between games and simulations) that still remain when implementing game-based training.

Opposition Police spokesman, Michael Gallacher said “These simulators are very advanced but quite simply nothing will replace live fire training …The idea of the training is to get a feel for the pressure of the situation of actually using the firearm that you’re going to be issued. I’d be concerned we’re now reducing live fire training and replacing it with the Nintendo Wii.”. These views were supported by the police spokesman with the union supporting virtual training as long as it did not replace live training, and the Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy saying there while there would be no reduction in live training, “the use of a weapons simulator [will allow] NSW Police to train students more frequently in a more efficient and technologically advanced manner.”

So if you’ve dreamed of creating your very own firing range simulator, it looks like here’s your perfect opportunity.

Links
http://www.smh.com.au/news/home/technology/virtual-reality-range-for-nsw-police/2009/01/03/1231003886145.html