Playtime Gets Serious
7 December 2007
Computer games and corporate development may seem worlds apart, but a pioneering centre in the West Midlands Region is taking gaming to an altogether new level.
Coventry's Serious Games Institute (SGI) may sound like a haven for console addicts and computing geeks, but is in fact a cutting edge hub where software developers and academics work to broaden the appeal of games in the business environment.
Serious games involve the use of electronic games technologies for primary purposes other than entertainment.
They first came into prominence in the United States after the military developed a title called America's Army, which capitalised on the popularity of so called 'shoot em up' leisure games and was used to help train new recruits.
SGI director David Wortley explains their appeal: "Game technology has proved highly successful in engaging, challenging and motivating people in a leisure capacity. It is therefore ideal to adapt this approach to real life scenarios, particularly where there are high risks involved.
"The military can use serious games to train soldiers for combat without putting lives at risk, while doctors can practice handling medical emergencies. You can also use games to recreate situations which would be impractical or simply too dangerous to do for real, such as an oil rig fire or bomb explosion."
The SGI is the first development of its kind in the UK and designed to spearhead the growth of the serious games industry while gathering information on its effectiveness as a business training tool.
Built at a cost of £7 million as a joint venture between Coventry University and regional development agency Advantage West Midlands, the Institute has already started welcoming its first tenants, including established developer PIXELearning which creates serious games to help improve business and management skills (see case study below).
But there's more than just funding and university ties that keeps the SGI in the region.
David said: "The project originated from the strength the West Midlands Region has in the global electronic games market through local companies like Blitz Games and Codemasters. These same skills are now being applied to the development of electronic games for serious business usage including e-learning and simulation.
"We will continue working with local, regional, national and international partners to establish the Institute as a powerful force across the whole digital media industry."
A whistle-stop tour of the SGI gives an indication of just how strong this commitment to developing the region's serious gaming prowess is, with an array of hi-tech office suites, hot desks, demonstration rooms, testing areas, teleconferencing and videoconferencing facilities and high capacity data storage units spread over its three floors.
It also reveals David's passion for all things electronic. He's installed television screens in most rooms to drip feed useful information about the Institute and business markets and is just as happy conducting a seminar or business conference in a virtual environment such as Second Life as he is around the real boardroom table.
There's even an Xbox 360 in his office with a copy of Guitar Hero II all wired up and ready to go, although once again there's a serious gaming message that follows the fun.
He said: "We pay close attention to what's happening in the entertainment gaming world. Something like Guitar Hero is a great example of an entertainment game with possible serious gaming benefits.
"The player uses a guitar shaped controller to play, which is great for developing hand-eye coordination and also overcomes any aversion to the traditional joypad.
"The same point applies to Nintendo's Wii and we are exploring the use of this kind of technology to help people truly immerse themselves in serious games."
Fact File:
- The main purposes for serious games include e-learning, simulation and team building
- Typical applications for serious games and immersive environments (eg Second Life, an internet based virtual world with millions of users worldwide) include medical training, military simulations, business enterprise modelling, education, tourism and virtual conferencing
- The SGI offers three main resources: applied research; business incubation and clustering for serious games enterprises; showcasing new serious games and computer technology
- The Institute (www.seriousgamesinstitute.co.uk) is located on Coventry University Technology Park and recreated in detail on the University's Second Life island (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Coventry%20University/119/228/27)
- Occupiers include PIXELearning, a leading provider of web-based serious games for the business education and vocational training sector. Established in 1997 by Coventry University graduate Kevin Corti, the company is currently working on a game for an American accountancy firm set on an alien spacecraft designed to tackle discrimination in the workplace
- Other noteworthy projects include a virtual pub game for Coca Cola and a series of learning games for NVQ students at Henley College of Further Education. PIXELearning also offers 'off the shelf' serious games for developing core business, finance, sales and marketing skills
- Developer Ambient Performance is in the process of relocating from London to the Institute, while new business start up Digital 2.0 will also take up residence there soon
- David Wortley's background is in telecommunications through BT and computing through IBM. He later set up his own digital media business, which he ran for 20 years. He oversaw projects for De Montfort University in Leicester on how new technology could assist creative industries before taking over the directorship of the SGI
- The West Midlands Region enjoys a buoyant high-technology base having established three 'technology corridors' which nurture and develop the existing regional technology strengths. There are also eight science parks in locations including Malvern, Coventry and Aston in Birmingham
- The software industry in the Region employs around 50,000 people
For further information please contact Nick Trueman or Ruth Thomas at Seal Communications on 0121 200 0780 /nicktrueman@sealcommunications.co.uk
Also contact Seal if you would like to arrange an interview with David Wortley or a visit to the Serious Games Institute.
Additional information about the West Midlands Region can be found at www.thewestmidlandsregion.co.uk.
For further information please contact Claire Brown at Seal Communications on 01743 234 224
