Good E3 For 'Games For Health'

GamePolitics reports on the Games for Health conference, held the day before E3 opened in LA. From the article: "Immune Attack is a first-person, real-time strategy game which employs authentic biology concepts to teach students about the immune system in a fun and engaging way. Developed by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), Brown University, and USC, the game challenges players to rebuild a human body's immune system from scratch by training cells to identify and combat infections. Contrary to the common public image of gamers as isolated loners, games can also provide a way to practice social skills. With advances in artificial intelligence and 3-D graphics, computers can accurately simulate complex social interactions. Imagine software that allows you to interact with a virtual personal trainer who customizes your diet and exercise regimen. How about a virtual tutor who walks you through your calculus homework?"

Comments

Thank god!

[Omicron32]

Not one use of the word "edutainment".

I don't see the point

[moe.ron]

FTA:

Dr. Lynn Miller is one of the minds behind the Interactive Sex Project, an interactive video designed to reduce HIV risk behaviors by allowing players to make critical decisions on a virtual date such as where to go, whether to bring a condom, and how to respond to an opportunity to take drugs. Players are allowed to make up their own minds and are presented with the consequences of their actions. If you are not sure what to do, the video's hosts are always there to offer advice. The project currently uses footage of real actors but Dr. Miller hopes to employ virtual characters in the future.

Isn't the whole idea of making "interactive, educational games" to have a piece of software that people want to use because its fun regardless of any educational value? Who is going to want to play a game where you win by not doing the fun things in the game? I thought the whole point of the virtual experience was to live the life that you can't in reality. Why would I want to be boring in my real life and my virtual life?

This is why there are violent, adult, non-educational video games. People want to have sex with that dirty hooker, and do drugs, and kill people, because in their real lives most won't do any of those things! Virtual Prude 2k6 gets a 1... out of 5.

Re:Game consoles is the wrong place for this

[grammar fascist]

I want to hug trees on my Nintendo.

I want to bomb animal experimentation labs and abortion clinics on my Nintendo.

Seriously, though, how do you hug trees on your Nintendo?