Ehealth: Lesson ‘Serious games’

A. Smokescreen and PlaySmart

1. Google ‘Play2PREVENT’ and read what it is about: who are they and what is their mission,
what are their aims?

Play2PREVENT is an innovative lab in which investigators, instructors, video game creators,

community-based organizations and others work on the practice of videogames playing in
order to improve well-being promotion, risk mitigation, social welfare, and pedagogical
interventions. Here, technology is used to generate appealing and powerful techniques to
communicate knowledge and teach abilities that motivate behaviour transformation, turning
to healthfuller and more nourished lives.
Moreover, this lab is ruled by Yale Center for Health and Learning Games and belongs to the
White House’s Academic Consortium for Games for Impact as well as to one of the first
charter members of the Higher Education Video Game Alliance (HEVGA).

Its purpose revolves around several important points:

- To build and develop a container for evidence-based videogame interventions and
instructional elements related to risk prevention, health and wellness promotion, and social
intelligence in children, teens and young adults.
- To be a refuge and support for adolescents, families, schoolhouses, associations, and other
stakeholders to enhance the health and well-being of young people.

2. What serious games have been developed by Play2PREVENT?

Those serious games that have been promoted by Play2PREVENT are the following ones:
- PlaySmart
- PlayTest
- SmokeScreen
- PlayForward
- Empowered.

3. Find information on the serious game ‘Smokescreen’. What is the aim of the game? What is
the target group of the game?
4. Find information on the serious game ‘PlaySmart’. What is the aim of the game? What is the
target group?
5. Can you find something on effectiveness of these games?
Check out one of these games and experiment as a user. Play it for at least 15 minutes.

What can you say on the user experience of this game?

B. Lockdown Minds

In this game you’re stuck in your student house during a lockdown. Get to know your housemates
and learn how you can deal with difficult moments, loneliness, anxiety and other taboos.

You can play this serious game for free (choose language EN – NL): https://account.sug-
platform.com/games

What can you say on the user experience of this game?

C. Facebook-group:

Look for interesting examples of serious games on the web. Post your favourite with a bit of
information in the FB-group. Have a look at what others have posted.