In chapter9, serious games chapter, Nielsen emphasize that video games are only function as an entertainment but also works as educational and advertising purpose. Nielsen states that educational computer games are so called edutainment, and any video game can be perceived as a serious game depending on its actual use and the player’s perception of the game experience (Nielsen 205).
Advertainment is "a fusion of advertising and entertainment, and refers to video games used for marketing purposes"(206). In this section he states that since the mid-1990s the advertainment industry has grown significantly because it was one of the significant ways to promote their brand throughout the world. Companies employ new software, including Shockwave and Flash because they require much less knowledge than earlier tools. Moreover, many games today use brands and their logo in their games to advertise the brand.
Edutainment is " any electronic games that use entertainment in the service of education"(211). In this section Nielsen points out three key categories in edutainment. First, most obvious category is commercial educational video games, often known as edutainment. Second category comprises commercial entertainment, commercial games with educational potential such as SimCity. Last but not least, third category is research-based educational video games (Nielsen 210). It is important to know that many contemporary games have some sort of educational potential installed in the game. One of the examples is SimCity, where player has to plan and run a small city developing it from a hole in the ground to a busting metropolis. In order to do it, the player must buy the land, cut the trees, construct buildings, and so on. A game like SimCity is a great example of edutainment. 
From the Wednesday’s lecture Farmville was one of the topics of discussion. I think Farmville can also work as an educational purpose because it requires using the given land as efficiently as possible. Player must plan and run a small farm. Moreover, many game companies are creating games for the youth. These games are only for educational purpose because it teaches players to do math, English, Science, etc.
In the reading Nielsen said that serious games are used for purposes other than pure entertainment: edutainment. Do you believe fighting games like Takken, Street Fighter, and Mortal Combat can be used as educational purpose? And why?
If anything, these fighting games can be part of biology and anatomy class teaching students about structures of the human body, its functions, strengths, weaknesses, and coordination (kinesiology).
ReplyDeleteI don't think games like tekken, street fighter can be a education game. as a player who has been playing Tekken for more than 4years, I have never felt that I learned something from it. There are some of martial arts shown in the game, but, it is totally different from real martial arts. so, I think there is nothing to be learned from those games, and thus it can't be used as educational purpose.
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