Graduation Semester and Year

2012

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Computer Science

Department

Computer Science and Engineering

First Advisor

David Levine

Abstract

Serious games have been defined as a mental contest played with a computer in accordance to specific rules that use entertainment to further government or corporate training, education, health, public policy and strategic communication objectives. There have been various studies done to gauge the effectiveness of serious games to teach and engage. In collaboration with professors in social work and computer science, we have designed a multiplayer, social, serious game called Choices and Consequences (C&C) in an effort to better reach the audience of pre-teens and teens in order to reduce the risk taking behaviors of youth today. The game specifically targets the subjects of healthy relationships, conflict management, and giving and receiving advice from peers and adults. The game was created with a game engine, made to run on Android tablets, and incorporates such technologies as an Apache server, a social network, XML files, and MYSQL database. C&C was tested at a local high school with 40 students playing the game and resulted in showing the efficacy of game implementation in the classroom. Through competition, teamwork and peer and teacher interaction, C&C was designed to teach students to think before they act, evaluate their options and that it is possible to live a healthy and risk-free lifestyle while still having fun in their daily lives.

Disciplines

Computer Sciences | Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Comments

Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington

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