Mason Korea Campus Dean Robert Matz and Computer Game Design Professor Jared Bruhn recently interviewed with major national daily Hankook Ilbo where they discussed the role of serious games in society and Mason Korea’s first digital art competition.
Serious games, a relatively new concept in Korea, refer to games developed for a purpose beyond pure entertainment, such as enhancing medical treatment and learning effects. During the interview, Dean Matz and Professor Bruhn introduced Mason’s Computer Game Design (CGD) program and discussed the wide-ranging benefits of computer games.
Professor Bruhn introduced “Fishbowl Kid,” an interactive game he developed where users are able to experience the life of game character Mason. "As users experience life as Mason, not only do they gain courage to recognize depression and seek help, but they also become equipped to respond to crises through the game."
Some students in the CGD program also worked with a business professor to create a serious game that allows students to experience "startup simulation." The game allows users to experience the initial process of starting a business from setting up an office to attracting customers and making profit.
“The main role of serious games is not only entertainment, but also discovering ways to contribute to the local community,” said Dean Matz, adding, “We are contemplating ways to awaken the potential of the game industry by effectively raising awareness on the various serious games in Korea. This in turn will allow the US to have more diverse experiences through Korea’s unique game contents.”
In efforts to develop new serious games, Mason Korea is holding its first Progress@Play digital art competition. All college and high school students in the Seoul metropolitan area can enter the competition by submitting a UNSDG-themed computer game, animation, comic, drawing, or illustration by November 14. For more information, please visit www.progressatplay.com.
To read the full article in Korean, please click here.