Via: Team
Orlando
Submissions for the 2017 Serious Games Showcase & Challenge open on August 1, and will remain open until
September 18. This year, all applicants are required to submit an “intent to
submit” form by September 15 to ensure that the committee is adequately
prepared to accept each game’s materials. The committee will announce the
finalists on October 16, and those finalists will be showcasing their games in
the SGS&C booth at the 2017 International/Interservice Training, Simulation
and Education Conference (I/ITSEC), November 27-30.
As in previous years, awards will be given to
the best games developed in the student, government and industry categories.
Last year, the Innovation Award was introduced,
which is given by the SGS&C committee when they feel that there has been
exemplary use of innovation in a “Serious Game”. Last year’s committee
recognized two games with the Innovation Award: ADAPT-MP by Design Interactive, Inc. and Limbitless
Training Games by University of Central Florida.
This year’s SGS&C, however, will be the
final year for the mobile award. “The mobile award was created to encourage and
bring awareness to exceptional use of mobile platforms to provide learning
games,” explained Jennifer McNamara, Breakaway Games and SGS&C Director.
“We have decided this will be the last year for the award because for several
years games have won awards in their development category and mobile, and a
majority of games are now offered on mobile devices. It is no longer necessary
to place emphasis on the mobile applications.”
But for the first time, as they are looking to
mirror current trends and needs, Serious Games Showcase and Challenge is
encouraging submission of learning games using augmented reality (AR), virtual
reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) approaches.
“We are excited to explore these enhanced games
and look forward to seeing many of the creative uses for AR, VR and MR in this
year’s group of submissions,” McNamara said.
About SGS&C
SGS&C
was born in 2005 when Team Orlando leaders felt a strong need to stimulate industry
creativity and generate institutional interest toward the use of digital game
technology and approaches for training and education. They formed a partnership
with the National Training
Simulation and Association (NTSA), the organizers of Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and
Education Conference (I/ITSEC), and the first SGS&C was born at
I/ITSEC 2006. From there, the SGS&C team grew into a volunteer-driven
group, led each year by both an industry and government representative, and
actively supported by Team Orlando. SGS&C has been a growing staple of
I/ITSEC event ever since.