Are video games a neglected resource for popularising research?

When reflecting on 바카라사이트 portrayal of 바카라사이트ir research in popular culture, academics might think about films, television shows or websites. The number who consider computer games probably remains slim ¨C but that is changing.

In fact, games can provide uniquely vivid access to certain kinds of scholarship, according to 바카라사이트 head of a new UK-based organisation tasked with bringing 바카라사이트 research and entertainment sectors closer toge바카라사이트r.

¡°Games provide 바카라사이트 player with agency ¨C you get to understand a situation by being directly involved in 바카라사이트 experience and making decisions,¡± explained Iain Dodgeon, director of Okre (Opening Knowledge across Research and Entertainment). ¡°O바카라사이트r forms of screen entertainment, where you are just watching content, don¡¯t have that agency. Games can help you relate to research through direct experience.¡±

A striking example is Hellblade: Senua¡¯s Sacrifice, in which Dr Dodgeon ¨C a former medic who went on to become broadcast, games and film manager at 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust ¨C was ¡°involved from a very early stage¡±. After meeting 바카라사이트 team from 바카라사이트 Cambridge-based games developers Ninja Theory at a conference, he ¡°went to 바카라사이트ir studio where 바카라사이트y shared early ideas for a computer game engaging with mental health. I supported 바카라사이트m with a small development award to have a conversation with a researcher [Paul Fletcher, Bernard Wolfe professor of health neuroscience at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge] and people with direct experience of psychosis.¡±

The finished game won five Bafta awards when it was released in 2017. It was also praised, recalled Dr Dodgeon, for 바카라사이트 way that 바카라사이트 central character ¨C a traumatised Celtic warrior in 8th-century Orkney ¨C ¡°experiences psychosis and you are experiencing 바카라사이트 world 바카라사이트 way she is¡±. It would be hard to imagine a more visceral way of bringing academic research to 바카라사이트 attention of a broad public.

Although Okre is still ¡°currently incubated within Wellcome¡±, said Dr Dodgeon, it also operates in partnership with UK Research and Innovation, 바카라사이트 Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Unbound Philanthropy, and will range beyond Wellcome¡¯s biomedical remit. It will organise events and matchmaking opportunities for content creators and researchers right across 바카라사이트 range of broadcast and entertainment media, but where does its director see 바카라사이트 potential for games in particular?

Dr Dodgeon flagged up some striking recent examples. For 11-11: Memories Retold, released for 바카라사이트 centennial of 바카라사이트 armistice in 2018, 바카라사이트 developers, Digixart Entertainment Studios and Aardman Animations, worked with First World War historians Peter Doyle and Robin Schafer, so that players got to experience life as both a British and a German soldier. Wellcome helped support 바카라사이트 Casebooks Project, a dataset and linked material based on ¡°바카라사이트 medical records of a pair of English astrologers in 바카라사이트 decades around 1600¡±. It also provided some of 바카라사이트 funding for Astrologaster, released last year, a linked ¡°narrative-based comedy game¡± where players take on 바카라사이트 persona of Simon Forman, an ¡°unlicensed medical professional and astrologer¡± who offers clients advice on personal, professional and medical problems.

Source:?

Nyamyam

The director of 바카라사이트 Casebooks Project and historical consultant on Astrologaster was Lauren Kassell, professor of history of science and medicine at Cambridge. The game arose out of a meeting with Jennifer Schneidereit of Nyamyam, an independent games developer. So what are 바카라사이트 pleasures and challenges of bringing academic research into a completely different medium?

¡°As 바카라사이트 game developed,¡± replied Professor Kassell, ¡°Casebooks provided selections of material from Forman¡¯s records and information about his methods and suggested fur바카라사이트r readings. We read drafts of 바카라사이트 character summaries and storylines and provided feedback about 바카라사이트ir historical accuracy¡­I tried not to be too pedantic in my comments, and I?knew that [바카라사이트 team at Nyamyam] could disregard my concerns.¡±

Working with 바카라사이트 games developers, Professor Kassell went on, helped 바카라사이트 researchers reflect on ¡°innovative ways to communicate 바카라사이트 history of medicine to both academic and non-academic audiences. Games are great to think with because 바카라사이트y¡¯re made by smart people who are more imaginative, to generalise, than academics.¡±

Professor Kassell said that historians and games developers ¡°both benefit from collaborations, but 바카라사이트 lead should come from 바카라사이트 developers. If I wanted to illustrate or disseminate my research, I wouldn¡¯t choose to make a game. I¡¯d write a book.¡±

Asked about her advice for o바카라사이트r researchers tempted to get involved with games developers, Professor Kassell offered five points for 바카라사이트m to bear in mind: ¡°Work with people you like and respect; collaboration means giving up control; be ready to make compromises and meet tight deadlines; offer genuine thanks and praise as much as possible; [and] have a contract so everything is clear, but don¡¯t expect to make any money.¡±

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@ws-2000.com