An Analysis on Serious Games and Stakeholders’ Needs for Vocal Training Game Development

Yang, Xiaopeng; Sadika, Edwina Dwi; Pratama, Gradiyan Budi; Choi, Younggeun; yukyung, kim; Jiyun, Lee; Jo, Yun-Ju; Kim, Gi-Wook; Lee, Jin-Kook; Yu, Minjung; Ko, Myoung-Hwan; You, Heecheon

doi:10.12963/csd.18531

“…While the games scored well in useability, personal gratification, and enjoyment, the researchers noted that therapists found the visuals outdated. Furthermore, therapists wanted the game graphics and narratives to be more age-appropriate and engaging (Yang et al, 2019).…”

Section: Serious Games and Media For Pediatric Voice Therapymentioning

confidence: 99%

Cozy Games and Character-Driven Storyworlds: Effective Tools for Pediatric Voice Therapy

Chan

2024

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This project explores the development of new media and technology to aid speech-language pathologists (SLPs) specializing in voice therapy. These voice therapists have much fewer media resources available to them than SLPs who focus on language or speech therapy. Existing vocal therapy resources lack effective game interactivity and compelling character-driven storyworlds, both of which are known to increase motivation and engagement in learning. Clinicians do not have the expertise or know-how to utilize game mechanisms in the media they are developing, nor are they experts in the realms of story, fantasy, and experiential learning. Incorporating these missing elements to voice therapy games can potentially produce more effective rehabilitation tools that are more reliably used by children, leading to better treatment outcomes. This research project also explores the role of “coziness” within serious game design for children. Many pediatric therapies, including voice therapy, depend upon creating psychologically safe environments for their patients to reduce stress, promote mindfulness and encourage self-regulation. Serious games intended for such treatments should incorporate a similar feeling of safety (or coziness) in their UX design. Our objective is to use game development, character design, and expertise in developing children’s media as a case study in exploring a “cozy” design framework for voice therapy that can potentially be adapted to other therapies within the pediatric health space. This project will first scope a comprehensive review of existing work in this area, followed by the prototyping of an engaging game experience that helps motivate children to practice semi-occluded vocal tract exercises (SOVTs) as part of their voice therapy treatment. This game will incorporate the necessary tactile objects (e.g. cup, straw, kleenex) needed to perform SOVTs into a character-driven storyworld, where “Trainers” (i.e. children) will use said objects to befriend imaginary creatures in an interactive environment. The project will develop serious-games methodologies in a novel domain (SOVTs), with younger children, and using a cozy design frame, with a Design Science Research (DSR) approach. We will follow standard game-design techniques involving paper-prototyping and testing, as well as iterative feedback sessions with domain experts.

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“…A 2019 study that analyzed the needs and development of serious vocal training games concluded that, when looking at three existing vocal therapy games, clinicians were relatively unsatisfied with many aspects of the game, including creative freedom, therapy continuity and customization. They suggested the games could be improved by providing "different scenarios, stories, difficulty levels, and modern graphic designs to maintain patients' motivation, fun, and commitment for better effectiveness of voice therapy games" (Yang et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cozy Games and Character-Driven Storyworlds: Effective Tools for Pediatric Voice Therapy

Chan

2024

Preprint

0

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This project explores the development of new media and technology to aid speech-language pathologists (SLPs) specializing in voice therapy. These voice therapists have much fewer media resources available to them than SLPs who focus on language or speech therapy. Existing vocal therapy resources lack effective game interactivity and compelling character-driven storyworlds, both of which are known to increase motivation and engagement in learning. Clinicians do not have the expertise or know-how to utilize game mechanisms in the media they are developing, nor are they experts in the realms of story, fantasy, and experiential learning. Incorporating these missing elements to voice therapy games can potentially produce more effective rehabilitation tools that are more reliably used by children, leading to better treatment outcomes. This research project also explores the role of “coziness” within serious game design for children. Many pediatric therapies, including voice therapy, depend upon creating psychologically safe environments for their patients to reduce stress, promote mindfulness and encourage self-regulation. Serious games intended for such treatments should incorporate a similar feeling of safety (or coziness) in their UX design. Our objective is to use game development, character design, and expertise in developing children’s media as a case study in exploring a “cozy” design framework for voice therapy that can potentially be adapted to other therapies within the pediatric health space. This project will first scope a comprehensive review of existing work in this area, followed by the prototyping of an engaging game experience that helps motivate children to practice semi-occluded vocal tract exercises (SOVTs) as part of their voice therapy treatment. This game will incorporate the necessary tactile objects (e.g. cup, straw, kleenex) needed to perform SOVTs into a character-driven storyworld, where “Trainers” (i.e. children) will use said objects to befriend imaginary creatures in an interactive environment. The project will develop serious-games methodologies in a novel domain (SOVTs), with younger children, and using a cozy design frame, with a Design Science Research (DSR) approach. We will follow standard game-design techniques involving paper-prototyping and testing, as well as iterative feedback sessions with domain experts.

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TOMO VOX: Exploring Cozy Games and Character-driven Storyworlds for Pediatric Voice Therapy

Chan

¹

,

Cober

²

,

Lachman

³

2022

Extended Abstracts of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play

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An Analysis on Serious Games and Stakeholders’ Needs for Vocal Training Game Development

Cited by 3 publications

References 30 publications

Cozy Games and Character-Driven Storyworlds: Effective Tools for Pediatric Voice Therapy

Cozy Games and Character-Driven Storyworlds: Effective Tools for Pediatric Voice Therapy

Cozy Games and Character-Driven Storyworlds: Effective Tools for Pediatric Voice Therapy

TOMO VOX: Exploring Cozy Games and Character-driven Storyworlds for Pediatric Voice Therapy

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