Meaningful Play 2022 at Michigan State University

Game Information

TitleGAEL
Presenter(s)Isabella Gomati de la Vega , Omar Ramírez, Andres Eduardo Nieto
SessionConference Reception, Game Exhibition, and Poster Session
TimeWednesday, October 12, 7:00p-9:30p
LocationMSU Union Ballroom
FormatGame Exhibition
DescriptionType: cooperative mixed method (physical + digital) development.

GAEL is a cooperative game that aims to promote and measure prosocial behaviors (specifically empathy) among the two players. It is meant to be use is contexts in which developing empathy is key (e.g. (but not limited to) medical training, human resources, complex social situations)

How does it work:

Two players play the game. Each player controls its own "Ovo" (physical device) that captures physical actions that software reads and identifies as empathic interaction along the game in order to evaluate and measure if the participants are cooperating or experimenting pro social behaviors. Each Ovo sends signals (which have been previously designed based on empathic behavior theory) according to the players performance. These signals are detected by the software and are connected to a tablet in which the game instructions and clues are displayed.

The game begins with a "get to know" the different specs (motion, temperature, light and sound) of the "Ovos". The game never tells the players that they have to cooperate in order to win. They have to figure it out by themselves. The players are introduced to their first challenge (individual) and they have a specific amount of time to complete it. Then, they are presented with the second challenge (team based). If they complete it they move on to their next challenge (also team based) without any commentaries, if they do not complete it, the tablet displays a clue, in order to give them another chance. All the challenges are designed in a way that if they are team based there is an explicit need for communication among the players in order to achieve them (e.g. They have to make their Ovo's turn at the same time, or they have to make a sound so long that the Ovo captures them, they have to replay light signals at an intense speed, among others).
There are a total of 4 challenges along the game encapsulated in a timeframe. It is possible that the participants achieve either all of them, some of them, or none.

According to the participants performance GAEL will make a debrief and provide a series of recommendations around empathic behavior and some tips in order to improve it. On the other hand, the reports of the performance will give valuable information not only to the players but to those who are using them in order to work and research empathy. Broadly, GAEL aims to be a transversal tool for empathy measurement in different disciplines and most importantly a tool that is ultimately designed to understand and promote empathic behavior between people.

Return to Schedule

MeaningfulPlay.MSU.edu