This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in JMIR Medical Education, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on http://mededu.jmir.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.
Serious games are motivating and provide a safe environment for students to learn from their mistakes without experiencing any negative consequences from their actions. However, little is known about students’ gaming preferences and the types of serious games they like to play for education.
This study aims to determine the types of gaming aspects that students would like to play in a pharmacy-related serious game.
A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered survey, which obtained students’ responses on their preferences regarding various gaming aspects (reward systems, game settings, storylines, viewing perspectives, and gaming styles) and for a hypothetical gaming scenario (authentic simulation or post-apocalyptic fantasy). Descriptive statistics, chi-square, and Fisher’s exact tests were used for statistical analyses.
Response rate was 72.7% (497/684 undergraduates). The most popular game reward systems were unlocking mechanisms (112/497, 22.5%) and experience points (90/497, 18.1%). Most students preferred fantasy/medieval/mythic (253/497, 50.9%) and modern (117/497, 23.5%) settings, but lower year undergraduates preferred modern settings less than upper year seniors (47/236, 19.9% vs 70/242, 28.9%,
In general, students want a three-dimensional, fantasy/medieval/mythic post-apocalyptic game, based on an adventurer storyline with an unlocking mechanism reward system. A balance between real-life and fantasy elements needs to be struck in order for the game to cater students towards health care practices.
As we embrace the digital age, the use of serious games has become increasingly popular in many domains, including education, health care, defense, art and culture, religion, corporate training, and advertising [
There are many examples of how serious games have been used for health care education. By creating different clinical reasoning pathways using virtual environments, serious games have potential to train clinical reasoning skills [
Pharmacy education is still largely instructor-centered and based on didactic, knowledge-based teaching [
The questionnaire consisted of 13 questions split into two main sections. The first obtained demographic information about the participants and whether they had paid for any in-game items before. If they had, they were asked to indicate for which games and how they paid for them (eg, parents’ money, own allowance, own income). Their interest in playing a pharmacy-related serious game was also obtained using a 5-point Likert scale indicating their interest (1 being not interested at all and 5 being extremely interested).
The second section obtained the preferences of participants regarding various aspects of gameplay for a pharmacy-related serious game, such as their preferred game reward systems, settings, storylines, perspectives, and styles (
Reward system—how the game provides positive experiences to the player
Score: number used to mark quality of player performance
Experience points: points accumulated during gameplay that reflect effort and time invested into the game. Usually used to mark the growth and development of the player.
Item granting: the acquirement of virtual items that can be used by players. These items can possess useful in-game properties and abilities, collectability value, and/or social comparison value.
Resources: valuables that are collected primarily for practical game use
Achievement system: titles that are given to players upon completing certain stated conditions
Feedback messages: fleeting pictures, sounds, or animations during gameplay that evoke positive emotions
Plot animations and pictures: visually attractive animations and pictures that serve as milestones for player achievement. These usually follow important events in the game.
Unlocking mechanism: access to new game content such as new levels and minigames awarded when certain conditions are fulfilled. The content motivates the player by evoking and maintaining curiosity towards the game.
Game setting—environment and background in which the player is immersed
Science fiction: based on futuristic technology, space and time travel, extraterrestrial life, etc.
Historical: based on real historical persons or events
Fantasy/medieval/mythic: based on magic and other supernatural phenomena. Includes magical/mythical creatures such as giants, elves, and dragons.
Modern: setting similar to an authentic, present-day pharmacy
Game storyline—plot and overarching theme in the game
War: player is a warrior in a violent, organized conflict involving two or more factions.
Heroic/saving humanity: player must defeat a great evil to save the world.
Spy/secret agent: player must complete missions while remaining covert and discreet.
Adventurer: player explores a largely unknown world.
Authentic pharmacy-related plot: player carries out a role in a workplace that is closely related to an actual pharmacy.
Game perspective—planes along which gameplay action occurs
2D game perspectives: gameplay action occurs along a 2D plane only.
2D top-down: camera angle displays the player’s avatar and the surrounding area from above.
2D side-scrolling: camera angle is from the side of the player’s avatar.
3D game perspectives: gameplay action occurs in a 3D axis.
3D first-person: camera angle shows the perspective from the viewpoint of the player’s avatar.
3D third-person: camera angle depicts a view that is slightly behind and above the player’s avatar.
Game style—interactivity of how the game is played
Competitive: players form strategies and directly oppose other players in the game.
Cooperative: players work together but the benefits from collective efforts are not necessarily shared equally.
Collaborative: players work together while sharing all payoffs and outcomes.
Game scenario—hypothetical scenarios for a pharmacy-related serious game
Scenario A (authentic simulation): set in an authentic, modern day pharmacy workplace with a dramatic plot. The goal of the game is to experience the day-to-day operations of a pharmacy. Students will manage contemporary, realistic social issues such as drug addiction, haze, and epidemics. In-game tasks will include activities involving compounding, communication, and pharmaceutical care management.
Scenario B (post-apocalyptic fantasy): set in a post-apocalyptic 3050, where a pandemic has turned the majority of humans into bloodthirsty vampires. To survive, the remaining humans have learned to use herbs to produce synthetic blood to satisfy the vampires’ craving for human blood. The goal of the game is to find a remedy to reverse the vampiric mutation and to save mankind. In-game tasks will include activities involving compounding, communication, and pharmaceutical care management.
This was a cross-sectional census study using a self-administered survey. Pharmacy students from each of the 4 years of undergraduate study were recruited for the study. Emails were sent to the lecturers-in-charge to seek support and permission to conduct the survey post-lecture. A short briefing would be given regarding the background and aims of the study before distributing the questionnaires. Participation was voluntary and submission of the questionnaire would be considered as consent to the survey. Ethics approval was obtained from the university’s Institutional Review Board.
Students were divided into groups based on their demographic information and responses to the survey questions. Their year of study was categorized into lower (years 1 and 2) and upper batches (years 3 and 4). Their interest levels in playing a pharmacy-related serious game were categorized as those who were not interested (not interested) or interested (slightly interested, moderately interested, very interested, and extremely interested). Among those who were interested, interest levels were further split into 2 categories: weak interest (slightly interested and moderately interested) and strong interest (very interested and extremely interested). Students were also classified into two groups by their preferred game perspectives: two-dimensional (2D) top-down or side-scrolling and three-dimensional (3D) first-person or third-person perspectives. Students who chose scenarios A and B were known as scenario A students and scenario B students, respectively.
Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Chi-squared tests were used to determine the associations between preferred gameplay aspects and gender (males and females), year of study (lower and upper batches), and preferred game scenarios (scenario A and scenario B students). Statistical significance was defined as
Response rate was 72.7% (497/684 students). More than half were females (307/497, 61.8%) (
The top 2 most popular reward systems were unlocking mechanisms (112/497, 22.5%) and experience points (90/497, 18.1%). Fantasy/medieval/mythic game settings were the most popular (253/497, 50.9%), followed by modern settings (117/497, 23.5%). Almost one-third (147/497, 29.6%) of respondents preferred an adventurer storyline over an authentic pharmacy-related plot (119/497, 23.9%). Three-dimensional game perspectives were more popular than 2D game perspectives (270/497, 54.3% vs 221/497, 44.5%), within which 3D first-person (147/270, 54.4%) and 2D top-down (158/221, 71.5%) views were the more popular ones. A collaborative game style was the most popular (182/497, 36.6%), and scenario B (post-apocalyptic fantasy) was preferred over scenario A (authentic simulation) (287/497, 57.7% vs 209/497, 42.1%).
Demographics and preferred gaming aspects of respondents.
Parameters |
|
|
Totala, N=497, n (%) |
|
|
|
|
|
Male |
|
187 (37.6) |
|
Female |
|
307 (61.8) |
|
|
|
|
|
Year 1 |
|
134 (27.0) |
|
Year 2 |
|
115 (23.1) |
|
Year 3 |
|
126 (25.4) |
|
Year 4 |
|
122 (24.5) |
|
|
|
|
|
Not interested |
|
40 (8.0) |
|
|
|
450 (90.5) |
|
|
Weak interest (n=450) | 293 (65.1) |
|
|
Strong interest (n=450) | 157 (34.9) |
|
|
|
|
|
No |
|
379 (76.3) |
|
|
|
118 (23.7) |
|
|
Own allowance (n=118) | 101 (85.6) |
|
|
Own income (n=118) | 20 (16.9) |
|
|
Parents’ money (n=118) | 13 (11.0) |
|
|
|
|
|
Score |
|
65 (13.1) |
|
Experience points |
|
90 (18.1) |
|
Item granting |
|
42 (8.5) |
|
Resources |
|
23 (4.6) |
|
Achievement system |
|
60 (12.1) |
|
Feedback messages |
|
5 (1.0) |
|
Plot animations & pictures |
|
38 (7.6) |
|
Unlocking mechanism |
|
112 (22.5) |
|
|
|
|
|
Science fiction |
|
67 (13.5) |
|
Historical |
|
39 (7.8) |
|
Fantasy/medieval/mythic |
|
253 (50.9) |
|
Modern |
|
117 (23.5) |
|
Others |
|
2 (0.4) |
|
|
|
|
|
War |
|
50 (10.1) |
|
Heroic/saving humanity |
|
61 (12.3) |
|
Spy/secret agent |
|
99 (19.9) |
|
Adventurer |
|
147 (29.6) |
|
Authentic pharmacy-related plot |
|
119 (23.9) |
|
Others |
|
5 (1.0) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
221 (44.5) |
|
|
2D top-down, (n=221) | 158 (71.5) |
|
|
2D side-scrolling (n=221) | 63 (28.5) |
|
|
|
270 (54.3) |
|
|
3D first-person (n=270) | 147 (54.4) |
|
|
3D third-person (n=270) | 123 (45.6) |
|
|
|
|
|
Competitive |
|
147 (29.6) |
|
Cooperative |
|
160 (32.2) |
|
Collaborative |
|
182 (36.6) |
|
|
|
|
|
A (authentic simulation) |
|
209 (42.1) |
|
B (post-apocalyptic fantasy) |
|
287 (57.7) |
a Percentages may not add to 100% due to missing data or multiple responses.
Among respondents who were interested in playing a pharmacy-related game, males had a stronger interest than females (77/169, 45.6% vs 79/278, 28.4%,
There was a trend in preference for reward systems. Males preferred experience points (31/157, 19.7%) to unlocking mechanisms (29/157, 18.5%); the opposite was true for females, who preferred unlocking mechanisms (83/275, 30.2% vs 59/275, 21.5%). While males were less likely to want unlocking mechanisms for the game (29/159, 18.5% vs 83/275, 30.2%,
A fantasy/medieval/mythic game setting with an adventurer storyline was the most popular in both genders, followed by a modern setting with an authentic pharmacy-related plot (
The perspectives and game styles were similar for both genders, with 2D top-down and 3D first-person views and a collaborative style being the most popular. However, in terms of game perspectives, 3D views were more popular among males than females (126/185, 68.1% vs 142/303, 46.9%,
Comparison of gaming aspects by gender.
Gaming aspects |
|
Male (N=187), n (%) | Female (N=307), n (%) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Not interested | 17/186 (9.1) | 23/301 (7.6) | .558 |
|
Interested | 169/186 (90.9) | 278/301 (92.4) | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weak interest | 92/169 (54.4) | 199/278 (71.6) | <.001b |
|
Strong interest | 77/169 (45.6) | 79/278 (28.4) | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yes | 59/187 (31.6) | 59/307 (19.2) | .002b |
|
No | 128/187 (68.4) | 248/307 (80.8) | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Own allowance | 50/58 (86.2) | 51/59 (86.4) | .971 |
|
Own income | 14/58 (24.1) | 6/59 (10.2) | .045b |
|
Parents’ money | 6/58 (10.3) | 7/59 (11.9) | .794 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Score | 26/157 (16.6) | 39/275 (14.2) | .506 |
|
Experience points | 31/157 (19.7) | 59/275 (21.5) | .674 |
|
Item granting | 22/157 (14.0) | 20/275 (7.3) | .023b |
|
Resources | 7/157 (4.5) | 15/275 (5.5) | .651 |
|
Achievement system | 23/157 (14.6) | 37/275 (13.5) | .730 |
|
Feedback messages | 0 (0.0) | 4/275 (1.5) | .302 |
|
Plot animations & pictures | 19/157 (12.1) | 18/275 (6.5) | .047b |
|
Unlocking mechanism | 29/157 (18.5) | 83/275 (30.2) | .008b |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Science fiction | 30/182 (16.5) | 36/293 (12.3) | .199 |
|
Historical | 18/182 (9.9) | 21/293 (7.2) | .293 |
|
Fantasy/medieval/mythic | 98/182 (53.8) | 153/293 (52.2) | .730 |
|
Modern | 36/182 (19.8) | 81/293 (27.6) | .053 |
|
Others | 0 (0.0) | 2/293 (0.7) | - |
|
|
|
|
|
|
War | 38/183 (20.8) | 11/295 (3.7) | <.001b |
|
Heroic/saving humanity | 25/183 (13.7) | 35/295 (11.9) | .564 |
|
Spy/secret agent | 23/183 (12.6) | 76/295 (25.8) | <.001b |
|
Adventurer | 54/183 (29.5) | 93/295 (31.5) | .642 |
|
Authentic pharmacy-related plot | 41/183 (22.4) | 77/295 (26.1) | .362 |
|
Others | 2/183 (1.1) | 3/295 (1.0) | - |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2D | 59/185 (31.9) | 161/303 (53.1) | <.001b |
|
3D | 126/185 (68.1) | 142/303 (46.9) | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2D top-down | 48/59 (81.4) | 110/161 (68.3) | .057 |
|
2D side-scrolling | 11/59 (18.6) | 51/161 (31.7) | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3D first-person | 67/126 (53.2) | 79/142 (55.6) | .687 |
|
3D third-person | 59/126 (46.8) | 63/142 (44.4) | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Competitive | 54/182 (29.7) | 93/304 (30.6) | .830 |
|
Cooperative | 56/182 (30.8) | 101/304 (33.2) | .575 |
|
Collaborative | 72/182 (39.6) | 110/304 (36.2) | .457 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
A (authentic simulation) | 58/187 (31.0) | 151/306 (49.3) | <.001b |
|
B (post-apocalyptic fantasy) | 129/187 (69.0) | 155/306 (50.7) |
aPercentages may not add to 100% due to multiple responses.
bStatistical significance was defined as
Lower batch students were more likely to have paid for in-game items compared to upper batch students (70/245, 28.1% vs 48/245, 19.4%,
An experience points reward system (54/214, 25.2%) was more popular for lower batch students compared to unlocking mechanisms (45/214, 21.0%). In contrast, the experience points system was less popular among upper batch students (36/221, 16.3% vs 67/221, 30.3%). Lower batch students were more likely to want an experience points-based reward (54/214, 25.2% vs 36/221, 16.3%,
Fantasy/medieval/mythic and modern game settings were the most popular among both lower and upper batch students (
Comparison of gaming aspects by year of study.
Gaming aspects |
|
Lower batch (N=249), n (%) | Upper batch (N=248), n (%) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Not interested | 22/245 (9.0) | 18/245 (7.3) | .509 |
|
Interested | 223/245 (91.0) | 227/245 (92.7) | |
|
||||
|
Weak interest | 139/223 (62.3) | 154/227 (67.8) | .220 |
|
Strong interest | 84/223 (37.7) | 73/227 (32.2) | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yes | 70/245 (28.1) | 48/245 (19.4) | .022b |
|
No | 179/245 (71.9) | 200/245 (80.6) | |
|
||||
|
Own allowance | 59/70 (84.3) | 42/47 (89.4) | .433 |
|
Own income | 8/70 (11.4) | 12/47 (25.5) | .047b |
|
Parents’ money | 9/70 (12.9) | 4/47 (8.5) | .463 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Score | 31/214 (14.5) | 34/221 (15.4) | .793 |
|
Experience points | 54/214 (25.2) | 36/221 (16.3) | .021b |
|
Item granting | 24/214 (11.2) | 18/221 (8.1) | .278 |
|
Resources | 10/214 (4.7) | 13/221 (5.9) | .573 |
|
Achievement system | 28/214 (13.1) | 32/221 (14.5) | .673 |
|
Feedback messages | 0 (0.0) | 5/221 (2.3) | .061 |
|
Plot animations & pictures | 22/214 (10.3) | 16/221 (7.2) | .262 |
|
Unlocking |
45/214 (21.0) | 67/221 (30.3) | .027b |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Science fiction | 35/236 (14.8) | 32/242 (13.2) | .613 |
|
Historical | 18/236 (7.6) | 21/242 (8.7) | .675 |
|
Fantasy/medieval/mythic | 135/236 (57.2) | 118/242 (48.8) | .064 |
|
Modern | 47/236 (19.9) | 70/242 (28.9) | .022b |
|
Others | 1/236 (0.4) | 1/242 (0.4) | - |
|
|
|
|
|
|
War | 24/237 (10.1) | 26/244 (10.7) | .849 |
|
Heroic/saving humanity | 35/237 (14.8) | 26/244 (10.7) | .175 |
|
Spy/secret agent | 58/237 (24.5) | 41/244 (16.8) | .038b |
|
Adventurer | 75/237 (31.6) | 72/244 (29.5) | .611 |
|
Authentic pharmacy-related plot | 42/237 (17.7) | 77/244 (31.6) | <.001b |
|
Others | 3/237 (1.3) | 2/244 (0.8) | - |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2D | 109/245 (44.5) | 112/246 (45.5) | .817 |
|
3D | 136/245 (55.5) | 134/246 (54.5) | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2D top-down | 75/109 (68.8) | 83/112 (74.1) | .383 |
|
2D side-scrolling | 34/109 (31.2) | 29/112 (25.9) | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3D first-person | 73/136 (53.7) | 74/134 (55.2) | .799 |
|
3D third-person | 63/136 (46.3) | 60/134 (44.8) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Competitive | 71/243 (29.2) | 76/246 (30.9) | .686 |
|
Cooperative | 84/243 (34.6) | 76/246 (30.9) | .387 |
|
Collaborative | 88/243 (36.2) | 94/246 (38.2) | .648 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
A (authentic simulation) | 87/248 (35.1) | 122/248 (49.2) | .001b |
|
B (post-apocalyptic fantasy) | 161/248 (64.9) | 126/248 (50.8) |
aPercentages may not add to 100% due to multiple responses.
bStatistical significance was defined as
In general, as the students grew in the number of study years, their choices shifted from scenario B (post-apocalyptic fantasy) to scenario A (authentic simulation) (
In terms of rewards, unlocking mechanisms was the most popular choice among scenario A students (57/184, 31.0%), while experience points was the most popular among scenario B students (57/250, 22.8%). Students who chose the authentic simulation scenario (scenario A) were more likely to want an unlocking mechanism reward system for the game compared to those who chose the post-apocalyptic scenario (scenario B) (57/184, 31.0% vs 55/250, 22.0%,
An authentic pharmacy-related plot was the most popular among scenario A students (86/201, 42.8%) but the least popular among scenario B students (33/279, 11.8%). Scenario A students were more likely to want an authentic pharmacy-related plot for the game (86/201, 42.8% vs 33/279, 11.8%,
Comparison of gaming aspects by game scenario choice in the pharmacy-related serious game.
Gaming aspects |
|
Scenario A (N=209), n (%) | Scenario B (N=287), n (%) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year 1 | 43/209 (20.6) | 90/287 (31.4) | .007a |
|
Year 2 | 44/209 (21.1) | 71/287 (24.7) | .337 |
|
Year 3 | 61/209 (29.2) | 65/287 (22.6) | .099 |
|
Year 4 | 61/209 (29.2) | 61/287 (21.3) | .043a |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Not interested | 20/206 (9.7) | 19/283 (6.7) | .227 |
|
Interested | 186/206 (90.3) | 264/283 (93.3) | |
|
|
|
||
|
Weak interest | 126/186 (67.7) | 167/264 (63.3) | .326 |
|
Strong interest | 60/186 (32.3) | 97/264 (36.7) | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yes | 41/209 (19.6) | 77/287 (26.8) | .063 |
|
No | 168/209 (80.4) | 210/287 (73.2) | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Own allowance | 39/40 (97.5) | 62/77 (80.5) | .010a |
|
Own income | 6/40 (15.0) | 14/77 (18.2) | .665 |
|
Parents’ money | 1/40 (2.5) | 12/77 (15.6) | .034a |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Score | 31/184 (16.8) | 34/250 (13.6) | .349 |
|
Experience points | 33/184 (17.9) | 57/250 (22.8) | .217 |
|
Item granting | 13/184 (7.1) | 28/250 (11.2) | .146 |
|
Resources | 11/184 (6.0) | 12/250 (4.8) | .588 |
|
Achievement system | 24/184 (13.0) | 36/250 (14.4) | .686 |
|
Feedback messages | 3/184 (1.6) | 2/250 (0.8) | .654 |
|
Plot animations & pics | 12/184 (6.5) | 26/250 (10.4) | .158 |
|
Unlocking mechanism | 57/184 (31.0) | 55/250 (22.0) | .035a |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Science fiction | 23/201 (11.4) | 43/276 (15.6) | .196 |
|
Historical | 22/201 (10.9) | 17/276 (6.2) | .060 |
|
Fantasy/medieval mythic | 66/201 (32.8) | 187/276 (67.8) | <.001a |
|
Modern | 90/201 (44.8) | 27/276 (9.8) | <.001a |
|
Others | 0 (0.0) | 2/276 (0.7) | - |
|
|
|
|
|
|
War | 12/201 (6.0) | 38/279 (13.6) | .007a |
|
Heroic/saving humanity | 17/201 (8.5) | 44/279 (15.8) | .018a |
|
Spy/secret agent | 31/201 (15.4) | 67/279 (24.0) | .021a |
|
Adventurer | 55/201 (27.4) | 92/279 (33.0) | .188 |
|
Authentic pharmacy-related plot | 86/201 (42.8) | 33/279 (11.8) | <.001a |
|
Others | 0 (0.0) | 5/279 (1.8) | - |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2D | 119/207 (57.5) | 101/283 (35.7) | <.001a |
|
3D | 88/207 (42.5) | 182/283 (64.3) | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2D top-down | 87/119 (73.1) | 71/101 (70.3) | .644 |
|
2D side-scrolling | 32/119 (26.9) | 30/101 (29.7) | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3D first-person | 54/88 (61.4) | 93/182 (51.1) | .112 |
|
3D third-person | 34/88 (38.6) | 89/182 (48.9) | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Competitive | 52/207 (25.1) | 95/281 (33.8) | .039a |
|
Cooperative | 68/207 (32.9) | 91/281 (32.4) | .914 |
|
Collaborative | 87/207 (42.0) | 95/281 (33.8) | .063 |
aStatistical significance was defined as
Out of the 497 respondents, 118 (23.7%) had previously paid for in-game items. Males were more likely than females to have paid for in-game items (59/187, 31.6% vs 59/307, 19.2%,
A fantasy/medieval/mythic game setting was preferred by students who had paid for in-game items (80/118, 67.8% vs 186/377, 49.3%,
The gaming behaviors and preferences of students have been extensively documented in the literature [
Our results suggested that recreational gaming behavior might also explain serious gaming preferences. The most popular game among students who had paid for in-game items was MapleStory, which has a fantasy/medieval/mythic setting and an adventurer storyline [
Generally, both genders shared the same gaming preferences. The difference in gaming perspectives between males and females, who preferred 3D and 2D perspectives respectively, could be due to the types of gaming platforms used by both genders for recreational gaming. Studies have shown that males were more likely to play games on advanced gaming equipment, such as the Microsoft Xbox and PlayStation gaming consoles [
While both the lower and upper batches of students showed similarities in preferences for the gaming aspects, their preferences for the game storyline and setting were quite different. The lower and upper batch students chose the adventurer storyline and authentic pharmacy-related plot respectively, and the upper batch also preferred the intended game to portray a modern setting similar to a present-day pharmacy. Their preferences could be related to the fact that younger players tended to be more motivated by fantasy elements and required more stimulation than older players when playing video games [
The differences in preferences among the genders and batches make it a challenge to design a serious game that caters to all pharmacy students. Our results show diversity in gaming preferences, but there are several aspects that can be generalized across the groups. The popularity of realistic and authentic gaming aspects suggests that the final version of the serious game should incorporate elements that mirror that of real-life pharmacy practices. The differences in preferences on reward systems may imply that it is necessary to incorporate an array of reward systems in the final game. In fact, the use of multiple reward systems already exists for current recreational games in the market. For example, Diablo 3 (Blizzard Entertainment) primarily uses an item-granting reward system, where players obtain rare and gameplay-enhancing items by defeating enemies. At the same time, the players can level up their characters by gaining experience points, compete against other players in a leaderboard scoring system, and collect game rewards through achievement and completion of game events. Nevertheless, it will still be a challenge to design a game that caters towards the variety of preferences. While some gaming aspects can be tailored to the player (ie, 3D and 2D perspectives for males and females), other aspects will need to change as the game evolves and caters to a more mature audience (ie, from a fantasy to a more authentic storyline and setting). For our pharmacy game, it will be important to incorporate a variety of reward systems and a mixture of fantasy and authentic elements in order to encourage students to achieve the learning objectives of the module.
A major limitation in this study is that our results are mainly focused on the gaming aspects that students prefer for a serious game. Taking into consideration that the serious game is intended for educational purposes, other characteristics such as the learning styles of students can affect their gaming preferences. For example, in the Keirsey temperament sorter personality test [
Another limitation is that our results may have limited generalizability to pharmacy students in other countries. However, our university houses the only pharmacy school in the country, and our department produces majority of the country’s pharmacy workforce. Therefore, the results of this study are still applicable to the cohorts of students entering pharmacy school in Singapore. Our survey is also valuable as a basic framework that can be used to obtain the perceptions of serious games of other populations of pharmacy students. Future work can obtain quantitative information regarding students’ recreational gaming experiences and habits so that more detailed analyses, such as regression models, can be performed to obtain further insights.
This is the first study that has attempted to characterize the preferences of pharmacy students on various gaming aspects for a serious game in their education. In general, students want a game with the following combination of gaming aspects: an unlocking mechanism reward system, a fantasy/medieval/mythic setting, an adventurer storyline, a 3D viewing perspective, and a collaborative game style. Students prefer a post-apocalyptic fantasy scenario over an authentic simulation scenario, although this preference shifts as the students mature over the course of their undergraduate years. A balance between real-life environments and fantasy aspects will need to be struck.
two-dimensional
three-dimensional
The authors would like to thank the lecturers (Ms Mui Ling Tan, Dr Zhi Hui Loh, and Dr Chun Wei Yap) for their help and permission to administer the surveys to the pharmacy undergraduates. The printing of surveys was sponsored by the Final Year Project fund in the Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore.
None declared.