As a fourth-year university student approaching graduation, I was in the midst of sending out resumes to various companies in preparation for employment. Drawing from my past experience of playing games, I had made plans to seriously apply to a “game company.”
I submitted resumes to several game companies and even made it to the final interview at “CJ Games,” a subsidiary of “CJ E&M,” but unfortunately, I didn’t pass the final hurdle.
“Diverse Books on Games”
Although I had played many games, I also thought that preparing for game companies through reading books on games could be beneficial. That’s how I naturally started reading books related to games, and the first book I came across was “The Future of Enjoyable Life Games.”
The book, published in 2010, was relatively new when I first encountered it.
“The Essence of Games, Game Regulations, and the Future of Games”
The book discusses three main topics. Although prejudices against games have largely diminished now, back in the 2010s, there was still a significant bias against games, such as the belief that playing games makes people more violent.
The book laments the prejudices against games prevalent at the time and also introduces the endless possibilities that games have and the direction they should take in the future.
The book discusses the following subcategories:
- Changing Trends in Games
- Serious Games
- Social Games
- Game Technology: Game Engines, Graphics, Sound
- Candid Voices of Game Experts
Before the book was published in 2010, the gaming environment in South Korea was transitioning from traditional PC-based gaming to the emerging mobile market, like smartphones.
The book emphasizes the rapid changes in the gaming market landscape and highlights the formation of markets related to social games and serious games.
“Serious Games”
The book focuses on serious games and social games in particular. Serious games are defined as games that incorporate special purposes on top of the fun elements of games.
The book emphasizes the potential of games as a learning environment through the immersive experience of “Flow” that players experience while playing. It also discusses the element of “engagement” as a factor that enables serious games.
“Utilization of Serious Games in Various Countries”
The book introduces examples of how serious games are emerging and being utilized in various countries.
In the United States, serious games are being used to recruit new soldiers and promote interest in science and space through games like “America’s Army” and “Astronaut: Moon, Mars & Beyond” by NASA, respectively.
In Europe, institutions like the Serious Games Institute at Coventry University in the UK are fostering collaborations between academia and industry to develop serious games for various purposes, such as transportation safety and food aid.
While examples of serious game development in South Korea were limited at the time, the book mentions that there were already numerous serious games developed for personal learning motivation and addressing social issues.
“Utilization of Serious Games”
The book discusses various ways in which serious games can be utilized, including bringing about social change, facilitating learning, promoting health, assisting businesses, and serving as messaging, tools, and interfaces.
“Social Games”
Social games emerged with the development of social media platforms like Facebook. In South Korea, with the expansion of platforms like KakaoTalk, social games also gained popularity.
The book distinguishes social games in Western countries, which are based on social media platforms, from those in South Korea, which emphasize relationship-building within the game.
The book suggests that social games can provide opportunities for learning social skills.
The rapid spread of social games is attributed to their simple and accessible game mechanics and low investment requirements for development.
“Game Technology”
Although briefly discussed, game technology, including physics engines and sound, is highlighted as crucial elements in game development.
The book acknowledges the importance of technological advancements but also notes the trend towards simpler games that prioritize gameplay over technological complexity.
“Insights from Game Experts on the Future of Games”
The book concludes with statements from game experts about the role games play in society and the potential they hold for the future.
Overall, the book provides insights into the future direction of games and emphasizes the importance of serious games and social games in particular.”
“Kim Insun & Lee Soo-woon’s “The Future of Enjoyable Life Games”
- Authors: Kim Insun, Lee Soo-woon
- Publication Date: April 12, 2010
- ISBN13: 9788992885331
- Yes24: http://app.ac/VErC3BS73