Balancing simulation and gameplay -- applying game user research to LeukemiaSIM

TL;DR

This paper presents two case studies where collaboration between bioinformatics and game design researchers enhances educational VR simulations for youth by applying game user research techniques to improve engagement and retention.

Contribution

It demonstrates how integrating game user research methods can effectively improve the playability and engagement of educational VR simulations in bioinformatics.

Findings

Enhanced player engagement through game-based strategies

Improved replayability of educational VR simulations

Successful collaboration between bioinformatics and game design researchers

Abstract

A bioinformatics researcher and a game design researcher walk into a lab... This paper shares two case-studies of a collaboration between a bioinformatics researcher who is developing a set of educational VR simulations for youth and a consultative game design researcher with a background in games User Research (GUR) techniques who assesses and iteratively improves the player experience in the simulations. By introducing games-based player engagement strategies, the two researchers improve the (re)playability of these VR simulations to encourage greater player engagement and retention.