Background. Designing interventions for conserving the food, energy, and water nexus at household level poses a significant challenge due to the complex interplay between human behaviors, technologies, and policies. Games show potential to increase awareness for environmental issues and influence behaviors towards more sustainable practices. Aim. By bringing together scientists and practitioners in the game design process, a transdisciplinary (TD) approach is seen as a promising way to integrate available knowledge and establish ownership of the problem and solution options. Few gaming literature, however, looked at combining the two approaches in addressing resource conservation issues. Method. We present a systematic account of the TD approach process of developing a role-playing game (RPG) - called HomeRUN (Role-play for Understanding Nexus). Results. We documented our experiences in terms of challenges as well as the benefits of the TD approach. Interacting disciplines in this process include psychology, economics, engineering, climate, sociology, and computer science. Inputs from each discipline combined with feedback from social actors that include city government, utility companies, and community members facilitated continuous improvements of the RPG design.@en

Synchromodality is described as a network of well-synchronised and interconnected transportation modes. One of the most important advantages of synchromodality is the development of a sustainable transportation system. Given the numerous stakeholders and network interdependencies within freight transport corridors, achieving efficient coordination and management is complex. In this paper, we regard information exchange as one of the main enablers of collaboration between the infrastructure managers. We developed a digital single-player simulation game called “Modal Manager” comprising logistic service providers and infrastructure managers. Each player takes over the role of an infrastructure manager who must use information provision as a tool to control flows in a network where various planned and unplanned disruptions occur. We include the game in a session where participants are able to interact with the game and with each other. The first gameplay session with Dutch experts revealed that infrastructure managers perceive synchromodality as a way to cope with disruptions more efficiently. On the other hand, the concept of synchromodal corridor management is ambiguous and various legal and governance barriers exist that hinder its implementation.

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The complexity of the worldwide transportation of goods leads to a high demand of innovation in the field. Yet, there are certain barriers against innovation in this highly competitive market. One of these barriers is the lack of trust, both with regard to a new technology as well as in relation to other parties. A second important hurdle that has to be overcome is the lack of situational awareness, or understanding of the actors within the transportation system about the interdependencies within the transportation system. In our work, we propose gaming as a method to increase the situational awareness of actors, as well as to explain the role of trust in innovation processes in the domain. Main aspects of the field and its challenges are already translated into game elements.@en

The complexity of the worldwide transportation of goods leads to a high demand of innovation in the field. Yet, there are certain barriers against innovation in this highly competitive market. One of these barriers is the lack of trust, both with regard to a new technology as well as in relation to other parties. A second important hurdle that has to be overcome is the lack of situational awareness, or understanding of the actors within the transportation system about the interdependencies within the transportation system. In our work, we propose gaming as a method to increase the situational awareness of actors, as well as to explain the role of trust in innovation processes in the domain. Main aspects of the field and its challenges are already translated into game elements.@en

This book constitutes the refereed post-conference proceedings of the 48th International Simulation and Gaming Association Conference, ISAGA 2018, held in Delft, The Netherlands, in July 2018. The 19 revised full papers included in the volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 27 submissions. The contributions to this book range from design thinking related to simulation gaming, the analysis of the consequences of design choices in games, to games for decision making, examples of games for business, climate change, maritime spatial planning, sustainable city development, supply chain, and much more. @en

This book constitutes the refereed post-conference proceedings of the 48th International Simulation and Gaming Association Conference, ISAGA 2018, held in Delft, The Netherlands, in July 2018. The 19 revised full papers included in the volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 27 submissions. The contributions to this book range from design thinking related to simulation gaming, the analysis of the consequences of design choices in games, to games for decision making, examples of games for business, climate change, maritime spatial planning, sustainable city development, supply chain, and much more. @en

Synchromodal transport has the potential to offer flexible, reliable, cost-effective and sustainable freight transportation by enabling real-time switching between transport modes. Given the numerous stakeholders and network interdependencies within freight transport corridors, achieving efficient coordination and management is complex. Multiple stakeholders need to make consistent decisions under dynamic and time-pressed operational situations. Such situations request efficient information sharing, role awareness, optimization of services and assets in freight transport corridors. Situation Awareness (SA) has been proven as essential prerequisite for decision-making under dynamic operational situations. In this research, we aim to explore the decision choices and behavior of stakeholders related to synchromodal corridor management at various levels of SA. For this purpose, we developed a simulation game called 'Modal Manager' comprising logistic service providers and infrastructure managers. The participants of the game take over the role of infrastructure managers. They have to cooperate to solve several disruptions and incidents in a flexible way ensuring the time-efficient and reliable transportation of containers while maintaining the optimal utilization of the network. Our research study around the game includes a session consisting of briefing, game play and debriefing with transport professionals in the private and public sector in the Netherlands. The game results are expected to shed light on decision-making, information sharing strategies and interventions made by infrastructure managers for efficient synchromodal corridor management.

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Simulation exercises as a training tool for enhancing preparedness for emergency response are widely adopted in disaster management. This paper addresses current scenario design processes, proposes an alternative approach for simulation exercises and introduces a conceptual design of an adaptive scenario generator. Our work is based on a systematic literature review and observations made during TRIPLEX-2016 exercise in Farsund, Norway. The planning process and scenario selection of simulation exercises impact directly the effectiveness of intra- and interorganizational cooperation. However, collective learning goals are rarely addressed and most simulations are focused on institution-specific learning goals. Current scenario design processes are often inflexible and begin from scratch for each exercise. In our approach, we address both individual and collective learning goals and the demand to develop scenarios on different layers of organizational learning. Further, we propose a scenario generator that partly automates the scenario selection and adaptively responds to the exercise evolvement. @en

Planning tasks in modern, fully automated container terminals require a high awareness of the complex situation, and successful planning strategies. Operational planning includes both strategies of planning and resource management. As planning procedures are not (yet) fully automated, a skilled workforce of planners is needed to conduct the complex operational planning of container terminal procedures and equipment. By using a simulation game, we explored which planning strategies are successful, leading to efficient and effective use of container terminal equipment. Our results show that through the game, we were able to identify three main strategies, of which one is associated with efficient unloading of vessels, and with high scores in game play. A second type of strategy, moderately rewarded, is associated with good handling of containers. The third type of strategies generally reflects players overwhelmed by increases in activity in the port, resulting in long wait times and a poor score at the game.@en

For a better understanding of how different disorders affect motor function, a uniform, standardized and objective evaluation is a desirable goal for the clinical community. We explore the potential of Augmented Reality (AR) combined with serious gaming and free hand tracking to facilitate objective, cost-effective and patient-friendly methods for evaluation of upper extremity motor dysfunction in different patient groups. In this paper, we describe the design process of the game and the system architecture of the AR framework to meet these requirements. Furthermore, we report our findings from two pilot studies we conducted with healthy people aged over 50. First, we present a usability study (n = 5) on three different modalities of visual feedback for natural hand interaction with AR objects (i. e., no augmented hand, partial augmented hand and a full augmented hand model). The results show that a virtual representation of the fingertips or hand improves the usability of natural hand interaction. Secondly, a study about game engagement is presented. The results of this experiment (n = 8) show that there might be potential for engagement, but usability needs to be improved before it can emerge.@en

Background. Complex, dynamic systems require flexible workforces with skills and attitudes responding to the dynamic work environment. Traditional, formal classroom oriented learning approaches often do not sufficiently support the development of such skills and attitudes and do not provide situated learning activities. Aim and Method. We propose the concept of Microgames as an active, situated learning approach. A Microgame is a simulation game that can be played in a short time period and that starts from a specific problem in the organization defined by a problem owner. To illustrate the concept, we introduce a case study with a Microgame called Yard Crane Scheduler. Results. The study’s results indicate that the Microgame used in our study represented an engaging experiential experience. It was able to foster the awareness of the players for interdependent planning tasks. Due to its shortness, the game’s reality is somewhat limited. To compensate for this limitation, a structured debriefing phase enables players to exchange information on successful planning strategies, enhancing the learning experienceby a social learning activity. Conclusions. Microgames are a novel approach towards situated, experiential learning. Its limitations, mainly caused by the constrained time for game play, have to be taken into account when defining learning goals. Despite this limitation, the Yard Crane Scheduler Microgame has been evaluated as an engaging and valid tool. Further research will investigate distinct design decisions and learning effects associated with the concept of Microgames.@en

For most professional tasks nowadays, it is necessary to work in teams. Such collaboration often requires the exchange of visual context-related information among the team mem- bers. For so-called shared workspace collaboration, awareness of other people's activities is of utmost importance. We have developed an augmented reality (AR) framework in or- der to support visual communication between a team of two people who are virtually co-located. We address these people as the remote user, who uses a laptop and the local user, who wears a head-mounted display (HMD) with an RGB camera. The remote user can support the local user in solving a spatial problem by providing instructions as virtual objects in the view of the local user. For placing virtual objects in the shared workspace, we use a state-of- The- Art algorithm for localization and mapping without markers. In this paper, we report on a user study that explores on how automatic audio and visual notifications about the remote user's activities affect the collaboration. The results show that in our current implementation, visual notifications are preferred over audio or no notifications independent from the level of dificulty of the task.

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For most professional tasks nowadays, it is necessary to work in teams. Such collaboration often requires the exchange of visual context-related information among the team mem- bers. For so-called shared workspace collaboration, awareness of other people's activities is of utmost importance. We have developed an augmented reality (AR) framework in or- der to support visual communication between a team of two people who are virtually co-located. We address these people as the remote user, who uses a laptop and the local user, who wears a head-mounted display (HMD) with an RGB camera. The remote user can support the local user in solving a spatial problem by providing instructions as virtual objects in the view of the local user. For placing virtual objects in the shared workspace, we use a state-of- The- Art algorithm for localization and mapping without markers. In this paper, we report on a user study that explores on how automatic audio and visual notifications about the remote user's activities affect the collaboration. The results show that in our current implementation, visual notifications are preferred over audio or no notifications independent from the level of dificulty of the task.

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For operational units in the security domain that work together in teams, it is important to quickly and adequately exchange context-related information to ensure well-working collaboration. Currently, most information exchange is based on oral communication. This paper reports on different scenarios from the security domain in which augmented reality (AR) techniques are used to support such information exchange. The scenarios have been designed with a User Centred Design approach, in order to make the scenarios as realistic as possible. To support these scenarios, an AR system has been developed and evaluated in two rounds. In the first round, the usability and feasibility of the AR support has been evaluated with experts from different operational units in the security domain. The second evaluation round then focussed on the effect of AR on collaboration and situational awareness within the expert teams. With regard to the usability and feasibility of AR, the evaluation shows that the scenarios are well defined and the AR system can successfully support information exchange in teams operating in the security domain. The second evaluation round showed that AR can especially improve the situational awareness of remote colleagues not physically present at a scene.@en