Abstract

The current research focuses on serious games (SG) in the healthcare sector. The objective was to identify the key phases in the design and development of SG and to study how serious game design takes into account affective computing. The case study describes the development of Game of My Life (GoML), a visual novel aiming to support the life management skills of adolescents. The game was developed in two phases using iterative agile methods in cooperation with different stakeholders. The evaluation indicates that GoML can be used as an effective discussion tool for professionals and patients in nursing and youth work. The results support our existing knowledge of SG development and reveal that SG design takes into account affective computing by nature: game design deliberately influences emotions in order to engage the players.