In the ct:games project, effectively tested strategy trainings and multimodal trainings are to be transferred into the form of video games in order to combine the respective advantages of strategy trainings, multimodal trainings and video games. The aim is to evaluate how strong the cognitive training effects are during and after regular play of these prototypes, also with regard to transfer effects. At the same time, it should be ensured that the resulting video games meet the requirements of the target group of older test persons. Special emphasis will be placed on the following factors of game design:

Usability and Interface Design

The operation, usability and experience is developed specifically with the focus on the target group. The test persons should be physically able to operate the device on which the video game is played. The video game should also communicate quickly and well to the target group so that the test persons can perceive and understand the set of rules, the challenges and their options for action in the game.

Feedback and Experience Design

The video game should motivate the test persons so that they do not get tired, as is typical in tests and trainings, but rather enjoy the training and integrate it into their everyday life. Therefore, the game should not be a 1:1 implementation of already existing trainings, which are merely ported to another platform (e.g. from pen and paper to the PC), but both the set of rules and the visual elaboration should be designed specifically for the target group. A central element here is feedback, i.e. how the video game reacts to the player's actions (for example by rewarding the player for successes). The question of whether and how the training effects differ depending on the strength of the feedback is also to be answered here.

The primary objectives of the project are:

Conception, development, iteration and evaluation of video game prototypes based on strategy training and/or multimodal training and taking into account the above-mentioned game design factors (usability, interface design, feedback, experience design) in a target group-specific manner (older persons).

Systematic analysis of the training effects of using these prototypes on the part of older subjects (both the effects related to the specific task and the transfer effects)

The game prototypes developed will be evaluated for their effectiveness by the Max Planck Institute for Human Development. 

Result: Within the framework of the project, the responsive tablet game SCHIFF AHOI was developed, which was explicitly tailored to the study design and enabled a corresponding evaluation.