Serious Games Showcase & Challenge Winners Announced

Representatives from the recent Serious Games Showcase & Challenge have announced the winners of the inaugural competition, which was designed to be a venue to showcase serious games developed by entrepreneurs and students, and reward the top entries in each of several categories. The competition was held earlier this month during the 2006 The Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC), and selected finalists displayed and demonstrated their serious games during the event. The games that were entered into the challenge were judged by recognized experts in the serious games market, including Digital Mill's Ben Sawyer, Virtual Heroes' Jerry Heneghan, and Federation of American Scientists' Kay Howell. Taking the award for “Best Serious Game” was WILL Interactive's Gator Six, Battery Command Virtual Experience, a Virtual Experience Immersive Learning Simulation (VEILS) where the player is placed in the role of an Army Field Artillery Captain as the lead character in an interactive movie. In addition, the event's “People's Choice Award” resulted in a tie, with the honors being given to both Research Network Incorporated's Game DIS and eSim Games' Steel Beasts Professional. Game DIS is a military training application that uses Half-Life 2's Source Engine, while Steel Beasts Professional is a vehicle based simulation focused on combined arms combat tactics. “The success of this event and the serious content of these games demonstrated the training value which our military is now embracing,” commneted I/ITSEC conference chair Steve Detro. “I'm confident that I/ITSEC will continue to support this event as an important part of our conference.”