A key project goal of the HOST consortium
July 13, 2023 at 1:22 pm,
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A key project goal of
the HOST consortium: developing a Board Game that will serve as a learning tool
for hospitality staff with autism. Why is a board game so suitable for this
purpose?
'With serious games, people often immediately think of something digital, but our experience is that analog games in particular are very effective when the goal is to engage in meaningful conversation,’ says Bas Altenburg, game designer at 8D Games. A board game is particularly appropriate when the subject at hand is sensitive or personal, he adds: ‘We have designed several board games that challenged players to look at a challenging social scenario from someone else's perspective. We see that these types of role-playing games increase mutual understanding and make it easier for people to voice their feelings. Playing a game provides a safe context - you can share something personal if you want, but you can also represent the perspective from a fictional character in the game.’
The development of a board game involves a great deal of research into the wants and needs of the end users. Project manager Stephan Burghout: ‘The HOST consortium researched the desires of both managers and employees in the hospitality industry who would like to work on a more inclusive work environment for people with autism. Based on that research and a brainstorm with all stakeholders, we have mapped out all possibilities and constraints for design of the game. We are currently working on a style study, gameplay and the first narrative scenarios for the board game.'