Projekt „AusWege“
Serious Game on Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
Part of the project AusWege is dedicated to developing serious games on the topic of intimate partner violence. Serious games are (video) games that not only entertain but also primarily serve an instrumental purpose. This may be to communicate certain learning content or to provide a training simulation, but also to play games that address social issues and encourage people to rethink.
Games in AusWege complement other communication formats like lectures, workshops, and printed media. They allow players to experiment in a safe environment, promoting self-reflection and personal experience. Serious games are interactive and can be integrated into workshops, but they can also be made digitally accessible at any time to spread ideas further.
Based on an analysis of various systemic interrelations, several serious game prototypes were designed, digitally implemented and evaluated in iterative steps. Balancing the requirements of the complex topic of IPV with those of game design was essential. The final game concept targets the social environment of a couple affected by IPV in a German rural setting. By integrating an interactive narrative and a special game mechanic, it aims to encourage possible help, but also shows how difficult it is to break social taboos.
Bitter, J.L., Koßmann, R. D., Lurz, M., Müller, L., Spierling, U. (2025). Adding Chance to a Serious Game’s Mechanics to Encourage Action in Uncertain Situations. In: Schönbohm, A., et al. Games and Learning Alliance. GALA 2024. LNCS vol. 15348, pp. 123-132. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-78269-5_12
Müller, L., Spierling, U., Bitter, J. L., Schwarz, S. (2023). Challenges in designing a game for the prevention of intimate partner violence. In: Proc. 17th European Conference on Games Based Learning, Enschede, NL, Academic Conferences and Publishing International, pp. 852-855. https://doi.org/10.34190/ecgbl.17.1.1838
Game Concept Video "Umfeld" Version September 2023. Link to YouTube
Müller, L., Spierling, U., Merkle, A., Dackweiler, R. (2022). Systems Mapping to Support Interdisciplinary Understanding in Serious Game Design. In: Proceedings of 2022 European Conference on Games Based Learning, Lisbon, PT, Academic Conferences and Publishing International, pp. 403-411. https://doi.org/10.34190/ecgbl.16.1.772