What is Game Dimensions

Designing serious games is a complex process because finding the right balance between the ‘serious' and the ‘game' dimensions is vital, as pointed out in some meta-analyses (Wouters, et al. 2013). If educational content prevails over the entertainment element, users' motivation may decrease and this can have a negative impact on the effectiveness of learning. On the other hand, if entertainment predominates over content, this can also limit learning opportunities. Another major concern identified regarding the use of digital games in education is the difficulty in assessing effectiveness in achieving the learning goals. This chapter discusses and analyses different models for guiding the design cycle of serious games with the aim of supporting not only the design process but also the implementation and assessment of serious games in education. This contribution emphasises the importance of in-game assessment and the need for further research on adaptive serious games.