Background
Serious Gordon is a serious games project developed between the DIT School of Computing, Learning Technology Team and School of Food Science & Environmental Health. The game is set in an immersive 3D environment in which the player takes on the role of a kitchen porter on his first day at work. By completing a series of tasks the player is taught the basic aspects of food safety that are relevant to anyone working with food. The game was initially developed by two (extremely good) DIT computer science students during the Summer of 2006. It has since been updated and redeveloped by collaborators from other institutions including Tipperary Institute.
Aims and objectives of the game
The game is a first person player game where the player takes on the role of a kitchen porter arriving for their first day at work. Throughout the game the player has to complete a number of tasks and negotiate various obstacles, all of which are a normal part of working in a restaurant environment. So, for example, the player must (a) select an appropriate uniform (b) maintain proper hygiene while dealing with unforeseen events (c) handle and stack food deliveries properly etc.
Technical background
The game is build using Valve’s Source Engine.
Useful links
Serious Gordon blog – This blog documents the experiences of the two DIT students as they undertook the initial development of Serious Gordon during the summer of 2006.
Download here! Note: This game requires the game Half Life 2 to be installed and will not work without it.
