A Visual Domain Specific Language for the Creation of Educational Video Games

Educational video games and serious games are becoming more and more relevant as a complement to traditional instructional approaches. However, several barriers are in the way of the general adoption of this technology, such as the high cost or the integration of the games in the learning flow. At the group at the Complutense University of Madrid we have developed the platform for the creation of educational video games that addresses some of those problems. The current version of allows for the rapid creation of custom pointand-click adventure video games with low development costs [1]. In some cases, using COTS (Commercial-Off-The-Self) video games could solve at least partially some of these problems, but usually the available alternatives are very limited (e.g. using Civilization to teach History). When no COTS alternatives are found, a custom development is needed, but most educational professionals lack the necessary budget, tools and technical background. Using the platform allows educators to produce games without programming, but it is still perceived as too complex by many. According to our direct experience with educators at different levels, one of the most problematic issues is the difficulty to plan and develop a story using the system. In an effort to reduce this perceived complexity, we are creating a VDSL (Visual Domain Specific Language) to complement and enhance the creation of video games. This new approach provides a way to create games focusing first on the story behind them, which can potentially increase their educational value, as a strong narrative is one of the best game elements to support learning [2]. This story-based editor allows an educator to go from the game story flow to a working educational game without requiring technical knowledge.