Background. The EMERGO method and online platform enable the development and delivery of >scenario-based serious games that foster students to acquire professional competence. One of the main goals of the platform is to provide a user-friendly >authoring environment for creating virtual environments where students can perform authentic tasks.Aim. We present the findings of an in-depth qualitative case study of the platform’s >authoring environment and compare our findings on usability with those found for comparable environments in literature.Method. We carried out semi-structured interviews, with two experienced game developers who have authored a game for higher education, and a literature review of comparable environments.Findings. The analysis shows that the >usability of the >authoring environment is problematic, especially regarding >understandability and >learnability, which is in line with findings of comparable environments. Other findings are that authoring is well integrated with the EMERGO method and that >functionality and >reliability of the authoring environment are valued.Practical implications. The lessons learned are presented in the form of general >guidelines to improve the >understandability and >learnability of >authoring environments for >serious games.
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