LOM-SG stands for Learning Object Metadata-Serious Games. Serious games are games that serve a purpose other than entertainment; they are typically educational (Borji & Khaldi, 2014). A learning object is “any entity, digital or non-digital, that is used for learning, education or training” (IEEE Standard for Learning Object Metadata, 2020, p. 13). LOM was first designed in 2002 by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), and it “was widely accepted from the very beginning” (Borji & Khaldi, 2014, p. 2). Its last revision occurred in 2020. LOM describes learning objects with sixty data elements, and each data element is organized into one of nine categories: general, life cycle, meta-metadata, technical, educational, rights, relation, annotation, and classification. LOM-SG extends LOM by adding 12 new data elements that help describe serious games specifically.

Under the classification category, LOM-SG calls for users to describe the game genre and game type. Game genre refers to “a set of video games characterized by a similar gameplay” (Borji & Khaldi, 2014, p. 6), such as puzzle and roleplaying, whereas game type classifies them according to their narrative content, such as fantasy and mystery. Under the category annotation, LOM-SG added two new elements: gaming experience required and ESRB rating. As a very infrequent gamer, metadata on the required experience to play would be very helpful for me. Also, serious games are meant to be educational, so a rating system that identifies games that are not appropriate for children would be very important. The remaining eight elements that make up the difference between LOM and LOM-SG were added to the educational category. The replayability element would be especially useful, as this yes or no value lets buyers know if they should plan to play more than once, or if the game’s value plummets after it is experienced all the way through.

As for my critiques, I think it is very confusing that type refers to narrative content while genre refers to gameplay. In the context of media, most people would think that mysteries, westerns, and horror are types of genres, but this is not the case for LOM-SG. Perhaps LOM-SG could draw from the pre-existing Video Game Metadata Schema to correct these attributes (University of Washington Information School Game Research Group and Seattle Interactive Media Museum, 2017). LOM-SG’s game genre would be replaced by gameplay genre, and game type would be replaced by narrative genre. Moreover, the means by which a user achieves the goals of a game are described as create, manage, move, select, shoot, write, and random. I question whether these means are exclusive, since isn’t someone creating something if they are writing? The possible values for resulting activity suffer from a similar problem; what is the difference between create and produce? However, I do think that resulting activity is an important attribute; the value would let prospective players know what type of learning they will be doing.

Fortunately, the context in which serious games are played is another data element. LOM has users describe the “principal environment within which the game and use of this learning objects is intended to take place” (Borji & Khaldi, 2014, p. 8). Some examples include state & government, healthcare, education, and ecology. In the spirit of providing context for serious games, I think LOM-SG should also add a data element that describes the type of learning meant to take place. For example, gamers may be taught abstract concepts, or they may use serious games for more practical outcomes, such as vocational training. LOM-SG data elements should reflect the difference between these types of educational goals.

References

Elborji, Y., & Khaldi, M. (2014). An IEEE LOM Application Profile to Describe Serious Games «SG-LOM». International Journal of Computer Applications, 86(13), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.5120/15042-3404

IEEE Standard for Learning Object Metadata. (2020). IEEE Std 1484.12.1-2020, 1–50. https://doi.org/10.1109/IEEESTD.2020.9262118

University of Washington Information School Game Research Group and Seattle Interactive Media Museum. (2017, March 20). Video Game Metadata Schema.