Ian Bogost - Water Cooler Games - Games for Health Conference registration now open

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Water Cooler Games

Water Cooler Games served as the web's primary forum for "videogames with an agenda" — coverage of the uses of video games in advertising, politics, education, and other everyday activities, outside the sphere of entertainment.

The site was maintained at watercoolergames.org from 2003-2009, where it was edited by myself and Gonzalo Frasca. It is now archived here in full.

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Games for Health Conference registration now open

by Ian Bogost July 21, 2004

categories: Health & Medicine Games

The Games for Health Conference will be held September 16 - 17 in Madison, WI. Registration is now open, for the reasonable fee of $99. There are also a limited number of $62 hotel rooms, so if you're interested, you'd better book now.

Update (9/16/04): read my live coverage of the conference

Read on for conference information and a list of speakers...

About the Conference The Games for Health effort is very grassroots so I am part of a network of gaming and health advocates sending out personal invites to people who should be interested in attending this one-of-a-kind event.

Games for Health 2004 will examine how interactive games and emerging game technologies could improve consumer health education, and professional clinical practice, including disease and injury prevention, service delivery, and professional education and training. The conference will gather more than 100 game developers, trainers, educators, government leaders and foundation officials. The conference will highlight successful projects that can provide models for new initiatives and explore how these promising technologies can be successfully integrated into the healthcare field.

Speakers, panels, working groups and open discussion will address the intersection of games, learning, policy, and management. A unique "Technology Showcase" will demonstrate innovative sites and applications.

Speakers
Those tentatively scheduled to speak include: Brenda Wiederhold (VRPhobia.com), Debra Lieberman (University of California, Santa Barbara), Doug Whatley (Breakaway Games), Paul Wessel (Guidance Interactive Healthcare), Barbara Hayes-Roth (Extempo Systems), Barry Silverman (University of Pennsylvania), Eric Lott (Legacy Interactive), Phineas Barnes (Respondesign), David Shaffer (University of Wisconsin), Brian Winn (Michigan State University), David Rejeski (Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars), Kurt Squire (University of Wisconsin), and Mary Derby (Pulluin Interactive).