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New games being developed in Adelaide are tackling the impact of domestic violence and teaching friends and family how they can help. Hannah: A Friend In Need is a new mobile game being made by Adelaide game developer Susannah Emery. The game works as a chatbot that sends messages from a fictional character named Hannah that mimic those of someone living with domestic violence. The player then responds to the messages, as the game coaches them through supportive and helpful responses. The game simulates common messages from domestic violence victims, like delayed response times to educate players on what to expect in real-world situations. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Refereed/Peer-reviewed In recent years, the increased take up of game engines in the context of emerging and traditional screen media production has fostered innovation across formats. Game engines present an opportunity to author immersive projects that draw upon the expertise of experience designers, game developers, screenwriters and other creative practitioners; however, questions arise as to the ways that individuals from different backgrounds might work together effectively on these projects given the varying ‘poetics’ of their fields. This term, used by Ian MacDonald in the context of screenwriting practice, refers to ‘the rationalisation of a mode, or a paradigm, of practice; a collection of perceived norms that make sense together, for those involved in developing a screen idea, in that time and place’ (2013, 3). This article explores the development of two screen works created using Unreal Engine, so as to outline the challenges for multidisciplinary teamwork in this area. This article will argue that the successful realisation of these projects called for the development of common ground around this new mode of practice, one fostered through a sharing of boundary objects (Star and Griesemer 1989), expertise and through listening to participant concerns.

There are clear challenges posed by rural and remote education in Australia. These challenges are caused both by physical and material factors, but more importantly epistemological divisions that have created a separation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous worlds. Video games have the potential to bridge this epistemological gap by explicating the differences between different knowledge systems and engaging students in exploring these differences. Crucially, these projects need to be co-constructed to ensure that not only the representations of Indigenous people surpass some dubious traditions, but that different epistemologies are adequately framed. There is an urgent need for research-informed game-based learning projects to begin to address the ‘epistemology gap’ and the challenges faced by all Australians. Refereed/Peer-reviewed