Japan, an increasingly popular destination for U.S. study abroad students, is known as one of the world’s leading countries in video game design and development. Home to the headquarters of video game giants like Sega, Sony, and Nintendo, as well as bustling entertainment districts such as Tokyo’s Akihabara ward, it’s no wonder that people from all over the world flock to Japan to enjoy its gaming culture.
University of Florida students are no exception. When the study abroad program ‘UF in Japan – Cross Cultural Engineering & Design’ ran for its third year in 2024, it leveraged its partnership with Kyoto University and Dr. Wasana Kowhakul, a Senior Lecturer in the Engineering Education Research Center, to focus on video games. The program, led by UF alumnus and faculty member Dr. Jeremiah Blanchard, allows students to not only experience Japanese culture and language, but also focus on building cross-cultural design skills through courses like “Intro to Culturally Aware Design” and “AI for Virtual Environments and Games”. In his description of the program, Blanchard says, “The ability to see the world through the eyes of others can help us design and build artifacts that improve lives.”
Throughout the summer, University of Florida students participating in the program worked alongside Kyoto University students to design games focused on disaster prevention, preparation, and/or recovery. Their simulations could address hurricanes, typhoons, earthquakes, or other natural disasters. Students developed their games over the course of the program’s two months, with midterm presentations on their design prototypes and final presentations on their ‘release versions’.
Little did one of the groups know at the time, that the game they created together would go on to win first place in the National Center for Simulation’s “Serious Games Showcase” under the ‘Best Student Developed Game’ category. Aptly named ‘Flooded Folds’, the game is an “isometric puzzle game about folding paper to reach the evacuation zone during a flood”. While playing, one learns how to avoid flood hazards and elevate to higher ground during a catastrophic flood. You can watch a trailer for it here.
The National Center for Simulation is a U.S. non-profit which aims to enhance the “development, understanding, and advancement of simulation and related technologies”. Each December, they hold a conference in Orlando, Florida called the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation, and Education Conference (“I/ITSEC” for short), where winners are recognized. “We are, of course, very proud of them!” Blanchard says of his and Kowhakul’s students. “I/ITSEC is largely considered the premiere simulation conference in the U.S.”
Meanwhile, UF in Japan – Cross Cultural Engineering & Design is on track for its 4th successful iteration during the summer of 2025. You can learn more about it, and the unique courses it offers, here.
