Multiuser serious game development: Virtual worlds vs. Game engines

Leonel Morgado leonelm@utad.pt

//pseudocode

function Throw(...)

{

animate(player1)

detachBall(player1);

moveball(to_player2);

attachBall(player2);

animate(player2);

}

Game elements

World participants

Detachable

1

Access

3

Deployment

2

Production

1 Acesso

3

Operacionalização

2

Produção

1 Acesso

3

Operacionalização

2

Produção

Stage3D/Molehill

1 Acesso

3

Operacionalização

2

Produção

Stage3D/Molehill

Browser add-ons: similar problems, but rendered simpler due to widespread availability

Adequate graphics cards

Admin access for installation, updating…

WebGL support is still limited

Risk of operation conflicts

Custom network settings and requirements

No studies on vulnerabilities

Streaming is quite demanding on network latency

1

Access

3

Deployment

2

Production

Development professionals

Development amateurs

2

Produção

2

1

Acesso

3

Operacionalização

Development professionals

Development professionals

2

Produção

2

1

Acesso

3

Operacionalização

Development professionals

Development professionals

Games engines (presentation and control)

OLIVE

Artificial agent engines

Quagents

BEcool

Virtual worlds

2

Produção

2

1

Acesso

3

Operacionalização

Development professionals

Development professionals

Games engines (presentation and control)

OLIVE

Artificial agent engines

Quagents

BEcool

Virtual worlds

Most common approach for development of serious games

User seen as a player/trainee with strict goals

Greater control over the user experience

Greater flexibility of implementation

Higher level of required resources / investment

The education process is entirely predefined

2

Produção

2

1

Acesso

3

Operacionalização

Development professionals

Development amateurs

2

Produção

2

1

Acesso

3

Operacionalização

Development professionals

Development amateurs

2

Produção

2

1

Acesso

3

Operacionalização

Development professionals

Development amateurs

Possible in many worlds (varies in degree)

Lesser resource requirements/investment

Allows the creation and adaptation of spaces for context and customization

Allows “ordering” of components from professionals (not just full systems)

Behaviour definition by end users is still a challenge

Choreographies cannot (yet!) be shared as common content

1

Access

3

Deployment

2

Production

1

Acesso

3

Operacionalização

2

Produção

3

Define methods, actions,

processes

1

Acesso

3

Operacionalização

2

Produção

3

1

Acesso

3

Operacionalização

2

Produção

3

Who is each person/avatar?

Which credentials? Personal or organizational?

Private or public? If private, how to handle guests?

How to save & track processes and results?

How can resources and componentes be distributed?

How to support participants and organizations?

1

Acesso

3

Operacionalização

2

Produção

3

1

Acesso

3

Operacionalização

2

Produção

3

MULTIS

System architecture

Integration with management, assessment,…

Thank you! Questions welcomed! leonelm@utad.pt