Platforms for Educational GamesPlatforms for Educational Games

Richard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIPRichard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIP

• Why is this an issue at all• Expectations of Students

• Educational Game Market• Resources of Academic Game Makers

• Financial• People• When to Out-Source

• Game Platform Specifications

• Why is this an issue at all• Expectations of Students

• Educational Game Market• Resources of Academic Game Makers

• Financial• People• When to Out-Source

• Game Platform Specifications

Platforms for Educational GamesPlatforms for Educational Games

Richard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIPRichard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIP

• Expectations of Students• Expectations of Students

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I would rather play a bad game then listen to the teacher any day

I would rather play a bad game then listen to the teacher any day

Platforms for Educational GamesPlatforms for Educational Games

Richard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIPRichard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIP

• Resources of Academic Game Makers• Financial

• Small or non-existent budgets– CCL Grant – evaluation only

• Market – Consumer: Schools

» Platform 5-7yr old machines– Book Publishers

• People Resources• Graduate, Undergraduate students• High School and middle school students

• When to Out-Source• 10 cents on the dollar

• Resources of Academic Game Makers• Financial

• Small or non-existent budgets– CCL Grant – evaluation only

• Market – Consumer: Schools

» Platform 5-7yr old machines– Book Publishers

• People Resources• Graduate, Undergraduate students• High School and middle school students

• When to Out-Source• 10 cents on the dollar

Platforms for Educational GamesPlatforms for Educational Games

Richard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIPRichard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIP

• Game Platform Specifications• Performance

• Older Wintel Boxes and MAC’s• Direct3D, OpenGL

• Delivery• Web

• Geometry Rendering• High polygon count real time renderng • Meshes – Morphing, optimization, swapping• Vertex meshes• Terrain• Animated skeletal meshes

– Library of characters and motions• Texture

• Swapping, scrolling, blending

• Game Platform Specifications• Performance

• Older Wintel Boxes and MAC’s• Direct3D, OpenGL

• Delivery• Web

• Geometry Rendering• High polygon count real time renderng • Meshes – Morphing, optimization, swapping• Vertex meshes• Terrain• Animated skeletal meshes

– Library of characters and motions• Texture

• Swapping, scrolling, blending

Platforms for Educational GamesPlatforms for Educational Games

Richard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIPRichard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIP

• Game Platform Specifications• Editing Tools

• Translation– Mesh, characters, terrain

• Game Platform Specifications• Editing Tools

• Translation– Mesh, characters, terrain

Platforms for Educational GamesPlatforms for Educational Games

Richard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIPRichard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIP

• Game Platform Specifications• Scene Rendering

• Backgrounds and skies - independent coordinate systems

• Lighting - Static and Dynamic

• Game Platform Specifications• Scene Rendering

• Backgrounds and skies - independent coordinate systems

• Lighting - Static and Dynamic

Platforms for Educational GamesPlatforms for Educational Games

Richard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIPRichard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIP

• Game Platform Specifications• Animation

• Skeletal Framework• Keyframe interpelation• Effects

• Particles• Fluids• Cloth

• Physics• Newtonian Physics• Vehicle Physics• Collision

• Game Platform Specifications• Animation

• Skeletal Framework• Keyframe interpelation• Effects

• Particles• Fluids• Cloth

• Physics• Newtonian Physics• Vehicle Physics• Collision

Platforms for Educational GamesPlatforms for Educational Games

Richard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIPRichard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIP

• Game Platform Specifications• Sound

• 3D spatialization • MP3, WAV• Text to speech • AI Speech Recognition

• Video• AVI, MPEG• Movie Recording

• Networking• Peer to peer• Supports Different Platforms

• Game Platform Specifications• Sound

• 3D spatialization • MP3, WAV• Text to speech • AI Speech Recognition

• Video• AVI, MPEG• Movie Recording

• Networking• Peer to peer• Supports Different Platforms

Platforms for Educational GamesPlatforms for Educational Games

Richard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIPRichard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIP

• Game Platform Specifications• Programming

• Scripting tools• C++

• Game Platform Specifications• Programming

• Scripting tools• C++

Platforms for Educational GamesPlatforms for Educational Games

Richard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIPRichard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIP

• Game Platform Specifications• Free distribution• Cost practically free

• Game Platform Specifications• Free distribution• Cost practically free

Platforms for Educational GamesPlatforms for Educational Games

Richard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIPRichard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIP

• Game Engines• Game Engines

Platforms for Educational GamesPlatforms for Educational Games

Richard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIPRichard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIP

• Game Engines• Game Engines

Platforms for Educational GamesPlatforms for Educational Games

Richard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIPRichard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIP

• Game Engines• Game Engines

Platforms for Educational GamesPlatforms for Educational Games

Richard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIPRichard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIP

• Game Engines• Game Engines

VIRTOOLSVirtual Worlds/Virtual Environments

PhysicsMulti-userDatabase

VIRTOOLSVirtual Worlds/Virtual Environments

PhysicsMulti-userDatabase

Platforms for Educational GamesPlatforms for Educational Games

Richard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIPRichard M. Levy, Ph.D. MCIP

• Summary• Full Featured• Accepts all formats• Libraries of characters, objects and scripts• Works on any platform • Network• Good AI• Easy to use • Free• No royalties

• Summary• Full Featured• Accepts all formats• Libraries of characters, objects and scripts• Works on any platform • Network• Good AI• Easy to use • Free• No royalties

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