Technology Considerations for Serious Games August 25-26, 2007

1. Technology Considerations for Serious GamesAugust 25-26, 2007

2. Games Technology Elements • Technology Components • Software • Hardware • Delivery Models

3. Serious Games Architecture

4. If budget & time were unlimited and customers all had top of the range PCs… • Full blown 3D engines • High poly characters and environments • Dynamic lighting effects • Real time physics • Highly realistic facial animations • Body language / MOCAP • Lip synching • Natural language conversations • Computer-generated voice • Cutting-edge AI • 42” HD monitors • 3D surround sound • MMORPG • Expansion packs and downloadable patches • Dedicated 8Mb/s connectivity

5. Some Typical Customer Requirements “You will warrant that it will operate perfectly at handover” No post release patches! Integration with commercial LMS/LCMS platforms Integrate with open-source VLEs (Moodle) Interoperability compliance – SCORM, AICC 100% secure (limits networking component access) Assessment, assessment & assessment Minimal proprietary multimedia/graphics plug-ins allowed Accessibility standards compliance (e.g. Section 508, DDA) Business systems integration (ERP, HR, student management) Access at work, at home and on the move Capturing and reporting of in-game KPIs for ROI calcs. Multilingual/localised Easily editable by customer in the future Low spec / thin client PCs Source: PIXELearning

6. Browser vs installed file COST ANALYSIS Development budget: € 50,000 No. of users: 2,000 IT technician cost: € 30 per hour (salary, tax & overheads) Installation cost: 2,000 X €30 = €60,000!!! Cost of ownership exceeds total project budget Chances of winning contract = ZERO Source: PIXELearning

7. In the real world… • Challenging budget • Wide variety of requirements • Compressed timescales • Challenging technical requirements • Demanding clients

8. AJAX & web standards AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript & XML) JSP/ASP/ASP.net/JavaScript/DHTML/PhP etc • Allow dynamic graphical ‘page’ manipulation • Discrete data element manipulation - Limited interactivity, low level graphical appeal

9. Embedded media in web pages Win Media Player, Real Player - Can use as basis for audiovisual branching tree RPGs - Limited scope elsewhere (in isolation)

10. Proprietary plug-ins ‘Niche’ browser plug-ins such as Virtools & Wild Tangent - Allow good level of 2D and 3D environments, people and objects • Proprietary, “what if vendor goes bust or discontinues?” • Not easy to get past the IT dept’s policies • Bordering on mainstream game development complexity for much smaller budget • Problems with availability of graphics card

11. Java Platform-agnostic virtual machines e.g. Java - Strong OOP basis, machine API connectivity and graphical engines • Requires Java VM installed, more complex development and suffer from time lags/extended loading/execution times

12. Ubiquitous web plug-ins Adobe Shockwave • Don’t have to re-write the graphics ‘engines’ • Stable authoring environments, scripting level programming, Internet application integration, rich media/streaming and collaborative/multiplayer components, well supported and cost-effective - Shockwave quite a big download and not common in corporate environments

13. www.necromanthus.com

14. Ubiquitous web plug-ins Adobe Macromedia Flash • Don’t have to re-write the graphics ‘engines’ – stable authoring environments, scripting level programming, Internet application integration, built in accessibility compliance, rich media, streaming and collaborative/multiplayer components, well supported and cost-effective - No 3D capability in Flash + interpreted code limits simulation application complexity

15. Factors in Design and Delivery Business simulations & RPG Lower graphical fidelity 3D doesn’t add much extra value • Client-server model – work with DBs and XML • Data storage/record • LMS/standards integration • Embedded audio and video (streamed) • Easy to use applications • Ubiquitous (98% penetration??) • No ‘per game’ license fees • Availability of streaming servers and multiplayer/collaborative components (FCS/FR) • Cheap to purchase Small file sizes Rapid development cycles Designers and developers work in same environment In-built check in/out and 3rd party version control (SourceSafe) Open source file format Pool of available designers and developers Strong support (if not from vendor then user community) Stable vendor Trusted/accepted

16. Interoperability standards / LMS integration SCORM – JavaScript calls LMS API AICC – HACP (form posting method) Open source – Moodle Proprietary student/user management

17. Accessibility – UK/EU Requirements • Section 508 • Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) • Bobby / W3C • Custom requirements Fail to comply, fail to get order!

18. Customer Landscape 2007 Commitment & C-level interest is there Lack of appreciation of possibilities & practicalities Detailed requirements specs are rare Budgets are being dedicated (toe dipping at first) Time pressures hard to work with ROI argument & proper evaluation

19. Working in the corporate IT environment Unpredictable PC spec Varied network/access/location patterns Multitude of LMS setups and requirements IT security policies / tight control Seek out ubiquity i.e. browser + Flash (?)

20. But no Common Approach on Intellectual Property • Straight commission – handover 100% • Commission – vendor retains tech IP • Commission – vender licenses IP and/or content • Joint ventures / licensing & exploitation agreements • Pay to use/subscribe by time/users/seats • Pay to create & share by games/users/time • ??? Opportunities for mutually-beneficial partnerships