502 Building Immersive Learning Simulations Using Flash and Director Jennifer Jesse, D10 Interactive Inc. July 19 & 20, 2007 Produced by Strategies and Techniques for Building Immersive Learning Simulations (ILS)
Building Immersive Learning Simulations Using Flash and Director Jennifer Jesse D10 Interactive Inc. Learning Objectives In this session, we will examine: Flash, Director, and our Development Process Immersion & World of Warcraft Immersive game elements from WoW that can be replicated using Flash & Director Best Practices for using Flash & Director
The Tools We Use The Applications We Use to Create Games Flash Professional 8 Web publishing Greater ubiquity of Flash Player Vector support = smaller file sizes Flash 9 Player Director MX 2004 3D Engine Multiuser Server Run-time extensibility (Xtras) Shockwave Player 10.1.4.020 Flash CS3 April 2007 Release Photoshop & Illustrator support Automatic tweening conversion to code (Actionscript 3) Pen tool works like Illustrator s Quicktime Export Mobile Device Skins & Testing Enhanced component support Dr Director (CS3?) - 2007 Anticipated release 2 nd part of 07 Features TBD Adobe Illustrator Adobe Photoshop Poser Other Applications We Use: Maya/3D Studio Max Microangelo Sound Forge Our Development Process We follow a 4-phase design and development process for building games: 1 Initiation Game objective Establish narrative or theme Storyboard game concepts 2 Prototype Creative details Refine narrative Provide sketches of interface 3 Production: Alpha & Beta Programming Animation Audio 4 Final Delivery Final revisions & testing Final review, sign-off & delivery
World of Warcraft Why Should You Care About This Game? World of Warcraft is one of the best examples of a total immersion entertainment-based game World of Warcraft Facts: Massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) Commonly abbreviated as WoW Over 8.5 million players world-wide Player-controlled avatar that: Explores the landscape of the game Fights monsters Performs quests Can choose to fight other players (PvP or player v. player) Game rewards success through money, items, and experience, which in turn allow players to improve skill and power. Why is WoW so Immersive? Our Perspective as Players Here s our perspective as game players: There is always something to do and motivation to do it It s a live game, so it is always changing You can interact with other people You become emotionally involved. Such emotions felt include: anger, joy, frustration, confidence, intimidation, competition, guilt, surprise, wealth/poverty, excitement, power
How We Achieve Immersion How can we measure and evaluate which design factors create immersion? Research Study: Involvement and Presence in Digital Gaming October 2006 J. Takatalo, J. Häkkinen, University of Helsinki, Nokia Research Center How We Achieve Immersion 8 Factors of Immersion 1 Risk Engagement Captivated and enclosed into the role provided by the storyline and narrative 2 Attention Time distortion, focus on the game world instead of real world 3 Interest Interesting, exciting as well as lively 4 Importance Meaning, relevant as well as close, personal, and sensitive 5 Co-Presence Feeling of sharing a place with others, being active in there 6 Interaction Speed, range, mapping, exploration, predictability of own actions 7 Arousal Active, stimulated vs. passive, unaroused 8 Physical Presence Feeling of being transported into a real, live and vivid place
What can we learn from WoW about immersion? 8 Factors of Immersion Immersive Elements of World of Warcraft Immersive Factor Definition WoW Example 1 Risk Engagement Captivated and enclosed into the role provided by the storyline and narrative 2 Attention Time distortion, focus on the game world instead of real world 3 Interest Interesting, exciting as well as lively 4 Importance Meaning, relevant as well as close, personal, and sensitive 5 Co-Presence Feeling of sharing a place with others, being active in there 6 Interaction Speed, range, mapping, exploration, predictability of own actions 7 Arousal Active, stimulated vs. passive, unaroused 8 Physical Presence Feeling of being transported into a real, live and vivid place Character & Quests Leveling, PvP PvP, Auctions Currency, Gear, Leveling Chat, PvP, Guilds Quests, Raids, & Instances PvP, Guilds 3D, Live Server Environment
Immersive Elements of World of Warcraft: Character Development Character Development: Director Example http://www.habbo.com/hotel
8 Factors of Immersion Immersive Elements of World of Warcraft Immersive Factor Definition WoW Example 1 Risk Engagement Captivated and enclosed into the role provided by the storyline and narrative 2 Attention Time distortion, focus on the game world instead of real world 3 Interest Interesting, exciting as well as lively 4 Importance Meaning, relevant as well as close, personal, and sensitive 5 Co-Presence Feeling of sharing a place with others, being active in there 6 Interaction Speed, range, mapping, exploration, predictability of own actions 7 Arousal Active, stimulated vs. passive, unaroused 8 Physical Presence Feeling of being transported into a real, live and vivid place Character & Quests Leveling, PvP PvP, Auctions Currency, Gear, Leveling Chat, PvP, Guilds Quests, Raids, & Instances PvP, Guilds 3D, Live Server Environment Immersive Elements of World of Warcraft: Player v. Player (PvP)
Player v. Player: Flash Example 3D Environment: Director Example
8 Factors of Immersion Immersive Elements of World of Warcraft Immersive Factor Definition WoW Example 1 Risk Engagement Captivated and enclosed into the role provided by the storyline and narrative 2 Attention Time distortion, focus on the game world instead of real world 3 Interest Interesting, exciting as well as lively 4 Importance Meaning, relevant as well as close, personal, and sensitive 5 Co-Presence Feeling of sharing a place with others, being active in there 6 Interaction Speed, range, mapping, exploration, predictability of own actions 7 Arousal Active, stimulated vs. passive, unaroused 8 Physical Presence Feeling of being transported into a real, live and vivid place Character & Quests Leveling, PvP PvP, Auctions Currency, Gear, Leveling Chat, PvP, Guilds Quests, Raids, & Instances PvP, Guilds 3D, Live Server Environment Immersive Elements of World of Warcraft: Items
Immersive Elements of World of Warcraft: Items http://www.playfirst.com/playdinerdash.html Item Collection: Director Example
8 Factors of Immersion Immersive Elements of World of Warcraft Immersive Factor Definition WoW Example 1 Risk Engagement Captivated and enclosed into the role provided by the storyline and narrative 2 Attention Time distortion, focus on the game world instead of real world 3 Interest Interesting, exciting as well as lively 4 Importance Meaning, relevant as well as close, personal, and sensitive 5 Co-Presence Feeling of sharing a place with others, being active in there 6 Interaction Speed, range, mapping, exploration, predictability of own actions 7 Arousal Active, stimulated vs. passive, unaroused 8 Physical Presence Feeling of being transported into a real, live and vivid place Character & Quests Leveling, PvP PvP, Auctions Currency, Gear, Leveling Chat, PvP, Guilds Quests, Raids, & Instances PvP, Guilds 3D, Live Server Environment Immersive Elements of World of Warcraft: Chat
Chat: Flash Example 8 Factors of Immersion Immersive Elements of World of Warcraft Immersive Factor Definition WoW Example 1 Risk Engagement Captivated and enclosed into the role provided by the storyline and narrative 2 Attention Time distortion, focus on the game world instead of real world 3 Interest Interesting, exciting as well as lively 4 Importance Meaning, relevant as well as close, personal, and sensitive 5 Co-Presence Feeling of sharing a place with others, being active in there 6 Interaction Speed, range, mapping, exploration, predictability of own actions 7 Arousal Active, stimulated vs. passive, unaroused 8 Physical Presence Feeling of being transported into a real, live and vivid place Character & Quests Leveling, PvP PvP, Auctions Currency, Gear, Leveling Chat, PvP, Guilds Quests, Raids, & Instances PvP, Guilds 3D, Live Server Environment
Immersive Elements of World of Warcraft: Movement Running Video Movement: Flash Example
Movement: Director Example Ok, I get immersion. Tell me a bit more about Flash & Director.
Flash or Director? Flash 8 Director MX 2004 3D Environments X Web-based streaming X Cell phones X Palm Pilot X Chat X X Live Streaming X X Movement X X Item Collection X X Interact with OS X Flash & Director: Databases and Other Formats Flash 8 Director MX 2004 External Content XML X X ASP X X Perl X X Databases MySQL X X Access X X SQL X X Portable Devices Cell Phones X PDA X
Summary To-Do List: Play games but especially play video games Be open-minded look beyond the game message, even if you find it offensive, trivial, or otherwise unappealing Force yourself to push your elearning development Try to incorporate at least two of the 8 immersion elements in your next training project Don t let the technology set you back if you can t do what you want, find somebody who can; be resourceful
Building Immersive Learning Simulations with Flash & Director Session #502 Research Study: Involvement and Presence in Digital Gaming - October 2006 J. Takatalo, J. Häkkinen, University of Helsinki, Nokia Research Center 2007 D10 Interactive Inc. For works sited, author retains copyright. (1)
Immersive Learning Environments Using Flash & Director elearning Guild Annual Gathering 2007 Session #506 Websites: World of Warcraft - http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/index.xml Mirror Neurons - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/video/3204/w01-220.html Writing For Games - http://videogames.yahoo.com/newsarticle?eid=508214&page=0 Immersion Study 8 Factors of Immersion- http://delivery.acm.org/10.1145/1190000/1182520/p393- takatalo.pdf?key1=1182520&key2=9878906711&coll=&dl=acm&cfid=15151515&cftoken=6184618 Immersion Through Video Games - http://illumin.usc.edu/article.php?articleid=103&page=1 Flash Media Server - http://www.adobe.com/products/flashmediaserver/ Flash Media Server Info - http://www.flashcommunicationserver.net/ Flash Media Server Hosting - http://www.influxis.com/ Flash Chat - http://www.123flashchat.com/show_demo.html http://web.okaygo.co.uk/apps/letters/flashcom/ Playing With Fire: http://www.funny-games.biz/playingwithfire.html Phosphor (Director 1 st Person Shooter): http://www.rasterwerks.com/game/phosphor/beta1.asp DinerDash: http://www.playfirst.com/game/dinerdash Books: Flash & Director: Flash 8 Accelerated: A Full Color Guide YoungJin.com Beginning Flash Game Programming for Dummies Andy Harris Advergaming Developer's Guide: Using Macromedia Flash MX 2004 and Director MX Afshar/Jones/Banerjee Flash 3D Animation, Interactivity, and Games Jim Ver Jague, Chris Jackson Macromedia Flash Professional 8 Game Graphics Robert Firebaugh Macromedia Flash Professional 8 Game Development Glen Rhodes Game Development: Massively Multiplayer Games for Dummies Scott Jennings Massively Multiplayer Online Roll-Playing Games R.V. Kelly Digital Game-Based Learning Marc Prensky Story and Simulations for Serious Game: Tales from the Trenches Nick Iuppa Terry Borst Developing Serious games Bryan Bergeron Theory: Narrative as Virtual Reality: Immersion and Interactivity in Literature and Electronic Media Marie-Laure Ryan How Computer Games Help Children Learn David Williamson Shaffer What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy James Paul Gee The Kids Are Alright: How the Gamer Generation is Changing the Workforce John C. Beck, Mitchell Wade 2007 D10 Interactive Inc. For works sited, author retains copyright. (2)