lunar quest
Description:
LunarQuest is a Massive Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG) for the PC that puts players in a large, persistent multiplayer game world set on the Earth's moon. Players assume the role of lunar explorers, builders, and scientists who lead and guide humanity's efforts to colonize of the moon. By themselves or with others, players explore and develop the lunar frontier. Players advance their characters by their actions and by showing their knowledge of science concepts in physics. Advancement is awarded with access to new skills, equipment and "prestige" items that allow their character to be unique in skills and appearance.
The game world is a persistent and dynamic simulation of lunar ecology and economy where the computer controlled population of settlers rises and falls based on the resources available to them. Players interact with the world by discovering and exploiting it's resources and by building new man made constructs to help advance the cause of colonization.
Pedagogy:
It is our contention that in order to study how and why game play can be a serious tool for education, or serious gaming, we must build a game bridging the gaps of entertainment and pedagogy. LunarQuest is a serious game experiment that is an MMOG for two main reasons: MMOGs are built modularly which behooves experimentation of which features contribute to or hinder the learning or the physics content contained within, and MMOGs are communities that allow designers to reach classrooms of prospective students at one time.
Publications:
- Combining Fast-Paced Usability and Scientific Testing to Improve the Lunar Quest Physics Game (pptx)
- Paper Presentation at the 13th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction. San Diego, CA
Images:
Lunar Quest Mini Games:
We'd Like to Thank Our...
Sponsors: National Science FoundationPartners: UCF IST, Multiverse, UCF Department of Psychology, Penn State University
Donors: Hewlett Packard
LunarQuest Web Site: lunar-quest.com
guardian angel
Description:
Guardian Angel is one of many grants awarded in 2008 to various educational organizations from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to develop games for health. The proposed effort of Guardian Angle seeks to leverage game-based technologies to develop an effective, motivating practice environment for one treatment that relies heavily on the acquisition and maintenance of a new set of cognitive skills: relapse prevention. The RP model is a cognitive-behavioral model that asserts that relapse to substance use can be prevented through a set of skills that allow the patient to recognize, and cope with, situations that are likely to initiate a relapse (Larimer, Palmer, & Marlatt, 1999). We will use the theory of RP to build a suite of small games, each targeted to reinforce a required competency indicated from the theoretical model underlying the treatment. Our targeted population will be individuals with alcohol use disorders (AUD) currently receiving treatment in a Veteran's Administration Medical Center (VAMC).
Publications:
- Lessons Learned: Adult Learners and Serious Game Design (powerpoint)
- Paper Presentation at the 2009 Society for Applied Learning Technologies Conference. Crystal City, VA.
Images:
Guardian Angel Mini Games:
We'd Like to Thank Our...
Sponsors: Robert Wood Johnson FoundationPartners: UCF IST, UCF College of Medicine, UCF Deptartment of Psychology, SATC at the Ralph H. Johnson VAMC
Donors: Hewlett Packard
DAU - Minigame Development
Description:
The Defense Acquistion University is one of the largest corporate training universities in the nation specializing in training the defense acquisition workforce. DAU is working on several projects with RETRO to incorporate our trademark lite-weight flash games into pre-course and in-course interactive experiences. Our first project together was an exciting four-month rapid, iterative-prototyping game development ending Fall 2009. Two course primer products were developed for students enrolled in Continiuous Process Improvement and Logistics 101. Our second project, which just kicked-off, is a hybrid of robust interactive media products to be accessed by students before and during their Contract Contingency course.
The Invasion Protection Company Presents... Continuous Process Improvement
Select a Cell - An interactive experience with acquisition logistics!
We'd Like to Thank Our...
Sponsors:DAUPartners: UCF IST, UCF Deptartment of Psychology
Donors:Hewlett Packard
ONR/BBN Capable Manpower
Description:
The Office of Naval Research takes great pride and interest in their sailors in many ways such as funding a massive training movement called Capable Manpower. UCF RETRO Lab has been subcontracted by BBN Technologies to test, evaluate, and provide quantified research findings about the effects of gaming and learning/training-specifically data about BBN developed simulators designed for missions new recruits are expected to master before being sent off to their respective schools for specialized training. In addtion, RETRO is developing Flash minigames (namely, Insignia Searcher) to test the effects of gaming for learning Navy recruit soft skills such as memorizing insignia symbols, abbrevations, and names.
Publications:
- Considering Training Knowledge in the Evaluation of Training System Usability (pptx)
- Paper Presentation at the 13th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction. San Diego, CA
Images:
Insignia Searcher & Bullseye Trainer BETA Flash Games:
We'd Like to Thank Our...
Sponsors: BBN Technologies via The Office of the Secretary of DefensePartners: UCF IST, UCF Deptartment of Psychology, Alion, CRESST, IDSI, I.D.E.A.S, and CHI
Donors: Hewlett Packard
Fostering Adaptability in Military Operations
Description:
Funded through The Office of the Secretary of Defense, the RETRO Lab's project mission for Fostering Adaptability in Military Operations is to exploit emerging technologies to enhance laerning and human performance for military operators in the field. This past July RETRO hosted a workshop of major academic and military leaders whom specialize in training methods and adaptabiity in Washington, D.C. The best concepts from the science of learning and the best practices of 'what works' for today's military were brought to light in order to formulate a hybrid learning intervention for military instructors and soliders to use in the future.
We'd Like to Thank Our...
Sponsors: The Office of the Secretary of DefensePartners: UCF IST, UCF Deptartment of Psychology, Wesleyan University
Donors: Hewlett Packard
