Evaluation Results

• CSS, UNIVERSITY OF GRAZ – AUSTRIA
• TAKOMAT – GERMANY
• TESTALUNA
• ETH ZURICH

CSS, UNIVERSITY OF GRAZ – AUSTRIA

In the focus of psycho-pedagogical research, primarily conducted by the University of Graz, was a scientifically sound framework for a non-invasive assessment of knowledge and learning progress embedded in a game and a subsequent comprehensive adaptation to the learner on micro and macro levels. The micro level refers to subtle educational interventions such as feedback or hinting within specific learning situations. The macro level, on the other hand, refers to an educationally appropriate sequencing and pacing of learning situations tailored to the individual learner. In 80Days, research made significant progress by elaborating a joint formal model of cognitive assessment of learning progress (on the basis of Competence-based Knowledge Space Theory) on a probabilistic and non-invasive level and the subsequent the provision of suitable support and interventions. The psychological-conceptual work was accompanied by formal research concerning the establishment of the required mathematical models as well as the development of related software-based simulation studies to evaluate and validate the reliability of the micro adaptive assessment procedures. In addition to the focus on cognitive aspects and learning performance, the Graz team conducted research in the area of models of motivation in educational game, indicators of motivation, the non-invasive assessment of motivational states as well as the modification of unwanted motivational states. The main research target is a methodologically and conception ally sound technology to assess continuously changing motivational within gaming episodes and to attempt to intervene if the system detects a decrease (or exaggerated increase) of the motivational level. Finally, a significant part of the accomplished work so far refers to an alignment and a combination of the psycho-pedagogical adaptation, intervention, and personalization mechanism (on theoretical as well as technical levels) with theories of adaptive storytelling, which is one of the major premises of 80Days, and the related technological substrates in form of game, story, and adaptation engines as well as related authoring tools (i.e., the StoryTec editor).

TAKOMAT – GERMANY

Takomat led and produced the learning game design in collaboration with the project partners on the basis of scientifically sound psycho-pedagogical research results of research partners. The didactic integration of geographical learning content into the game design was based on a compendium for European learning objectives and related learning content, which was compiled by experts in teaching Geography. The achievements of the design work so far led to a successful integration of didactic and game design in a comprehensive game design document for the first release of the game. This document describes all design aspects of the whole game and comprises the game’s premises, concept, metaphor, structure, Gameplay, the learning objectives, content, learning skills, background story, game characters, visual design and game props. With it the design team gave over precise design instructions and artwork to the software development and content production for the first version of 80Days’ Geo-Game. On the theoretical side of the conception phase in the project takomat proposed and discussed concepts e.g. for interactive storytelling. On the side of the content production takomat produced most of the game assets (3D-Characters,3D-Models, 2D- graphics, animations) and realized the game chapters “Cinematic Intro” as well as the level “Interactive Intro”. The design and production of the game character „Feon“ was particular important for the para-social learning in the game. takomat visualized the adaptive learning recommendations with the designed and implemented non-player Character Feon with the automatic animation features reactive gaze, face to face contact and gesture triggering, head movements, and context based movements of face-to-face conversation competence in the first release of the game. The latter pushes the Animation System research field into the next dimension in terms of the complexity of multimodal believable behaviour. Moreover a software interface for the Character Engine was implemented for the Character Authoring tool, which is part of the Story Editor by TUD. As leader for dissemination and exploitation takomat designed, developed and maintains the project’s website, created a leaflet acting as the project’s business card and undertook several event based dissemination activities, like interviews, participating with a booth on the 3rd youth forum NRW, participation in panel discussions about learning in virtual worlds, lecture in university about game-based learning, attending conferences and initiating exploitation activities like attending the Montreal International Game Summit 2008 or the ICT event in Lyon.

TESTALUNA

 In 80Days TESTALUNA is responsible for game development,
  implementation, and 3D development. Due to the multidisciplinary
  nature of the project many different technologies are involved and
  should be interfaced to create demonstrators that are the measurable
  outcomes of the project. TESTALUNA in particular is responsible for
  the development of the Game Engine, devoted mainly to manage gameplay
  activities, rendering the demonstrators on screen and to work
  conjointly with other engines of the project, namely Story Engine,
  Learning Engine and Character Engine.
  Progresses and results achieved so far are strategic for
  TESTALUNA’s business in serious games market and can be
  summarized in:

1. Creation of tools and editors to optimize development time and costs
   Development and integration of a terrain rendering system based on real 
   terrain data (GIS data)
2. Improvements of rendering performances
3. Integration of Text to Speech technology
4. Improvements to Physics engine (part of Game engine)
5. Development of a vehicle management system
6. Development of a system for displaying external assets (videos,images, audio files)

ETH ZURICH