Clive Shepherd clarifies his understanding of the difference between a 3D world, a simulation, and a game...
A 3D world is a graphic environment in which you can navigate. Think virtual reality. E.g. Second Life.
A simulation is an imitation of something real or a process. This does not have to be 3D. E.g. systems training.
A game is an activity with a goal and rules, in which the learner competes to better their own previous attainments. A game can involve a simulation (e.g. SimCity or other business games) and it can use 3D (e.g modern action video games), but it can take many other forms. E.g. Quiz games, text or 2D adventures, board games, and mind games.
The difference between a game and a serious game is the amount of gaming elements (fun, engaging, and challenging) and pedagogical elements (effective learning) experienced by the learner.
Following on from this, Donald Clark gives his reasons for not using Second Life in learning. These include the lack of:
- A good story (anecdotes, characters, storylines)
- Support (what happened, what should have happened)
- Interfaces that map to real world actions
- Dynamic Artificial Intelligence (AI) characters with which learners can repeatedly try new behaviour to see how they react
- Levels, tasks, and milestones
For more information, see Clark Aldrich's Style Guide for Serious Games and Simulations: http://clarkaldrich.blogspot.com/
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