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A Comprehensive List of Game Mechanics for Serious Games

With the rapid changes in technology and the derivation of new game mechanics, designing a game is now easier than ever before. If you have an idea, then there are only a few fundamental game mechanics that you need to know. Whether you’re designing a first person shooter game, a logical game or a serious game for E-Learning purposes, familiarity with game mechanics is essential.

Several popular game mechanics are summarized below:

Number of Attempts
Solitaire, Nibbles and Minefield are examples of games using the mechanic Number of Attempts. The games continue until the player either completes the challenge or runs out of attempts, such as lives or turns. After the player achieves the goal or dies, the game begins all over again.

Player Movements
In games such as Dance Dance Revolution and Simon, the player must physically move to play the game. A series of steps have to be repeated to complete each stage and move on to the next one. This concept started with mats that plugged into game consoles. Newer technology like Wii, Kinect and Leap Motion allow players to use realistic movements like jumping and dodging in games.

Blocks
The classic mechanic of blocks is employed by Puyo Puyo, Tetris and Sobokan. These game mechanics revolve around the arrangement of standard objects and shapes in a systematic order to complete the game.

Motion Detection
This game mechanics involves the use of the mouse in a certain way without making any errors. First person shooter games with keyboard controlling often rely on the use of mouse movements for aiming, shooting and reloading. This includes games such as Max Payne.

Scarcity of Resources
The introduction of resource constraints is one of the best ways to test the organizational skills of the player. Lunar Lander, zombie games and several military games limit the resources available to the players, such as weapons and ammunition, to enable players to utilize such resources effectively.

Hidden Images
Frequently used by logical and serious games, hidden images are a digital representation of the “Where’s Waldo” concept into gaming. Objects are hidden within a picture and the players use their observation power to trace simple objects in a complex picture. Examples of such games include the Big Fish Game Series.

Brawling and Racing
When designing action games, brawling and racing are two of the oldest and the most frequently used game mechanics. The player’s character comes with a wide variety of attack and speed combinations. Similarly, the time taken for each level can act as the resource constraint. Examples include the Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat and Need for Speed series.

Basic Construction
Introduced early by Theme Park games and expanded by Minecraft and the SimCity series, this game mechanics allows the player to construct a complete virtual world. From designing the environment to individual character design, these game mechanics are the most trending mechanics nowadays.

With several other game mechanics available, game designers and players now have plenty of options to choose from. The use of game mechanics in serious games has not only provided users with new leisure experience but has also enhanced the learning process. For organizations with the objective of promoting learning, knowledge of game mechanics and its application to learning is essential.

3D E-Learning is here to Stay!

Imagine watching a 3D movie. How would you feel every time you put on your 3D glasses and see something popping out of your screen? If you’ve watched 3D movies in a theater, you know the adrenaline rush better than anyone else. Now imagine if learning processes were made similar to watching a 3D movie. Such a learning experience might not require the use of 3D glasses or have images popping out, but it does provide you with a virtual learning environment and interactive graphics that no other classroom can provide. That is what the concept of 3D E-Learning is all about, and just like 3D movies, this learning concept is here to stay!

What is 3D E-Learning?
When it comes to learning, traditional methods often pale in comparison to modern techniques. In terms of efficiency of E-Learning and knowledge retention, interactive and stimulating 3D environments yield the best results within the shortest time frame. In a well designed and stimulated 3D E-Learning environment, the learning process is completely transformed from a one-dimensional process to a collaborative and interactive multi-dimensional activity. E-Learning through the use of 3D graphics and environments creates a participatory experience far more effective than lecture-style training.

Here are the reasons why this amazing technology is the future:

Virtual Environments are Safe
Imagine training your staff on-site to identify the different hazards in a workplace. Unless you have set aside a huge fund for workers’ compensation, this technique is likely to be a costly disaster of penalty fees and employee medical bills! 3D E-Learning can provide a computer generated environment for your employees to learn about the work safety, without exposing them to any risk of accidents.

Informal Learning
For both students and professionals, most of the learning takes place outside the academic curricula or the workplace. Whether the information is related to work, leisure or any aspect of personal life, imparting it through an immersive 3D environment promotes informal learning. Similarly, learning and retention rates are drastically improved when using customized 3D environments.

Personalized Guidance
An effective 3D E-Learning environment is somewhat similar to that of a video game. Avatars are not running amuck. Instead, characters are organized and resources are shared to achieve a common objective, such as taking down the opposing team. E-Learning environment works in a similar manner. Interactive guidance assists learners in planning their resources to achieve their objectives. However, unlike typical video games, the guidance offered in a simulated learning environment is highly personalized. Depending on the knowledge, skills and experience of the users, assistance can be customized to meet individual needs at the various levels of E-Learning.

Cost Saving Incentives
Contrary to popular belief, 3D E-Learning is an inexpensive process over the long term. Creating a simulated environment may appear to be an expensive investment, but it can be expanded and revised as companies grow and shift, providing ROI for years to come. You can easily model all your equipment to the last detail and create training programs for employees and students at all organizational hierarchical levels and class levels, respectively. In these times of recession and global uncertainty, more and more organizations are investing in 3D E-Learning as an alternate to traditional learning model to reduce their costs per employee or student.

With all its advantages, 3D E-Learning is here to stay and intended to revolutionize the way of learning and improving the performance of the learners. If you still haven’t considered acquainting yourself with the process of 3D E-Learning, now is a good time to find out more about this amazing tool.