Interactive Learning Environment
by Rich Wilson · in Torque Game Engine · 05/29/2003 (9:48 am) · 2 replies
I am currently working on an interactive 3d learning environment in Torque for the Polymer Science Learning Center at the University of Southern Mississippi.
The idea was for students to be able to log into this "virtual mall" and examine everyday items in the stores, and get information about the polymers involved in making that object. It was designed to be a 3d allegory to a website that already exists.
I have since decided to redesign this application to be more suited to an interactive environment, and am now trying to incorporate the concept of an instructor level user.
The basic premise is that students and an instructor will log in, and the instructor will be able to tailor the students' experience however they see fit, through a series of control panels. They will be able to score students, and create competitions and challenges that can pit student against student, or have students cooperating to achieve a goal. There will be premade challenges that the teacher can use, or they can assemble their own through a simple set of tools that will be included.
I already have the basic mall environment designed and am just beginning to pick up the scripting language to see what I can do. I've got a 6 month timeline on this project. All that I'm shooting for is a basic working proof of concept by that time. Does anyone out there know the feasibility of such a project in this time span with a one man team, or have any suggestions?
The idea was for students to be able to log into this "virtual mall" and examine everyday items in the stores, and get information about the polymers involved in making that object. It was designed to be a 3d allegory to a website that already exists.
I have since decided to redesign this application to be more suited to an interactive environment, and am now trying to incorporate the concept of an instructor level user.
The basic premise is that students and an instructor will log in, and the instructor will be able to tailor the students' experience however they see fit, through a series of control panels. They will be able to score students, and create competitions and challenges that can pit student against student, or have students cooperating to achieve a goal. There will be premade challenges that the teacher can use, or they can assemble their own through a simple set of tools that will be included.
I already have the basic mall environment designed and am just beginning to pick up the scripting language to see what I can do. I've got a 6 month timeline on this project. All that I'm shooting for is a basic working proof of concept by that time. Does anyone out there know the feasibility of such a project in this time span with a one man team, or have any suggestions?
About the author
#2
a Few Questions or idea's, depending how you look at it.
Will there be a side script to this, like the cs/dso files as torque calls and compiles, would there be a small script system on the side of this, to add features? instead of writing a program to hex the software itself, or call the cs/dso files and worry about people changing to much?
Kinda like say, if online mall, could be any thing, we will use it as a simple mall, refering to say a pet store inside it, create a file, and add a config aspect to make it simple something as follows
### item to add to store ###
Location=petstore1 ( being predefined in another part in a cfg of locations with names) ( possibly having a 2nd script called the place name, that stores smaller items, including like a big area where the mall is, say like one file mall, a bunch of aspects about the mall in other files, then create store files to the other smaller files, location ( predefned in the mall script, floor, area, etc, all defined by numbers)
Type=dog
area=1(inside petstore1)
colors=rgb style or other?
maybe go more defined as in gender, type of dog, maybe other details?
## end ##
then have the config files of types just every line have types, then define in another file, if do hardcore, from styles say if dog, list type of dogs, and geometry about them.
so basicly just writing a script engine, and allowing the scripts to do the dirty work, or add like a .zip file aspect to the program to store all things in there, but rename it to something like.see ( Script Engine Extreme, cause it will take it beyond most scripting aspects) and also add security to it, so no little punks could figure out what it is, or figure out the encoding to get out the files, or they probably will, but add a 128/386 encoded aspect so they will have to work at what we give them. ( also add like say if you use a login, like ashersons call or dark age of camelot or other games, can use the personal program key as their public secrutiy key to enter the server, that unlocks or allows the program to read the remote and stored info on the system, so it adds an even more tighter security, but they wont know this, or can add it in differnt ways, so maybe you can add the reg. key you give them, it checks a file on the server, grabs it, or just reads the data, creates a public key for that session only, and then allows log-in, and can add even more security to the program, allowing no windowed mode, and runs a smaller program in back on clients, that scans processes to the game, seeing if there is packet sniffers running, or any thing else that shows the user what is going on. Yes I have a really big thing about security, and I seek every way possible to not allow people like myself to see the information ;] )
also like in mall, define colors, where( on the world), everything, and when you build the programs to edit all these, can even create like I said about zip aspect, but the zips are called what the store name is or what ever, with location, so when the engine reads it, you can have endless things, or just keep it in one, all in how you want to make it.
Also if you are using the network support, and making simple clients that read the server, would the people have to keep files on their side, or would they just have to download a text, that predefines something, and the server handle all the calls? or keep the server light for massive users, and allow the client to store all data as well, possibly that, for faster calling and better looks?
Would you add remote ( users ) to create objects too? and store them on the server?
side notes: basicly I am looking at this for all people looking to create a really hardcore world, and this is exactly what people are looking for, least I would be, because it's really good. Brings up Millions if not billions of idea's and allows for a very well put game/online store in 3d/ or any thing else to be built, ran, and expanded like no other.
I will probably have a billion and one more idea's as I think, kinda tired at the moment, I am keeping this forum on direct email. So if you wish to let me send you idea's I can, and would be happy to help as much as I can..
Brad
06/01/2003 (5:13 am)
Sounds wonderful, and I am very well interested in this, would fit great into a MMPORPG environment.a Few Questions or idea's, depending how you look at it.
Will there be a side script to this, like the cs/dso files as torque calls and compiles, would there be a small script system on the side of this, to add features? instead of writing a program to hex the software itself, or call the cs/dso files and worry about people changing to much?
Kinda like say, if online mall, could be any thing, we will use it as a simple mall, refering to say a pet store inside it, create a file, and add a config aspect to make it simple something as follows
### item to add to store ###
Location=petstore1 ( being predefined in another part in a cfg of locations with names) ( possibly having a 2nd script called the place name, that stores smaller items, including like a big area where the mall is, say like one file mall, a bunch of aspects about the mall in other files, then create store files to the other smaller files, location ( predefned in the mall script, floor, area, etc, all defined by numbers)
Type=dog
area=1(inside petstore1)
colors=rgb style or other?
maybe go more defined as in gender, type of dog, maybe other details?
## end ##
then have the config files of types just every line have types, then define in another file, if do hardcore, from styles say if dog, list type of dogs, and geometry about them.
so basicly just writing a script engine, and allowing the scripts to do the dirty work, or add like a .zip file aspect to the program to store all things in there, but rename it to something like
also like in mall, define colors, where( on the world), everything, and when you build the programs to edit all these, can even create like I said about zip aspect, but the zips are called what the store name is or what ever, with location, so when the engine reads it, you can have endless things, or just keep it in one, all in how you want to make it.
Also if you are using the network support, and making simple clients that read the server, would the people have to keep files on their side, or would they just have to download a text, that predefines something, and the server handle all the calls? or keep the server light for massive users, and allow the client to store all data as well, possibly that, for faster calling and better looks?
Would you add remote ( users ) to create objects too? and store them on the server?
side notes: basicly I am looking at this for all people looking to create a really hardcore world, and this is exactly what people are looking for, least I would be, because it's really good. Brings up Millions if not billions of idea's and allows for a very well put game/online store in 3d/ or any thing else to be built, ran, and expanded like no other.
I will probably have a billion and one more idea's as I think, kinda tired at the moment, I am keeping this forum on direct email. So if you wish to let me send you idea's I can, and would be happy to help as much as I can..
Brad
Torque Owner Badguy
and providing the content required by the design is either simple or already made, then it is easily feasible.
if indeed you need to create the actual 3d content, then I hope you have a firm grasp on the current methods of getting this content into the engine.
Other than that this should not be a problem to get done in 6 months..
with most likely a small set of "control panels" and corresponding challenges/goals
the great part is you can continually expand on your set of controls.
My one suggestion would be to focus on the tools used to custamize and create the actual objective/goal from your resource set.
(while within the engine right?)