Three Programs for Creating 3D Training Games

The other day I received an email message asking if my upcoming book “The Gamification of Learning and Instruction” gives instructions on how to build games. The short answer is “no.”

While the book provides content related to the design of games, the development of games and integration of game elements into e-learning, it is not a programming book and neither is Gadgets, Games and Gizmos for Learning. If you want to understand why games are important for learning, the different types of games and how they relate to different types of content to be learner then the two books are for you.

But if you want to program games, these are not the books. However, here are some recommendations to help start programming games.

**First a caveat, I don’t know what kind of game you want to develop. Do you want a 3D virtual simulation or do you want a simple Flash-based game. So I am recommending several books and software tools. I think, however, the first time you venture into game development, you may want to consider partnering with a vendor. It might seem more expensive at first but in the long run I believe it will save money and result in an e-learning experience that is worthwhile for the learner.

So here is the first of several blog postings about game software. More to follow such as Flash Games and special software for creating games quickly.

3D Software

If you want to develop basic 3D simulation with pre-developed avatars and environments, with a fairly simple interface and programming. A good choice is Thinking Worlds. They have a nice Getting Started with Thinking Worlds section on their web site with videos and a basic introduction. This is a good place to get started. And you can download a free version, try it out and see how it works before purchasing a professional version.

Another free to get started 3D software is Unity 3D. This software created impressive graphics and works on mobile devices as well. You will have the opportunity to get into complex elements like light mapping and world building so a basic understanding of coding and 3D software is very helpful in mastering this software. They have a great support community and a really huge (their word) tutorial on the product.

Here is a good beginner’s guide on Unity 3D:

Another tool that can be used to build 2D or 3D training is Torque which is created by a company called Garage Games, they have a number of products that can be used for mobile and 3D development. They also have an impressive amount of documentation online to help beginners get started as well as support communities.

More to follow if you have any suggestions or comments, please let us know what you think of these platforms for game development or if you have a favorite.