Creating Serious Games and Simulations with ease

PlayGen is the leading developer of serious games, simulations and game-based technology products. We’ve delivered dozens of engaging and immersive experiences utilising gaming technologies. At PlayGen we push the boundaries and go beyond the transfer of facts and knowledge to develop experiences which can inspire, change attitudes and change behaviour.

Why is our work so unique?

Our SG Creator and SG platform are designed to deliver scenario based Serious Games and Simulations and output to a wide variety of delivery systems that can put you miles in front.  We have spent seven years making serious games, so we decided to build the SG Creator and SG platform to do it in a quicker, better and more flexible way.

Benefits of our authoring tool include:

• Save on time and cost required to create your own games and simulations
• Rapid ROI
• Future Proof
• High quality, engaging and immersive outcomes
• Integration with LMS (Learning Management System) and SCORM Compliant
• Integration with a wide variety of delivery systems, Online or Offline – compatible with 99% of end-users.
• Compatible with any browser or system
• Compatible with any 3D Software player, such as Flash or Silverlight

Adobe Flash 3D

The advantages of flash are obvious – it’s installed in approximately 98% of computers; this is habitual, cross-platform technology. PlayGen have taken it one step further and have made it available for users to explore real-time three-dimensional worlds that allow players to explore and interact with characters and their environment.

Benefits of using Flash 3D technology:

• No download or installation necessary.
• No browser issues: Flash 3D will work the same whether the user is on Firefox, IE, Chrome, Safari, on Mac or PC.
• An ideal accessible medium for delivery of graphically advanced solutions.

“Using the Flash solution provided by PlayGen meant there is no need for any client side downloads with the user simply accessing the game through a web browser; this is an exciting development for the MoD as it proves engaging 3D training content can be delivered to a potentially wide audience without the traditional restrictions faced when operating within a Defence IT infrastructure.”

Lt Simon Coles, Royal Navy, of the Defence Center for Training Support

Open Source Virtual World

We’ve developed a multiuser, objective-based immersive simulation system using open source. Incorporating features found in the massively multiplayer World of Warcraft, we added the capabilities for defining and incorporating a single or multi-user quest based system for training, learning or gaming objectives.

Features of Open Source Virtual World:

• Fully autonomous virtual characters capable of briefing and questioning players.
• Bespoke mini map of the location highlighting virtual and live players.
• Instant messaging and voice over IP option for players to talk to other players privately or in groups.
• The ability to show Microsoft PowerPoint and stream video in world as well as recording progress through SCORM.

Benefits to using Open Source Virtual World Technologies:

• Utilise open source technologies to deliver a virtual world in a more cost effective and extendible solution.
• Provide methods to record the users’ progress within using SCORM methodology.
• Provide high fidelity photo-realistic virtual models of the environments and the characters within the Virtual World.
• Author and deliver scenario based serious games and simulations for single and multiuser situations within a secure virtual world autonomously.

Facebook Applications and Games

We’ve developed social, online, location based, alternate reality games, using user generated content including photos and stories brought together through mashups, using Facebook and Google Maps.

Facebook applications and games are relatively inexpensive and accessible tools that enable anyone to publish or access information.

Benefits of a facebook application:

• Give you the opportunity to show your human side—that you’re more than a business.
• Allows you to demonstrate a willingness to be open with users.
• Users can offer feedback to improve your products/services/training etc.
• High potential of viral marketing.
• Ultimate relationship-building opportunity.
• Gain a better user perspective—particularly those normally without direct contact.
• Good vehicles for increasing your companies/brand awareness and promoting and spread ideas.
• Offers a variety of tools that can be used to provide interactive training for your products and services.

Mobile Technology

Our world has become more connected through social networking and our digital world more vivid and exciting through advanced media and entertainment options. With mobile devices, it’s only natural that these technologies will be made compact and concise for streamlined access while out and about.

The market for developing games for the mobile phone market has been seen for the past several years as one with such an enormous amount of potential with the least amount of risk.

Benefits of using mobile technology to engage audiences:

• High penetration of devices with twice as many cell phones as PCs.
• Mobile phones can receive input anywhere-anytime, enabling location-specific and behavioural targeting for local businesses.
• Mobile phones are very personal devices that people take with them wherever they go, meaning users have constant access to their applications and games.