DCMS innovation funding was secured by the team who created BrightGame. The fund was used by SkillsPlay to create a range of new features.
The new developments were designed after an insight research programme identified key drivers and barriers to the use of game-based learning in UK schools and colleges.
The key focus was overcoming barriers to the adoption of game based learning (vs gamification), in vocational programmes such as Apprenticeships, T’Levels, and UK TVEP vocational qualifications offered by FE Colleges and in Higher Education (Universities).
New features
Collaborative development: Create games with your peers!
The new features enable game creators to invite other creators to support their projects. The creator can allocate roles from simple commenting to full editing and even approval for publishing.
The project owner can track comments and changes in their live project feed, and can even reverse changes made to maintain project integrity.
Game copy: Duplicate your game file to create different versions
The game copy function helps tutors to create multiple versions of their games with different scenarios but the same/ or similar process stages and action sets.
In addition, it can be used to create a template game if you want to keep consistent colour themes, branding, and game artifact styles (action cards, free action cards, etc.) the same.
New game formats: Supporting different applications
Following our research it became apparent that to best serve tutors, there will be a need for a library of different game templates.
A game template is used in BrightGame to accelerate game creation process. Game templates include all logic and aids required to support creating a great game experience.
The team have now developed multiple archetypes to support different educational and training needs including a critical action game template (where the focus is on action sequence and related impacts), and a competitive game template (where the focus is on completing a task first) in addition to the original form.
Animated characters: Real human character cards
In BrightGames we use character cards to represent real-world roles that influence our process and actions when completing tasks. These may be for peers we turn to for advice, line managers or consultants for example.
As well as having a range of cartoon-style character sets to choose from, you can now select real human characters for your games.
Multiplay and cohort management: Tracking engagement and results
A big move forward for us in the past few months has been establishing secure processes to share games with your class or learning group.
BrightGames are ALWAYS free to play and this is part of our philosophy in developing the platform.
Creators can now invite players (through batch upload or cut & paste) to a group. We are also working on a dynamic LMS/ CRM API for live register access. The system will determine which players have accounts and which dont, sending invites to new players to join BrightGame.
Groups allow tutors and administration to see learner engagement, and game participation, as well as personal, team (group subset), and group results.
Results for games played provide a range of details including scenarios selected, actions selected, score achieved, time taken to complete the game, and more.
A wide range of game invite options
Players can be invited to game sessions through a range of options including a permanent hosted link (such as on your website), or a live hosted session (in person or online), using short codes, QR codes, or through Google Classroom.
Our development roadmap
While much has been achieved the team are focussed on further development in collaboration with our early adopters. In particular, we are keen to introduce AI into our platform to support game definition (Learning objectives, key outputs and tag) based on syllabus extraction, and to further develop our multi-modal game creation methods so there is a process that suits everyone, whether you prefer hand holding step by step, of smart content sheets.
Needless to say, we are actively seeking collaborators and if you would like to join our growing BETA community, create pilot games or work with us to advance BrightGame further, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.