The Benefits and Unanticipated Challenges in the Use of 3D Virtual Learning Environments in the Undergraduate Media Arts Curriculum - Teaching through Multi-User Virtual Environments - page 242

Figure 4. Starr Sonic presenting to Digital Media Techniques in Second Life

teamwork and communication skills in the course.
The specific aims of the course are for students to:

• Animating in Second Life

• Sculpted prims

• Structuring the game

• Understand the basic terminology, con-

cepts and principles of games design

• Introduction to scripting

• More advanced scripting

• Convey information effectively and

concisely

• Final production

• Create different information structures to

control interactions in the interface

There were three assessment points in the
course:

• Apply the above knowledge and skills in a

variety of design situations • Written Design Specifications

• Design of the basic game Interface

The ninety students enrolled in the course dur-
ing the first semester worked collaboratively as
teams to create an immersive 3D game in Second
Life using a mix of skills including script writing,
storyboarding, interface design and scripting.
Over the thirteen week semester, students were
introduced to the following topics:

• Integration of Game Components and

Media

Students were free to choose the theme of
their adventure games and created the storyboard,
script and characters for their chosen game. To
reduce the cognitive load on students, the basic
building components and scripts were provided so
that students could focus more on the narrative of
their games and working collaboratively as teams
to bring the games to reality. To accommodate the

• Introduction to games design

• Pre-production documentation

• Introduction to building in Second Life