MissionMaker

  • Game creation environment
  • Library of Environments, Props, Active Props, Sounds and Characters
  • Trigger Volumes
  • Intuitive rule making wizard
  • Automated lipsync to recorded or imported audio files
  • Export to play in stand alone player or web browser plugin

Developed initially as part of a research project  financed by the DTI and in collaboration with academic partner The Knowledge Lab.  This application was designed and built with input from  pupils at a number of schools around the UK.

Designed to enable the creation of  real-time 3D games it was developed with a  library of  environment tiles, set dressing and game object props and a collection of  avatars.  At the core of the application was a rule making wizard with which the game could be authored.  The application evolved over the two years of the research project into a well rounded and well received application.

The difficult task in building this application was being able to convey the concept of a rule based interactive system and to make that useable in a reasonably well understood interface. As in all development for this market, time is better spent in educational pursuits than having to grasp the intricacies of a complex application.

With the final build students and researchers created some quite sophisticated games. And the application opened up a whole new world of interactive storytelling that was previously difficult to teach.

With a development version of this software I developed a game about life in a medieval castle for BBC Jam. This included a model of a castle and suitably costumed characters and a web plugin was developed to run the downloaded game within the Jam browser environment. Navigation methods were tested for use by children with no prior PC gaming experience.

The interface used in this software is not to production standard. We decided to develop the feature set of the application before finalising the look and feel so that we wouldn't end up with additional functionality bolted on in inappropriate locations. Unfortunately the refinement process was never to take place and the software shipped with a fully functioning but not wholly satisfactory interface.

 
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