Abstract:

Serious simulation games (SSG) are used in education to training managers, but also they are can be used in scientific research. They allow exploring competences and abilities of participants to solve problems (i.e. to perform management functions for example) in certain cases. SSG imitate the real, dynamic situations in controlled, measurable and analyzable environments. Games are a part of educating and allow studying skills of participants.

SSG developing cycle is presented in this paper. It consists of the following phases: the game aim and concept definition, general game designing, a mathematical model developing, game computerization and testing, final game and supporting materials developing. These phases are followed by dissemination of the game, its modification and improvement.

The process of designing and creating (computerization) of the game is an iterative process. It mainly rests on creating a game situation model that meets the objectives of the competition, and its software. Very often one of the steps of this process is practical verification of the developed model.
Appropriately developed simulation game requires runtime environment. This environment should allow defining of the game (i.e. its parameters), rules, an interface, simulation model and its testing and executing in really conducted games.

The paper presents the architecture of an open and extensible authoring system to develop and execute a serious simulation games. The developed system uses web technologies. It consists of three modules: the developer, the arbitrator and the participant of the game. Each module has a different task. The main feature of the system is the ability to define and store the game (including mathematical-simulation model) in an external database. It makes the developed system an universal and elastic tool for the development and implementation of simulation games. Storing the simulation model in the database, combined with the ability of easy expansion of the simulation models functionality by adding new functions in the simple manner, makes the developed system very flexible. At the same time, the game participant interface is maximally simplified and user friendly, which helps breaking down the barriers the lack of manual skills of the game user. Defining the mathematical model using the System Dynamics methodology in the database, significantly speeds up and simplifies the process of computerization of the game and its testing.

Examples of development and using the simulation games in education, using the authoring system are presented in this paper. All those games have been approved in practice.

Keywords:

Decision simulation game, authoring system.