Some games (e.g., word and numerical games and virtual board games, like checkers and chess) are visually simple and limited to intellectual challenges. Other games (e.g. Age of Empires and Call of Duty) are visually rich, and expose the participants to a broad and dynamic range of visual and dynamic stimuli and emotionally charged experiences.

In research, simulations usually represent a range of the interactions that determine the behaviour of complex systems. There are computer simulations of weather, tornadoes, earth quakes, tsunamis, and the evolution of galaxies, based upon equations of physics. The design of modern aircraft and medicines involve mathematical simulations, based upon the principles of aerodynamics and stereochemistry, respectively. Animal and human behaviour are modelled upon principles of ethology and psychology, respectively.

In each case, what are thought to be the most salient aspects of the activity being studied are included in the mathematical model, including parameters whose values can be systematically modified to optimize, or test how significant they are in affecting, outcomes predicted by the simulation.

In sophisticated video games, models of game play ("engines") have evolved to the point where they are designed to simulate - more or less accurately - many aspects of the context in which participants are operating. To the extent that a player's actions are forced to obey mathematical constraints of economic interactions (e.g., GoVenture), or real world physics (e.g., Flight Simulator), they can provide both entertaining experience and pertinent insights into the corresponding consequences that would result from similar actions in the real world. This is particularly true of competitive activities, such as negotiating, where the actions of another player, rather than a computer model, is determining the game's response's to a player's actions.

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Apr 14, 2009 13:53 EDT

Thread 1

Computer games and simulations vary mostly as a matter of intent. Computer simulations are essentially games that replicate actual experience (and thus have instructional value), while computer games put the player in situations that are intended to entertaining – and which may or may not be realistic.

In some cases, training simulations are called “e-learning simulations” or “serious games”. A flight simulator has a “serious” role in that it can prepare people for the real experience of flying an aircraft. On the other hand, flight simulators can be very entertaining – and nobody gets hurt if/when you crash.

Some researchers (and educators) believe that you learn faster and better when you are enjoying the learning experience. They also say that there is value in learning from mistakes – and that mistakes made in simulations have no real cost or injury attached to them.

If you are new to the idea of simulations and games, you might want to demo some of the GoVenture business simulations available at

www.goventure.net (one of the sponsors of Entrepreneur Oasis).

Some quick and deep learning is available on these “Sims”, and they’re fun to use too.

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Dec 23, 2008 14:21 EDT

Thread 2