SpyTycoon. Image courtesy of Epic Games.
Video games are everywhere. In every home, on every phone, they seem to beckon with distractive possibilities. Or at least that’s how we are trained to think of them as teachers. Video games are fun, not for learning.
And yet, right under our noses the underlying technology that powers game development—game engines—is revolutionizing industries all across the world, influencing everything from car design to the way companies train their employees.
What’s especially interesting about this is that for all of the enthusiasm students throw at video games, few realize just how many opportunities are starting to open up to people that learn the technology. This is the promise of interactive 3D.
So why did all of these artists, designers and companies start playing around with game tech?
It’s pretty simple, really. The tools got easier to use, the visuals got more realistic, and the experiences became even more immersive. The latter was an especially big draw because, as you know, when people feel a strong connection to something, knowledge retention and enthusiasm go up. Way up.
If you are new to interactive 3D, Epic Games—the creator of Unreal Engine—defines it as: “the ability to interact with the digital world the same way you do with the real world.” In practice, that usually means navigating 3D spaces or interacting with 3D objects in real time. Sometimes by mixing the real world with a virtual component.
Take augmented reality (AR), for example. In AR, virtual environments or objects are overlaid over a real-world component, like the room you’re in. Someone puts on a headset, or kicks on a phone app, and suddenly they can see a mix of real and virtual things. If you’ve seen any of the storm simulations on The Weather Channel, you know this can be done to dazzling effect.
But interactive 3D isn’t limited to AR or headset-based scenarios. You know all those car commercials? Ninety percent of the cars were created using interactive 3D technology.
Game engines even have a place in the medical world. CSL Plasma, a biopharmaceutical company, uses interactive 3D to train their employees on how to draw blood from patients, including identifying the correct vein, using proper sanitization swabbing procedures and inserting the needle at the correct angle.
Seemingly everywhere you look, organizations are finding freedom in interactive 3D. And students can help them do even more.
There is evidence that shows that gaming (as in, the act of playing video games) can provide beneficial life skills. Epic Games’ Education Program Manager Steve Isaacs states, “When we engage students with game technology, we empower many with the ability to leverage their expertise to demonstrate learning in amazing ways. Challenges often become more meaningful to students in this space, leading to students taking ownership of their learning."
Here are three ways learning game engine technology can benefit students.
Primal Rumble. Image courtesy of Epic Games.
The key is unlocking these paths for students by moving them from “player” to “creator.” And by incorporating real-time 3D tools in your school’s curriculum, you can start versing your students in the nuances of technology that will always make them marketable, and will often inspire a new perspective around what they can accomplish and when. Win-win.