ABSTRACT
Immersive virtual learning environments, virtual or synthetic worlds such as Second Life and Opensim, and immersive virtual game environments such as World of Warcraft have, over the last decade or so, emerged as authentic digital tools for those engaged in the practice of teaching, learning and research. Now that the hyperbole that inevitably surrounds early adoption of any new technology has subsided use in education is tentatively venturing on to the ‘plateau of productivity’.
‘I believe that the future of gaming will be a mesh of real world and virtual components. This can certainly be seen in new technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR), but I believe this will extend to real life sensor data as sensors become more affordable and designers integrate them into games (think about Nike+ as one common example). The integration of virtual and real life pieces (and, in some cases, sensors) can be seen in arcade games like Sangokushi Taisen (https://www.sangoku-wars.com/sangokuwars01/game_main.html" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">www.sangoku-wars.com/sangokuwars01/game_main.html) or with the integration of boardgames and computer games such as Ex Illis (https://ex-illis.com/wikien/Main_Page" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">https://ex-illis.com/wikien/Main_Page).
Kris Rockwell