of Games and Learning [draft]

As I near the end of my first dabbling into the field of games and learning, I am begining to identify a few areas where further research, products, or some kind of implementation is required. Most of the ideas are questions or problems faced by people whom I am talking to, that I have been unable to comment upon.

I need more ideas, and people to tear at the very few i have. This is just the first draft and i will add to it, but here's for a start

A study I did into modelling of a simulation as a Adventure/RPG on the lines of the old LucasArts game with some components of D&D, led to a question of how to implement story trees in flash, people are doing this, but the process is extremely time consuming and mostly each condition is taken one at a time creating a gigantic pile of crosslinked swf files.

Flash based API or even a development structure to aid such development can be of great help. I have not been able to isolate an existing engine or the requisite flash technology to implement such a system, but i think this is a great opportunity.

Secondly a study into what the rural areas in India can contribute to the game development process could have amazing fallouts on learning games that are developed in India. Looking at the kind of techinical and multimedia skills that are popularized by so called 'computer training' institutes can provide cheaper means of production, more localized content and new-age employment 'IN' the rural areas.

I am currently working to create learning-version of the game development cycle primarily from the book 'Game Architecture and Design' by Andrew Rollings with inputs from processes of the eLearning industry. I think this is essential and after refinement the model could provide a structured and professional way to develop games for learning in India, and also identify people skills and resources required at various stages.

A system on the lines of an LMS, that supports game delivery is also an interesting idea, but more than that to create either technical or operational structures for such content in flash with support of next generation tools such as Breeze from macromedia (an Open system would be any day better) can help set up an easy distribution and deployment network.