Collaboration framework in the EViE-m platform

Abstract

Within the context of a 3D interactive strategy game, the EViE platform allows participants to unlock game features using their knowledge and skills in various thematic areas such as physics, mathematics, etc. By answering questions organized by Educational Objective in stratified levels of difficulty, users gather points which grant them access to desired world elements. Richer world components become increasingly more difficult to access, so that a players' individual (or cumulative if in a group) knowledge, ability and / or dexterity is directly reflected by the level of complication of their virtual world. In the present article we report on the communication architecture of the platform and focus on framework components that allow group activities such as cooperation (within the group to facilitate e.g., collaboration on more difficult problems), (inter-group) competition as well as practice and skill honing activities (in single or in multi-player mode).