multiplayer: let someone else worry about the learning

An environment, such as a game, electronic space, or online forum, that involves more than one participant.

• Many multiplayer environments are synchronous - the players engage each other in real-time.
• The players can simple co-exist and communicate, compete with each other, form teams that compete with each other, or collaborate.
• Players are often represented by avatars.
• In some situations, an AI controlled player can take the place of a real player.
• A first time or inexperience player in a multiplater environment is called a newbie.
• An administrator sets up certain attributes, such as victory conditions, Maps/arena, passwords, and populations size. Then participants might wait in a lobby, before everyone joins ins.
• Some servers/hosts have matchmaking abilities to bring together players of similar skill levels.
• Massive Multi-Player Online Role Playing Games, in contrast, use persistent environments.
• Even a multi-player sim needs a single player training level.

In a Sim

The opportunities and risk of multiplayer in educational simulation can be understood in microcosm by looking at the issue of directing people. In a multiplayer sim, participants can communicate with other real participants naturally, such as via open-ended speech or text. But the pedagogical opportunity to shape how and why participants talk to each other has to be only in the briefing and debriefing.