The economy has had an impact on how many potential game and simulation projects commissioned. To make matters worse, when government, non-profit or grant funded institutions look to inform and educate using a game stakeholders are often tentative about allowing certain game mechanics. “No, we cannot allow game players to do that.” The PlayTrue Challenge game “case study” is a good example of how the World Anti Doping Agency agreed to allow bad behavior to take place within a online game.

Changing of the Guard is not a new educational web game. It’s the announcement of the peaceful transfer of power as I leave Web Courseworks, the Games Can Teach blog, and e-Learning for a new career in commercial game development with the jolly-smart independent games studio Three Rings.

I am very thankful for the opportunities Web Courseworks has given me, both in practical experience and creative freedom.  Freedom I was able to use to invent new tools like the Conversant Game Engine - which we used to create Play True Challenge and other games. I hope they’ll still be using it after I leave.