New Virtual U - Docs and Papers

NEW!

Virtual U has become one of several often referenced examples of a new genre of computer games known as "serious games". If you're interested in the greater application of "serious games" we point you to the following useful links and papers.

Serious Games: Improving Public Policy through Game-based Learning and Simulation by Ben Sawyer.
Includes case study of Virtual U's development.
Gaming our way to a better future by David Rejeski
Serious Games Project

VU 1.X and 2.X resources

We have provided as many resources as possible on this site to help you learn how to use, play, and learn from the Virtual U software.

We have provide an HTML version and a PDF Version (285K download) of our product manual.
The Virtual U 1.3 Original Strategy Guide is also now available for download

The online tutorial is a 22mb downloadable Flash tutorial that provides a multimedia tour of the Virtual U software.
Our Training Area offers information, sample assignments, and sample syllabus for professors using VU in their classroom
A paper covering information about training with Virtual U can be found here.

Powerpoint Slides from Seminars

To veiw these you must have Powerpoint. You can download a free viewer for Microsoft PowerPoint here.

Technical Documentation and Design Notes

Technical Document 2.0: Simulation Engine: Overview (7/20/98)
Technical Document 2.1: Enrollment Management (7/20/98)
Technical Document 2.2: Academic Operations (7/20/98)
Technical Document 2.3: Resource Allocation (7/20/98)
Technical Document 2.4: Physical Plant Activities (7/20/98)
Technical Document 2.5: Performance Indicators (7/20/98)
Technical Document 2.6: Component Descriptions
Technical Document 3.1: Initialization (9/23/98)
Technical Document 3.2: Student Segmentation Analysis
Technical Document 3.3: Initialization of the Student, Faculty, Department, and Financial Databases (9/23/98)
Technical Document 3.4: Enrollment Management (augments Td_2.1) (7/20/98)
Technical Document 3.5: Faculty Hiring (9/23/98)
Note from Aug 30 98
Note from Sept 9 98
Note from Sept 1998
Updated values for facilities model (Excel file 10/1/98)
General note on the Player inputs to resource allocation (11/20/98)
Definitions of Performance Variables - Educational quality: Detail (Word Document 11/20/98)