How Long Does It Take To Build A Sim?
How long does it take to develop a simulation or virtual training experience?
This is a question constantly asked by companies, designers and educators that are interested in building a 3D immersive simulation. At Caspian Learning, we have developed and deployed over 80 simulation applications for military, corporate and education clients across the world. We have gained a lot of insight into this question through this experience.
When we begin to answer this question, we must first ask what type of simulation experience is being developed:
- Performance Simulation
- Constructive Simulation
- Branching Story
- Vignette – mini sim
- Communication Challenge
Within each of these different types of simulation experience, the exact development time will vary according to complexity of requirement: the level of 2d & 3D bespoke artwork to develop; detailed performance diagnostics; custom database work to capture performance; and complexity of the scenario design (number of ‘nodes’ in the tree). That withstanding, there are some guidelines for development timeframes within these simulation categories.
Performance Simulation
A 3D simulation of a situation or scenario in which the learner must perform behaviours congruent to their real life application.
The simulation provides the opportunity for:
- Safe failure
- Personal relevance
- Consequences
- Practice
- Real time feedback
- Measured improvement
The player controls the avatar, and performs actions within the 3D world to influence events and to achieve learning goals.
The high level of user control over movement, navigation and interaction, coupled with the personal viewpoint perspective engenders high levels of presence “a feeling of being there” in the situation depicted in the world.
Estimate: 270 – 350 man hours per hour of learning
Branching Story
An unfolding sequence of animated scenes within a story or event. The user is able to influence and even determine the flow of the story by making choices and decisions at different points.
At these points the flow of the story will follow different branches.
Estimate: 280 – 330 man hours per hour of learning
Constructive Simulations
Construction and Management Simulations are games about processes and strategy.
A player must build, expand or manage an entity or project with limited resources. The game provides an interface that enables the player to manipulate and change values and properties within the simulation – for example, to change the level of funding for a public department within an economy simulation.
Estimate: 270 – 350 man hours per hour of learning
Vignettes – Mini Sim
A shortened performance simulation focused on a specific task, behavioural activity or situation. This experience will last between 20 and 30 minutes for the learner and targets very specific behaviour change in the learner – checking for IED‟s in Afghanistan, assembling water filtration units in high risk environments, performing sales closes in an automotive scenario, reacting to over estimating cognitive biases on a trading floor, shift start procedures in a hotel kitchen, etc.
Estimate: 100 – 140 man hours of learning
Communication Challenge
These simulations will typically target attitude change as an objective, be it for business change, marketing messages or entertainment. They range in formats and design, including full mini games. They are typically of short duration – 5 minutes to 25 minutes for the user.
Estimate: 30 – 100 man hours of learning
