Since 2005, Filament Games has partnered with organizations all over the world to create more than 160+ best-in-class learning games and simulations.

Our talented team of game designers, artists, engineers, and more work each day to solve complex problems and create high-quality, impact-focused digital experiences.

Much has changed in the video games and education industries in the past decade, and correspondingly, a lot has changed about how we design and develop learning games, driven both by shifts in technology and an expanding breadth of project demographics and genres. Adaptability is key in our ever-changing industry, as reflected by our portfolio – over the years, we’ve proven that we can leverage any platform, reach any audience, and teach any topic.

 

“Filament’s 14-year tenure in the learning games space is one of our greatest assets. We’ve developed single-player, multiplayer, 2D, 3D, AR, VR, platformer, physics, simulation, MMO, role-playing, and puzzle games. We have programmed in Java, C#, Python, PHP, ActionScript, JavaScript, Lua, and C++, and even developed our own in-house game engine for HTML5.”

ALEX STONE, CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER

 

 

Any platform.

‘Platform’ specifies the technology your game will be built for and deployed on. Sometimes, clients come to us without a desired platform in mind. In these instances, we draw on our knowledge of technology adoption trends and the overall consumer landscape to help clients pick the optimal platform for their market, budget, and desired impact. We also work with organizations who have a predefined platform in mind, including developing within their existing technology or custom hardware restraints. Whether you seek to create an eye-catching mobile learning experience, a browser-based educational game for K12 classrooms, or a high-fidelity VR simulation, our team is positioned to creating an engaging, efficacious, and memorable learning experience aligned to your organization’s goals.

We understand the importance of considering the affordances of each platform when designing games, effectively harnessing these unique advantages to improve the overall gameplay experience.

 

 

Diffission

For example, our fractions puzzle game Diffission was designed with tablet and mobile phone interfaces in mind. As players solve endless procedurally-generated puzzles, satisfying slice and swipe mechanics are used to manipulate deceptively simple shapes, deepening the player’s understanding of fractions through intuitive touch-based gameplay.

 

Square Panda

Touch is not the only interface offered by contemporary mobile devices – Square Panda is a Bluetooth-enabled phonics playset that combines early reading pedagogy and custom hardware to allow for multi­sensory play. The playset includes 45 tactile Smart Letter toys that interact with a suite of compatible Square Panda games, three of which were developed by Filament Games: Bubbles, Jiggity Jamble, and Monster Rhymes. Developing for custom hardware that uniquely integrates mobile technology with physical, toy-like inputs, our team worked closely alongside Square Panda to create a suite of playful experiences optimized for their platform.

 

Breaking Boundaries

Designed for Samsung Gear VR and Oculus GO, Breaking Boundaries in Science immerses players in the life and times of some of history’s most famous women in STEM: Jane Goodall, Marie Curie, and Grace Hopper. By stepping into the world of each scientist, players explore their real-life work environments, gaining an intimate knowledge of their lives and achievements through fully voice-acted vignettes steeped in historical context. Breaking Boundaries’s unique narrative and humanizing vantage point on these figures’ lives is particularly impactful when delivered as an immersive VR experience.

 

“All members of our team are lifelong learners fueled by curiosity and the joy of discovery – a power we harness when creating games designed to engage players who are at any stage of their learning journey.”

DAN WHITE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

 

 

Any age.

One of our favorite aspects of learning is its ubiquity – a truly lifelong journey, learning simply does not end as a result of completing an educational video game, an assignment, or even a college degree. For the past 13 years, our award-winning team of developers has gained extensive experience developing content for audiences across the entire age spectrum, from Pre-K to adult learners.

 

mPower Math

One of our largest projects to date, mPower Math 3-6, is a suite of free online learning games designed to teach fundamental math skills while fostering positive attitudes and confidence among young learners. Featuring a bright, child-friendly aesthetic, mPower Math’s simplified and accessible representation of the world not only aids players in developing foundational STEM skills, but also fosters their understanding of the nearby communities and environments surrounding Ontario. The games have been enjoyed by over 46,000 learners – an impressive example of game-based learning at scale.

 

Planet Mechanic

Adolescence is one of the most commonly served age brackets among our clients’ customers – preteen and teenage players who still desire a playful experience, but also benefit from an emphasis on storytelling and narrative elements to help drive engagement. Our Earth-Sun-Moon system learning game Planet Mechanic strikes a tasteful balance of intriguing storytelling and meaningful gameplay, tasking players with assisting an alien race determined to construct the perfect planetary conditions for festivals, surfing, and more. As players modify their planet’s tilt, atmosphere, orbit, and lunar cycles, they make meaningful connections to how each variable affects planet temperature, time, and seasons. Players remain engaged throughout an entire play session, while achieving meaningful learning outcomes.

 

Wavequest

Our team also has experience developing scientifically accurate, high fidelity simulations designed to meet the needs of adult professionals. These experiences model real-life, sophisticated situations and processes, helping adult learners better understand and practice their understanding of topics like underwater acoustics, retail management, first aid/CPR training, and more.

 

“Our staff works hands-on with client subject-matter experts to rapidly build a sophisticated understanding of the topic at hand. Our versatile team has worked on everything from games about presidential campaigns to turtle ecology – and we’re always seeking our next challenge!”

DAN NORTON, CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER

 

 

Any subject.

Prior to starting a new project, our team immerses themselves in the targeted content through extensive subject matter research, taking into account core learning objectives to ensure key topics and objectives are depicted with a balance of accuracy and playfulness.

In our 14-year tenure, our studio has encountered, traversed, and learned from many of the pitfalls that are inherent to the challenge of developing learning games. We’re experts at creating playful abstractions of complex systems, making learning accessible and meaningful through the power of experimentation and play. We’ve mastered the art of transforming learning objectives into relevant, engaging, and memorable game mechanics, even working to align our games to established educational standards like Common Core and Next Generation Science when desired.

 

iCivics

Our longstanding partnership with civics learning platform iCivics is a perfect example of content breadth, with each of our 20 games honing in on one of many granular topics in the broader category of government, policy, and civics. Award-winning, free-to-play titles like Do I Have a Right?, Executive Command, and Win the White House fulfill retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s mission to “ensure every student receives a high-quality civic education, and becomes engaged in – and beyond – the classroom.”

 

Saving Lives!

Drawing on current American Heart Association Guidelines for chest compression and rhythm, our healthcare simulation Saving Lives! helps players practice and internalize the proper procedure and rhythm for CPR. Designed with modern, touch-based mobile devices in mind, the physicality of the player’s interaction with the game is directly analogous to the real-world CPR equivalent, offering players contextualized, just-in-time feedback as patient status changes based on player performance. Developed for client AppClinic, Saving Lives! was awarded a gold medal in the 2018 International Serious Play Awards’ prestigious ‘Corporate, Healthcare, Government, Museum Games’ category.

 

Smithsonian Science

We are also passionate about embracing projects focused upon critical, future-facing subject matter. Working with the Smithsonian Science Education Center, Filament Games has developed six digital learning games that are each designed to teach young learners and adolescents about a variety of domains within the sciences. Covering topics like physics, adaptation, and water conservation, the SSEC games library serves the instructional needs of a formal education environment while also sparking interest in STEM careers and sustainability.

 

No matter what type of project you’re looking to build, we’ve got the experience and versatility to deliver an effective and engaging game-based learning experience. Contact us today and tell us how we can bring your project to life!