Gamification Training With SCORM-Compatible PC Simulations

Introduction

When most people hear the word “simulation,” they usually think of Virtual Reality (VR). But computer-based training simulations don’t always require a VR headset. Some simulations don’t use a standard computer at all, like physical simulation rigs, but this article is focused specifically on PC simulations.

These are non-VR programs that run directly on a desktop PC or over the web, controlled with nothing more than a mouse and/or keyboard, or depending on preference, even a gamepad. And the truth is, the simulation gaming genre has already been proven successful at transferring occupation-related skills for years through popular video games.

What is Gamification Training?

Gamification training is an approach that integrates game mechanics, such as points, badges, levels, and leaderboards, into non-game learning environments to boost engagement and motivation. By transforming traditional training methods into interactive and rewarding experiences, gamified training encourages desired behaviors like course completion and knowledge sharing while fostering both a sense of achievement and a more enjoyable learning atmosphere.

Most gamification training incorporates features like that, but simulation training puts users in a 3D environment where they control a character whether in third-person or first-person, which is exactly how video games are. This type of gamification in training has the most familiarity for young adult audiences since they are experiencing training the same way they experience their video games, with a good balance of enjoyability and training.

The Simulation Genre in Gaming

Just look at titles like Euro Truck Simulator/American Truck Simulator, Car Mechanic Simulator, or Farming Simulator. These games are typically used for casual entertainment by gamers, but they’re often incredibly detailed and accurate even though they are mainly created for entertainment purposes. Unlike the market of simulation training which is still growing, the video game industry and market is already massive, and the simulation genre is one of the most popular genres that exist.

They recreate processes, mechanics, and systems with such precision that they’ve built entire fanbases of not just gamers but real-world professionals. Truck drivers play American Truck Simulator in their downtime because it reflects the job they love. Car enthusiasts and mechanics use the popular Car Mechanic Simulator to enjoy themselves in a more relaxed environment. Farmers play Farming Simulator because it nails machinery, planting, harvesting, and farming processes to a level that feels familiar to their day-to-day.

It might sound surprising how these video games can be so popular when they are based on doing ‘work’, but that’s the essence of the popular trend, ‘gamification’ in training. As it stands right now, these games get massive budgets and years of development because the gaming entertainment industry is so huge, but these games do more than just entertain.

They teach.

Without players even realizing it, they’re absorbing transferable skills: they’re learning complicated procedures that usually industry people only would know even exist, they’re becoming familiar with industry tools and understanding workflows In many ways, simulation gaming has blurred the line between entertainment and education. And if a truck driver can spend hours driving digital freight across Europe just for the love of it, it’s easy to see how powerful this format can be when directed at actual training.

How Training Simulations Use the Same Methods as Gaming Simulations

Training simulations take the exact same approach as games. They’re controlled in simple, familiar ways: mouse and keyboard, mouse-only, or with a controller. The mechanics aren’t complicated to pick up because they borrow directly from the gaming world.

The difference is that training simulations don’t aim to cover everything. They aren’t about creating vast open worlds or endless scenarios. Instead, they target specific industry needs. The point is to build a realistic, detailed environment around the situations a company actually needs to train for. This is the essence of gamification. The simulation genre is already massive in gaming, and its methods are proven to engage people. Bringing that same style into training means employees don’t just sit through dry material. They actively participate in processes, learn by doing, and build knowledge in a way that sticks.

Level of Realism in Simulations vs The Real-World

But it’s important to stress something here. Even the most detailed simulations are still simplified versions of reality. They never completely recreate the real-world experience, after all they’re meant to be relaxing and played while sat at a desk. They take the core parts and add some complex mechanics or features without overdoing it by making it too close to the real job and effectively cutting down on the enjoyability.

Take Farming Simulator as an example. Farmers themselves praise how accurate it is when it comes to machinery, crop cycles, and day-to-day farming processes. The tractors, harvesters, and attachments behave correctly. The processes for ploughing, seeding, and harvesting are spot on. But real farmers will tell you where the limits are.

A user on Reddit said:

“It’s good. But as mentioned above, it does nothing to accurately simulate the complexities of agriculture. Soil composition, compaction and nutrients are very very loosely touched upon. The weather is always perfect. You won’t get a hot dry year or a cold rainy year so your yield is always very predictable and reliable. There are no rain storms, snow storms or hail to damage your crop. No insects or invasive species, only weeds and the deer do not eat your crops. Livestock suffer no illness and are always perfect, so long as their food and water are provided.

It’s very very simple and beautiful and that makes it rewarding. You aren’t slogging into the night pressing bearings or welding shanks back onto your cultivator. The combine doesn’t randomly blow a hydrostatic line and the tractor never gets a flat from running over a deer shed.”

Farming Simulator doesn’t account for soil composition differences across fields. It doesn’t track the complexity of weather variations season to season. It doesn’t deal with unexpected events like a combine harvester suddenly blowing a hydrostatic line in the middle of harvest, or a tractor picking up a flat tire after running over a deer shed. It gives you a true feel for the work, but it simplifies the unpredictable messiness of reality.

And part of the reason is development. These simulations take years to make. Teams of hundreds of people work full-time just to get them to the level they’re at. SCS Software, the studio behind Euro Truck Simulator and American Truck Simulator, has over ~400 employees in 2025. Their last brand-new release was American Truck Simulator back in 2016, almost a decade ago. Since then, they’ve focused on expansions and updates, because the level of detail demanded by their audience is enormous. Creating an entirely new simulation from scratch is a massive undertaking.

Training simulations, however, don’t need to go that far. They aren’t about simulating an entire industry to for gamers to relax in a realistic digital world. Instead, they can focus on specific scenarios. That makes them more achievable in a business context. Simulation training focused developers can cut down on scope, zero in on the exact processes companies care about, and deliver something that trains employees effectively without years of unnecessary world-building.

Can Existing VR Simulations be Converted to PC Simulations?

Yes, we at SHIIFT have had multiple clients that have requested a non-vr equivalent of the training we create for virtual reality to be converted to be used in web via LMS, with a SCORM compatible build file for the simulation. This takes a bit of work, but as long as we worked on the original project, this work can be scoped and worked on to increase the accessibility of our old VR simulations like we’ve done for clients like Nutrien Ag Solutions.

This is typically most cost-effective when the VR simulations are already using fixed teleportation hot spots, without complex controls that require specific hand or body movements, which can take extra work for hand movements, and not possible for body movements.

What About Being Converted to Mobile Simulations?

If a simulation can be converted to be used on PC or as an online simulation, they can almost definitely be converted for use on a mobile device. This also takes work to achieve, and more/less depending on the platform.

Benefits of Using PC Simulation Training

When simulations are designed for training, the benefits are clear:

Cost-effective: PC simulation-based training don’t require expensive equipment, travel, or access to live machinery. Employees can train from any desktop PC or even online on their workplace LMS. No need to purchase and maintain VR headsets or VR-ready PCs if doing tethered VR.

Safe environment: Similar to VR simulations, mistakes in training don’t lead to accidents, downtime, or broken equipment. People can practice until they get it right without risk.

Scalable: Once built, PC simulations can be deployed across multiple desktops or accessed over the web, training hundreds or thousands of employees at once. They can be emailed, downloaded, or accessed via a secure platform, and are easier to maintain than VR setups that require more device management. And it’s far easier to roll out to large teams when all they need is a standard computer.

Engaging: By borrowing from the gaming world, training simulations are interactive and enjoyable. They keep attention and improve learning retention heavily when compared to conventional training.

Customizable: Companies can build simulations tailored to their specific processes or safety requirements, making them directly applicable to real work.

Accessibility and lower technical barriers: Runs on standard desktop PCs or through a web browser, making it usable without specialized hardware. This means no headset setup making it easier to launch and use.

Broader compatibility: With online training simulations, the training can be accessed by browser whether on a Mac or PC, and even with lower hardware specs.

Less physical strain: No headset weight, no risk of VR motion sickness, and minimal fatigue, so sessions can run longer. Usually VR is recommended to take breaks after an hour of usage.

Remote-friendly: Employees can access training from home or in the field, without being tied to on-site VR hardware.

Familiar controls: Most employees already know how to use a mouse, keyboard, or controller, reducing onboarding time. This is especially true for gamers and younger audiences.

PC Simulation Training Examples

At SHIIFT, we’ve created different PC simulations used by our clients to train hundreds of employees, and all they have to do is install our SCORM compatible training simulation file onto their LMS. We’ve developed PC training simulations for clients like Nutrien, James Hardie, etc.

Client: Nutrien Ag Solutions
Sector: Agriculture
Project Background:
Nutrien commissioned our team to create a virtual reality simulation for their complex ammonia transfer process, where if a hazard occurs there would be heavy ramifications for worker safety and the environment. This simulation does well to build muscle memory and learning the complex 60+ step process, but VR being a requirement made it less accessible to users that suffer from motion sickness or can’t get used to using VR headsets.

So we developed a non-VR equivalent, controlled only by a mouse. Not perfect for muscle memory but a highly engaging way to train employees. See our comparison post of the two versions on LinkedIn:

See the full case study for Ammonia Transfer Training Simulation.

Client: Nutrien Ag Solutions
Sector: Agriculture
Project Background:

Another online web simulation training project we developed for Nutrien is their hazardous materials driver training, for 7 unique training modules that address specific accidents identified by Nutrien, mostly being uncommon driving hazards that require regularly available training since there’s not many opportunities to practice it, and there was a gap in existing training.

While the training simulation uses a mix of first-person driving and third-person views, the screenshot below shows a third-person sky view for a module that explains the steps a driver should take in the scenario where their cargo straps fail. It thoroughly explains in order what Nutrien’s drivers need to do, from placing hazard cones at the correct distances to calling supervisors and turning on hazard lights.

Interactive Desktop Hazard Training

Client: James Hardie
Sector: Building Materials Manufacturing & Construction
Project Background:

For James Hardie’s Zero Harm Safety Month, we built them an interactive web-based training simulation to reinforce crucial safety standards and best practices on James Hardie’s construction sites during home cladding.

The site safety training simulation covered the risks and hazards for a James Hardie jobsite, such as trip hazards from extension cords, silica dust exposure, and improper manual handling. Based on 10 different hazards, workers can go through the training simulation by exploring the jobsite using their mouse, and doing ‘risk-spotting’ until they find each of the 10 risks, and answer a multiple-choice question aligning with James Hardies safety requirements for their site safety.

Conclusion

Simulation gaming has already shown what’s possible. Euro Truck Simulator, Car Mechanic Simulator, Farming Simulator, these games have proven that digital simulations can be incredibly detailed, engaging, and educational.

Online or PC training simulations take the same formula and apply it directly to industry needs. They don’t try to simulate everything. They focus on what matters most for learning. And while they’re simplified, they are one of the most effective tools available for teaching processes, developing skills, and preparing employees for real-world situations.

They’re a bridge between the proven success of gaming and the practical demands of industry training. And that bridge is only becoming more valuable as companies continue to look for effective, scalable, and engaging ways to train their workforce.