The T-Wall

Unity SCORM Course Generator

Converting MindForge Interactive Training into the SCORM Format

For several years, MindForge courses were only available on their proprietary apps and website, and could not be shared anywhere else. This prevented MindForge from expanding their reach since most of the e-learning world runs on the Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) format. I undertook a project to create a generator that would allow our Unity projects to be loaded and communicate with a SCORM-compliant LMS. The generator is another Unity project that links to a course’s scripts through the package manager and loads the course’s assets from assetbundles.

MindForge normally stores course assetbundles on Amazon S3 and retrieves only the bundles required for a user’s training when they launch the course. The distribution partners we worked with requested that all assets exist as part of the SCORM package and not be downloaded on the fly, so I added the course bundles to the StreamingAssets folder and loaded them at runtime from there. StreamingAssets on WebGL are accessed through a web request, but it isn’t a cross-origin request and is usually quite fast.

I also placed the video assets for a course in StreamingAssets since the video player we already had can access them easily from there. A MindForge course is defined by a series of JSON files, including basic course information such as lesson structure, requirements, quizzes and quiz questions, and so on. I added these JSON files as TextAssets and referenced them in a custom ScriptableObject called SCORM_CourseResources, which also includes references to any static image referenced in and of the course’s quizzes. The videos, bundles, and SCORM_CourseResources completely define a course and all of its content.

After gathering all of those assets and defining how they are accessed, the only tasks left were to create a player that could run through the course’s structure and show everything to a user in order. I used three main scripts for this purpose: SCORM_CourseController, SCORM_MainSceneController, and CourseLifecycleEvents. CourseLifecycleEvents doesn’t get the SCORM prefix because it can be used in any context. The main scene controller handles the UI for the quiz system and the video player. The course controller handles the overall flow of the course and communication with the LMS. The lifecycle events class is a simple singleton consisting of several public events that any script can subscribe to or invoke, forming a basic messaging system and decouples the course controller and scene controller from each other and the rest of the course logic.

This project was a major success. With just a few days of work, I was able to unlock MindForge’s courses from their self-imposed prison and allowed them to be distributed in any e-learning marketplace using a SCORM-compliant LMS. The most difficult part of the project was removing our courses’ reliance on MindForge servers and networking code, requiring some refactoring of very old code.

Scripts

CourseLifecycleEvents.cs
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#if SCORM
using MindForge.Common.Util;
using QuizzingAPI;
using System;

/// <summary>
/// Initially created for SCORM course conversion. Might be useful in the future too.
/// </summary>
public class CourseLifecycleEvents : Singleton<CourseLifecycleEvents>
{
    public Action courseStarted;
    public Action userReadyToStart;
    public Action<QuizData> quizStarted;
    public Action<string, string> videoStarted; // (videoPath,subtitlePath)
    public Action videoComplete;
    public Action lessonCompleted;
    public Action quizCompleted;
    public Action simCompleted;
    public Action lessonQuit;
    public Action mainSceneLoaded;
    public Action bundlesLoadStarted;
    public Action<float> bundlesLoadProgress; // % complete of total bundle loading
    public Action courseCompleted;
}
#endif
SCORM_CourseController.cs
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using MindForge.Common.Managers;
using QuizzingAPI;
using Scorm;
using System;
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.IO;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using UnityEngine;
using UnityEngine.Networking;
using UnityEngine.SceneManagement;

public class SCORM_CourseController : MonoBehaviour, ICourseImageProvider
{
    public static SCORM_CourseController Instance { get; private set; }

    [SerializeField] private SCORM_CourseResources courseInfo;
    [SerializeField] private TextAsset UILocalizationFile;

    private IScormService scormService;
    private CourseData courseData;
    private int chapterIndex = 0;
    private int lessonIndex = 0;
    private int scormLessonsCompleted = 0;

    private void Awake()
    {
        if(Instance != null)
        {
            Destroy(gameObject);
            return;
        }
        Instance = this;
        DontDestroyOnLoad(gameObject);

        LocalizationText.SetLanguage("EN");
        LocalizationText.AddToLibrary(UILocalizationFile);
        courseData = JsonUtility.FromJson<CourseData>(courseInfo.applicationJSON.text);

#if UNITY_EDITOR
        scormService = new ScormPlayerPrefsService();
#else
        scormService = new ScormService();
#endif

        if(scormService.Initialize(Scorm.Version.Scorm_2004)) // Starts comms with the LMS
        {
            scormService.SetMinScore(0);
            scormService.SetMaxScore(GetLessonCount());
            scormService.SetRawScore(0);
            if (scormService.GetLessonStatus() != LessonStatus.Completed)
            {
                scormService.SetLessonStatus(LessonStatus.Incomplete);
            }
            scormService.Commit();
        }
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.lessonCompleted += AdvanceLesson;
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.userReadyToStart += StartLesson;
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.mainSceneLoaded += StartLesson;
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.simCompleted += OnSimCompleted;
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.quizCompleted += StartLesson;
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.videoComplete += StartLesson;

        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.lessonCompleted += SCORM_OnLessonComplete;
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.courseCompleted += SCORM_OnCourseComplete;
    }

    public Sprite GetCourseImage(string image)
    {
        string imageName = Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(image);
        for(int i = 0; i < courseInfo.images.Length; i++)
        {
            if (courseInfo.images[i].name == imageName)
                return courseInfo.images[i];
        }
        Debug.LogError($"Couldn't find sprite \"{image}\" in course resources!");
        return null;
    }

    public void GetCourseImageAsync(string image, Action<Sprite> result)
    {
        // Not async, but it doesn't need to be yet
        result?.Invoke(GetCourseImage(image));
    }

    private void StartLesson()
    {
        if (chapterIndex >= courseData.chapters.Length)
            return; // reached the end of the course

        LessonData lesson = courseData.chapters[chapterIndex].lessons[lessonIndex];
        if (lesson.content.Length > 1)
            Debug.LogError($"More than one piece of content:{courseData.chapters[chapterIndex].name}, {lesson.name}", this);

        ContentData content = lesson.content[0];

        switch(content.type)
        {
            case "quiz":
                Debug.Log($"Starting quiz:({lesson.name},{content.name})", this);
                StartQuiz(content);
                break;
            case "unity":
            case "scene":
                Debug.Log($"Starting sim: ({lesson.name}, {content.name})", this);
                StartSim(content);
                break;
            case "video":
                Debug.Log($"Starting video: ({lesson.name}, {content.name})", this);
                StartVideo(content);
                break;
            default:
                Debug.LogError($"Unknown content type:{content.type}, ({lesson.name},{content.name}), (ch:{chapterIndex},l:{lessonIndex}", this);
                CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.lessonCompleted?.Invoke();
                CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.courseStarted?.Invoke();
                break;
        }
    }

    private void AdvanceLesson()
    {
        lessonIndex++;
        if(lessonIndex >= courseData.chapters[chapterIndex].lessons.Length)
        {
            chapterIndex++;
            lessonIndex = 0;
        }
        if(chapterIndex >= courseData.chapters.Length)
        {
            // finished all content, end the course
            Debug.Log("Content done, good job!", this);
            CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.courseCompleted?.Invoke();
        }
    }

    private QuizData GetQuizFromContent(ContentData content)
    {
        QuizData quizData = null;

        for (int i = 0; i < courseInfo.quizzesJSON.Length; i++)
        {
            quizData = JsonUtility.FromJson<QuizData>(courseInfo.quizzesJSON[i].text);
            if (quizData.quiz_name == content.name)
                break;
            quizData = null;
        }
        if (quizData == null)
        {
            Debug.LogError($"Quiz data not found: {content.name}");
            return null;
        }

        // Populate question data from courseInfo JSON
        quizData.QuizQuestions = new QuestionData[quizData.questions.Length];
        for(int i = 0; i < quizData.questions.Length; i++)
        {
            for(int j = 0; j < courseInfo.questionsJSON.Length; j++)
            {
                QuestionData questionData = JsonUtility.FromJson<QuestionData>(courseInfo.questionsJSON[j].text);
                if(questionData.question_name == quizData.questions[i])
                {
                    quizData.QuizQuestions[i] = JsonUtility.FromJson(courseInfo.questionsJSON[j].text, questionData.Type) as QuestionData;
                    break;
                }
            }
        }
        return quizData;
    }

    private void StartQuiz(ContentData content)
    {
        QuizData quizData = GetQuizFromContent(content);

        if(quizData == null)
        {
            Debug.LogError($"Couldn't find quiz data:{content.name}", this);
            return;
        }

        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.quizStarted?.Invoke(quizData);
    }

    private void StartSim(ContentData content)
    {
        StartCoroutine(StartSimRoutine(content));
    }

    private IEnumerator StartSimRoutine(ContentData contentData)
    {
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.bundlesLoadStarted?.Invoke();

        float progressPerBundle = 1.0f / courseData.bundles.Length;

        // Lazy route: just load all the bundles
        // TODO: fix this for larger sims like PFAS
        for (int i = 0; i < courseData.bundles.Length; i++)
        {
            if (AssetBundleManager.Instance.IsBundleLoaded(courseData.bundles[i].name))
                continue;
#if UNITY_EDITOR
            AssetBundleCreateRequest req = AssetBundle.LoadFromFileAsync(Path.Combine(Application.streamingAssetsPath, courseData.bundles[i].name));
            while(!req.isDone)
            {
                yield return null;
                CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.bundlesLoadProgress?.Invoke(i*progressPerBundle + req.progress * progressPerBundle);
            }
            AssetBundle bundle = req.assetBundle;
#else
            // Can't load from file on webGL
            UnityWebRequest req = UnityWebRequest.Get(Path.Combine(Application.streamingAssetsPath, courseData.bundles[i].name));
            var webRequestOp = req.SendWebRequest();

            while (!webRequestOp.isDone)
            {
                yield return null;
                // Downloading is 80% the progress of the bundle
                CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.bundlesLoadProgress?.Invoke(
                    progressPerBundle * (i + 0.8f * webRequestOp.progress)); 
            }

            var bundleLoadOp = AssetBundle.LoadFromMemoryAsync(req.downloadHandler.data);
            while(!bundleLoadOp.isDone)
            {
                yield return null;
                CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.bundlesLoadProgress?.Invoke(
                    progressPerBundle * (i + 0.8f + 0.2f * bundleLoadOp.progress));
            }
            AssetBundle bundle = bundleLoadOp.assetBundle;
#endif
            if (bundle == null)
            {
                Debug.LogError($"Failed to load bundle: {courseData.bundles[i].name}", this);
                continue;
            }
            Debug.Log($"Bundle loaded: {courseData.bundles[i].name}", this);
            AssetBundleManager.Instance.AddLoadedBundle(courseData.bundles[i].name, bundle);
        }

        SceneManager.LoadScene(contentData.name);
    }

    private void StartVideo(ContentData content)
    {
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.videoStarted?.Invoke(
            Path.Combine(Application.streamingAssetsPath, content.name + ".mp4"),
            Path.Combine(Application.streamingAssetsPath, content.name + ".srt"));
    }

    private void OnSimCompleted()
    {
        Debug.Log("Sim complete");
        SceneManager.LoadScene("SCORM Main");
    }

    private int GetLessonCount()
    {
        int count = 0;

        for(int i = 0; i < courseData.chapters.Length; i++)
        {
            count += courseData.chapters[i].lessons.Length;
        }

        return count;
    }

    private void SCORM_OnLessonComplete()
    {
        scormLessonsCompleted++;
        scormService.SetRawScore(scormLessonsCompleted);
        scormService.Commit();
    }

    private void SCORM_OnCourseComplete()
    {
        scormService.SetLessonStatus(LessonStatus.Completed);
        scormService.Commit();
        scormService.Finish();
    }
}
SCORM_CourseResources.cs
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using UnityEngine;

[CreateAssetMenu]
public class SCORM_CourseResources : ScriptableObject
{
    [SerializeField] public TextAsset applicationJSON;
    [SerializeField] public TextAsset[] quizzesJSON;
    [SerializeField] public TextAsset[] questionsJSON;
    [SerializeField] public Sprite[] images;
}
SCORM_MainSceneController.cs
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using QuizzingAPI;
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using UnityEngine;
using UnityEngine.UI;

public class SCORM_MainSceneController : MonoBehaviour
{
    [SerializeField] private GameObject quizBaseUI;
    [SerializeField] private QuizController quizController;
    [SerializeField] private GameObject videoBaseUI;
    [SerializeField] private VideoPlayer videoPlayer;
    [SerializeField] private GameObject loadingScreenCanvas;
    [SerializeField] private Image loadingImage;
    [SerializeField] private GameObject startScreenUI;
    [SerializeField] private Button startScreenButton;
    [SerializeField] private GameObject endScreenUI;


    private static bool firstLoad = true;

    // Start is called before the first frame update
    private void Start()
    {
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.quizStarted += OnQuizStart;
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.videoStarted += OnVideoStart;
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.bundlesLoadStarted += OnBundlesLoadStart;
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.bundlesLoadProgress += OnBundlesLoadProgress;
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.courseStarted += OnCourseStarted;
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.courseCompleted += OnCourseCompleted;

        startScreenButton.onClick.AddListener(OnStartButtonClicked);
        quizController.OnComplete += OnQuizComplete;
        videoPlayer.onComplete.AddListener(OnVideoCompleted);

        if(firstLoad)
        {
            firstLoad = false;
            CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.courseStarted?.Invoke();
        } else
        {
            CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.mainSceneLoaded?.Invoke();
        }
    }

    private void OnDestroy()
    {
        if (CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance == null)
            return; // Application is unloading, so instances may be null
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.quizStarted -= OnQuizStart;
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.videoStarted -= OnVideoStart;
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.bundlesLoadStarted -= OnBundlesLoadStart;
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.bundlesLoadProgress -= OnBundlesLoadProgress;
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.courseStarted -= OnCourseStarted;
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.courseCompleted -= OnCourseCompleted;
    }

    private void OnQuizStart(QuizData quizData)
    {
        quizBaseUI.SetActive(true);
        quizController.SetupQuiz(quizData, SCORM_CourseController.Instance);
    }

    private void OnQuizComplete(int correct, int total)
    {
        Debug.Log("Quiz complete");
        quizBaseUI.SetActive(false);
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.lessonCompleted?.Invoke();
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.quizCompleted?.Invoke();
    }

    private void OnVideoStart(string videoPath, string subtitlesPath)
    {
        videoBaseUI.SetActive(true);
        videoPlayer.SetVideo(videoPath, subtitlesPath);
    }

    private void OnVideoCompleted()
    {
        Debug.Log("Video complete");
        videoBaseUI.SetActive(false);
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.lessonCompleted?.Invoke();
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.videoComplete?.Invoke();
    }

    private void OnBundlesLoadStart()
    {
        loadingScreenCanvas.SetActive(true);
    }

    private void OnBundlesLoadProgress(float progress)
    {
        loadingImage.fillAmount = progress;
    }

    private void OnCourseStarted()
    {
        startScreenUI.SetActive(true);
    }

    private void OnStartButtonClicked()
    {
        CourseLifecycleEvents.Instance.userReadyToStart?.Invoke();
    }

    private void OnCourseCompleted()
    {
        endScreenUI.SetActive(true);
    }
}