FAQ

+ About the Game

How do I purchase Sci-Ops?
If you want to purchase an individual license for home use, click here. If you want to purchase licenses for your class, school, or district, click here.
Do kids really learn playing Sci-Ops?
Yes, students of all genders, races, and economic status learn high school chemistry with over 99.99% confidence playing Sci-Ops based on multiple rounds of testing, including our Pilot Study. Click here to access the full research report.
Can Sci-Ops run on our hardware?
Sci-Ops can run on any computer (PC and Mac) or Chromebook that can run the most up-to-date version of the Google Chrome browser. We recommend at least a 2.5Ghz 64-bit processor and 4GB of RAM for the best experience.
Who can play Sci-Ops?
Anyone can play Sci-Ops to learn more about chemistry while having fun. Sci-Ops covers high school chemistry and physical science standards. Thus, it is perfect to play alongside high school chemistry and physical science classes, or as a refresher before college chemistry. It is also ideal for rising 9th-graders to spark a passion in STEM classes. That being said, kids as young as 8 years old and experienced students as old as 60 have enjoyed learning (or relearning) chemistry by playing Sci-Ops. (Note: Sci-Ops is currently only available in the United States of America. We look forward to expanding internationally soon.)
Do females like it?
Emphatically yes! Males and females both loved Sci-Ops. About 3-in-4 students reported liking Sci-Ops, which is more than reported liking chemistry as a subject. Females also exhibited higher gains in both self-efficacy and utility for chemistry and STEM knowledge. Click here to learn more about the academic research-backed White Paper.
Does it help minorities?
Yes! Students of all demographics liked Sci-Ops at relatively the same amount. But some groups saw greater gains. For example, African Americans showed the largest gains in chemistry and STEM interest. Click here to learn more about the academic research-backed White Paper.
Is there PD and teacher support?
Yes, Plasma Games is committed to supporting teachers and demystifying game-based learning (GBL) and the innovative pedagogical approaches used with Sci-Ops. We will be posting professional development videos, materials, and other resources on our website to help any teacher integrate Sci-Ops in their classroom. We also plan to offer professional development at state and national science teacher conferences as we scale across the United States. Please contact us for information about which conferences will will be attending.
Can my students play the game on their own?
Yes, Sci-Ops is designed for students to learn on their own and at their own pace. Sci-Ops can be used independently to give you some time to catch up on grading, as homework, or as an instant lesson for a substitute while you are sick or at a conference.
What standards does the game cover?
Sci-Ops covers about a third of the high school chemistry curriculum, and all of the chemistry-portions of the high school physical science curriculum -- in most states. Future episodes will cover additional standards. To see more information on the standards covered, click here.
Is the game violent?
The short answer is: no. There is no blood or gore in any of our educational games, nor do the cartoonish characters ever die -- they simply get beamed up or sit down. The game was designed for all ages and is appropriate for use in schools.

Concerned about video games inciting violence? Watch this video for the facts.

+ Profile Management

How do I transfer a copy to another user?
You can purchase multiple copies of the game and transfer them to other users (eg, gift giving, purchasing on behalf of a minor, etc). Once you have completed the purchase process (which you can do through our Buy page), log in to your account and visit your Profile page to see the complete list of products that belong to you. Any products that you have purchased but have not played will have a "Transfer" button next to them; simply click this "Transfer" button, enter the email address of the user to whom you want to send the product, and confirm. You will then see the product listed as "Sent" and will have the option to cancel the transfer if you wish to do so.
How do I receive a transferred copy?
If someone wonderful purchases a copy of the game and transfers it to you, you should receive an email alerting you of the transfer with a "Claim" button that will allow you to claim the product for your own. Additionally, upon logging in and visiting your Profile page without following the claim link from the email, you should also see the product listed as a "Received" transfer, which will allow you to "Accept" the transfer and then either play the game or transfer that copy to someone else.

+ Gameplay Tips

Take cover
Try to put cover between you and the enemy. Only cover in an adjacent square to you can intercept enemy attacks -- and spare your armor.
Efficiently dispatch enemies
Calibrate your gear and gadgets in order to use the minimum energy required to melt an enemy's armor. Efficient takedowns will empower your special actions, like the powerful Orbital Laser.
Flank
When choosing where to move, deny your enemies the benefit of cover by flanking their location. Move past cover to directly target an enemy. Look for positions where you have line of sight to the enemy, but they cannot target you because of intervening cover.
Upgrade your armor and devices in the Lab
Whenever you have a chance to visit the Lab (e.g., in-between levels), choose the best armor and gear upgrades that you can afford. And remember that “best” depends on the challenges ahead. Try different combinations of upgrades to turn the tide of battle in your favor.

+ Technical Support

How can I make the game run faster/better? How can I prevent crashing?
  1. Close all other tabs and windows.
  2. Refresh the tab/window with the game in it.
  3. Make sure you have the most up-to-date version of Google Chrome. Other web browsers are currently not supported at this time.
  4. Clear your cache.
What are the minimum hardware requirements?
Desktop or laptop with Windows 7 or Mac OSX 10.11
Intel Core i3 (or equivalent)
4GB RAM
ATI Radeon HD 5470

Chromebook with Chrome OS
Intel Celeron N3060 (or equivalent)
4GB RAM
How can I submit a bug report?
Thank you for your interest in helping us make Sci-Ops run as well as possible! If you encounter any issues, please visit our bug report page and submit detailed information about the bug.
How can I get a refund?
If you purchased a license but have not used it, you can request a full refund within thirty (30) days of purchase. To return a purchase, send an email to [email protected] with the details of your purchase and the reason for requesting a refund. We will reply within ten (10) business days.
My question isn't listed here...
Please contact us directly and we will respond as soon as possible.
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