A system and method implemented as computer-based, computer-executable instructions employing a computation engine with digital storage provide a virtual environment with personalized user profiles specifically adapted to cognitive abilities of the user to train the user for specified tasks, herein called microtasks. The set of microtasks include achievement criteria. The virtual environment is controlled through an engine that automatically adapts the set of user-profile-specific microtasks to achieve a set of learning goals. The engine may calculate and/or measure a set of qualities associated with one or more sub-profiles associated with a given user based on game-type performance by that user either in isolation or among a group of users. Sub-profiles may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: a personality profile, a neural link profile, and/or a motivation profile.