Gamestar Mechanic
Thing One
Your first bonus quest: Blogging or Plogging -
Thing Two
Thing Three:
Head over here to practice building for the next assignment......
Thing Four:
Your first bonus quest: Blogging or Plogging -
- Option 1: Answer the questions below for one of the serious games found here.
- Option 2: Respond to Jane McGonigal's video found here.
- “What did you do in the game?” (mechanics: jumping, collecting)
- “How do you win the game?” (goal)
- “What are the rules of the game?”
- “Describe the game space.” (open, narrow pathways, maze-like)
- “What do you use to play the game?” (components: enemies, points, blocks)
Thing Two
- Sign up for Gamestar Mechanic
- Write down your username in your binder and wherever else you can think of.
- Play Episode 1 of the Quest, Addison Joins the League.
- Play Episode 2 of the Quest, Addison Joins the League.
- Play Episode 3 of the Quest, Addison Joins the League.
Thing Three:
Head over here to practice building for the next assignment......
Thing Four:
- Play through Episodes 3 and 4 of Gamestar Mechanic if you haven’t.
- At the bottom of the Workshop screen you will find Template Games.
- Play the Change the Element game.
- Click “Get a Copy” under the “Change the Element” template game. This will open up the “Change the Element” template game in the students’ game editor.
- Make changes in terms of each of the five elements in order to mod the game. For example, you may alter the goal of the game by adding or taking away points. You may alter the components of the game by changing the avatar or the enemies. You may alter the space of the game by changing a top-down game into a platformer. Try to alter only one element at a time.
- Get someone from class to come over and play it.
- Bonus Quest: Write a brief Blog post about your experience.
- Read about Meaning in Games.
Mini-quest 5: BalanceA game is balanced when it is easy to play, but difficult to win.
This is your chance to prove what you've learned, and that you are ready to be an apprentice game designer!
Apprenticeship Requirement 4
Now, it's time to go back to our Apprentice Badge Requirements.
Did you know: Playtesting happens many times during the game design process. After a game is playtested, the designer can improve it based on the playtester’s feedback. Then, they playtest again, and continue the Mission until the game is fun and balanced.
Mini-quest 8: Rules & GiftsRemember: Designing rules in Gamestar Mechanic takes the form of choosing which sprites are part of a game.
Apprenticeship Requirement 5
Now, it's time to go back to our Apprentice Badge Requirements.
Creating Killer Game Spaces
Note: some require you to play & make a game.
Mini-quest 11: More iteration & feedback fun.
Apprenticeship Requirements 6 & 7Now, it's time to go back to our Apprentice Badge Requirements.
Okay, now I want you to use all of your new Gamestar Swag (sprites, backgrounds, soundtracks, etc) to make an Epic Tale of Epic Awesomeness...
Fifth MissionLucky Quest 13: Core MechanicsOne of Shgeru's games, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom HourglassCore mechanics are the center of the play experience and represent the fundamental action through which the play interacts with the game. In fact, Nintendo’s Miyamoto Shigeru is famous for designing all his games around verbs, which are good at describing this interaction.
Sixth Mission - ApprenticeshipApprentice (n.) - someone who is starting on a pathway of learning a skill
This is your chance to prove what you've learned, and that you are ready to be an apprentice game designer!
- Watch the Introduction to Episode 5.
- Read the comics about balancing.
- Play through Episode 5. The last mission in Episode is a build mission. Here you have the opportunity to make a game for the first time. Think about the concept of a balanced game as you create your first game.
- Post your game to Edmodo.
- Play each other’s games once they are created and give feedback. Answer these questions in your Edmodo reply: Is the game challenging? Is it fun? Are the five elements of game design balanced in this game?
This is your chance to prove what you've learned, and that you are ready to be an apprentice game designer!
- Go to the Game Design Apprentice Badge
- Complete Requirement 2 "Reflect on the Quest"
- Complete Requirement 3 "Fix Unbalanced Missions"
- Now, continue on with this wiki. We'll return here later. Earning your badge is actually your Game Design Final!
- Log in to Gamestar Mechanic and go to the Workshop. Here you can start designing your game based on the challenge card.
- Make sure the 5 elements of game design (rules, goals, space, components, & mechanics) support the core goal of the card.
- Maintain Balance! Remember: Easy to Learn & Difficult to Master
- Make your levels build in complexity / intensity
- Maintain the same theme / central mechanic throughout, much like the games from various schools in the first episode.
- Post to Edmodo & play each other’s games.
- Finished early? Feeling unchallenged? Get another Challenge Card from Mr. Walters and repeat!
- Join Playforce
- Do the "Level Up" tutorials
- Write a Perspective
- Share with the class via Edmodo.
Apprenticeship Requirement 4
Now, it's time to go back to our Apprentice Badge Requirements.
- Return to the Game Design Apprentice Badge
- Complete Requirement 4 "Give Useful Feedback on a Game"
- Playtest at least 2 classmate’s games that have been posted on Edmodo.
- Give feedback in the form of a reply “be positive in your language” or “give a specific example of an aspect of the game you liked, or that frustrated you.” For example:
- “I thought you did a good job with/of Fill in the blank.”
- “One area I thought could be improved was Fill in the blank.”
- “The core mechanic was Fill in the blank. It made it fun to Fill in the blank.”
- “The visual design was Fill in the blank and it made me think/feel Fill in the blank.”
- For more on feedback, check here.
- Give feedback in the form of a reply “be positive in your language” or “give a specific example of an aspect of the game you liked, or that frustrated you.” For example:
- Go check the feedback for your game.
- Create another iteration based on the feedback you received.
Did you know: Playtesting happens many times during the game design process. After a game is playtested, the designer can improve it based on the playtester’s feedback. Then, they playtest again, and continue the Mission until the game is fun and balanced.
Mini-quest 8: Rules & GiftsRemember: Designing rules in Gamestar Mechanic takes the form of choosing which sprites are part of a game.
- Answer in Edmodo: Is it possible to play a game without knowing the rules?
- Answer in Edmodo: Why do you think rules are necessary?
- Modify your challenge card game in one of the following ways:
- Modify two rules such that the game becomes harder to play.
- Add two new rules such that the game becomes faster.
- Modify the rules such that the game becomes unwinnable & Modify one rule that would allow players to cheat.
- Add one rule that affects the movement of the players.
- Post your modified game to the game design group in Edmodo. Write that this is your “Change the Rules” game in your message.
- Play someone else’s game.
Apprenticeship Requirement 5
Now, it's time to go back to our Apprentice Badge Requirements.
- Return to the Game Design Apprentice Badge
- Complete Requirement 5 "Make a Gift Game"
- Get a copy of your submitted game and publish it. Don't forget to share to Edmodo.
- If possible, get the person you made it for to play it and give you feedback.
Creating Killer Game Spaces
- Replay the following games... Do it now!
- Security System Space, Episode 3 - Mission 3
- Space Repair, Episode 3 - Mission 4
- Stabilized Space, Episode 5 - Mission 3
- Be mindful of these two big ideas:
- The qualities of a game space determine the kinds of activities that can take place.
- Game spaces are a defining feature of a game.
- Start by designing a top-down game modeled on a setting of your choice. For example:
- Racetrack
- Garden
- Outer Space
- Fortress
- Remember: Use the game label and intro screen to suggest something about the game space.
- Now, add a second level to the game, this time using a platformer space.
- Recreate the first level in this new space.
- Post to the game design on Edmodo.
- Go to your Workshop in Gamestar Mechanic
- Scroll down to Challenges and Contests.
Note: some require you to play & make a game.
- Complete a challenge or three...
Mini-quest 11: More iteration & feedback fun.
Apprenticeship Requirements 6 & 7Now, it's time to go back to our Apprentice Badge Requirements.
- Return to the Game Design Apprentice Badge
- Complete Requirement 6 "Playtest Your Game & Get Useful Feedback"
- Complete Requirement "Iterate on your game"
- Go, play three different classmates’ games from the game design group on Edmodo (Everyone in there is your classmate, even if they’re from another class, grade level, or school).
- Give feedback in the form of a reply “be positive in your language” or “give a specific example of an aspect of the game you liked, or that frustrated you.” For example:
- “I thought you did a good job with/of _.”
- “One area I thought could be improved was _.”
- “The core mechanic was _. It made it fun to _.”
- “The visual design was _ and it made me think/feel __.”
- For more on feedback, check here.
- Look for any feedback you may have received recently in Game Alley or Edmodo. Apply that to your next game.
- Watch this video and reply to the post.
Okay, now I want you to use all of your new Gamestar Swag (sprites, backgrounds, soundtracks, etc) to make an Epic Tale of Epic Awesomeness...
- At minimum, you will need:
- A unifying story (you can unfold this tale in your game and level intro and win messages... yes, I mean write it out).
- 4 levels
- Each level increases in challenge and complexity.
- Each level builds on the unifying theme of the story.
- Each level has finishing touches, like background & soundtrack.
- You may also want to include (hint hint... to increase epic awesomeness):
- A boss or two (Just beef up a sprite with the wrench tool)
- Text message blocks to help unfold the story (get these from the message box challenge)
- One or more levels that have an epic scope (aka: Multiple Screen Scrolling)
- Create a level with more than one route / strategy to win.
- Avoiding an Epic Fail:
- Maintain balance - Do not make your game impossible to win. Alternately, do not make it so easy that it’s a joke. (Remember: easy to learn & difficult to master).
- Tell the story with the 5 Elements - Don’t lose your players by telling a story in cut screens that has nothing to do with the game they’re actually playing. Try to fit your space, components, mechanics, goals, & rules to your story or your story to your space, components, mechanics, goals, & rules.
- Post to the Game design group in Edmodo.
- Check your progress
- Do what's necessary to level up. Perhaps leave some reviews.
- Get someone to play your Epic Tale & leave feedback.
- Play someone's Epic Tale & Leave feedback
Fifth MissionLucky Quest 13: Core MechanicsOne of Shgeru's games, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom HourglassCore mechanics are the center of the play experience and represent the fundamental action through which the play interacts with the game. In fact, Nintendo’s Miyamoto Shigeru is famous for designing all his games around verbs, which are good at describing this interaction.
- Choose a verb from this list and create a game based around this verb:
- Avoid
- Jump
- Shoot
- Explore
- Achieve
- Acquire
- Run
- Search
- Solve
- You may want to go grab some more sweet Gamestar Swag to make your game more Epic. I suggest the Level Map Challenge and the Media and You (transmogrifier) Challenge.
- Make sure you:
- Develop your theme through your game and level intro and win messages... (yes, I mean write it out).
- Create at least 4 levels:
- Each level increases in challenge and complexity.
- Each level builds on the unifying theme of the Core Mechanic.
- Each level has finishing touches, like background & soundtrack.
- Maintain balance - Do not make your game impossible to win. Alternately, do not make it so easy that it’s a joke. (Remember: easy to learn & difficult to master).
- Post your game to Edmodo with an explanation (you can steal this: "Nintendo’s Miyamoto Shigeru is famous for designing all his games around verbs. I designed this game around the verb, ___".)
- Get someone to play your Core Mechanic game & leave feedback.
- Play someone's Core Mechanic game & Leave feedback.
Sixth Mission - ApprenticeshipApprentice (n.) - someone who is starting on a pathway of learning a skill
This is your chance to prove what you've learned, and that you are ready to be an apprentice game designer!
- By now you should have earned your Game Design Apprentice Badge
- Post it to Edmodo.
- Post it to your web site.
- Brag... you are a beast...