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SEP Jr. Breakout Session:

Game Design w/Scratch

Jo Ann Westhall

Twitter: @westhalljo

Instagram: @TeachwithSteam

http://bit.ly/cs4gamedesign

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Creative Computing Guide

Unit 4: Games

In this unit, learners will become game designers and experience creating their own game project. Guided by the activities in this unit, students will be introduced to game mechanics and game development while building understandings of conditionals, operators, data, and the computational practices of abstracting and modularizing.

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Themes/Modifications/Personalization

Start with a basic game structure and remix to change theme. Consider how using personalization improves the level of engagement for students in your classroom.

How to we begin with personalization? Consider a new background and substituting related Sprites. Some of the most popular arcade games had very simple “themes” and simple short “narratives”. Maybe you can find inspiration here-

Bonus- Kids can I identify any iterations of these classic games today?

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ELA Integration-Archetypes in Game Design

Protagonist- Usually the hero in our story or game. Must overcome hardship, challenge, or roadblock to attain a goal.

This Sprite will be the character assumed by the game’s “user” or player.

Antagonist- The villain of our game or great opposing force. Likely to be a disagreeable character with a main goal of stopping the Protagonist on their mission.

This Sprite should be a most “disagreeable” character. It is best if they are unlikable to the player. Most likely not a cute and fuzzy villain!

Antagonist

Protagonist

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Narrative? Keep it Simple

For a short arcade game the narrative or “back story” is simple but helps shape the game and connect the player.

For Pac Man, he was on a quest to escape the maze and reconnect with Ms. Pac Man.

In Space Invaders, the plot is to defeat a fleet of alien invaders sent to Earth.

Pitfall, has you as an explorer trying to escape all of the terrible dangers hidden in the jungle

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Student Examples w/ Modifications Thematic/Personalization

Fishball Discovery Games

Game Mechanics Don’t Change

Appearances Change-

Game Mechanics are the rules that guide the player's moves or actions, as well as the game's response to them. A game's mechanics thus effectively specifies how the game will work for the people who play it.

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Drag your scripts here to save a copy. Then delete your Sprite. Replace with new character and drag code back to reassign to new Sprite. Make sure you change “names” in code after updating.