Build Interactive Mini Game

I have learned that when you build a game, it changes as you make it. From your first image in you mind of it, it'll change from how you exactly imagined it. Even though this seems like a shame, it isn't. In fact, this is better.

The way I look at games, the creators try to add what the viewers want in the sequels and such but now with this experience I know that they may go through the same thing of the game being different from how they imagined it. The future of games will only depend on what we make them to be.

Play to Learn Part 2

The things in games that stand out to me is having fun but still learning. The best game I reviewed, Zeitgeist, did exactly this. I had fun but I was still learning about Greek and Roman times. But in the worst game I reviewed, Flood Escape, I was having a lot of fun but not that much learning.

Game features that stood out to me was the smaller animations and details. This made the game feel more realistic yet you could still tell it was a game; obviously. I never really learned how to make small animations really but I taught myself how to, although I forgot how I did this and it takes up a lot of time.

The game genre I would chose would be History, of course. I know that I can make it fun yet still easy to learn.

Present Your Hidden Objects Game

My presentation went well. I made sure to mention everything we were supposed to, but I thought that I went a bit fast. I hope that my vocabulary wasn't hard for my classmates to understand since I used some big words. I also hope that my game actually taught most of my classmates about the countries in WWII. I had a lot of fun with my game and presenting.

Add Game Ingredients

The problem I overcame with the coding was telling actionscript/programming it to go to the win screen after the player has hit 240 points. I never got to fix this problem although a friend helped me and we almost found it. if I had more time I would be able to make it work, I know this for sure. This has been a very fun mini-game to work on. I enjoyed it and wish to be able to fix it in the near future.

Add Hidden Objects

Well, this wasn't the first time I have programmed on Flash before. But this has been the first I have programmed on Flash since last semester. It felt weird to go back on and program & create, but then I felt at "home" too. It took me about two days to get used to everything again, although I do remember most things by heart as well as I understand how to "read" the coding. So, in a way, I can most likely figure coding out by myself because I understand what certain keywords are asking and I can explain what the coding is saying word by word (or symbol by symbol).

Drawing My Background

Drawing my background was an easy thing to do because I traced the outline with my paper prototype. I did this by copying and pasting the photo on one layer then I traced the outline with the other. Then I used the "bucket of paint" tool to color in the water and the land. I may actually add the colors of what the land really looks like from a space/satellite view if I ever have the time to. Other then all of that, it was very fun to finally get back on flash and work with the program again.

3D Printing

Now would you like to take a 3D printing class?
Yes, I would like to take a 3D printing class because there are many things that I can make in it.

Why would you take this class?
I would take this class mostly because I would like to see the results to see if it really is as great as they say it is.

What would you make with the 3D printer?
I would make either a new case for my phone, a case for my laptop, a backpack, a flower, a headband, or a shoe.

Make A Paper Prototype Part 1

My paper prototype came out very well. It has to be one of the best ones I have ever made due to it helping me greatly with organizing my thoughts for my first game level. My paper prototype is basically a world map with a side bar for help, directions, points, hints, and what level you are on. My game will have two levels so this one paper prototype should almost be exactly the same as the other. I am having second thoughts on just exactly how many countries the player should find for level one. So far it is thirty-five, but I might just change it at the last minute to something smaller.

Plan Game Scene

What makes me excited about my game is that it's WWII and now that I can do something for History, I can prove my knowledge and put my all into it. This topic is very simple for me and it exceeds my 8th grade curriculum. I hope that my game can teach others; even if I'm only putting a fractions of what I know about WWII into this game.

Last year, I had Math...which was difficult for me. Since this year I have a choice of Math or History, I know that I will finally do as good as I wanted to last year. Hopefully I can exceed expectations this school year.

Choose Learning Topic

Why do I like the topic of WWII and History for my Hidden Objects Game.

I love the topic of WWII because out of everything History...this is what I know and understand the most. (Due to an anime that I watched called "Hetalia"). I especially understand who was in the war, what the Allies and Axis are, why the war started, and every important main detail in between. History has always been my favorite subject, it is all just one huge story to learn...and I would love to teach it; especially with a Flash game.

Game Ingredients

Name of the game: Hidden Wonders
1.) What were you looking for?
I was looking for certain landmarks in Europe and Asia.
2.) Was the game fun to play? Explain why.
The game was not fun to play because all you had to do was click. There wasn't much interaction and it didn't feel as if you were playing it; which will bore the player.
3.) How does the game designer reward you to keep playing?
The game designer rewards the player by dividing the finding into two continents; Europe and Asia.
4.) What does this game teach you?
This game teaches the player where certain landmarks are located in Europe and Asia.
5.) How does it use hidden objects to to teach you?
The hidden objects in the game are the landmarks so, of course, when you click in the right area then the landmark will show...showing where it is located and that you found it.
6.) What age group would you find this educational?
I would find this game educational for younger students due to how simple it is but, I would also recommend it to high school students due to it being slightly related to World History with the landmarks.
7.) How would you make this game better?
I would make this game better by adding more continents so that there will be more landmarks to find.

Decoy objects, overlay objects, scoring, and background music were the game ingredients that I found in "Dirty River".

These games gave me the idea to make the game slightly difficult but still easy to learn whatever topic that you made it to be. Timers, scores, overlay & decoy objects, and multiple levels are all great ways to make your game slightly difficult yet still easy to learn.

Single Stories

1.) Let's say you are a representative for your community...you are sent to a different community for a meeting. How you act in that meeting reflects on how others will think about your community. This is an example of a single story about a place or community.

2.) A single story I have heard about my community is that it is bursting with a new education system that revolves around technology. For example, Globaloria and how most of us now make video games using the flash program. My school has started this burst of a new education in my community. Since it revolves around the internet, of course more people all over the world can see it.

3.) A single story I have heard before is about the community of Seven Trees. Apparently it is a '"bad community" to live in due to gang violence and such. But how do we know if this is true? Well, we can go to that community to see for ourselves, we can ask the locals of that community, or we can do computer research.

4.) A game can let players experience stories about a place or community in many ways. Such as a game that involves pictures, facts, quotes, and such about that community and from that community. But a game can also maybe show you how the live in that community is like. With a good imagination you can think of plenty of other ways to answer this.

Goals And Expectations

Well, it has been a long time since I have blogged but here I am in a new school year. I am ready for Globaloria this year. My expectations for myself consist of completing my game before the deadline, exceeding my teacher's expectations, and maturing myself.

I admit, during summer vacation I procrastinated countless times and I wasn't ready for school on the first week. Now, I am a bit more ready to take on school and succeed; drama put to the side.

It is time for me to go fully academic. My 8th grade year is very important for all of the state tests I will have at the end of the year. And I will win those laptops at the Globey Awards this year. It IS all about teamwork and leadership, and Christopher STEMS Academy is exactly that. I have to represent my school and exceed the expectations of my peers, teachers, and myself.