Nahin's-Game-Designs


 * IDEAS FOR SERIOUS GAMES**toc

Middle school students enjoy games but teachers don't appreciate that. Teachers feel that students should read and write to gain greater understanding about world issues. The problem to be solved is to make a serious game that is about a world issue.

**Requirements:**

 * 1) Game must be accessible to the intended players
 * 2) Game must be well-paced to be enjoyable
 * 3) Game must be challenging to the intended players.
 * 4) Game must have a clear goal
 * 5) Game must be winable.

** Constraints: **

 * 1) It must be possible to create this game with the tools available to middle school students (computers, wikis, blogs, cardboard, poster board, glue, colored pencils, markers, scissors, rulers, paper cutter, exacto knives, glue guns, found objects, dice, spinners, and other common items found in the home and school)

1. A Serious Game Using Gamestar Mechanic that follows the design brief.

To make a game using Gamestar Mechanic that would relate to my topic, I would create a maze, and my avatar would have to overcome obstacles to get to its goal. It would represet a regular Bengali person who is trying to overcome situations to get to his/her "goal", a rich and happy life. There will also be two different enemies, that will be placed at every corner in the maze, some at slow speeds and some at fast speeds. One kind of enemy would represent the government, since they make real life hard for the people. The other kind of enemy would represent the police officers, who harrass and beat the people cruely. The main goal would be the golden star, representing a happy and healthy life.

2. A Serious Game Mod for an Exisiting Boardgame that follows the design brief.

To make a mod of an exisiting boardgame, I would modify the game "Life", because this game can teach a player how life would be leaded in Bangladesh. I would replace the writings given on the board with possibilities that can happen in Bangladesh. For example, I can make a negative space "You have been beaten by the police officers on your way to the supermarket. -600 rupies". A positive space can say "You have finally gotten enough food for the entire family +500 rupies". The game would also give career choices ONLY found in Bangladesh. The entire game would be modified and changed into a game about life in Bangladesh.

3. A Serious Game -- Free Choice that follows the design brief.

A game I was thinking of was a game that kids can play in real life, in the playground, during recess, or anytime they are outdoors. There can be about 10-15 people in the game. In the game, 4 people would be a family (doesn't matter what gender they are). Everyone else would represent either police officers or government officials. There would be 4 goals, and it does not matter where they are located, but they must not be side by side with each other. One person from the police officer/government offical group would protect each goal (one person will be at each goal). The family must run to each goal together while the "enemies" are chasing the family, trying to prevent the family from reaching their goals, because in Bangladesh, many people have to run to their homes or to the supermarkets to escape the cruelty of the police officers. If one member of the family is caught, they are held for a while by the enemies, and then the family would have to help that member escape. If that member is caught 3 times, they are out of the game, because in real life, they would be pronounced "dead". If the entire family gets to each goal, they win. If they don't, the enemies would win. And then the game would start over again.

-Mother -Father -Daughter -Son -Government officials -Police officers
 * Purpose: Players can see how everyday life is in Bangladesh and they can see the Bengali people's point of view of the Government and police officers.
 * Characters:
 * Target audience: Any age is appropriate.