Ali's-Game-Design


 * 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.

My issue for the serious game is the recent earthquake that happened in Chile. I could use Gamestar Mechanic by playing as one of the survivors in Chile. After the quake, many homes were robbed from desperate people in need of food. I can make the survivor as an avatar who must avoid enemies (robbers) and get to the goal (food, water, clothing, etc.) before time runs out and the survivor dies.

Core Mechanics: Plot/Storyline- Escape from all robbers who try to steal your food so you do not starve to death. Goal- Get to the goal (food, water, clothing, etc.) before time runs out and you die. Rules- You must avoid all the robbers. If you get touched twice by them, you lose. Moving Parts- Thieves will be enemies in the game that you must avoid. Territory- You will have to move around the grid to get what you want, the goal.

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

I can use the game Life and make the charater a survivor of the earthquake. As the survivor moves around the board, he or she can either earn money and food or lose it. At the end of the game, if you have a certain amount of money, you win and if you do not, you lose.

Core Mechanics: Plot/Storyline- You must go around the board and live as a Chilean Earthquake survivor. Goal- You must raise enough money to survive at the end of the game. Rules- You must use a die to advance spaces. You must follow what is written on the cards. Moving Parts- You wiil move around the booard until you reach the Finish. Territory- You must move around the board in the path provided.

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

I can also make my serious game based on a Role Playing Game. I can make my game similar to that of Ayiti. You would have to make decisions on when to go to work to earn money to buy food and when you have to stay at home to protect your land so that robbers do take all your life-savings. It would also include a place where you can buy food and you have to spend your money wisely or you will run out of it and die.

Core Mechanics: Plot/storyline- You are a survivor of the Chilean Earthquake. Goal- Earn money to buy food and clothing. Rules- You try to pick the best jobs available and buy the appropriate food needed. Moving parts- You move around in the video game and live in Chile. Territory- The sorrounds in the game are the limits to where you can go.

Game Star: Sketch out the look (or a sample) Write out the Core Mechanics

BoardGame: Sketch out the look (or a sample) Write out the Core Mechanics