Videogame Challenge

How to build a video game

Why Are Video Games Important?• The Federation of American Scientists (FAS)

has proclaimed that kids need more, not less, video games.

• Video games, they argue, hold the potential to help address one of America’s most pressing problems – preparing students for an increasingly competitive global market.

Why Are Video Games Important?• Video games provide more than fun,

according to the FAS. They “can teach higher-order thinking skills such as strategic thinking, interpretive analysis, problem solving, plan formulation, and execution, and adaptation to rapid change.”

What Makes a Game Fun?• Challenge and strategy – this is the core of the

game. It includes the objective, the play and the scoring. The game should provide a challenge for its players and allow them to use different strategies to gain a level or win. This is what determines the age group or skill level.

• Element of surprise – this is the variation of the game. The element of surprise must be built into the game to provide laughter, excitement, regret or risk.

What Makes a Game Fun?

• Replay ability – this is the ability to play the game over and over with different outcomes each time. This is measured by the ‘boring’ factor. If the child gets bored fast, the game lacks replay ability.

What Makes a Game Educational?

• New information – this is the educational information provided. It may be text or graphics, and is normally unknown by the age group or skill level for which the game is made.

• Memorization – this is the part of the game that rewards good memory. If players are able to remember the new information, they can advance in the game.

What Makes a Game Educational?

• Context and Cognition – this is the part of the game that puts the new information to use. Players win or score points by matching pairs, answering questions or problem solving.

• Gender and Ethnic Balance – the game addresses equity issues through cooperative group play, language diversity, and character gender options

Research on Video Games

Research has consistently shown that playing computer games produces reductions in reaction times, improved hand-eye coordination and raises players’ self-esteem.

STEM Video Game Challenge• The benefits of the challenge are twofold: Students

who design a game have to learn the skills needed to produce it, and, because entries must teach a STEM concept, students will learn while playing it.

• The main goal is to motivate interest in STEM learning among youth by tapping into students’ natural passion for playing and making video games."

STEM Video Game Challenge• Example 1: Sustainability GameYou control a dinosaur that has to eat plants If you eat the plants too quickly, you won't have anything left, but if you don't eat them fast enough, you'll starve.

This game teaches Sustainability and Energy Efficiency.

STEM Video Game Challenge• Example 2: You Make Me SickPlayers design custom viruses and bacteria to try to infect different in-game characters.

This game teaches you about different bacteria and viruses and about the symptoms, treatments, and preventions.

Your Task

• Create 2 video games that are related to STEM concept.

ScienceTechnologyEngineeringMath• Choose a concept (your choice) and create a

third video game