5.3 Game Choices


OBJECTIVES:


OBJECTIVES: By the end of this lesson, students will:

    • feel empowered to make game design choices that best suit game needs, eg Score, Timer, Speed.

    • practice using variables in authentic gaming situations

Game Choice Board

TEACHER RESOURCES:

Standards

    • CSTA 2-AP-10: Use flowcharts and/or pseudocode to address complex problems as algorithms.

    • CSTA 2-AP-11: Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values.

CSTA

DO NOW:



Students watch the video Job shadowing a video game designer (2:57) , then discuss:


    • What does Karli say is involved in the game buiding process, besides coding?

    • Do game designers get feedback on their games?

    • Can anyone start making their own games?

Mini-Lesson (5-10 minutes)

Preview each game. Show the students how to add a variable, name it and increment it. Empower the students by allowing them to be the game designers.

Project (20-30 minutes)

Day 1: Add a variable to make a game more fun Handout Page 1-2

Students use their game designing skills to enhance a game by adding a variable that makes their chosen game more fun and competitive. Show students how each game works. How would they enhance the games. General ideas:

  • Jump : Add 3 lives, when it gets to zero, game stops.

  • Pong: First reduce speed so that it is is playable. Increase score each time you hit the paddle. When it hits the red line either end game or reduce lives.

  • Catch: Add apple counter. End game when you basket is full - apple count) or time is up.

  • Whack-a-Gobo: Add fish counter. End game when you reach fish limit or time is up.

As designers students can choose to add more than one variable, eg a countdown variable. They can also add visual and audio feedback for their game.



Day 2 : Enhance your game. Handout Page 3

Your students are the game designer. Let them add bells and whistles to their game.
eg. Display a text sprite to say the game is over. This sprite is initially hidden, when "end game"message is broadcast, the sprite is revealed.

Examples of enhancements made to starter games projects: Jump Pong PongSpeed Catch. Whack-a-Gobo. Maze

Close-Out (5 minutes)

Close-Out (5 minutes)

Discuss the following questions:

    • What is one improvement you wanted to add, but couldn't figure out how to?

    • How would you improve one of the games you didn't pick.