Grade Level: Middle School
Time Required: 1-2 Class Periods (45-60 minutes each)
Subject: Computer Science / Game Design
Tools Needed: KODU Game Lab, Computers
Students will:
✅ Design an aerial jet combat game using KODU Game Lab.
✅ Program a controllable jet with shooting mechanics.
✅ Add AI-controlled enemy planes that chase and shoot at the player.
✅ Implement scoring, health, and game-over conditions.
✅ Learn basic AI behaviors, movement logic, and object interactions.
Discuss flying-based games and their mechanics.
Show key video frames to highlight:
Jet movement (forward motion, turning).
Shooting mechanics (missiles, aiming).
Enemy AI (chasing, attacking, dodging).
Health & scoring system (tracking hits, losing health).
Ask students:
What makes a fun jet game?
How should the jet move and shoot?
How should enemy AI behave?
Step 1: Creating the World
Open KODU Game Lab and create a large sky area using the Ground Brush (light blue terrain).
Add floating islands, clouds, or obstacles for a realistic aerial battlefield.
Place a starting position for the player’s jet.
Step 2: Adding the Player’s Jet
Add a KODU Jetbot (or other flying object) to act as the player’s jet.
Program movement:
WHEN: Keyboard/Arrow keys → DO: Move
Step 3: Implementing Shooting Mechanics
Add missiles or bullets as projectiles.
Program shooting:
WHEN: Spacebar pressed → DO: Shoot missile forward.
WHEN: Missile hits enemy → DO: Destroy enemy and increase score.
Step 4: Adding Enemy AI
Place enemy jets at different spots in the sky.
Program enemy behavior:
WHEN: See player → DO: Move toward player.
WHEN: Timer expires → DO: Fire missile at player.
Step 5: Adding Health & Game Over Conditions
Program player health:
WHEN: Hit by an enemy missile → DO: Reduce health by 1.
WHEN: Health reaches 0 → DO: Display "Game Over" message and restart.
Step 6: Adding a Scoring System
Program scoring logic:
WHEN: Missile hits enemy → DO: Add +1 to player score.
WHEN: Player reaches a set score → DO: Display "You Win!" message.
Students play their game and adjust speed, AI, and shooting mechanics.
Discuss debugging strategies if enemies behave unpredictably.
Ask students:
What worked well?
How could they improve AI behaviors?
What additional features could be added?
✔️ Creativity: Unique design choices in world-building.
✔️ Programming Logic: Correct movement, shooting, and AI behaviors.
✔️ Problem-Solving: Debugging and refining gameplay.
✔️ Engagement: Participation in testing and discussion.
Power-ups: Add fuel, speed boosts, or shields.
More AI Behaviors: Have enemies dodge missiles or move in formation.
Multiplayer Mode: Add a second player-controlled jet.
Different Weapons: Add rapid-fire cannons or homing missiles.
Boss Battle: Create a powerful enemy that takes multiple hits to defeat.
This lesson now includes game-over conditions, health mechanics, scoring, and additional AI behaviors, making it a fully structured game design lesson for middle school students. 🎮🚀
Would you like me to add any additional instructions or challenge levels? 😊
✔ Demonstrate creativity and innovation → Students design their own jet game, choosing environments, enemy behaviors, and shooting mechanics.
✔ Demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving → They must debug movement issues, AI behaviors, and scoring logic.
✔ Demonstrate initiative and self-direction → Students independently plan, test, and refine their jet game.
✔ Collaborate with team members → If working in pairs or small groups, students discuss strategies and divide tasks.
✔ Demonstrate listening and speaking skills → They explain their game logic and design choices during testing and reflection.
✔ Demonstrate big-picture thinking → Students think about how movement, AI, scoring, and combat mechanics fit together.
✔ Demonstrate continuous learning and adaptability → They adjust their game mechanics based on feedback and debugging.
✔ Manage time and resources → They must complete their game within the given class period.
✔ Demonstrate proficiency with technologies, tools, and machines common to a specific occupation → Using KODU Game Lab introduces students to game design, AI programming, and interactive environments.
✔ Define technology → Students explore how game engines and AI behaviors shape gameplay.
✔ Identify how technologies have emerged through the use of engineering → They see how AI-based movement and physics simulations improve gaming experiences.
✔ Describe how society affects technology and technology affects society → Students discuss how game design, AI enemies, and shooting mechanics reflect real-world applications (e.g., flight simulations, AI-controlled drones).
✔ Demonstrate the safe use of a minimum of three tools and/or pieces of equipment as part of the design process → Students use terrain tools, object placement, and AI programming in KODU.
✔ Describe the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) engineering design process → The lesson follows a structured process:
Plan → Create → Test → Debug → Improve.
✔ Demonstrate the use of an engineering design process → Students define their game’s goal, program AI, test shooting mechanics, and evaluate their design.
✔ Define the goal of a challenge → The goal is to create a realistic and engaging jet combat game.
✔ Design a device using criteria and constraints → They program AI-controlled enemies with movement and attack logic.
✔ Evaluate viable solutions → Students test different AI behaviors and adjust them for a better challenge.
✔ Select a solution → They choose the best shooting mechanics and enemy difficulty for fun gameplay.
✔ Plan the model or prototype → Students lay out terrain, obstacles, and enemy positions before finalizing their game.
✔ Produce a model or prototype → They build the KODU jet game prototype with working AI and shooting mechanics.
✔ Assess the design → Students test, identify bugs, and make improvements.
✔ Describe how the solution could be improved → They brainstorm additional features like power-ups or boss fights.
✔ Communicate the results → They share their game with classmates and discuss their experience.
✔ Illustrate how processes change inputs to outputs in any system → Students program inputs (arrow keys for movement, spacebar for shooting) and see outputs (jet movement, missiles, enemy reactions).
✔ Describe the computation, automation, AI, and robotics contexts of technology and engineering → Students program AI-controlled enemies, learning how rule-based programming influences game mechanics.
✅ Covers game development, AI logic, scoring systems, and shooting mechanics.
✅ Reinforces problem-solving, debugging, and computational thinking.
✅ Encourages creativity and innovation through level design and AI behaviors.
✅ Provides real-world connections to flight simulations, AI automation, and game development.
This lesson aligns very well with engineering, technology, and computer science education standards. Would you like any specific adjustments or additions to emphasize certain competency areas? 😊