Christine Maki, CBC News Ottawa

Beckwith Hackergal Feedback, from Christine Maki

General Thoughts:

-- Amazing creativity, a lot of fun, even if the topics were often serious

-- a lot of learning opportunities in these games, a lot of info

-- nice to hear each participant present their game and the story, they should feel proud of accomplishing this, and in such a short time, it’s amazing!

-- Overall, I was super impressed at the creativity, surprising elements and how interesting it was to watch, well done!

Adriana

-- love the idea of flying puppies -- very creative

-- the creativity didn’t end there -- loved the figure skaters and ice cream

-- it was very clear how to navigate and how to move up to the next level by getting to the flags

-- one element of confusion -- on level 2, there were 2 different kinds of obstacles, but on the other levels, there was only one -- might be worth simplifying?

-- I also could’ve used more of an explanation about controlling the puppy, that went by pretty fast

-- I think it would be a fun and relaxing game to play!

Alexis

-- fun game and very topical

-- a lot of people will be thinking about how to go to stores safely right now, so they might even play your game as a test run!

-- I like the store backdrop for the game, it really helps it seem realistic, easy to picture

-- the photos of the gloves and hand sanitizer were a little hard to see -- you explained but maybe they could be bigger?

-- I was also a little confused about how you navigate between the spaces, that would likely be clearer if you actually played the game yourself

-- I like the celebratory ending especially!

Bella

-- your cat game was super creative and surprising

-- there were a lot of fun elements and add-ons that spiced things up

-- the secret page, the fail song, the different tests everywhere you land, the playful hints, this was a real treasure trove of fun and unexpected treats

-- the one thing is that it had so much in it, some people might get confused… you’d have to make sure the instructions are super clear because the tests and rules change depending on which page you’re on -- maybe try to get other people to play your game and see if they can follow, to see what’s missing?

-- I especially like that you could interact with the moving animals!

Charlotte

-- Quaranteen is a great name for a game, and the game itself totally fits the name -- love that

-- I thought it was great that you included so many fun ideas and real links for things to do

-- it wasn’t just the suggestion of baking, but the specific youtube channel links that made it seem like a fun thing for teens to do, and maybe something they wouldn’t have thought of

-- I was surprised to learn about the old way of making gummies, who knew?

-- I like that it wasn’t just entertainment ideas, but also included safety information, and that there was an interactive portion

-- very rich experience

-- one thing -- i think you meant 6 ft not 6 meters!

Dalal

-- lots of interesting features included in this multi level game!

-- I really liked the movement of the young people across the screen, that made it more lively

-- i also liked that in your presentation you made it personal, explaining how your story was part of this, part of your inspiration

-- that will make it more interesting to people who might interact with it, they can relate to your connection to it -- that’s a smart way to explain it!

Hope

-- cool idea to include the bubble and the NHL -- that was an especially neat visual!

-- you explained it as linked to your love of sports, which makes it personal so people can connect to the game when they understand the story behind it

-- lots of cool images like the one about ‘crushing’ covid -- that’s powerful, too!

-- so many creative ways of pairing images to tell the story -- well done!

Johanna

-- neat that you put the text to speech button in there and explained what it does -- that’s pretty unique and makes it accessible for a lot of people

-- you explained how the quiz works well and it’s neat that you can hear the voice within it

-- the quiz is an original idea, and makes it interactive in a different way

-- I also like that you included references for people to follow up, so there’s an educational element beyond this experience

Kate

-- You had a ton of different elements, so that’s really a lot of nice variety -- like a choose your own adventure

-- the humourous skit was a nice distraction during a hard time

-- then you clearly explained how the murder hornet game worked, and it looked fun to play

-- simple and easy to figure out, bright, clear visuals help guide you

-- then you finish up with some information, which is a nice way to dismount from the game

-- it made for a nice, varied package

Molly

-- I liked that I could pick an animal and explore each one, a different kind of choose your own adventure

-- it’s a rich experience on each animal page -- you get sounds, you can interact with the animal and make it go

-- it’s a lot of fun and you can learn a lot, focussing on each animal

-- it’s clearly presented and easy to follow, but lots of levels to explore

-- neat idea -- you could add more animals over time?

Tahlia

-- I like that you picked a very different topic -- the Australian fires

-- fun that each water bucket gives something different, it’s simple but provides a creative variety in the experience of playing the game

-- in the end, there’s a character who says thanks which makes it feel gratifying to play

-- maybe more information about the fires for people who don’t know about them might help make a richer experience?

-- it’s simple but very clear and has a clear goal -- very coherent and a nice package

Sarah

-- fun that you incorporated something you cared about into your game, and that you explained that in your presentation

-- this topic was unique and totally different from everyone else, so nice to see that variety

-- the characters were also unique, had different things to say

-- it can be hard to create a game about something like a musical, so that’s interesting to see you take on that challenge

-- it might’ve been good to explain more about the storyline of Hamilton for people who haven’t seen the movie?

-- it’s neat that you could still interact with each of the characters

-- you’re not the only Hamilton-lover, so many might enjoy this game, it’s a very popular movie right now

Haley

-- fun that you came up with the idea of creating the bunny character to help kids understand that school’s different this year

-- lots of levels and puzzles to solve on the way, but a clear storyline throughout

-- the intro and the words at the top kept it very clear what you’re trying to do, and the words are very encouraging throughout

-- fun that the bunny gets a prize in the end -- that makes it even more fun to play when there’s something at stake

-- it’s a stressful time for kids, so it’s nice to make it a little bit easier in this way -- good idea, and unique take on all this pandemic stuff

Moyo

-- Unfortunately, for this one, I couldn’t hear the audio -- was this a technical issue maybe?

-- but the game itself bright, smart and easy to follow, so you almost didn’t need to hear the words

-- colourful, and fun pop culture questions, which is a nice distraction these days, and different from all the other games

-- this would be good for people who like board games like trivial pursuit, or who know a lot about music and movies

-- I like the opening ‘trivia’ screen too -- makes you excited to play!