Game’s development stages

stage: Brainstorm
stage: Making questions about safe internet usage
stage: Making the quiz ( in Google Docs)
stage: Game board modelling (in Tinkercad)
stage: Game board printing
stage: Getting to know Bee-Bot robot
stage: Making the game board
stage: Making the homepage
stage: Testing the game

In February was announced a Progetiigri competition “Game marathon”, which we decided to take part. There was a brainstorm with our teacher, when we invented different games. From the options the best idea of a game was game, where you have to awnser the questions and collect 3D printed shapes. We decided to name the game shortly SBP-game, which full name is smart board programming game. Given game is almost like usual boardgame, gives players basic acknowledgement in programming and controls knowledge about safe behaviour in the internet. Ourselves, being 3D modelling students, we decided to involve in our job 3D printing.

Games purpose is to enhance players knowledge about safe behaviour in the internet. Game is made for basicschool children (aged 7+). In this game two teams take part. Both team has their own colour gameboards on which they have to collect same coloured shapes, which are put on different places on the game board. Game buttons are Bee-Bot robots, which are easily programmable. Teams have their smartphone or tablet where they have to complete a quiz about internet’s safe behaviour. By answering right or wrong they get to move on with their game buttons or stay at place. Team has to find the fastest way to pick up all their shapes and to move to the opponets teams starting point. On game board there are different spots where they have some kind of activities to to which help to move on or do not. Wins the team who has picked up all their team coloured shapes and moved to the opponents starting point.

Brainstorm

Making the questions about safe behaviour in the Internet

While making the questions we thought on all the different dangers that are out there for everyone of us. We learned from quizzes made before and also from different homepages.

Making the quiz

We made the quiz from questions we had put together before. Quiz was made in the internet environment Google Docs. Quiz opens on the internet page in the smart device we had given the teams before. Players can see the questions one by one in random order. Answering right teams can move on the game board three steps in any direction they want, answering wrong they get to move on only one step. When the answer is wrong they can see the right one so they can learn from their mistakes.

Game board modelleering

SBP games game boards modellered in the internet environment Tinkercad. While making the game board we thought on the fact that it would be good to hold it and it wouldn’t be too big. Shapes collected on the game board fit nicely on the board. Adding collected shapes on the board you can see which shapes are missing.

Printing the game boards

Game boards are 3D printed every team different colour. Printing one game board took 6 hours, a set of shapes took about 3 hours.

Getting to know Bee-Bot robot

Game buttons are Bee-Bot robots, which are easily programmable. We chose Bee-Bot robots, because programming these is easy and interesting at the same time. We made it sure ourselves while getting to know Bee-Bot robots. You have to keep in mind that every time after putting in the route, you have to delete the last route before. Players were given in the beginning of the game cards which introduce the way how to program Bee-Bot robots, if you need help. Before putting in the route you have to calculate your way to the next destination respectively given the times you have to move on the board.

Creating the game board

The game board was created by us by hand. Game board is created on the old blindfold which is made from tough fabric where the Bee-Bots could move very well. In the beginning we planned to make a grid with different coloured tapes, but these could stick to the blindfold. After that we used stencils cut from the paper and painted the squares around the stencil’s edges with gouache. On the game board there are green squares in which are three different coloured marks: when on red cross you have to step on step back, when on white star you can step one step forward and when on yellow circle gives you opportunity to think an additional activity for the team. Both teams start from their home square, when in the end, finishing on the opponent’s home square you can have a surprise (for example candies). When making the squares we had to think on the size of the step Bee-Bot can make in one move.

Creating the homepage

This game’s homepage is made in the internet environment wix.com.

Testing the game

When the game was ready it was time to test it. We tested it many times with different players. Every time we got new ideas to improve the game and found the mistakes we could fix. For the recommendations we made more squares with yellow circles to make the game even more fun.

For the best feedback had a games day in the Pärnu Mai kool, which we made for the 2nd grade students. In the beginning of the games we introduced students the purpose of the game and the rules. Together we also learned how to program the Bee-Bot robots. We decided to make some fixes in game rules because some of the questions in the quiz were a bit too hard and there were some difficulties in opening the quiz. We chose a game leader from us, who asked the questions from teams which teams had to answer. This kind of system allowed to discuss the questions more thoroughly. Depending on the right or wrong answers they could move the steps they could. Programming the Bee-Bot was learnt quickly and game turned out to be very fun. Candies on the home squares were big motivation for the players to find the fastest route. We played the game many times with different teams.

By the end of the day we got really good feedback. Students liked the most answering the questions and programming the Bee-Bots. Everyone left with good emotions, repeating all learnt knowledgements. We are glad to tell that evend older ones looked the game with interst. We find that this arranged game day was successful and useful for us and also for the players. This kind of day gave us motivation to make same kind of days in other basic schools.