Add Multimedia to Your Blogs

Make the most of your blogging. Remember to add multimedia to your blogs to add some interest and spice. Add something that will complement your text and make the reader reflect on what you have said and maybe even inspire the reader to action. You can also include a video or a link to a website for further reading. It doesn't take much time, but it does make the blog much more readable and interesting.

It will also help your grade on the blogging rubric, and that can be a great benefit to you as well. So, the next time you blog, think about it.

Team Game--Game Demos

It was nice to have a break for a week during the week of Thanksgiving and now that we are back to school, we are working toward finishing our game demos of the team games. Students are adding buttons to their game demos to move through their frames. We are looking forward to presenting the demos on Friday. Hopefully, with no interruptions this week, we will be able to meet our goal. The games are coming along pretty well overall. Some of the artwork is impressive and the game ideas are good. We have to make sure to incorporate as much learning content into the games as we possibly can while also maintaining player interactivity. This is always a challenge. But, with the young creative minds in our classroom, this shouldn't be too much of a problem. Let's see what we can do with the remainder of the semester as we finish the game demos.

Action Games Finally Finished

We are finally finished with our action games and beginning Game Design II. I didn't think we were ever going to get everything finished in Game Design I so that we could move on to Game Design II, but we finally made it. I am excited that now the students are able to work in teams to make their games. I enjoy this curriculum so much more and I think that the students will too. It seems we are more productive and I can really see progress from day to day when we are working together. I know that there are days when progress slows because of coding issues or other things and as always we have interruptions in our schedule but we do well when we can work together. I am a fan of teamwork and always have been. The skills that the students learned while they were working on their individual games will no doubt come in handy while they are working on the team games but they will be able to build on each other's strengths and lean on each other when things get tough in the game-making and coding stages. It is always easier when you have someone to help you present as well. Of course, teams don't work well when you have a very weak partner or someone who doesn't pull his/her own weight, but I don't think that we will have that problem in our class this semester. I also think we will have some very good games. So, let's go teams and get those games going.

Action Game Progress

We are trying to make it through the Game Design One curriculum and finish the action games. For some students it is much easier than for others. Some are working through the lessons very quickly while others are trudging through them and not focusing on what needs to be completed. This slows the whole class down and is frustrating for all of us, me in particular. This class is not a study hall for other classes and sometimes some of the students try to use it as such and save their work for other classes for this class. The curriculum in here does not allow for free time and this class is as important as any other. We do have enough interruptions in our school day without making our own. It is time to focus on what needs to be completed and do a good job in Game Design. Other courses have their importance and need time spent on them as well. But, this class has 90 minutes devoted to Globaloria and that is not nearly enough to do all we need to do in here. Let's do the best we can with the time we have.

Preparing for the BIG Game

You know what you are learning now will help you when you are making the team game. Don't think that you are just practicing or wasting your time until you get to the team section of the curriculum. You are certainly not. Everything that you do in Game Design prepares you for the ultimate game that you are creating. All the tools that you learn to use and the code that you learn to write helps to prepare you for your BIG game. So, keep and open mind and try to think about what that game might be and the kinds of things you might want to put into that game. Because it's all going to come together very soon--sooner than you might think!

Action Games Have Started

Hidden object games are a thing of the past and we've moved on to the action games. It seems the semester is flying by and we are falling behind with our schedule. There's never enough time to do all that we want to do and so many things interrupt our days that time seems to slip though our hands and the semester is gone before we know it. I am really enjoying the game design class this fall although I wish we could move along at a little faster pace. Just when I think we can move on to the next lesson we have a person or two who is working behind and it slows all of us down. This would be a nice week to work with no interruptions in our schedule. We'll see if that happens.

Blog Posts, Learning Logs, Comments to Other's Posts, and Project Pages

Everything we do in class is important. Don't skip around and leave things blank when you complete your project page. It is easy to forget to go back and complete it for one thing, but even more importantly, the curriculum is not designed for you to do it that way. When you complete your lessons sequentially and make sure things are finished, then you will have a better grasp of the concepts and material presented, and you will be better prepared to move on to the next lesson. The learning log is important because you will be able to see a visual record of how you have learned and mastered content, and grown throughout the semester. Please keep it updated on a daily basis. This is an easy task.

Leaving holes as you move on will cost you time, effort, and frustration in the future. Please make sure you have things completely finished before you move on. It does make things easier for everyone involved. It will actually save you time and energy.  And, don't we all want to save time, effort, and energy? I know I do. I'm sure you do too. Good luck and I will help you do a good job as we experience Game Design together.

Publishing, Uploading, and General Reminders

Remember that you need to publish your Flash files so that you will have both a swf (small web file) as well as your fla file. Your project, and later your team pages, will always request both of your files from you as you complete your lessons. If you forget to publish, you will only have the fla file.

Also, the files will not be available on the wiki unless you upload them with the file uploader. You can't just type the file name in the space on the project page and expect them to magically appear. Always upload them first and then copy them to the appropriate places on the project pages.

If you are ever asked for a thumbnail file. You just need to go to file, publish settings, and select jpg. This will provide a small picture for you to place on your page. Just remember to be on the frame that you want it to publish the picture of. In most cases this is going to be your title page. You will be asked to do this for your hidden object game and your action game and your team game because these thumbnails will then go to the game gallery and show a small picture of your game in the gallery.

Questions, just ask. Good luck publishing and uploading. You are well on your way to making some awesome games. I can't wait to play, can you?

Google Chrome and the Internet

We have been having some real issues in our first block class with slow internet and the wiki not being responsive at times. We cannot comment on each other's blog posts and were not able to do this last year either. The commenting problem is an Internet Explorer issue I feel sure. I am not sure about the speed of the internet and or the wiki being so slow for us.

My desktops are getting older but it seems like we have to wait, and wait, and wait for anything to load or save. So, we downloaded Google Chrome to see if it would help us out any with our situation. I do think that our commenting on the blogs will be solved with this. I am unsure about the speed however. At first I thought it might be that things might be being added to the wiki and it might be slowing us down. But, we have been in school for a month now and things have not improved. We are not on the wireless so the traffic should not be a problem. Our bandwidth was supposed to be increased and should be in good shape for us.

I know that the other Globaloria teacher is also having issues although she is using laptops and the wireless internet in her classroom at a later time in the day. So, we have both talked to our technology person at the school. My other class works on a wiki that is not the Globaloria class, and we are having problems in that class as well so I don't think that it is tied specifically to the Globaloria wiki. I do hope that a solution is found soon and we can move on. There is no bigger frustration than problems with technology software, hardware, and speed of the internet when your class depends on it.

Production can slow to a crawl and creativity is hindered as well. I am not ready to be placed in this position this year. Students should not have to fight this battle to complete their tasks in the class.

Hidden Object Games-Drawing Backgrounds and Hidden Objects

It's been awhile since I've drawn in Flash, but I do find that I enjoy it when I have time to do it. The students are enjoying their first taste of drawing in Flash as they have uploaded their paper prototype files to their project pages and are beginning their attempts at drawing their backgrounds to their hidden object games. Some are doing better than others, but it takes time to get your balance and feel comfortable drawing. It took me quite awhile before I felt like I could do anything at all as far as drawing in Flash. Today, we started drawing the hidden objects that will go into the games. The students do like the idea of bringing items in from the internet and tracing them and then making them their own. It gives them better perspective and color than trying to do it totally on their own. We have some pretty good looking games for the Game Design I students and the Game Design II students are nearing the completion of their games and are almost ready for their presentations. They are doing an amazing job with their games and have matured in their use of the program so much from last year. Overall, we are making progress although not as quickly as I would like. But, we are moving along. The coding is looking us in the eye and we are ready and waiting for it!

New Year-New Class-New Challenges

This year has started with all of the fuss and challenges that accompanies a new school year and Game Design class has been no different. We have had a challenging week getting started in the class, but things are looking up. Wiki names have been provided and profiles are being created, blogs have been created, and posts have been made. We have problems commenting because of Internet Explorer and the computers in my lab, but hopefully that won't be a problem long. The students are being patient as they attempt to learn the new curriculum. I look forward to a productive year with a good group of students. Who knows what we can accomplish together!

Game Design I

The newly designed Game Design I curriculum looks great. I like the improvements to the wiki and to the curriculum. The biggest improvement in my opinion is the action game that has been added to the Game Design I course. This replaces and expands on the mini game that was originally taught as the first coding that the students were able to experience in the class. There wasn't much variety in the game and it really didn't allow for too much creativity either. The action game introduces the same concepts as well as adds additional coding concepts for the students to select from as they complete their games. It is introduced after the completion and presentation of the hidden object game so that the student has some background in action script and Flash. This makes it more beneficial to the student and allows the student to attack it with a little more self confidence than he/she would if it was the first game of the semester. I am looking forward to teaching Game Design I and completing the action game on my own before my students have a chance to complete their games. It looks to be an exciting year in Globaloria!

Globaloria Training

New and returning educator training is in full swing in Elkins this week at the Randolph Technical Center. Educators are seeing the changes to the Globaloria platform and are learning new things as they prepare to begin their new classes for the 2013-2014 classes. It is an exciting time of the year for everyone as we reflect on this past year's classes and look forward to the new year. It is nice to welcome the new educators to the ranks of Globaloria as well. We hope that they have a successful year, and we are trying to trying to do everything possible make sure that they do succeed. Good luck everyone!

The New School Year Approaches! Are you ready?

It's been a busy summer and time has flown by it seems, but it's that time again when we look forward to a new school year with all of the changes that it brings. Excitement is in the air as well as the dread of early morning rising for some and I must say that I am one of those who do not enjoy rising at 5:00 a.m. However, once we settle back into the routine it's bearable. It's a matter of getting to bed a little earlier and having a more structured day. I am excited to see all of the changes in the Globaloria platform that have taken place over the past year and we are going to be able to take advantage of a great many of them at Tygarts Valley. You will be so excited to be able to make use of the new innovations that have been put into place. In the spring semester we will be trying out the new 3-D game curriculum and some of the other new features that we delve into more deeply later including making games for mobile devices! Technology is changing so rapidly it is mind-boggling and we struggle to keep up with it, but in Game Design you can be on the cutting edge learning the latest technology and gaining skills that will last you a lifetime. I look forward to seeing you in the classroom where we will learn together and have fun while doing it. Games, prizes, local, state, and national recognition awaits you. Are you up to the challenge? What are you waiting for? Globaloria awaits you! I'll see you in Room 207.

Matt and Brittany in New York City

Matt and Brittany will travel to New York City next week to receive Silver Medals in the National Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards at Carnegie Hall for their game Carl and Carly's Big Day. They received national honors for the game they created in their Game Design I class last fall. The game teaches about Greek mythology. They wanted players to learn to appreciate Greek culture and mythology, so they created the game with Carl and Carly. Check out the game on the game gallery at Tygarts Valley High School and see what you think.

Good Enough--Not Nearly So

We published our final games but they are far from final. I write the blog every semester, every year. So you feel like you are finished and you don't have to touch the game again. It's good enough, good enough. I will not accept good enough until it's better than we ever expected it to be and it is simply amazing. Then you might be finished, if it's the last day of class and you don't have any time at all. Never settle for less or you short change yourself and your abilities. One of these days, you will come to realize what I mean. Good enough will never get you anywhere in life, and you will never see your potential if you settle for good enough. I will not let you get by with it. Don't ever think you have to let anything go with a "good enough". Your work reflects who and what you are and what you are made of. Ask yourself if you are simply good enough or if you are you awesome? I know the answer to that. And you do too. Now show the world what you are made of.

Game Design Progress in 8th Grade Class

I am so pleased with the progress in the 8th grade class this semester. We have some really good game ideas and some colorful games. The coding is a challenge as always for students, but things are progressing nicely. Students are working toward presenting their game demos this week and I am proud of them. Below are a couple of examples of games that are being developed in the classroom. Students have a good eye for color and design. There are many more, but space is limited. After the games are presented, you will be able to play them all from the game gallery.

Finish the Race with Grace

As we near the end of the semester we need to remember all that you've learned and all that you've worked so hard to accomplish is on the line as you are attempting to finish the games that you have created. Please don't rush through and leave the games in limbo with no ending or no clear focus. The demo is upon us now and after this, you will focus on the final levels of the game. Some of your games will be more detailed and sophisticated than others. Do not despair if your game doesn't seem to be one of the most elaborate. Do the best that you can and work toward meeting your goals within the time frame that you have. We all know that our time is short to do the work that has to be completed but it is not something that cannot be accomplished. You simply have to be focused and determined to do so. This takes effort and dedication on your part. Some suggestions are Work from bell to bell. Sign a computer with Flash on out when you have some time during the evening to work on your game. Work on your blogs and learning logs at home or on your own computers outside of class when you don't need Flash if you are having trouble finishing the game work in class because of time constraints. Assign each team member a list of things to do and a due date for accomplishing each thing. Come to my classroom during activity period to work on your game or right after you finish eating your lunch. Stay after school and work on your game in my room. I never leave early unless I have an appointment. Come to my room during home baseball games and work in my room on a computer on your game. I work many of the games selling concessions next door and would be able to help you some. If I'm not here, Mrs. B or Mrs. Newsom could allow you to work in my room. If you have any free time in any of your other classes, ask your teacher to allow you to come to my room to work on your game.

Congratulations for Scholastic Art and Writing Award Winners at Tygarts Valley

Recently we have had some good news for some of the students at Tygarts Valley. I'd like to particularly congratulate Matt and Brittany on their National Silver Medals that they will receive from the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards on May 31 at a ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Matt and Brittany received the national honors for their game, "Carl and Carly's Big Day" that they created in their Game Design I class last semester. The game teaches about Greek gods and goddesses in an entertaining and interactive way. You can play the game by going to the game gallery at Tygarts Valley High School. Carl and Carly's Big Day by the Fire Breathing Rubber Duckies Several other students won silver and gold key regional awards from the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards at Tygarts Valley as well. Matt and Brittany won gold keys. Casey M. won a gold key. Jared W. and Cody G. and Casey M. won silver key awards for their golf history game. Daniel L. and Dylan P. won silver keys for their game on hunter safety. Caleb G. Madelyn M. and Kelsi R won silver keys for their game about endangered animals. The students were awarded their gold or silver keys as well as a certificate and an award letter. Check out all of the students games in the game gallery link. Mrs. Walters had students at the middle school level in her game design class win gold key awards also. Visit the middle school wiki or Mrs. Walters blog to find out more about these students and their games. We are very proud of all of the students accomplishments. Keep up the good work! Good luck in the Globey competitions.

Game Demos and ............

We are working toward completion of our game demos. In about a month, the final games should be completed. It is hard to believe that the semester will be over in less than two months, but it will. Now is the time to prioritize your time and make sure that no effort is wasted. Make sure that every team member has a job to do. Assign tasks to every one on the team so that there is no down time for anyone. Be productive and efficient with your class time and if you need to, sign a computer out to work at home. You want to make the best game possible. There is a lot at stake. Your game should be the best that it can be. Dream big. Remember the goals that you set. Don't deviate from them and don't give up. Success does not come easily. If it does, it is not appreciated or long remembered. I look forward to seeing what you are creating and to help you through the process. Look how far you've come since the first day of class and you aren't finished yet. I am excited to see what happens next, aren't you?

Silver and Gold Key Winners and Silver Medal Winners at TVHS

We are very proud of the winners that we have in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards from the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers at Tygarts Valley High School. The following students were awarded regional honors this past month for their games: Maddie M, Caleb G, and Kelsi R--It's a Jungle Out There! Silver Key Award Jared W, Cody G, and Casey M--Putt-putt for Knowledge Silver and Gold Key Awards Daniel L and Dylan P--Hunter Safety Silver Key Award Matt S and Brittany S--Carl and Carly's Big Day Gold Key Award Additionally, Matt S and Brittany S received a national silver medal in addition to the regional recognition. Two teams from the Middle School also received Gold Keys in Mrs. Walters Game Design class. We congratulate those students.

Paper Prototypes and Drawing the Primary Scene

We are working on the primary scene in Flash for our games. The paper prototype is important because it directs us as we begin our game. It also requires us to think about exactly what is going to happen in the primary or first scene of our game. It's much more difficult to get the ideas on paper and it forces us to think the game idea through rather than have a vague idea of what is going to happen in the game. There will be times when the predicted game play will change because ideas will develop, but it is better to have a clear outline to follow and that is why the paper prototype and the design plan on the team page is important in the development process. Drawing in Flash can be a challenge, but it quickly becomes something that most students enjoy and become good at doing. Some students find that they have a real talent at drawing using the computer, something that they never knew existed. You really need to explore and not be afraid of trying new things in Game Design. How else will you know what you are going to be the master of? And, you will surprise yourself and me. Trust me you will. It happens all the time. Let's get these scenes completed and get on with the games. We have some real work to do.

Working with a Partner

It's almost time for us to start thinking about our main games in our class. When we choose our learning topic, which we will do this week, we base our team selection on whose ideas are close to our own. Sometimes I select your team members for you. There are other times when I allow you to select your team members. We are getting close to the time that this needs to take place. Have you given any thought to who you would like to work with in the class? Don't base your decision on who you are friends with. Don't base your decision on who you are sitting beside either. It is much more than this. Being a team member is hard work. Sometimes friends don't make the best partners. You will work with one other person in most cases. Your partner needs to be responsible, dependable, and have a good work ethic and so do you. Your partner needs to come to school regularly and be willing to compromise and work for the good of the team and so do you. Both of you need to be able to work independently and to stay on task without someone watching you constantly. You both need to be able to set and meet your own goals. Can you do that? Now that that's said. Who might you like to work with? I have a pretty good idea of who I want to work together in your class and who I don't. But, we can discuss this. This is an important decision for you. It will determine the kind of game you will make and the quality of your work for the semester. You need to spend some time pondering it. So will I.

Mini Game

The mini game is the next step we are taking in our game creation. It is different though in that all of our games will be the same or very similar with the exception of the final step of the game. The coding for the mini game is very important because you will come back to it time and time again as you work during the semester on your game. The hit test is a primary code that every game uses and the mini game teaches it in a very simple and easy to use way. Take advantage of this great class activity to pick up some great coding tips and learn some new ways of doing things in Flash as we complete the mini game lessons in class together. It's a lot of fun and you will use it.

Hidden Object Games Finished!

We were finally able to complete the hidden object games and get them presented and get them uploaded to the project pages. The vlogs are completed as well. It was a tremendous amount of work to complete both classes it seems. Everyone's game is in the game gallery and all of the presentations are showing up on the project pages. It is no small feat to upload all of the presentations to Viddler with one account and to put all of the IDs into the project pages. I took it on as a weekend project and it took two days to complete it. But, they are complete and I am glad to have that out of the way. Some of the games have some mistakes in them. Some of them have minor errors that should have been caught with a good proofreading before the games were submitted for the final upload and others just have errors that may not have been detected to one reason or another. They can still be corrected. Remember the best game is going to be nominated in each class for our candidate for the Globey competitions. You want your game to be the one that is chosen so you don't want to have any errors or anything that might cause you to be passed over for someone else. Make it perfect if it does take some extra effort. Anything worth doing is worth some extra effort.

Adding Game Ingredients

We have been adding game ingredients for a week now and it seems like we are getting bogged down with this. Some of the students are keeping up with the lessons and are doing very well. They have three ingredients or more. Others have one or two. Some are still working on coding their hidden objects. It is difficult to keep everyone together and when students are scattered, they don't listen to the instruction that is taking place because they are focused on what they are doing at the moment. Then they want individual instruction on what they need when they need it. It is difficult to do this when you have more than twenty students. Once we have the fundamental coding skills mastered, working individually is going to be encouraged so that I can help each student or team. But, right now group instruction is the way to go if everyone would just pay attention. This week has been full of emotions in the classes. We've had the frustration of losing entire games and we've even had some tears, but we have made some good progress. Flash is temperamental at times and we just need to know how to work with it and survive. It is a learning process that is difficult at times. Save often and upload to the wiki. Keep back up files with different file names. These are all things that I say every day. Maybe some day, someone will listen. Game ingredients is a good coding experience to throw the students into at the beginning of the course. And, they seem to enjoy it so far. We will be presenting the games next week--I hope. So, even with the tears and the frustrations we've had, everything should come together for a great experience in the end. I have my fingers crossed!

Great Example of Drag and Drop

Here is a great example of drag and drop code in a game. This game was made by Lindsey, one of the Gloabloria interns. The animals in the game are pets that she actually has. Aren't they cute! Drag and drop is an easy way to add player interaction to your game. It is one of the first coding practices that you will learn to do in Flash. Enjoy Coming Home as you discover the wonderful world of action script.

Join the Community

In this lesson, you watched a video that described what the speaker described as a "single story" and you were asked to answer the following questions in a blog entry. 1.What does it mean to have a 'single story' about a place or community? 2.Describe a single story you have heard told about your community. What is missing from that story? How could people learn more about that community? 3.Describe a single story you have heard about another community. How did you learn that story? How could you find out more about that community? 4.How could a game let players experience many stories about a place or community? The single story you may be aware of may be different than what anyone else in the classroom is aware of, but that doesn't mean that it is incorrect. Everyone has experiences filtered through the lens of their own perspectives. To be narrow-minded though is not something that anyone should be guilty of no matter where that individual lives or what he/she has experienced. Share your stories of single stories of places and communities you are aware of as you address the questions above.

Drawing Backgrounds for Hidden Object Games

Students have been busy drawing backgrounds for their hidden object games in second and third block classes. This was the first experience working with Flash and so far it has been a positive one for most of the students. We have been experimenting with using some different examples of items from the internet and putting them onto the stage so that we can trace them and use realistic colors and make the objects our own. This has been working very well. Flash offers many options in drawing and the students have been doing some experimenting and some learning has been taking place for this first game of the semester. Some students have already started working on the hidden object items for their games. Before you know it, we will be ready for coding our hidden object games and then on to presenting them. Let's get these games going.

Issues with Blogging Again

It took two days, but our classes finally got their blogs set up and we are blogging. Not that everything is perfect because it is not. I don't think the problem is with the way the blogs are set up at all or with the way that you configured your blogs or with your backgrounds or with your gadgets. I think it has to be an Internet Explorer issue. When I view your blogs on my laptop, I can see them as well as your comments. I can make comments as well. I have Internet Explorer as well as Google Chrome on the laptop and both of them allow me to see your blogs. Our browser is outdated I fear. You know when you saw the warning that you have to dismiss when you go into gmail and when you were setting up your blog account? I believe that was the issue that is causing the distress and I'm not sure what we can do about it right now. Hopefully we will be able to finda a solution soon. We have a lot of blogging to do.

Groundhog's Day

Do you know what today is? It's Groundhog's Day! If the groundhog see's his/her shadow, we are in for six more weeks of bad weather. Today the weather is cold and snowy. Maybe in six weeks we will see signs of spring; maybe before six weeks we'll see signs of spring. That would be nice. Either way, winter is on its way out according to the groundhog. Whether the groundhog determines the end of winter in six weeks or sooner, think spring. We sure could use some sunshine and warmth. I've had enough of the cold stark days of winter. How about you?

Snow Days

Snow days....it's that time of year when we don't know whether we'll have a day of sunshine or a blizzard and lately it's been a day of snow ad cold and wind. We've had two snow days in a row, and that will put our class schedule behind in our new Game Design classes. It's hard to keep pace the way it is without the snow days. But, there's not too much we can do about the snow days unless we anticipate them. These really surprised me. We were looking for a couple of inches of snow and we ended up with about eight inches of fluffy white powder and lots of driving wind. What started out on Wednesday as a nice spring-like day with temperatures in the upper 60's changed abruptly by Thursday when we had flooding and then ice and then snow. Life is like that sometimes. When things are going well, something hits you totally unexpected and knocks you for a loop. The important thing is to get back up and keep moving forward. It isn't always easy; nor is it always fun or exciting. But, it is a necessary part of survival. We can't always anticipate everything that is going to happen to us, but we can prepare for some things. We can prepare for our classes and we can prepare for our future occupation. We can't prepare for natural disasters. We can prepare for setbacks though and attitude and determination play a large part in your success in whatever you do whether it be in Game Design or in gym class. So, whether it be in a snowstorm or on a test, determine to do your best. Prepare when you can, and when you can't use your best judgement and strive to succeed. Stay warm. Stay focused. Stay the course.

Passwords and Usernames

It may seem like a simple thing in the beginning, but it is a good idea to write all of your usernames and passwords down on a sheet or put them in a safe place so that you can have them in case you forget them. They can be a little overwhelming at first because you have so many. In class we keep a password sheet. You may also want to keep them in your phone or to keep them in some other safe place. Even when you have them memorized, it's easy to forget them when you come back from a long break or long weekend. These are just tips that will help make life easier for you as you start the semester in Game Design. Let's make this a success with as few problems as possible.

New Classes--New Start

Welcome to the new semester and to Game Design I and II. We are off to an adventure like you have never imagined. Coming on the heels of the end of the first semester with no break in-between, we have the new second semester classes. And, I am excited that you are here in Game Design. Whether you are new to Game Design or you have had a semester of the class before, this will be something different. New to me is the addition of an eighth grade class, and I am excited to have them in my classroom. I hope they are as excited as I am for them to be here. We are just getting our feet wet this week, but by next week we will be delving into the curriculum head first. So, get ready and start thinking of what you want to make your game about this year.

Heaven Can Wait

We've all heard it said that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Resourcefulness is the mother of invention. These adages are common but nonetheless true. We are a resourceful bunch making do with what we have. In life we don't always have what we want, but we can almost always get access to or we almost always have what we need. Then if we spend our time and our other resources wisely, we can be successful.

This can be said and proven true in any endeavor. We can use it in the classroom, in the workplace, or in the home. If we use our creativity and imagination now like we did when we were young, we might be able to do some amazing things. Have you ever wondered what happens as we grow older to our imagination? Does it go away or diminish? It actually does not. We just don't use it as much as we did when we were younger. You will find that some of the most successful entrepreneurs do use their imaginations and their creativity to brainstorm and develop new ideas.

This is something that we develop and use in Game Design when we create games, when we search for ideas for new games that are both educational and fun. We put our imaginations to work. We use our critical thinking skills, our collaboration skills, and our problem solving skills.

Can you imagine what life would be like if all of us used these skills every day of our lives? If we consciously developed our imaginations and our skills of creativity so that they would be honed and ready to take on the tasks that we encounter each day of our lives. We could change the world. That's worth thinking about. That's worth doing something about. Let's just do it.

Final Survey for Game Design Class

There is a Final Survey that you need to take before you leave the class.There will be a link on the class page for you. Click on the link and complete the survey and submit it. Please let me know if you have any problems with it. Also, let me know when you submit it so that I can check your name off of my list. This is a requirement for the class. You completed a survey at the beginning of the class and this is the final survey and needs to be completed before you exit the class.

If you have questions, please let me know. (This needs to be completed before exam days; Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, Jan. 14-16)

Final Game Presentations and Vlogs

As we finish the semester, each team has presented the final game presentation and has recorded a final vlog. Please take some time to view your presentation and vlog. If you are not happy with any or all of your vlog or your presentation or if you think that you would like to video either of these again, please let me know. We practiced your presentations, but each time you present you are improving and there is room for improvement for all of us.

There are some presentations that I have already talked to the teams and asked them to present again. Some of the vlogs could also be improved. This is a representation of you and your team and people do watch these as they look at your team page and because you are entered into the Globey competitions. It would be in your best interest to have the best presentation possible. I know that you have heard me say this time and time again, but this is not for me but for you. I am not a competitor--you are. I do not have a chance to win a computer--you do.

You have worked all semester, since August, to create and complete a game. You want to make sure that you are showing and telling everything about that process in the best way that you can. If it takes having the video recorded two or three times to get the best one, then what is that? Do whatever it takes to do the best that you can. If you play a sport how many times do you practice before you perform well? It is certainly more than one or two times. This is no different. Put the effort into it that it deserves. The reward is definitely worth the time invested.

Games Completed

Now that your game is completed or nearly complete, you can breathe a little easier. But, don't think that you can forget about it and go on with your life. There are edits to be made and when the professional reviews are complete, there are suggestions that will be made to you. In  order to make your game the best that it can be, you need to do everything in your power and that means working until the end of the semester, following the suggestions of the reviewer, and following the suggestions of the instructor.

This will help you to submit the best entry into the competition that you can. And, it will give you the satisfaction in knowing that you did the best that you possibly could to create a game and develop and see it through from conception to completion in one semester. That in itself is quite an accomplishment. I am very proud of your achievement this term and I hope you are satisfied with what you have accomplished in the course. You may not realize it now, but you have acquired and developed skills that you will use for the rest of your life. Teamwork is not easy and it's not always equitable and fair. Sometimes life is like this.

Let's finish the course with the best effort that you can put forth and I wish you the best of luck in the competitions. I hope to see some of you in Game Design II next semester or in the coming years.