playful learning : how to turn any ip into a successful educational app or game
DESCRIPTION
Slides from the Playful Learning workshop on creating good educational games from existing IP at the Children's Media Conference 2014. By Martha Henson and Kirsten Campbell-Howes of #LEGup and edugameshub.com. More details http://www.thechildrensmediaconference.com/sessions/wednesday-workshop-playful-learning. Write up http://www.thechildrensmediaconference.com/blog/2014/07/03/wednesday-workshop-playful-learning-report/.TRANSCRIPT
Playful LearningHow to turn any IP into a successful educational app or game
Workshop structure 1-5pm
● Part 1: Choosing the right IP● Part 2: Making it educational● Part 3: Designing your game● 3pm Coffee break● Part 4: Your strategy for success● Pitch your game idea
Your hosts for the afternoon…
Mahesh Josh Phil Chris
Martha Kirsten
Mahesh Ramachandra, Hopster
Josh Davidson, Nightzookeeper
Phil Stuart, Preloaded
Chris O’Shea, Cowly Owl
Part 1: Choosing the right IP
Can anything be made into a game?Should everything be made into a game?
Choosing the right IP: considerations
Things to look for:• Reach• Cost vs likely return• Ease of partnership/acquisition• Spin off possibilities• Creative possibilities (e.g. Disney will
demand a lot from partners)
The audience
• Who is your target audience?• What do they like? • What games do they play?• What sites do they/parents visit?• What do they need to know (literacy, maths,
GCSE psychology?) • Who makes the purchasing decision (kid, parent,
teacher, school, local authority?)
Who’s playing what – tablet apps
Stats compiled by Dubit Ltd
Activity 1: Choose your own IP
In your groups…• Pick an audience segment• Pick some IP you’d like to work withYou have 5 minutes!
Octonauts Young Sherlock Holmes Romeo and Juliet
Education, Education, Education
• Designing with the end in mind – setting objectives
• Objectives and game design – a natural fit
• Should you design to fit a pre-existing curriculum?
• Working with educational specialists/partners
From syllabus to screen
Activity 2: Set your learning objectives
• Decide what subject area/s your game will focus on
• Pick a small aspect of the subject to create a demo around (e.g. the 3 times table, the life-cycle of the honeybee)
• Write out 3-5 learning objectives from the learner’s perspective. E.g.:• By the end of this game I’ll be able to draw an
elephant• By the end of this level I’ll be able to spell 3
words
Part 3: Game design - considerations
• Balancing fun and learning• Phil’s framework – jeopardy, scoring,
narrative, cause and effect, measuring achievement, second to second
• Prototyping and iterative development• Examples: High Tea/Little Digits
Game design: visuals and UX
• How and when to use a graphic designer/games artist
• Making sure your game is challenging to win, not to understand (or the importance of good UX)
• Game design: test, test & test again
• Why?• How?
Activity 3: Design a part of your game
Create the narrative for part of a level (what will happen as the student plays)● Decide which game mechanics you will use
(strategy game, tower defence, racing game, platform game, end of level boss? collecting points? avoiding bad guys?)
● Use the flipchart to illustrate your level
Part 4: Your strategy for success
Designing your game is just the start… Now we move on to consider how you make it a bestseller…
Distribution
• Which platform?• How to market to schools -• How to market to families - app store,
other? • Price - freemium/paid for/free• Partnerships
Schedules and budgets
• How long does it take?
• How much does it cost?
• What are you paying for?
Measuring success
• Building in evaluation - qual and quant
• Using analytics• Setting goals - what
are the benchmarks?
Post launch
• It doesn’t end when you launch - legacy and maintenance
• Iteration• Promotion
Activity 4: Pitch your game
● In your group decide on a distribution strategy (who will you sell to and how)
● Agree your benchmarks and how you will measure the success of your game
● Set your budget (Hollywood or Holly Oaks?)● Present your game to the judges - you have 3
minutes to present and 3 minutes for Q&A● Win great* prizes!
* not necessarily that great
Thanks and happy games making!
@marthasadie@campbellhowes@philstuart@chrisoshea@hopsterTV@nightzookeeper