Unit 3 Design & Prototyping (Part I)

MITx 11.127x Design and Development of Games for Learning

Assignment 3.1: Design & Prototype Game

- What is the game about?

Is a serious game (educational) where children need to fuel a space rocket to reach the earth. Fuel is
injected in the form of food and physical activity, giving the space rocket the proper energy to take
off. This game is primarily created for children aged 5 to 7 for the purpose of educating about nutrition,
based on the Braziliam Pyramid Food.
Therefore, obviously my game's topic is learn about healthy eating and nutrition. The nutritional
recommendations, should take into account the food pyramid, which is a tool often used in nutrition
education. The food pyramid helps the patient to quantify the food portions and substitutions between
those who belong to the same group and have similar energy value as shown in Figure 1 for the age
group between 5 and 7 years will be worked on this project.

Figure 1. Brazilian Food Pyramid with the proposed food and daily servings for Pre-school age

Im developed my prototype in Unity 2D and the playable version of my game prototype is here:
http://globalapp.tk/unityGame/
Also I have this videos running the game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVR2Q49aLao
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjKtUVR0xzM
By: Laura Milena Parra Navarro

Date: 28/04/2015

Unit 3 Design & Prototyping (Part I)

MITx 11.127x Design and Development of Games for Learning

Assignment 3.1: Design & Prototype Game

- Target Audience

This project is being developed in Brazil and of course will be tested here. In Brazil there are three levels
of Basic Education: "Educao Infantil" (Preschool in the US), "Ensino Fundamental" (Elementary School
in the US) and "Ensino Mdio" (High School in the US). Basic Education is designed to provide the
necessary minimum knowledge for the exercise of citizenship and its for children 4 to 7 years old.
With the above information we select that the target audience are kids 5 to 7 years.

- Learning Objectives

I see this game more like a educational tool which children can use after getting the conversation from
their nutritionist, rather than a game that will actually teach something. Moreover, kids can learn what
kind of food different can eat, and that way to improve their energy to come back to the earth and
add fuel to the ship.

- The FUN in the nutrition and food

It is an adventure! Ths kids pretending to be a astronaut that have to return to the earth, and to give
fuel to the space rocket have to eat food and convert it in fuel. Fuel is injected in the form of food and
physical activity, giving the space rocket the proper energy to take off. In the game the astrount make
points in the mission, this is more fun for the kids.
In addition, replaces the boring activity (in a conversation with the nutritionist) with a game.

- Game mechanics
The primary mechanic is moving the astronaut to catch the food. Another approach is the obstacles
could block their path, this case is in the level 2 that the player have to have abilities to pull the
platforms to catch the food.

- How do kids can play?

1. To start playing, click where it says Jogar (Play in portuguese)
2. Now you enter your first name, gender, and age. Hit the Continue (Next) text.
3. Read the Relatrio de misso and hit Continue.
4. Then read the Como jogar? (How to launch) information to understand how the game works. Then
click Jogar when you are ready to play.
5. Move the astronaut with the Arrow Key Right to catch the food, in the differents levels you can move
the astronaut also with the Arrow Key Left. You can jump with the Arrow Key Up to dodge the platforms
and don't fall in the vacuum space.
The player can catch any food he wants taking into account the number of calories per group. For
example, in the first level are 375 kcal per day. The idea is that each food in the first level have 37,5
kcal so he can eat 10 items in total in this level. Besides food of group 1 (Brazilian Food Pyramid: Bread,
cereals and tubers) also will appear foods of other groups that the astronaut has to jump.
6. When you catch the calories necessaries of the level, you will have to do a short evaluation of the
level Then you will advance in the differents level, until reaching the last level and you can return to
earth.
7. Read your mission report to see if you had a successful mission!

By: Laura Milena Parra Navarro

Date: 28/04/2015

Unit 3 Design & Prototyping (Part I)

MITx 11.127x Design and Development of Games for Learning

Assignment 3.1: Design & Prototype Game

- Experiences developing, testing & revising your prototype
I take approximately two months by designing and making various adjustments to the game. So far I
have not done tests with children, but with adults who give me their differents views on the game and
what changes should be made.
There are some photos/imagens of the game. Well, the two levels that I developed for now.
Main Menu

Level 1: Bread, grains and tubers

Level 2: Fruits and Vegetables

Hope you have fun and if you can, send me some feedback!
Kind regards from Brazil!
By: Laura Milena Parra Navarro

Date: 28/04/2015