pasquale.fasulo@cityofbristol.ac.uk

Wire frame

Design

Platforms/ environment

Kodu game lab

Kodu game lab is a gaming engine/ level editor that can be described as a 3D version of scratch, with a very simplistic interface/ command coding system.  It’s really easy to use and any users of the software “Scratch” should easily feel comfortable using this software as well.

The interface system also compares to that of scratch only it minimalized and kept to a very simplistic level, which is split up into three categories, “When” “character” and “Do.” The “When” category covers the “if” section of the coding and is what the other building blocks are built on e.g. When up arrow is pressed, When touching (or bump) character, When see object. These are easily used to give orders to your characters.  These can be given as responses in the form of “Do” these are the responses to the “When” commands and have your character interact and do things e.g. move forward, destroy, move toward. These commands can easily be dragged and dropped into a line of code to continue on the command path. Removing or changing the orders of the “Do” command can quickly edit these. The  “character” Commands are commands that change a specific character, these can include: health bars, ending the game and they control how the “Do” command is carried out e.g. move quickly/ slowly shoot rocket/bullet. These in a sense give the character personality. 

The map editor used for creating worlds/ maps/ levels is vastly similar to the map editor in the game far cry instincts, with raise and lower land tools, a smooth tool for levelling out the terrain, set height tools (for immediately creating set levels of land which can be smoothed and altered to form cliffs and mountains) finally there is the "Environment tool" which in both game engines allows the creator to add scenery like trees, bushes, rocks, towers, bunkers etc. the only real difference is that in Kodu, you can add characters directly and program them with routes or weapons and in the far cry map editor you can upload spawn points and weapon pick ups and vehicles for their multiplayer maps. the time of day can also be altered in both games and these include, night, day, dusk etc.

The characters in the game are very cartoony and are all essentially different vehicles with eyes, the main Kodu character for example is just a UFO with eyes. This makes it child friendly for students in in the late years of secondary to use and experiment with and although they look goofy, the characters are very enjoyable with each of them being able to do different things although very simple e.g. boats can float, air ships and ufos can fly, simple things like that which actually give importance to individuel characters.                 

Scratch  Scratch is a 2D game engine with a fairly easy to use command system its fairly simple to use but some users may need practise however its very popular and allows users to make simple 2D games


The interface system is fairly simple to use but is advised that new users go over some tutorials on what each of the different colour coded commands do. which involves snapping together a continuous puzzle of commands to program the "sprite" to carry out different instructions. The interface/ command system in scratch is colour coded and labelled so that new and veteran users know roughly what codes are stored in each section e.g Control= yellow Motion=blue Looks=purple etc. In each of these sections there are different types of commands than can be snapped together to form a coded order for the sprite to carry out. most of these codes are very general e.g. Move or play sound, however some of these can add specifics to e.g wait  5 seconds, point towards, switch costume etc. these essentially give a bit of life to the command and gives the character/sprite have more interactivity.