Student engagement w/ @GamestarMech Day3 as they make their own #videogame #edtech #gbl #ne121 #edchat #k12

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By around Day 3 of using the excellent web site, Gamestar Mechanic, the students get challenged and highly engaged as they play through the various episodes and learn game design 

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Each episode has several missions on it. Some of the missions get harder as they go, especially the time challenges

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I try to tell the students that they should beat the level themselves, as it is so gratifying when they truly EARN the sprites/avatars that can be used in their own games in the future

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If only more things were set up in the classroom where we give the students short obtainable goals, such as defeating a boss or solving a puzzle. From what I have seen this week, my students have been engaged and challenged, but they get really excited when they actually beat the level and earn what they need to make their own game.

 

If you want to make your own video game using Gamestar Mechanic, check out one of my previous posts that has links to my Prezi lesson plan, student samples and other instructions

How to teach #artsed w/ #videogames using @GamestarMech & @edmodo Day2 #macul12 #ncties12

Another fun day using the great web site Gamestar Mechanic where my students are learning about basic video game design concepts - such as rules and modifying the rules.

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The great thing about the site is as the games get a bit more complicated, they are introduced to levels where they need to "repair" a broken level

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As the students play through their levels, they are highly engaged and excited - not to mention extremely frustrated when they can't beat a level or they get that instant gratification for completing a level and earning "sprites" and awards for their own video game

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To help the students learn about modifying a game and learning how to create their own, the students helped me modify a game they are used to: Hopscotch. And a fun thing to do with the kids is when they complete a level, I reward them a badge on Edmodo

And if you would like to make your own video game with Gamestar Mechanic, check out my previous post with instructions, lesson plan and student samples

Black Water Middle's Video Game Arcade commercial

This is a commercial that I made utilizing Imovie and Jaycut which promotes my website mrgsgames.blogspot.com

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The commercial is intended to promote the work of my students, and to let other people out there know how easy it is to create a video game utilizing the free site of gamestarmechanic.com. 

And in case you haven't realized it yet, the style of this video was really inspired by 1980's BMX commercials and old school wrestling promos. I hope you enjoy it, play my students' games and make your own using Gamestar Mechanic

I think you can easily see my inspiration from this vintage "Monsters of Rock N Roar" commercial. The theme song is STILL stuck in my head after 20 years!

Play these Art Video Games on my Black Water Middle School Blogger site

CLICK RIGHT HERE (or check out the banner that I created this morning) so that you can play some of the games that my students created using Gamestar Mechanic. One student has made a game that is close to having three hundred people from around the world that have played it this past week alone.

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http://mrgsgames.blogspot.com/

How to Share your homemade video game on Edmodo and a Gamestar Mechanic Prezi

This is a Jing tutorial that I made for my students so that they could learn on how to complete their game and then post the URL on our Edmodo site

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Also, if there are any teachers out there that would like to do something fun, unique and engaging with your students - I would HIGHLY recommend you check out the site of gamestarmechanic.com.  They offer up some great Teacher Resources as well. What I did was I went through the majority of their teacher resources and I have compiled the majority of the basic game design steps into a Prezi (which is like a PowerPoint on steroids.)  Below is a copy of my Prezi if you would like to use this in your classroom. (It is still a work in progress so be sure to check up frequently)

 

 

 

 

Game Star Mechanic Instructions on Prezi