A Review of Gamestar Mechanic for Public Library Programming
Adrian Konrad, Emily Lamond, Stacey Redick & Valerie Stevens
INF1006H 0104 Children’s Digital Games
Introduction
Gamestar Mechanic (www.gamestarmechanic.com) is an online program that allows anyone with access to the Internet to create their own video games, offering a highly available and accessible platform. Although there are no age restrictions, the intended age group for this program is 7-14, made apparent by the level of difficulty of the games and the storyline created for the tutorial. (“Who is Gamestar Mechanic For”, 2010). Given the suggested age range for players, and given the creativity of the game is controlled by the narrow functionality designed by its creators, we feel that it is a good starting program for a public library to use in the implementation of educational programs in digital game design.
Ease of Use
The children using this program at a library will have different levels of experience playing digital games and limited experience creating games, which makes the usability of Gamestar Mechanic an important quality of the program. It presents clear and understandable tutorials for preteen users, although adult supervision of younger children might be advisable. The tutorials require users to first play and then edit preset games, allowing them to learn through play and practice, an effective learning process in many cases. Through the tutorials, users learn how to navigate the platform and are exposed to a variety of skills and ideas for games, such as perspective and goal-creation (e.g. collecting coins vs. defeating enemies vs. completing the maze).
Creating a Level
As designers of a level, we explored the basic functions of the free version of Gamestar Mechanic and discovered some limits, challenges, and advantages of the program. Our goal in designing the level was to create a game difficult enough that players would need multiple tries to beat it, and at the same time avoid challenging players to a degree that hindered enjoyment in playing the level.
We selected the theme, looting a medieval castle, based on one of the background choices and point collection capabilities of the platform. Gamestar Mechanic restricts the designer’s choice of type of game (basic model is labyrinth or maze) and limits the possibilities of personalization. These contextual limitations may in fact make play and design more fun for beginning gamers, since the focus is on the logistics of designing each level, instead of choosing from an overwhelming number of options. Therefore, play and design can be fun and challenging without being overly frustrating or complicated.
Another challenge we faced in designing this level involved spatial design. The final set of levels in the tutorial section of the program emphasizes creative space design, by requiring a certain, large, number of “bad guys.” Creating a fun, challenging and attention-grabbing maze while working out how to place the “bad guys” so they would not run into each other or make crazy, unpredictable back-and-forth-and-right-and-back paths, was more difficult than expected. Patrol lengths and marching directions had to be edited and tested multiple times. This process emphasizes the importance of the tutorial section in learning how to design games, and provides insight into where teaching librarians might reasonably expect players to be challenged.
Fun & Risk-Free Learning
In order to make a personalized video game, users must first complete tutorials that introduce them to the program structure. The program design is specifically structured so that gamers can take what they learn in the tutorial and apply it to the game design section. Part of the challenge of using the game is that it requires time and hard work to make a good game. The edit and play functions allow gamers to learn from their mistakes without encountering serious consequences. Through trial and error, errors can be fixed and game quality improved. The ability to take risks with game design is an important contributor to the value of this game.
This program is designed to foster such skills as, “systems thinking, problem solving, creativity, collaboration, digital media literacy and a motivation for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)” (“How is Gamestar Mechanic Educational?” 2010). Having played the tutorials and developed a level, we agree that this program does foster such skills, making the program a valuable educational tool.
The ability to share games online allows gamers to take inspiration from what other gamers have created and to constructively critique what others and they themselves have produced. Users may also share the experience with a friend or family member if they choose to collaborate on a game. Finally, the incentive to enter contests encourages healthy competition and increased creativity. All of these extra facets of the program create an even more enriched learning environment.
We hesitate to fully endorse Gamestar Mechanic based on certain issues we had with the program. The basic platform is limited and users must work with the boundaries of the simple tools and a small number of actions, characters, goals, backgrounds, and sizes. The cut-and-paste style and limited resources can be both inspiring and limiting. Even if the user is willing to push the limits of the platform’s capabilities, only so much can be done with what is available.
We feel that this makes ideal as a beginner’s program, but that a more advanced platform and tools are needed for movement beyond the acquirement of basic skills and strategies. Other game design platforms should be considered in the event that further education is desired.
Use in Library Programming
The library setting would be ideal for the provision of access to other games. In using this game as a starting point from which to teach children about game design, a library could also have a list of other related games (for further game design study) that may interest children. Furthermore, educational programs could continue throughout the years of schooling, progressing in material and difficulty as the children grow. Especially in certain districts that do not have enough money to develop computer /digital media literacy classes, support from such a program in the library (provided funding is available, of course) would be invaluable in teaching students “life skills.”
Gamestar Mechanic is easy to use and potentially also easy to teach. A supplementary section of the website for teachers (“How is Gamestar Mechanic Educational?” 2010) addresses the use of this program for large groups in an educational setting. This page offers an institutional membership, a guide, and supplementary educational lesson plans to school teachers (or librarians) who wish to implement the program in their classroom (or library) (“Gamestar Mechanic for Teachers,” 2010).
Another of this platform’s assets in a library setting is that it is free and very accessible anywhere with a computer and internet access. This facilitates use in the home, at the library, at school, or at a friend’s house, and can potentially provide for extended learning opportunities outside an educational program at the library. This level of accessibility only applies to the free version; were the library to include a premium version, it may not be compatible with what children have at home, and vice versa.
We considered the gender issue, and concluded that this platform would work well in a public library setting. It attempts to engage the user by creating a storyline and giving him or her an avatar as an entry-level game designer. While the character assigned to all users has a gender-neutral name (Addison), users are required to choose whether “Addison” is male or female. This is most likely one of the attempts by the program designers to appeal to girls, as well as boys (“Who is Gamestar Mechanic For,” 2010).
However, the library setting may also be problematic. A coordinator of such an educational program may encounter problems finding enough computers to allow for a larger program. As each library would surely be able to calculate how many children they could enrol in one program at a time, based on the financial, technological and personnel resources they have available, this obstacle could easily be removed. Silence, normally required or requested in a library, may not suit the teaching of these games and the playing of them. Music and sound issues could be prevented by the use of headphones, but that would diminish the gamers’ ability to discuss issues and developments in the game. A separate children’s space might be required. Separate hours or a “noise notice” to warn other patrons might help. We believe interaction among the children and with the instructor to be paramount to the learning experience provided by this program.
Conclusions
We recommend Gamestar Mechanic as a device that will allow the library to initiate a video game-making program for a variety of age groups. It seems best suited to preteens because of the overall level of difficulty and storyline, but almost anyone can use it successfully and have fun while doing so. Because of its simplistic and limited functionality, however, we recommend that it be used, not on its own, but as a jumping-off point for other systems that are more difficult and more technologically advanced.
