GameMaker is a video game development tool designed to facilitate the creation of 2D video games. This makes it a favorite of educators, who can use it to teach video game design and game-based projects in other subjects.
GameMaker, which is free for educators and their students, recently introduced Space Rocks, a game design tutorial and lesson program that will guide students in creating their own asteroid shooter game after three lessons.
Frank Moody, Education Liaison Lead at GameMaker and former K-12 classroom educator and CTO, shares how to use GameMaker and Space Rocks to teach video game design.
What is GameMaker?
GameMaker is a video game tool that allows independent developers, professional game studios, and educators and their students to create video games and make them available on all platforms. Educators can use the tool to teach Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) standards and encourage student engagement and creativity.
“Children want to create, they are creators by nature, especially when they are young. They want to build things,” Moody says. “They want a hands-on process and then they want to see the fruits of their labor. So when you see a kid and he does something on the screen, and then you control it, he lights up. Then when they share it with their friends and ask them to come play, it’s really amazing.”
What are space rocks?
Space Rocks is a game design tutorial for GameMaker that will teach students how to design their own asteroid shooter game in three lessons. The tutorial teaches CSTA standards and provides students with an introduction to computational thinking concepts and game design principles with a variety of written and video learning materials.
“We wanted to create something that was out of the way and easy enough for parents to use for homeschooling,” Moody says.
At the same time, they designed the tool as a starting point for educators. “Teachers know their students,” he says. “We wanted something that teachers could expand on. “We’re not trying to write their curriculum for them, but instead we’re trying to give them ideas and resources.”
How do you register for GameMaker and Space Rocks?
To register for a free GameMaker educator account, teachers can visit this The GameMaker site for schools and follow the four-step process that begins with creating an account with Opera, which owns GameMaker.
Educators and their students can then create browser-based games that can be shared on the GameMaker gaming platform. All of this is free regardless of class size.
However, sharing games on mobile devices, consoles, and other gaming platforms requires the purchase of a site license.
What are some reasons to teach video game design?
Beyond computer science, the narrative structures inherent in games can be used to teach a variety of skills. Moody says she has spoken with educators who use game design along with project-based learning. She says these types of uses are more practical now that learning how to design a game is easier and that learning how to design a game goes beyond the technical and coding components.
“The ultimate goal here is not for all students to stop being game designers,” Moody says. “Game design can be a great career, but we also think it can be an incredible vehicle for teaching all kinds of skills: art, sound, collaboration, empathy. When you design a game, you have to understand what your player is going to go through. What is the experience where they come from?
