Opportunities for Gamers at the NMSU Learning Games Lab

Summer Think Tanks for Youth Entering Grades 6-12:

The Learning Games Lab offers Think Tank sessions each summer. Game consultants involved in Summer Think Tank sessions have an opportunity to test and evaluate games in development at NMSU or on the market. Through such evaluations, students are exposed to possible careers, terminology and design in the game development field, while building on writing, presentation and other communication skills. Session dates and times for the 2010 Summer Think Tanks will be announced in early April 2010. Check the site during that time to apply to applicable sessions. Selected consultants will be notified as soon as possible. Selected participants will be asked to pay $40 fee.

High School Think Tank Opportunities

NMSU's Learning Games Lab also offers high schoolers incredible opportunities to learn how to create games, as well as familiarize themselves with the popular and powerful Adobe Flash software. Chosen students participate in this nine-week internship on game development using Adobe Flash. High school students interested in making games, or animation, should take this opportunity to learn one of the most popular animation and programming environments. This program is free, but selected interns must commit to attending most sessions. Check back here for upcoming session dates and times for the next Actionscript Programming Think Tank.

Adult Think Tank Opportunities

Adults can now be part of our Games Lab. We occasionally host an "Adult Only" session, where adults have the opportunity to engage in the same activities we use with youth, and work with other professionals to analyze how games could be used in classrooms, after-school programs, or other health-related activities. Informal and formal educators, community or health professionals are encouraged to apply and learn about incorporating educational games and exergames into their classroom or program. Game Lab Think tank session will be announce in early April 2010. Check back then for more information.

Expert Think Tank Opportunities

Expert consultants (outstanding consultants who were asked to return to participate during sessions in the school year) in the Learning Games Lab engage in more in-depth learning opportunities, such as learning Scratch, a program from MIT. Experts and game lab who have participated in the school-year Expert Scratch session, have been invited back for a two-week game development session over the summer where they create their own games.

Experts spend time in the lab learning scratch from game development professionals in the department, and have regular homework assignments after each session. A Sample Curriculum is below: Day 1: Introduction to Scratch

In the session, youth are introduced to the layout of Scratch and the basic fundamentals of programing in Scratch. In the first lesson they learn how to animate a cat that eats bad tuna and then changes colors and pops up a word bubble say its sick, and all of this is done through programing.

Day 2: Bouncing Off the Walls

On this day youth are shown how to create interactivity and if statements. There example has them create a fish swimming in a tank and once the fish hits the wall it changes direction. They were also shown to add a button to make the fish blow bubbles and generate a bubble noise. Day 3-4: Broadcasting Messages

In this project, they create a paper dollÂ? in Scratch, the had three sprites act as buttons to change the costumes and backgrounds of the other sprites.

Day 5: Final Poject

Through out the scratch curriculum youth are introduced to several different programming scripts, and have to use these tools to create an interactive project of there own. Downloads

All of the lesson materials used with the game experts are included below. You can download a zip file of all elements for the lesson (handouts, homework sheets, and sample files), or download each item individually. Day 1

* Day 1 zip file

* Intro to scratch - scratch file

* Programing concepts

* Lesson 1

* Lesson 1 - scratch file

* Assignment 1

* Homework 1

Day 2

* Day 2 zip file

* Lesson 2

* Lesson 2 - scratch File

* Homework 2

Day 3-4

* Day 3-4 zip file

* Lesson 3-4

* Lesson 3-4 - Scratch File

Day 5

* Day 5 zip file

The Expert Consultants 2008

The Expert Consultants who participated in the 2008 Expert sessions culminated their year-long efforts in game design with custom exergames during the Expert Summer Session 2008 in the New Mexico State University Learning Games Lab. During their previous session, the Experts were introduced to Scratch, a program created by researchers at MIT, and learned the basics of programming. With NMSU game developers, Experts began the summer session with a brainstorming day, inventing possible games that encourage physical activity. Through game development, Experts engaged in additional fundamental practices of game development and programming, including concept development, group work, character animation and design, sound recording, product testing and analysis and project management. Experts were divided into two groups, developing games for a game bike and a dance pad. The PC Exerbike team, including Tre Diaz, Sierra Landrum and Dante Laroche, created the game, Get Off My Lawn. The dance pad design team � David Martinez, Kyleigh Pearson and Alexandria Soto, created the rapid prototype of Donkey Kong. In Get Off My Lawn gamers mow lawns as quickly as possible while avoiding obstacles such as toys, trees and fences. In Donkey Kong, gamers avoid barrels, which can kill the main character Luario (a new character created by the group combining Mario and Luigi), and climb vines to the Donkey. The Experts worked closely with game developers on their game programming, animations and sounds. Throughout the session, the experts reviewed and discussed their experiences using the online educational forum, Moodle. In Moodle, users respond to queries from developers and fellow games lab consultants online, in and outside lab sessions. Experts are encouraged to continue participating in Moodle forums during the summer.

Rachel Gallagher
NMSU Media Productions
Phone: (575) 646-1073
Email: rachelg@nmsu.edu