A few days ago, we manage to exhibit our game in Taiwan, ZaShare. A local exhibition that focus on innovation in education. This is our first time demonstrating our game in the public and we are very much excited to gather feedbacks from the audience.
Lesson Learnt
The teaching flow
Quite often, we have quite a number of crowds trying to learn how to play the game and they would like to experience it themselves. Our challenges is to teach them the concept within a period of 5~10 minutes. Here is the flow that we have fine tuned during the exhibition, in explaining the concept of the game to the audience.
- How to win the game
- The concept of using mathematics to play the game
- Show them the example of using the Movement, Bomb, Repeat
With this flow, they can start to play the game and we are able to teach them how to use the conditional command and other special cards along the way.
How might we apply this flow when the parents and teachers receive our deck of card?
If/Else card— The friction
We realised that this card required a lot of explanation and understanding. There are a few possible reason for this.
1. The illustration does not explain well about the concept of this function.
2. The description does not explain well in using the cards.
Feedback from one of the tester in Taiwan mentioned that the kids are reluctant to use this card because they are worried of losing the game or not sure how to use it.
- We have to redesign this card for clarity purpose and motivate the players to use it.
Repeat Until XX — The friction
This is another card that bring confusion to the player. In term of the game play, it is a ‘good to have’ card if you have a good grasp of creating an algorithm for it. Else, it does not create a motivation or incentive to use it.
- We have to redesign this card , or totally remove it from the game. We are considering if we should replace it with Switch/Case.
Others
- They like to Air Drop the bombs rather than placing it adjacent to the duck. Quoting from one of the tester, “It is much more fun to do it this way”
- Forever Map — one tester suggested that in order to control the array of ducks efficiently, ducks can move across the other side of the pond. This change the whole strategy.
- Annotate the territory of the ducks for clearer objective.
- Everyone love big maps, cute ducks and collaborative learning.
- It is much easier to explain like “This is like the Monopoly Chance Card” rather than “This is a special that xxxxx”.
- Wave card need to be clearer
- The card can be a way to learn simple english.
Digital ethnic and privacy
We have met a number of educators and parents in the exhibition, and they felt that teaching the kids about digital ethnics and privacy through game is quite important.
What’s next
Improve the Conditional cards, finalise the game play and do up the instructional video!
This is a self-initiated project by Refruit, a design agency from Singapore & Myanmar. If you are keen to follow the progress of this project or you have any feedbacks, do join our Facebook group. We would like to hear from you.
