What are the advantages and challenges inherent in working with children in the design process for creating games or apps? How do you stop them getting bored, and get useful information? This case study looks in detail at a project that tried to do just that, and provides some handy tips at the end. (Images […]
It is my firm belief that games designers are currently missing out on a huge and largely untapped source of potential ideas: science. And, conversely, those working in public engagement with science are also failing to make the most of the many advantages of using games for this purpose. Why do I think games and […]
Open Source Software – A Source of Inspiration Linux is one of the greatest examples of what can happen when an industry supports open innovation and collaborative development processes. In 20 years, the operating system has grown to power everything from the New York Stock Exchange to mobile phones and consumer devices thanks to the […]
Evaluating and monitoring the reaction to your game after launch is nothing new. Indeed, companies like Zynga or Popcap have made analytics and close examination of user behaviours a fundamental part of their business plan, using them to work out how to make their games as addictive as possible (and how to milk their users […]
Masters of Pie is a 3D, character centric, London based creative studio created by Matt Ratcliffe and Karl Maddix. We are currently a year old and now have a couple of commissioned mobile apps on the market. Blue nose friends – Tatty Puppy, which is set of mini-games aimed at children 4-8, and Protrain Taekwondo which is a 3D […]
As a former teacher turned games designer, it’s a shame to see so many developers expend so much quality effort and time on educational apps and games, only to see them sink or struggle to gain a following. I hope to provide some helpful advice, recommendations and pointers below to help people make successful education […]
In 1982 Philip Neal, a Secondary teacher, became so frustrated with the way data was managed at his school that he wrote a simple program to try and solve a few of his problems. As word spread about this program, more and more people wanted in on it, and each with their own suggestions and […]
