digital gaming curriculum

2006

Digital Gaming Curriculum Grades 6-12

Teacher’s Guide Developed by Amanda Hefner

www.TexasGames.net

TexasGames.Net Digital Gaming Teacher’s Guide

©2006AmandaHefner

CONTENTS Introduction to Teaching Digital Gaming 3

Lesson Design Cross-Curricular Approach Prerequisites

LESSON ONE: Conditional Statements 6

LESSON TWO: Gaming Concepts 8

LESSON THREE: Game Design 101 11 LESSON FOUR: Game Design & Development 13

TECH NOTES 15 Tech Note 1: Game Maker Interface - Modes Tech Note 2: Game Maker Interface - Editor Tech Note 3: Game Maker Interface - Tools and Menus Tech Note 4: Events List Tech Note 5: Actions List Tech Note 6: Coordinate Planes Tech Note 7: Recommended Books and Videos Tech Note 8: Gaming Resources


©2006AmandaHefner

Intro to Teaching Digital Gaming LESSON DESIGN The Digital Gaming Curriculum lessons are designed to introduce students to the basic game design and development process, as well as the Game Maker software interface. The Teacher Guide is broken down into sections which may include Time Frame, Key Terms, Materials, Actions and Events related to that section, Discussion scenarios, Activities, Extensions, and Assessments. In addition, the “Deep Thought” icons refer to a larger concept that may be too advanced for your students, but will provide guidance for your own understanding of gaming and its curricular connections. For more detailed explanations of Glossary Terms, Actions or Events, refer to the Game Maker Help file included in the software installation folder. Through four years of teaching this curriculum in my own classroom and feedback from teachers in other schools, I have recognized a number of areas in which students typically struggle. In addition to teaching the basics of gaming, the content of the Digital Game Curriculum attempts to address some of the main concepts that students struggle with; such as variables, conditional statements, coordinate planes, and design planning. As students solidify their understanding of these concepts, students are empowered to add limitless creativity to their work and devise new ways to execute their ideas in the games. The exciting part is that these basic concepts can be learned in the context of any subject area. TexasGames.net is a new web-based community for teachers integrating game-based learning into K-12 schools. In addition to hosting this curriculum and related resources, it will provide an accessible location for other gaming teachers to share their own curriculum, ideas, and resources. Teachers may also request an account with which they may create lessons, resources, and activities for their own classes. If you are interested in creating your own online gaming course on the TexasGames.net, please contact Amanda Hefner for an account. You don’t have to be a Texan either!! ;-) [email protected] http://www.texasgames.net

CROSS-CURRICULAR APPROACH Through Game Development: The development process of gaming is laden with math and science concepts, offering many possibilities for technology integration. A teacher may choose to teach game development as a process requiring collaboration of a team and coordination of multiple resources. The unit could focus primarily on the mathematical concepts or the laws and practice or science—or both! As with any computer programming activity, the lessons could emphasize the importance of reading and writing clearly defined instructions and code. Game Maker is an ideal tool for teaching programming since the instructions can be defined with the drag-and-drop interface or handwritten in the scripting window. As a game is developed in Game Maker, the software is writing instructions to the computer in the form of conditional statements with interchangeable


©2006AmandaHefner

variables. For younger students, you may choose to provide the statements and variables to them, or you may extend the lessons to define the concept so they are able to generate the statements and variables independently. Science: Laws of physics, testing trial and error, and the Scientific Method can all be learned as students apply various Events and Actions to the objects in their game. As you review the list of Game Maker actions and events, consider the possibilities for Move, Collision, Solid, Friction, Speed, Create, Gravity, Random, Bounce, Transform, Blend, etc. Math: Game rooms in any gaming software are laid out on a grid. The grid size and orientation can be adjusted by the developer, but all objects are placed on the grid at a given x, y coordinate (x, y, z in a 3D game). This offers a great opportunity to integrate math and geometry concepts as well. In addition to the x, y axis of the game room, each individual object has its own x, y axis to consider. This is discussed in the more advanced lessons, as it requires students to visualize multiple coordinate planes in one gaming environment. While this may seem too difficult for young students, they are already familiar with many aspects of this media “on its surface.” Our students have a great advantage as they begin this new learning experience. They already think multi-dimensionally and can visualize the same because of their experience playing digital games. Through my own implementation of gaming, I have been surprised, time and time again, at the level of understanding achieved even by my 6th graders. For our students, learning to develop games is much like you learning to make your favorite meal from your mom who has prepared it alone for years. You know and can describe in detail what it tastes like, but have no idea how it is made. As she hands you the ingredients and explains how and in what order to mix them, you begin to reflect on the taste you know so well, and envision how these ingredients will come together to create that experience. Proper planning, sequencing, and quality of ingredients are required in both activities. Using reflection and visualization of what we know of games we have played will greatly assist in developing ideas for our own. Through Game Design: The design process focuses on the content of the game. Will the game be arcade-style, an adventure, or a competition? Will it be educational or strictly entertaining? After students learn the tools and concepts of game development, they will easily be able to creatively design games with more purpose and strategy. You may choose to define a content area for them to use, or give them more broad criteria and focus on the development skills. My personal approach to teaching gaming is in three phases, from teacher-guided, to teacher-facilitated, to student-guided. The lesson begins with a tutorial, introducing students to the game software, the main concepts, and relevant terminology. The second tutorial expands on the functionality of the software and concepts, but lends more creativity to the student. Finally, the student is provided certain parameters for content, but can design the game and its functionality


©2006AmandaHefner

in any way they desire. You may read more about this teaching methodology in my Advanced Technology Course Description found in the Appendix. Examples of Educational Game Design Assignments:

Design a game about surviving Food Chain (Science). Design a game to teach a fundamental math concept for third graders (Math). Design a game about a battle fought in early Texas history, such as at the Alamo (Social

Studies). Design a game that addresses an environmental danger, like oil spills. (Sci./Soc. Stud.) Design a game that teaches the player to make moral decisions (Character Ed.) Design a game that requires the player to remember a sequence, such as repeating a castle

maze after the candles have blown out (Memory, Problem Solving).

PREREQUISITES Students participating in this lesson must have basic prior knowledge of the necessary technology hardware (a computer), basic word processing skills, and an ability to move, organize, and arrange images and objects on the screen using a mouse.


©2006AmandaHefner

Lesson 1 – Conditional Statements

TIME FRAME: Discussion: 5-10 min. Activity: 20-30 min.

KEY TERMINOLOGY: GENERAL: Game, Gaming, Gameplay, Gamer, Digtal v. Video Games

MATERIALS “Variables Everywhere!” worksheet

EMPHASIS Designing a great game depends on the amount of thought and planning invested before development. As students learn to think of and write out the actions and events that will take place in the game, the development process will run much smoother for them. A general understanding of conditional If, Then, Else statements will provide a foundation for efficient planning and design. Many gaming terms may seem ambiguous to a beginner. Consistently using common gaming terminology throughout the lessons is suggested. What Are Conditional Statements? Game design and programming relies heavily on well-defined conditional statements. Students will need to understand how to properly write such statements, and more importantly, to translate what they envision happening in their game into conditional statements. Training your students to “think conditionally” early-on will help them understand the functionality of the gaming software. As they become more comfortable with the process and software interface, the need to actually define and write out conditional statements will lessen. They will design more intuitively on-the-fly. However, I still suggest requiring a planning document before they begin to develop to serve as a guide and accountability tool as well. A “Developer Journal” is also effective in assessing their ideas, successes, mistakes, and revisions throughout the process. As they discover how to make something happen in their game, encourage them to write it down in the Developer Journal. It may benefit them to have notes to look back on in their next game.


©2006AmandaHefner

DISCUSSION Brainstorm with your students about what conditional statements are, and give examples. Emphasize the If, Then format. Depending on the age, they may already be familiar with conditional statements (called “solving equations”) from Math or Science classes, such as If x=3, then x+4=7 or if salt is added to water, then the salt will dissolve. The “Variables Everywhere!” worksheet provides prompts for conditional statements in a variety of contexts, including math, art, social studies, and science. It is important that the students understand that there are conditions in every aspect of our life. Math and science variables will be the most familiar to them, so encourage the students to think of conditions and variables beyond math and science.

ACTIVITY Have the students complete the worksheet and/or generate a list of conditional statements that relate to a part of their daily activities, such as how they get from bed to school:

If the alarm goes of at six, then I get out of bed. If mom makes breakfast, then I sit down and eat it. If I miss the bus, then I must walk to school.

EXTENSION Introduce the Else part of a conditional statement and encourage students to think of the alternative to the condition. It does not necessarily mean opposite, as many will assume. Emphasize that Else is an alternate to the condition, not just an opposite.

If the alarm goes of at six, then I get out of bed, else I stay in bed. If mom makes breakfast, then I sit down and eat it, else I starve until lunch. If I miss the bus, then I must walk to school, else I get to ride the bus to school.

Because this concept is more often taught in depth at high school grade levels, it may be necessary to extend this activity until the students understand If, Then, Else statements in a variety of contexts.

ASSESSMENTS Develop an assessment addressing student understanding of the conditional statements and

variables. They should be able to create a list of statements with differing variables in a variety of contexts (math, science, social studies, art, personal life, work, etc.)


©2006AmandaHefner

Lesson 2 – Gaming Concepts TIME FRAME:

Discussion: 5-10 min. Activity: 20-30 min.

KEY TERMINOLOGY: GENERAL: Room, Object, Event, Action, Sprite, Conditional Statement, Variable, Solid, Goal,

Challenge EVENTS: Create, Collision, Left-Mouse Click ACTIONS: Bounce, Move in a Direction, Score

MATERIALS Ball Game Tutorial document (contains Game Planner and Ball Game Tutorial)

All materials are available on http://www.texasgames.net

EMPHASIS What Makes A “GAME?” A digital game takes place in a virtual environment laid out in Rooms. There may be one or many rooms. This environment may be a castle, forest, racetrack, or underwater cave. In addition, games need to have a Goal for the player to work toward. The player interacts with the game Objects (other characters, food, weapons, potions, cars, fuel, puzzle pieces, obstacles, currency, etc.) to attain this Goal. An Object’s appearance is determined by the image or digital picture the developer assigns to it. The image is called a Sprite. During gameplay, certain Events will happen and cause specific Actions to take place (Ex: If Player collides with enemy, then 1 Life is lost). The value of Variables can be set to change the event timing or outcome (Different enemies cost different amounts of lives or points). Sounds and Backgrounds may be added to enhance the environment and gameplay experience. In addition, Challenge is needed to keep the game interesting and engaging for the player. Various strategies are used to make the game more difficult for the player as they progress to higher levels or achievement. Review the Ball Game Tutorial and prepare to discuss the purpose of the Goal and various ideas for making the game more challenging (ball moving faster, more balls in the room, dangerous clowns that reduce points if clicked, etc.) after students have completed the tutorial. What are game Events and Actions? Students should have a solid understanding of common cause and effect happenings in a game. In gaming, the “cause” is called an Event and the “effect” is called an Action. Using the scenario of a ball bouncing around in a room, you can draw from the students a variety of physical events and actions and then begin organizing them into conditional statements. The discussion should evolve from the concept of real-world physics to how a computer must be told to demonstrate them on the screen.


©2006AmandaHefner

DISCUSSION On a chalkboard or SmartBoard, draw a large rectangle to represent the walls of a room. Near the center, draw a circle representing a ball suspended in the air. My typical dialog occurs as follow:

Teacher: This is the wall around a room. What actually makes a wall a wall? How do we know these are walls around us here in this room? How do they affect us?

Students: We can’t go through it…It’s a barrier… The wall is hard and we must go around it or through a door in the wall…

Teacher: Yes, a wall is stationary. Because it is solid we can not walk through it. Consider this ball in the middle of this room. What does a ball do? What makes a ball a ball?

Students: It falls to the ground…it flies through the air… (Teacher draws an arrow from the ball toward a wall) Teacher: Now the ball is moving toward the wall. (Teacher

draws a star at the point of impact on the wall) What happens here?

Students: It hits the wall… Teacher: Yes, it hits the wall. In gaming, this event is called a

“collision.” When two things in a game touch each other on the screen, the computer calls this a collision. It does not mean “crash” as you and I typically think of, but just meeting on the screen. What happens as a result of this collision with the ball to the wall?

Students: The ball bounces. Teacher: Correct! The ball bounces as a result of the

collision. In gaming, the ball and wall are objects. The collision is the event that causes the action, or bounce. During a video game, the computer is following many instructions that tell it what the objects should do on the screen and when. It does not know that the object you placed in the game room that looks like a ball to you and me is “a ball that is round and bounces when it hits something else…” In fact, the object could act like a ball, but look like a fish if that is the picture that we assigned to it. Not only do we have to tell the computer what the ball looks like, but it must be told that the ball moves when it is created on the screen, bounces with it hits a wall, and gives us a point if we click on it with the mouse. After we give these instructions to the computer, it will follow them when we run the game. We, as game programmers, will write the instructions for the computer in the form of conditional statements.


©2006AmandaHefner

For the Activity, you will provide each student with a copy of the Ball Game Tutorial and begin working together on the Game Planner. The Game Planner is inside the tutorial. The teacher will begin writing the first few conditional statements on the board as students record them into the Game Planner (see Activity). Continue brainstorming with the students for all of the various possible conditional statements.

If you have a digital projector with which you can project your screen onto a whiteboard or SmartBoard, it will be advantageous to open the actual Tutorial on the board when filling it

out with the students. SmartBoards are great for this if you have them!!

ACTIVITY Provide students with the Ball Game Planner (inside the Tutorial) and guide them in filling in the first few conditional statements. Explain the Events and Actions that will be used in this game. On the forms within the tutorial, begin listing with your students the possible objects, events, and actions that might be in the game. Then, start forming conditional statements that could occur in the game at this time. Review the Tutorial for a list of Events and Actions used. EXAMPLE STATEMENTS:

If ball is created, then start moving in any direction If ball collides with wall, then bounce. If ball is clicked with left mouse button, then points increase.

ASSESSMENTS Develop an assessment addressing student understanding of the conditional statements and

variables (Review of Lesson 1). Develop an assessment addressing student understanding of the basic elements of game

design: Rooms, Objects, Sprites, Events, Actions, Goals, and Challenges.


©2006AmandaHefner

LESSON 3 – GAME DESIGN 101 TIME FRAME:

Discussion: 5-10 min. Activity: 2-3 hours

KEY TERMINOLOGY: GENERAL: Interface, Drop Menu, Variable, Property, Background, Sound, Person, Enemy EVENTS: Create, Collision, Left-Mouse Click ACTIONS: Bounce, Move in a Direction, Score

MATERIALS Ball Game Tutorial document (contains Conditional Statements Planner and Ball Game Tutorial)

EMPHASIS How do I create a game with Game Maker? The Ball Game Tutorial provides a walk-through tutorial by which students may learn step-by-step the basic process of game development. The guide may be used as a reference tool for later additions to their game and is written to foster student-directed learning. After learning a particular skill step-by-step, the tutorial assumes they can repeat it later when needed. However, they can certainly refer back to earlier sections to help them recall the steps and apply them to a new task. For example, the tutorial walks them through setting up the Person object, then tells them to repeat the steps to add three more objects for two goals and an enemy, but does not walk them through it again. They may look back over the steps for the first object and must decide how to apply the same steps to create new objects with slight variations.

It is strongly suggested that the students be encouraged to follow the tutorial step-by-step in sequence. If they become lost, have them backtrack to a previous section and follow each

step through again. In order for them to understand how to write clear instructions for the computer, they need to understand the importance of following directions in a sequence, what makes a direction “unclear,” and what may result from skipping an instruction. A common mistake students make when creating games independent of the tutorial is forgetting to make the Wall “solid.” Their person, enemies, or other moving objects will pass right through the Wall. Another cause for the same problem could be that they did not set a Collision Event with a Bounce or Stop action. In order to write instructions correctly, you need to know how to read instructions correctly.

Remember the early 80’s computer industry phrase, “Garbage in, garbage out?”


©2006AmandaHefner

PRESENTATION Introduce students to the Game Maker interface by providing Tech Notes and a visual demonstration. Show them the Add Menu by adding an Object. When the Object Properties window appears, show them how to use the data entry fields, checkboxes, buttons, and drop menus. The drop-menus are particularly important since they do not look like drop-menus commonly seen in Microsoft and most other products. After this orientation, they should be ready to follow the guided tutorial from beginning to end.

At the end of the activity time, encourage students to put their name on the tutorial and mark the last step they accomplished so they will know where to begin the next time.

ACTIVITY Students will work through the step-by-step guided Ball Game Tutorial until completion.

EXTENSION After completing the Ball Game Planner and Tutorial, encourage the students to add more challenges and secondary goals to their game. They may choose to add more “bad guys” or coins for more points. Or they may add more rooms, and an object that advances them to the next room. Allow them to explore Events and Actions you have not yet taught.

KEY POINTS The computer only knows as much as you tell it (It does not already know what a ball is or

does) The game is created by defining a set of instructions or conditional statements for the

computer to follow. Computer instructions must be clearly defined and appropriately sequenced, or an undesired

outcome may result. A game environment is laid out in Rooms Game Objects are placed in the rooms Game Objects are made visible on the screen by assigning them and image, called a Sprite. The conditional statements define the Events (cause) and Actions (effect) that occur in the

game. Sounds and Backgrounds add ambiance, perspective, and engagement to the game

environment. A game must have at least an ultimate goal (the big “win”), and may include many smaller

goals throughout. A game should include elements of challenge that makes the game more difficult as the

player progresses toward the ultimate goal.


©2006AmandaHefner

Lesson 4 – Game Design & Development TIME FRAME:

Discussion: 5-10 min. Activity: 3-4 hours

KEY TERMINOLOGY: GENERAL: Person, Enemy, No Key, Relative EVENTS: Create, Collision, Key Press, ACTIONS: Set the Score, Start Moving, Destroy, Play a Sound

MATERIALS Maze Game Tutorial Maze Game Resource Files All materials are available on http://www.texasgames.net

EMPHASIS The Maze Game Tutorial will provide a review of the main steps to setting up a new game in Game Maker. However, the game will be in “maze” design with the player looking down upon the game from above—aerial view. The tutorial is shorter and will end with a basic game to which the students will add their own ideas and creativity. This lesson will focus on repeating the development steps correctly as they begin to add new characters, enemies, goals, and levels on their own. The tutorial may serve as a prompt, should they forget a process of development, but will not walk them through completion of the project. The final product of the Tutorial is not enough for a satisfactory assessment. It will be necessary for the teacher to create a list of additional criteria or game elements that they would like to see the students incorporate. (ie. Specify: 3 levels, main character, 3 bad guys, food, coins, game end, high score table, etc…) The main difference between the Ball and Maze tutorials is that the player will use the keyboard arrow keys to navigate the Maze game, collect goals, and to advance to higher levels in the game. There are many more possibilities for creativity in the Maze game as well.


©2006AmandaHefner

PRESENTATION Provide a visual overview of the Game Maker interface and discuss the basic game development process (Add Sprite, Sounds, Backgrounds, Objects, Rooms, etc…) Make sure that students understand the purpose of the Properties box, and how to address variables for events and actions when necessary. Review the term Relative and provide a few examples of when to use Relative, or not.

ACTIVITY Teacher Prep: Provide students with a copy of the Maze Game Tutorial and the necessary game resource files. STEP 1 – Maze Game Tutorial: Students will complete the step-by-step tutorial. STEP 2 – EXTEND the Game: Students should create additional objects for their game to add

challenge and engage the player. They might add:

Add More Challenges: o Vary the consequence on each enemy o Increase speed of enemy, or put a timer on the room or goal o Add an object that must be taken before progressing or beating the next enemy o o o o o

Add More Goals:

o Food to increase Health or Lives o Coins to increase Score o Levers to open doors o o o o

Room Level Ideas: o Castle rooms o A Forest o Different Cities o Underwater Ocean scenes o o o


©2006AmandaHefner

Tech Note 1 – Advanced Mode GAME MAKER INTERFACE - MODES

Game Maker can be used in Basic or Advanced Mode. A screenshot of each mode is provided below. Notice the options circled in red are not available in Basic mode. The mode may be switched by choosing Advanced Mode from the File menu. The game must be closed and re-opened to switch modes. Students may not notice the mode until they can not find something.

ADVANCED MODE

BASIC MODE


©2006AmandaHefner

Tech Note 2 - Interface GAME MAKER INTERFACE - EDITOR

METHODS TO ENTER AND CHANGE PROPERTIES

CURRENTLY SELECTED OBJECT

PROPERTIES

EVENTS LIST

ACTIONS LIST

LIST OF GAME

ELEMENTS

GAME ACTION

TABS

Drag actions from the

Actions tabs into this space.

Button

Check Box

Drop-Menu

Text Field


©2006AmandaHefner

Tech Note 3 – Tools & Menus

MAIN TOOLBAR

MENU BAR

FILE MENU EDIT MENU ADD MENU

SCRIPTS MENU RUN MENU WINDOW MENU HELP MENU

New

Add a Sprite Add a Font

Global Game Settings

Open

Add a Sound Add a Timeline

Register Game Maker

Save

Add a Background Add an Object

Game Maker Help

Run Game

Add a Path Add a Room

Run in Debug Mode

Add a Script Game Info


©2006AmandaHefner

Tech Note 4 - Events EVENTS Events are the happenings that take place in a game. The game Events are grouped by categories in the Event Selector window. Some Events have drop-menu options that provide more specific details about the occurrence. Alarm and Step Events can be set to occur during or after a certain amount of time in the game. Game time is measured in Steps (30 steps/second).

EVENT TRIGGER or CONDITION Create When the instance of the Object “is

created” on the screen. Destroy When the instance is destroyed. Alarm When countdown of steps reaches 0. Step During every step of the game Collision When two sprites “touch” on the

screen. Keyboard When a certain key on the keyboard

is pressed (continuous). Mouse When mouse buttons or wheel are

pressed. Other When a certain situation is present. Draw During each step on the screen. Key Press/ Release

When a certain key is pressed (not continuous)

Cancel Stop and Close Event Selector


©2006AmandaHefner

Tech Note 5 - Actions

ACTIONS

Actions take place as a result of an Event in the game. One Event may cause one or many Actions. Actions are grouped and organized onto tabs. Click the tabs on the right side of the Actions list to switch Action sets. Some Actions are only available in the registered version of Game Maker.


©2006AmandaHefner

Tech Note 6 – COORDINATE PLANES ROOM COORDINATE PLANE

SPRITE COORDINATE PLANE

Game Rooms are laid out on a grid, or coordinate plane, with an x and y axis. This means that the Room is actually Quadrant IV of a larger plane. The Origin of the plane is in the upper-left corner. The exact coordinates of the cursor are displayed at the bottom of the Room. When planning the motion of an object in a particular direction, it is important to consider the plane and if the object would be progressing toward the positive or negative end of the x and y axis. This is an important concept for students to grasp as they learn to define (x, y) variables.

Each Sprite has its own individual coordinate plane. The origin of the Sprite’s axis is also in the upper left corner of the image. However, in some cases it may be better to change the Origin to the center of the Sprite, such as in shooter games. You can do this by simply pressing the Center button on the Sprite Properties window.

Change the Origin by typing in a new value for the X and Y.

+


©2006AmandaHefner

Tech Note 7 – Recommended Books/DVD RECOMMENDED BOOKS AND VIDEOS ON GAMING

Killing Monsters Why Children Need Fantasy, Super Heroes, and Make-Believe Violence by Gerard Jones

Digital Game-Based Learning by Marc Prensky

What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy by James Paul Gee

Theory of Fun for Game Design by Raph Koster

Don't Bother Me Mom -- I'm Learning by Marc Prensky

Everything Bad Is Good for You: How Today's Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter by Steven Johnson

Modern Marvels: Video Games: Behind the Fun VHS or DVD 50 min. Item Number: AAE-72381

The History of Toys And Games VHS or DVD 100 min. Item Number: AAE-73394 Educational Site: http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/toys/

Video Game Invasion: The History of a Global Obsession Studio: Slam Films DVD Release Date: November 9, 2004

The Video Game Revolution Studio: KCTS Television Release Date: August 23, 2004 Run Time: 115 minutes


©2006AmandaHefner

Tech Note 8 – Gaming Resources GAME DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES

Sprites GRAPHICS and SPRITES Resources List

(collected from GameMaker Forum)

Sounds & Music MUSIC and SOUND Resources List (collected from GameMaker Forum)

Backgrounds http://www.grsites.com/textures Absolute Backgrounds

Game Examples Game Examples by Carl Gustafsson http://dvexample1.tripod.com/

Copyrights GameMaker Forum post : Copyrights for Games, How to Protect Yours

Game Maker Tutorials and FAQs

GameMaker Forum post : Tutorials GameMaker Tutorials (Very Good! Open the examples for study and edit.)

Game Maker Developer sites

(Check out their Tutorials & Examples pages!)

GameMaker Companion by A. Nicholas Erik's GameMaker Pages GreenMachine GameMaker Pages Robs GameMaker Pages

digital gaming curriculum

Documents

gaming concepts

game development

digital game curriculum

digital gaming lesson

game design development

understanding of gaming

basics of gaming

development process