Susan Miller Scalable Game Design University of Colorado All About Frogger Susan Miller Scalable Game Design University of Colorado

Why Game Design? Motivates students Enables students to see themselves as ‘programmers’ Produces Computational Thinking Skills Enables students to understand and create simulations Creates Problem Solvers

Frogger – How does the game work? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okm0VtF2gH8 What’s happening in the game? What are the rules?

Rules of Frogger You are a frog. Your task is simple: hop across a busy highway, dodging cars and trucks who come out of (and go back into) tunnels, until you get to the edge of a river, where you must keep yourself from drowning by crossing safely to your grotto at the top of the screen by leaping across the backs of turtles and logs. What are the NOUNS of this description?

NOUNS = AGENTS You are a frog. Your task is simple: hop across a busy highway, dodging cars and trucks who come out of (and go back into) tunnels, until you get to the edge of a river, where you must keep yourself from drowning by crossing safely to your grotto at the top of the screen by leaping across the backs of turtles and logs.

Let’s Jump In Open AgentCubesOnline.com Enter your name/password and login Click on NEW PROJECT Save your file as FROGGER

Let’s make a frog…

Nouns = AGENTS Create the following agents: Frog Truck Road Ground Tunnel

Create your agents (10 minutes) https://youtu.be/AYDWTh3Nsu0

Put your agents on your worksheet

It’s time to SAVE THE WORLD!

Explore your world

Does your game do anything???

Rules of Frogger- What are the VERBS? You are a frog. Your task is simple: hop across a busy highway, dodging cars and trucks who come out of (and go back into) tunnels, until you get to the edge of a river, where you must keep yourself from drowning by crossing safely to your grotto at the top of the screen by leaping across the backs of turtles and logs.

VERBS are ACTIONS ACTIONS are CTPs You are a frog. Your task is simple: hop across a busy highway, dodging cars and trucks who come out of (and go back into) tunnels, until you get to the edge of a river, where you must keep yourself from drowning by crossing safely to your grotto at the top of the screen by leaping across the backs of turtles and logs.

How do we make the frog move?

How do we make the frog move? CTP#1: USER Control

Make the frog move

Make the frog move Add the rest of the rules to make your frog move in other directions. TEST your game – does it work???

Under what conditions should the trucks move?

What makes the trucks move? TEST your game – does it work???

Make the trucks appear CTP #2: GENERATE The creation of New AGENTS is called GENERATION We GENERATE new agents Under what circumstances: WHEN HOW OFTEN CTP #2: GENERATE

Make the trucks appear TEST your game – does it work???

Too Many Trucks…. Find some better values!

Make the trucks disappear The elimination of AGENTS is called ABSORBTION We ABSORB new agents Under what circumstances: WHEN HOW OFTEN CTP #3: ABSORB

Under what conditions should the trucks disappear?

Make the trucks disappear TEST your game – does it work???

What happens when the truck hits a frog? CTP #4: Collision!!!!

What happens when the truck hits the frog?

Create a NEW depiction for your FROG

Program the frog to be squished by the truck What if I gave the rules to the TRUCK? What would change?

Frogger Part II: The River Scene What do we need to complete the river scene? Remember the story: You are a frog. Your task is simple: hop across a busy highway, dodging cars and trucks who come out of (and go back into) tunnels, until you get to the edge of a river, where you must keep yourself from drowning by crossing safely to your grotto at the top of the screen by leaping across the backs of turtles and logs.

What agents do we need? (Think NOUNS) You are a frog. Your task is simple: hop across a busy highway, dodging cars and trucks who come out of (and go back into) tunnels, until you get to the edge of a river, where you must keep yourself from drowning by crossing safely to your grotto at the top of the screen by leaping across the backs of turtles and logs.

What agents do we need? (Think NOUNS) You are a frog. Your task is simple: hop across a busy highway, dodging cars and trucks who come out of (and go back into) tunnels, until you get to the edge of a river, where you must keep yourself from drowning by crossing safely to your grotto at the top of the screen by leaping across the backs of turtles and logs.

What actions do we need? (Think VERBS) You are a frog. Your task is simple: hop across a busy highway, dodging cars and trucks who come out of (and go back into) tunnels, until you get to the edge of a river, where you must keep yourself from drowning by crossing safely to your grotto at the top of the screen by leaping across the backs of turtles and logs. Hint: New CTP: CTP #5 TRANSPORT

Frogger: Student Handout 4 Finish your Frogger game… If you finish early, try a challenge sheet!!

Challenge Activities Alligators (I make mine snakes) Prevent cheating Dodge the cars (two way traffic) Inquiry Element Road Design Multiple levels Diving Turtles (advanced)

Play Time!!!! Play each other's games give some positive feedback Suggestions for potential extensions or improvements Spend some time working on revisions Talk with your table about how you for see teaching this. Be prepared to share What problems/hurdles do you expect? What do you see as the major value/assets of frogger?