Thesis

The game Ball Blast explores how factors such as mass, power, and other variables can affect a ball's aerodynamics and flight path. The game was designed for people interested in and involved in the mathematics and physics of aerodynamics. There is both a physical and a digital version of the game to gather feedback and create a fluid, working game.

؜Inspiration & Personal Learning Journey

Game Inspiration:

Angry Birds

Personal Learning Preferences:

Math, Physics, Creation

+

Precedents

Aesthetics: (Vibe& Emotional)

Angry Birds

Dynamics: (Behavior )

Love Balls

Mechanics: ( System & Components)

Learn 2 Fly

Sketch Exploration

Core Game Loop

Game Elements & Rules

Mechanics: Power, Mass, Air Resistance, Ground Friction, Elasticity, Launch Angle.

Dynamics: Depending on settings, the ball reacts differently with obstacles.

Aesthetics: Simple - Dark background, calming, and not too overstimulating.

Prototype

Game Testing

1) Too much information thrown at your at once

2) Not enough creativity involved.

3) Not enough levels to play

4) Varies in difficulty

Observations

Iteration I

؜

؜The Shift: Adding popups for the first 5 levels that each teach you a needed skill and how to use it.

The Why: By adding only one new feature at each level and explaining how it works, it is much less overwhelming and allows the player to gain a better understanding of each topic.

The Insight: It was overwhelming to take in all of the information at once.

Iteration II

؜

؜The Shift: Making a built-in editor that allows players to create levels and upload them.

The Why: By creating an editor, it solves two problems at once: it allows for more creativity by letting the player make whatever they want, and it also gives more levels for players to play because they can play each other's levels.

The Insight: There is not enough creativity inside the game, and not enough levels to play.

Final Photos - Digital

Final Photos - Physical

Demo(Level)

Demo(Editor)

Thesis

This project is a first-person puzzle game centered on real-time problem solving through environmental interaction and the principles of ray optics. Players use a laser that can be redirected with a movable mirror to break barriers, access a corrosive substance, and manipulate the environment to progress through a layered escape-room-style level.

The gameplay is designed to build understanding through action, requiring players to observe their surroundings, experiment with light behavior, and think spatially to solve each step of the puzzle. Rather than relying on explicit instructions, the game uses visual cues, object placement, and material contrast to guide the player intuitively.

This project was created to make learning feel interactive and engaging by turning scientific concepts into hands-on problem solving rather than passive instruction. What makes this game different is its emphasis on consequence-based gameplay, where every action such as successfully or unsuccessfully using the vial—directly impacts progression, encouraging players to think carefully, adapt quickly, and learn through both success and failure.

؜Inspiration & Personal Learning Journey

Game Inspiration:

Portal 2

Personal Learning Preferences:

Visual learning

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Precedents

Aesthetics: (Vibe& Emotional)

Minecraft

Dynamics: (Behavior)

Portal 2

Mechanics: ( System & Components)

Ray Optics

Core Game Loop

Prototype

؜Prototype 1: The game in godot

؜Prototype 2: More accurate ray optics simulator

Game Testing

1) It was a little complicated without my giudence.

2) There were a few glitches such as the chacter head glitching though the walls

Observations

Iteration I

؜The Shift: we moved a way from this game to put ray optics at the fore front of the games experience

The Why: we did this because the we want to make teaching people something the focus point

The Insight: This game put learning on the back bunner too much

Iteration II

؜

؜؜The Shift: we cleaned up a lot of bugs and improved game functions

The Why: we did this to make the game run better and enhance the quality of the gameplay

The Insight: The game was a little complicated

Final Photos

Final Video or Gif

Demo

Thesis

؜Storyscape consists of six different boxes with different plot structures divided between them which the player can drag scenes into, then can place characters into a scene. Once the player completes the other 5, the player must write out their own interpretation of the ending. Storyscape is aimed to teach children around 3rd and 5th grade key aspects of how to story tell and story board. Pairing characters and scenes together correctly provide a interesting learning experience. This project originally started out on Scratch, but as bugs became larger problems, I moved to html which is easier in both gaining help and bugs.

؜Inspiration & Personal Learning Journey

Game Inspiration:

Storyteller

Personal Learning Preferences:

English

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Precedents

Aesthetics: (Vibe& Emotional)

Dungeons and Dragons

Dynamics: (Behavior )

Storyteller

Mechanics: ( System & Components)

Scratch

Sketch Exploration

Game Elements & Rules

Mechanics: Drag and drop the characters into scenes that the player chooses the location of.

Dynamics: Fill out five boxes and answer your interpretation of the ending.

Aesthetics: When playing users may experience curiosity and ambition to complete it.

Prototype

؜Prototype 1: Scratch

؜Prototype 2: p5js

Game Testing

؜ 1) There isn't a definitive end reward that the player is motivated to achieve

2) Difficulty knowing how to play and or making story

Observations

Iteration I

؜

؜The Shift: Allowed for users to rearrange images to make their own story

The Why: It allows for more creativity and the user is able to interact with the game to the fullest extent

The Insight: In earlier designs it was hard to tell how the game teaches the ability to storyboard.

Iteration II

؜

؜The Shift: Changed to have a more structured system and allow players more creativity in the construction of the scenes

The Why: To have a system to make the game more structured

The Insight: There is no change in the story when the user makes a scene and no character model

Final Video or Gif

Demo

Thesis

؜Many people do not have good financial literacy, because it's not often taught in schools. Leading people to not learn about how to properly handle their money or understand what happens when they take out a loan until the time comes. People not being aware causes them to make financial decisions that won't benefit them at all, making their situation worse. The goal here is to create a game to teach teenagers (14-18) about components of paying off a loan and financial literacy. That way, when the time comes that they need to pay off a loan, they will have more security and background knowledge

This is done through the lens of a banker; the player helps someone set up loans while also struggling with their own budgeting based on the money they receive from their paycheck.

؜Inspiration & Personal Learning Journey

Game Inspiration:

STAX

Personal Learning Preferences:

Visual Learning

+

Precedents

Aesthetics: Papa's Pizzeria

Dynamics: Bank simulatoar

Mechanics: Stax

Sketch Exploration

Core Game Loop

Core Game Loop

Game Elements & Rules

Mechanics: Simple mouse click

Dynamics:

1. Switch between the Banker's and the client's perspective on paying off,
2. Pay off your monthly payments on time while handling other expenses, such as rent and food. Or spend my time on vacations and other leisure activities.
3. Watch your loan slowly or quickly decrease, the same with your savings and credit score.
4. On the banker's side, you watch the bank profit off the loan, and wait for your next paycheck to pay off your own loan.

Aesthetics:

1. Simple,
2. It also involves more complex feelings because you are either hoping the client pays off their loan as soon as possible, or that the bank makes the most profit.

Prototype

؜Prototype 1:how the the pay loan and other expense mechanics

؜Prototype 2: the Bankers office

Game Testing

1) Make it clearer what buttons are for the client and for the Banker.

2) Make the game look more organized/visual appealing

3) Making the objective clearer

Observations

Iterations

؜

؜The Shift: redefined the buttons and moved them. Added more options for where money can be put

The Why: Wanted to give more variety, make the aesthetics a little nicer, and make it clearer to understand

The Insight: the instructions were not as clear, felt overwhelming at first, as well as the sudden shift.

Final Photos

Final Video or Gif

Demo

End Of Studio Reflection

Part 1: To be filled in studio by students

End-of-Studio Reflection

Write 2–4 sentences responding to the prompts below:

1. What are you most proud of learning in this studio?
2. What was a meaningful challenge and what strategies did you try?
3. What aspects of the design skills/process help me improve your work?
4. What do you now understand that you didn’t before?

My Reflection:

I am most proud of learning the MDA framework. A meaningful challenge was not getting things to work out the way i hoped in my experimental portion of the coding and I was able to solidify the rest of the vision in the meantime by listening to my partner. Taking a break and focusing on presentation along with remembering that this was an expected potential outcome was what worked. The aspect of having review of what works or doesn't helped the most by giving better brainstorming. I understand navigating github, diffrent file types, a lot of small ai models specifically webllm and the deespseek qwen distill model in great detail, n8n, hugging face pipline command. I know the many limitations of tools and how editing files for this works.

Student Self-Assessment Template

؜Academic Domain: Technology and Digital Citizenship

Rubric Category

My Evidence (from reflections/projects)

My Self-Rating (Bold/Highlight one)

Programming

Emerging / Developing/ Proficient/ Advanced

Emerging / Developing/ Proficient/ Advanced

Emerging / Developing/ Proficient/ Advanced

Software Fluency

AI/ Machine Learning

I only know a couple coding languages, no previous experience/cant do anything i didn't demonstrate in this project

I know enough to talk about it but the specifics of many programs are unknown to me

I have watched youtube video's, tested models, know how everything works generally. There is a ton more to learn that goes over my head still.

Student Self-Assessment Template

؜Academic Domain: Design & Innovation

Rubric Category

My Evidence (from reflections/projects)

My Self-Rating (Bold/Highlight one)

Concept Development

Emerging / Developing/ Proficient/ Advanced

Emerging / Developing/ Proficient/ Advanced

Emerging / Developing/ Proficient/ Advanced

Iteration/ Prototyping

Research

I have gotten better at talking about the idea

don't try diverse enough options. not a lot of experience.

could save a lot of time if i research better

End Of Studio Reflection

Part 2: To be filled by coach during G4G convo

Final-Assessment Template

؜Academic Domain:

Rubric Category

My Evidence (from reflections/projects)

My Self-Rating (Bold/Highlight one)

؜....

Emerging / Developing/ Proficient/ Advanced

Emerging / Developing/ Proficient/ Advanced

Emerging / Developing/ Proficient/ Advanced

؜.....

؜.....

Growth Goals - Setting the Path Forward

Co-Created Goals for Next Studio

Focus Area

Goal Statement

Strategies/ Support Needed

Personal Learning Journey

1. Our learning style is using history and math to make topics more engaging to the user
2. History, and art
3. I didnt immedietly get along with people but once i found common interests it felt like everyone was friends
4. first person shooters, strategy

Project Thesis

1. Add details about your Gamified Learning platform here:
2. Learn how submarines work and calculate to operate the sub
3. Destroy enemies and get fuel
4. Feedback Mechanism
5. Top down game

Character Name:

Things they find interesting

Things they find challenging

Things they are currently doing to overcome the challenges

Grade Level: 5th grade

Age: 10-18

Learning Preferences: Strategy games

Thoughts on Gaming platforms

"A quotation from the interview that captures their learning journey"

District: china

؜Social Identities: ww1 U-BOAT

User Persona

History and or war

Math or coordinates (this will help them)

؜Learning skills to improve theyre understanding of math and history

؜Scratch or godot, but probably scratch

Precedents

Looks like

Works like

؜Platform specific example

User Experience Sketch

no sketches

Iterations

User Testing

What's your plan for user testing?

What things will you measure/observe when user tests your platform?

Feedback

What questions do you want to ask your audience?

Thesis

Blue Waters is a World War II inspired submarine simulation that puts you in command of a U-boat crew deep in enemy controlled waters. Your mission is to hunt down and destroy enemy ships while surviving the constant threat of detection, Victory depends on precision and skill. You’ll calculate distances, torpedo speed, and interception angles to land accurate hits, all while the game records your progress, Every decision matters one mistake can mean a missed shot or revealing your position. Beyond combat, you must manage fuel, supplies, and crew efficiency to endure long, dangerous patrols. With limited resources and enemies closing in, survival is never guaranteed.

m

WORK IN PROGRESS SLIDE**

؜why our game?

blue waters is a unique game that helps you learn-by-doing. games like "U-BOAT" are far more complicated and expensive for an average user we want to replicate the fun experience and at the same time teach the user

Blue Waters is a unique learning experience built around the idea of learning-by-doing. While games like U-BOAT offer deep and realistic gameplay, they can be overly complex and expensive for the average player. Our goal is to capture that same excitement and tension in a more accessible way, while also helping players develop practical skills. By combining engaging gameplay with real problem-solving, Blue Waters makes learning feel natural, fun, and rewarding.

؜N

Precedents

Aesthetics: io simple browser games

Dynamics: (Behavior )

Mechanics: U-BOAT basically our game but 3D and more complicated

؜N

Core Game Loop

1. Detect & Track Convoys

Use intelligence, sonar, and scouting to locate enemy ships

2. Plan Attack

Calculate speed, distance, and interception angle

3. Engage & Strike

Fire torpedoes and attempt a successful hit

4. Evade & Survive

Avoid escorts, depth charges, and detection

5. Earn Rewards

Gain fuel, supplies, and upgrade points

6. Upgrade Submarine

Improve speed, stealth, weapons, and durability

؜m

Detect & Track Convoys Use intelligence, sonar, and scouting to locate enemy ships

؜Plan Attack Calculate speed, distance, and interception angle

Engage & Strike Fire torpedoes and attempt a successful hit

؜Evade & Survive Avoid escorts, depth charges, and detection

Earn Rewards Gain fuel, supplies, and upgrade points

Upgrade Submarine Improve speed, stealth, weapons, and durability

Game Elements & Rules

؜measure speed of the target

measure angle of the target and interception point

Speed=Time over Distance​

fire torpedo hide and run

N

؜Assets

؜(no sketches)

؜m

Early Prototypes

prototype 1: movement and map generation test

prototype 2: mechanics and features test

N

Game Testing

؜1) Players were confused how to play

2) Glitches were frequent throghout playing

3) ui issues

Observations

Iteration I

؜

؜At first, the game was more arcade-like, focusing on fast-paced action in a different timeline. It didn’t emphasize realism or strategy as much. Over time, we shifted toward a more immersive and educational experience, combining engaging gameplay with realistic mechanics.

؜m

Iteration II

؜

؜The timeline of events was reworked, shifting the game toward a stronger focus on player learning and a more open-world experience. This marks Iteration 2 of the project, where gameplay, education, and exploration are more deeply connected.

؜m

feedback